Step by Step guide to using 2 Libraries?

VirgoGirl · 06-28-2013, 01:10 PM

Hello!

I know this has been addressed many times on the forum, but I need to find a step by step guide to using two Calibre libraries. I have an existing (temp) library where I edit metadata and convert to epub. I have my Complete library, where I store stuff forever.

What I'd like to to is be able to import my Complete Library (or bits of it) without losing my Temp library for editing and such (I generally have about 300 books waiting in there to process) so I can search for specific book details. I see that there is a change/switch choice under the library button, but it seems as if that's a way to change the default library (which is NOT what I want to do). I just want to be able to browse 2,000 books in one folder in my complete library without having to import every single one into calibre on my HD (complete library is stored on a 16G flash drive).

Is there a way to do it which would not force me to have to reimport the books I'm currently working on when I'm done searching my Complete Library?

My apologies if this has been addressed to death.

theducks · 06-28-2013, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VirgoGirl

Hello!

I know this has been addressed many times on the forum, but I need to find a step by step guide to using two Calibre libraries. I have an existing (temp) library where I edit metadata and convert to epub. I have my Complete library, where I store stuff forever.

What I'd like to to is be able to import my Complete Library (or bits of it) without losing my Temp library for editing and such (I generally have about 300 books waiting in there to process) so I can search for specific book details. I see that there is a change/switch choice under the library button, but it seems as if that's a way to change the default library (which is NOT what I want to do). I just want to be able to browse 2,000 books in one folder in my complete library without having to import every single one into calibre on my HD (complete library is stored on a 16G flash drive).

Is there a way to do it which would not force me to have to reimport the books I'm currently working on when I'm done searching my Complete Library?

My apologies if this has been addressed to death.

Yes it probably has been addressed many times. The search here depends on good key words being attached to posts.

Switch to your Temp Library: Select books: Right-click: copy to Library (your choice to delete from Temp or not ):<main

>

VirgoGirl · 06-28-2013, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theducks

Yes it probably has been addressed many times. The search here depends on good key words being attached to posts.

Switch to your Temp Library: Select books: Right-click: copy to Library (your choice to delete from Temp or not ):<main

>

Thanks for the reply!

My default library (the one that is in there when I open up Calibre) is my Temp library (once they are edited and converted they are deleted).

So if I start in my default/Temp library and want to (temporarily) load up a folder from my Complete Library without deleting anything from my Default/Temp Library or moving it into my Complete library (which is only for processed ebooks) or adding it to the default/temp library, what would I do?

Sorry, this has been a really bad week for me, and I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer at other times...

theducks · 06-28-2013, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VirgoGirl

Thanks for the reply!

My default library (the one that is in there when I open up Calibre) is my Temp library (once they are edited and converted they are deleted).

So if I start in my default/Temp library and want to (temporarily) load up a folder from my Complete Library without deleting anything from my Default/Temp Library or moving it into my Complete library (which is only for processed ebooks) or adding it to the default/temp library, what would I do?

Sorry, this has been a really bad week for me, and I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer at other times...

Assumes ALL involved libraries appear on the quick switch list

Select books
Right click
Copy to Library <choose>

VirgoGirl · 06-28-2013, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theducks

Assumes ALL involved libraries appear on the quick switch list

Select books
Right click
Copy to Library <choose>

Hmm, they don't. I have never loaded my Complete Library into Calibre.

Sabardeyn · 06-29-2013, 01:34 AM

I'm not sure I've understood your second post, but I believe there is confusion about the term "Library". Here is what I believe to be the issue...

Well, if your Complete Library hasn't been brought into calibre, then the software cannot directly affect it's contents. Calibre has to have a specific file structure for it's ebook libraries and uses the records in the database (metadata.db file in the library's parent folder) to make sure the files and file structure are as expected and to alter things as needed when the ebook's metadata is edited in calibre.

So calibre cannot manage what it effectively doesn't know about. Because your "Complete Library" is not a Library - not in the calibre sense. Your "Complete Library" is a manual collection of ebook files.

So you would need to create a new Library within calibre (anywhere on your computer system). Add all of the books from your "Complete Library" into this new Library (just copying files over will not work). Once that is done, and everything in this new Library is all set, you could copy it's parent folder - and all of it's contents - to your flash drive.

You would also need to delete and then re-add that newly created Library from the Library Icon's listing (Quick Switch, etc) to reset the path for the Switch Library function. (Because once you copy the new Library to it's new home, calibre's going to still be looking at it's old location.)

At this point, if you didn't want an extra copy, you could delete the original "Complete Library" content as it is no longer needed.

VirgoGirl · 07-02-2013, 08:25 AM

Thanks for the reply.

I think I'll just skip importing a different library, it's a lot of bother just to search for a particular book.

Apologies for the delay in replying. I had to have my cat put to sleep last week and have not felt up to being online.

Thanks again.

Sabardeyn · 07-02-2013, 10:15 AM

I know my previous message sounded pretty complex, but it is something that you would only have to do once. Thereafter calibre should be able to manage things fine for you.

