Library maintenance -> Check library

[mlevin77]

I'm using Library maintenance -> check library (on an Apple 10.6.8 system) and seeing a bunch of errors:

1) Is there a way to have it open the Finder window showing me which file it's complaining about? for example, under Invalid Titles, it says "Stephen King/.DS_Store" - how do I figure out where this invalid title is so I can fix it? Same under Extra Titles - any easy way to find each one it's complaining about so I can add the file to the library?

2) How did this happen - when I add books one by one, it adds them to the Calibre library; how is it possible that they are in the library folder but not in the database?

3) What's the best way to fix this - for subfolders of books that exist in the library folder (with ebook, covers, etc.) but not in the database, how to add them to the database most easily - any way to import them without having to re-add everything by hand?

[itimpi]

The .DS_Store are files are nothing to do with Calibre. They are created by the Mac Operating system.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by mlevin77

I'm using Library maintenance -> check library (on an Apple 10.6.8 system) and seeing a bunch of errors:

1) Is there a way to have it open the Finder window showing me which file it's complaining about? for example, under Invalid Titles, it says "Stephen King/.DS_Store" - how do I figure out where this invalid title is so I can fix it? Same under Extra Titles - any easy way to find each one it's complaining about so I can add the file to the library?

2) How did this happen - when I add books one by one, it adds them to the Calibre library; how is it possible that they are in the library folder but not in the database?

3) What's the best way to fix this - for subfolders of books that exist in the library folder (with ebook, covers, etc.) but not in the database, how to add them to the database most easily - any way to import them without having to re-add everything by hand?

I believe the simplest (most automatic) is to:
Create/Switch A (new) empty library (in a new location), tick use existing
structure
Switch back to the OLD library
Select all: Right-click: Copy to Library <new library> Delete after copy

What is leftover are your problem kids
s
You should be able to add thos in the traditional 'add book' manner

[mlevin77]

yep I know .DS_store files come from the OS - what I don't understand is exactly what is Calibre telling me - what is "Stephen King/.DS_Store" and why is this confusing it? Is it a field in a database record (if so, which one?) or a file it doesn't like? Presumably there is a .DS_Store file inside every subdirectory Calibre creates in its main directory, so what is this?

[mlevin77]

Originally Posted by theducks

Select all: Right-click: Copy to Library <new library> Delete after copy
What is leftover are your problem kids

cool, 2 questions:

1) so the Database (in Calibre) will then be empty, but the folder will not - it will have the loose files in it which can be added by hand (and ONLY those files - the move operation will remove everything that's properly linked into the Database), right?

2) what about the inverse errors - the ones where it's not a file without Database entry but where it's complaining about an entry in the database (which presumably would get moved by the copy/paste/delete operation)?
For example, there are some "missing formats" - when I check them, what I see is that the record indicates there should be a PDF or ePUB file but when I click on it, nothing happens - how do I reconnect those with the source file it should point to?

[theducks]

Originally Posted by mlevin77

cool, 2 questions:

1) so the Database (in Calibre) will then be empty, but the folder will not - it will have the loose files in it which can be added by hand (and ONLY those files - the move operation will remove everything that's properly linked into the Database), right?

2) what about the inverse errors - the ones where it's not a file without Database entry but where it's complaining about an entry in the database (which presumably would get moved by the copy/paste/delete operation)?
For example, there are some "missing formats" - when I check them, what I see is that the record indicates there should be a PDF or ePUB file but when I click on it, nothing happens - how do I reconnect those with the source file it should point to?

You should use the 'fix' on missing formats. That should correct the db to match the lack of that file. Have you had HD errors? Do you use multiple OS on the same Library? Lost (cause unknown) files is not good. If it is a case issue (multiple OS caused), Quality check PI has a possible FIX item for those.

[itimpi]

Originally Posted by mlevin77

yep I know .DS_store files come from the OS - what I don't understand is exactly what is Calibre telling me - what is "Stephen King/.DS_Store" and why is this confusing it? Is it a field in a database record (if so, which one?) or a file it doesn't like? Presumably there is a .DS_Store file inside every subdirectory Calibre creates in its main directory, so what is this?

Calibre is simply telling you that it has found a file in its library area that is not referenced in the calibre database. Calibre is not aware of any files that the OS decides to automatically create. As such you want to ignore them. There is an option to add file types that Calibre should ignore when checking the library and you should add .DS_Store to this to reduce the number of warnings that a Calibre generates when checking the library.

[mlevin77]

> You should use the 'fix' on missing formats. That should correct the db to match the lack of that file.

so basically it will remove the entry from my database, right?

> Have you had HD errors?

nope, HD healthy.

> Do you use multiple OS on the same Library?

yes - I access the same library folder on Dropbox from two different Apple machines (10.6.8, 10.8.3), but never simultaneously and never any OS other than Apple (no Windows, Linux, etc.). Is this a problem?

> Lost (cause unknown) files is not good. If it is a case issue (multiple OS caused), Quality check PI has a possible FIX item for those.[/QUOTE]

sorry, what's a quality check PI and how does it fix? Is there a URL that describes that the fixes are and how that works (what Calibre will do)?

[theducks]

Originally Posted by mlevin77

> You should use the 'fix' on missing formats. That should correct the db to match the lack of that file.

so basically it will remove the entry from my database, right?

> Have you had HD errors?

nope, HD healthy.

> Do you use multiple OS on the same Library?

yes - I access the same library folder on Dropbox from two different Apple machines (10.6.8, 10.8.3), but never simultaneously and never any OS other than Apple (no Windows, Linux, etc.). Is this a problem?

> Lost (cause unknown) files is not good. If it is a case issue (multiple OS caused), Quality check PI has a possible FIX item for those.

sorry, what's a quality check PI and how does it fix? Is there a URL that describes that the fixes are and how that works (what Calibre will do)?[/QUOTE]
I will defer to Apple users on issues using different versions, but on the surface: it should not cause problems like Win<->Linux will.


Preferences: Get Plugins:
(the Index is of these is in the sticky at the top of the Plugins sub forum here at MR). I think it can case adjust pathnames in the DB to match what is found.

[BetterRed]

mlevin77 - maybe this can help ==>> Asepsis - system utility for prevention of .DS_Store files

BR