As far as adding the books from your "Complete Library" into calibre after creating a new library... you would be able to do that by choosing the Add Books from Folders and Subfolders option of the Add toolbar icon (under the more button "v"). It should be able to walk your existing library structure and copy everything into the new library. However, with a lot of books, this could take some time to process.

PS: Sorry to hear about your cat.

VirgoGirl · 07-08-2013, 05:08 PM

Hi!

It's not that it's complex (but OH MY!!!), it's just not worth it to be able to read the book details on 1,200 books. At least, it'd not NOW, but maybe when I start pulling my hair out looking for that one book it'll be worth it.

Thanks for the cat wishes, we got her ashes back today. It's hard having pets.

06-28-2013, 01:10 PM	#1
VirgoGirl "Why is it doing that?" Posts: 322 Karma: 725344 Join Date: Sep 2011 Device: Black Kobo Touch & Glo, responsible for 2 PaperWhites	Step by Step guide to using 2 Libraries? Hello! I know this has been addressed many times on the forum, but I need to find a step by step guide to using two Calibre libraries. I have an existing (temp) library where I edit metadata and convert to epub. I have my Complete library, where I store stuff forever. What I'd like to to is be able to import my Complete Library (or bits of it) without losing my Temp library for editing and such (I generally have about 300 books waiting in there to process) so I can search for specific book details. I see that there is a change/switch choice under the library button, but it seems as if that's a way to change the default library (which is NOT what I want to do). I just want to be able to browse 2,000 books in one folder in my complete library without having to import every single one into calibre on my HD (complete library is stored on a 16G flash drive). Is there a way to do it which would not force me to have to reimport the books I'm currently working on when I'm done searching my Complete Library? My apologies if this has been addressed to death.

06-29-2013, 01:34 AM	#6
Sabardeyn Guru Posts: 644 Karma: 1242364 Join Date: May 2009 Location: The Right Coast Device: PC (Calibre), Nexus 7 2013 (Moon+ Pro), HTC HD2/Leo (Freda)	I'm not sure I've understood your second post, but I believe there is confusion about the term "Library". Here is what I believe to be the issue... Well, if your Complete Library hasn't been brought into calibre, then the software cannot directly affect it's contents. Calibre has to have a specific file structure for it's ebook libraries and uses the records in the database (metadata.db file in the library's parent folder) to make sure the files and file structure are as expected and to alter things as needed when the ebook's metadata is edited in calibre. So calibre cannot manage what it effectively doesn't know about. Because your "Complete Library" is not a Library - not in the calibre sense. Your "Complete Library" is a manual collection of ebook files. So you would need to create a new Library within calibre (anywhere on your computer system). Add all of the books from your "Complete Library" into this new Library (just copying files over will not work). Once that is done, and everything in this new Library is all set, you could copy it's parent folder - and all of it's contents - to your flash drive. You would also need to delete and then re-add that newly created Library from the Library Icon's listing (Quick Switch, etc) to reset the path for the Switch Library function. (Because once you copy the new Library to it's new home, calibre's going to still be looking at it's old location.) At this point, if you didn't want an extra copy, you could delete the original "Complete Library" content as it is no longer needed. Last edited by Sabardeyn; 06-29-2013 at 01:41 AM.

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07-02-2013, 08:25 AM	#7
VirgoGirl "Why is it doing that?" Posts: 322 Karma: 725344 Join Date: Sep 2011 Device: Black Kobo Touch & Glo, responsible for 2 PaperWhites	Thanks for the reply. I think I'll just skip importing a different library, it's a lot of bother just to search for a particular book. Apologies for the delay in replying. I had to have my cat put to sleep last week and have not felt up to being online. Thanks again.

07-02-2013, 10:15 AM	#8
Sabardeyn Guru Posts: 644 Karma: 1242364 Join Date: May 2009 Location: The Right Coast Device: PC (Calibre), Nexus 7 2013 (Moon+ Pro), HTC HD2/Leo (Freda)	I know my previous message sounded pretty complex, but it is something that you would only have to do once. Thereafter calibre should be able to manage things fine for you. As far as adding the books from your "Complete Library" into calibre after creating a new library... you would be able to do that by choosing the Add Books from Folders and Subfolders option of the Add toolbar icon (under the more button "v"). It should be able to walk your existing library structure and copy everything into the new library. However, with a lot of books, this could take some time to process. PS: Sorry to hear about your cat.

07-08-2013, 05:08 PM	#9
VirgoGirl "Why is it doing that?" Posts: 322 Karma: 725344 Join Date: Sep 2011 Device: Black Kobo Touch & Glo, responsible for 2 PaperWhites	Hi! It's not that it's complex (but OH MY!!!), it's just not worth it to be able to read the book details on 1,200 books. At least, it'd not NOW, but maybe when I start pulling my hair out looking for that one book it'll be worth it. Thanks for the cat wishes, we got her ashes back today. It's hard having pets.

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