Problems talking to Kindle from Mac

mikefulton · 04-04-2015, 10:21 PM

I am having a lot of trouble getting Calibre to talk to my Kindle Fire lately.

First, it takes *FOREVER* to read the list of files. Like nearly *THREE HOURS* in the latest attempt.

The error isn't always the same, but in this case, it failed at the end of the process of reading files. The job progress bar actually read 100% and I get this message:

------

Failed to delete (u'Internal storage', u'metadata.calibre') with error: 2:PTP Layer error 02ff: LIBMTP_Delete_Object(): could not delete object.
2:Error 02ff: PTP: I/O error

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "site-packages/calibre/gui2/device.py", line 87, in run
File "site-packages/calibre/gui2/device.py", line 503, in _books
File "site-packages/calibre/devices/mtp/driver.py", line 275, in books
File "site-packages/calibre/devices/mtp/driver.py", line 301, in write_metadata_cache
File "site-packages/calibre/devices/mtp/base.py", line 24, in synchronizer
File "site-packages/calibre/devices/mtp/unix/driver.py", line 366, in put_file
File "site-packages/calibre/devices/mtp/base.py", line 24, in synchronizer
File "site-packages/calibre/devices/mtp/unix/driver.py", line 411, in delete_file_or_folder
DeviceError: Failed to delete (u'Internal storage', u'metadata.calibre') with error: 2:PTP Layer error 02ff: LIBMTP_Delete_Object(): could not delete object.
2:Error 02ff: PTP: I/O error

---

I've already reset my Kindle back to factory defaults once, but after I did that I haven't been able to get all my books back onto the device.

From the message it appears that Calibre is actually writing some file 'metadata.calibre' to the device, in addition to whatever books it's copying. Is that correct?

eschwartz · 04-07-2015, 08:33 PM

Moderator Notice

Since this is a calibre issue*, I am moving this thread to the calibre forums.

* -- connecting to MTP devices is not part of OSX itself, calibre does that

kovidgoyal · 04-07-2015, 11:12 PM

Your Kindle's flash memory is dying. You'd need to replace its internal memory. I f I were you I'd just reset it to factory defaults, then load only a few books onto it at a time to avoid stressing it.

mikefulton · 04-10-2015, 01:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

Your Kindle's flash memory is dying. You'd need to replace its internal memory. If I were you I'd just reset it to factory defaults, then load only a few books onto it at a time to avoid stressing it.

I have had zero problems copying files back and forth with the Android File Transfer utility. Nor have I had any problems reading books, running apps, watching video, etc., on the device.

I've not gotten any errors with anything but Calibre. Not a single one.

And I did reset to factory defaults at one point. Calibre worked OK at first but after I had transferred a few books I was getting errors intermittently again.

It's not impossible there is a problem with the memory, but it seems very unlikely it would escape notice with everything else but Calibre.

kovidgoyal · 04-10-2015, 01:45 AM

Load patterns are what matters. And incidentally, calibre uses libmtp to communicate with the device, which is the same thing that every other utility that talks to the device uses. So if you are getting file transfer errors then your device is failing.

mikefulton · 04-10-2015, 03:11 AM

I never said i was getting file transfer errors. The one i posted was something about being unable to delete a file. My guess would be that the file is in use and an access denied error is occuring.

None of the errors i've seen involved a file transfer. Usually it fails getting the list of books.

kovidgoyal · 04-10-2015, 04:02 AM

You also said transfers are taking forever. Which indicates file I/O very slow on your device. And that a device reset temporarily fixed that.

And if something on the device is locking a file, then you need to figure out what that is and stop it from doing so.

In any case, it is my opinion that your problems are caused by something specific to your device. You are free to disagree.

HarryT · 04-10-2015, 04:15 AM

Have you tried using a different cable? Faulty cables are often the cause of data transfer issues.

mikefulton · 04-10-2015, 07:13 PM

Harry, it's unclear that there's a problem with the actual data transfer. But even so, I'd consider the cable thing a possibility if not for the fact that transfers using the Android File Transfer program work fine at the expected speed.

Koyid, I didn't say file transfers were taking a long time. I said it was taking a long time to get the list of files on the device, and then at the end of the process I get the error message shown in the first post.

You said "something on the device locking a file" as if Calibre wasn't involved in that, despite the fact that the file in question is "metadata.calibre", a file that is created and manipulated by the Calibre app during the process of getting the list of books.

I don't understand why "metadata.calibre" even exists on the device at all. When I saw the error message, my first reaction was, why the heck is Calibre creating and writing files on the device when it's supposedly just getting the list of files? Especially if it's a temporary file that's getting deleted at the end? Why isn't that getting saved on the computer side of things?

theducks · 04-10-2015, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikefulton

[B]

I don't understand why "metadata.calibre" even exists on the device at all. When I saw the error message, my first reaction was, why the heck is Calibre creating and writing files on the device when it's supposedly just getting the list of files? Especially if it's a temporary file that's getting deleted at the end? Why isn't that getting saved on the computer side of things?

that file is a sort of speedup file of what was previously scanned (found)

No need to extract metadata (to find more about the book) if the book file still exists.
This file is updated after every send (and discovery) session
If you delete, it will be recreated (a long scan)

If you believe the file is damaged. Delete it. Just allow time for the scan to complete.

mikefulton · 04-11-2015, 12:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theducks

that file is a sort of speedup file of what was previously scanned (found) No need to extract metadata (to find more about the book) if the book file still exists.
This file is updated after every send (and discovery) session
If you delete, it will be recreated (a long scan)

If you believe the file is damaged. Delete it. Just allow time for the scan to complete.

It's clear what the purpose of the metadata.calibre file is. It's just not clear why it needs to be manipulated on the device side of things. It would be faster and more efficient to do it on the computer side.

As far as "a long scan" goes, if transferring all the books takes 10 minute or less in the first place, why should it take 3 hours to do a scan? It shouldn't take any longer to extract a few kilobytes of metadata from a file than it does to transfer the whole file.

And, once again, please note that the error I posted had to do with Calibre being unable to delete this file that resulted from this scan (however long it took to create).

kovidgoyal · 04-11-2015, 12:22 AM

Sigh. You are determined not to listen to someone that knows what they are talking about, because they wrote the actual code. I'll give it one more try, then I am out of here:

0) All communication between calibre and the device is by listing files and transferring them. No code is ever executed on the device by calibre.

1) MTP is a transacted protocol. It does not include any file locking. File locking if it occurs at all must occur on the device.

2) Listing files on the device, literally involves transferring file data from the device to calibre. The data in question is directory entries and actual file data for files for which internal metadata has to be read. Therefore if listing is taking a long time, it is taking a long time because transfer of file data is taking a long time. And that process is entirely limited by the speed at which your device can read files from its memory and shove the data down the USB cable.

3) metadata.calibre is never manipulated on the device, see point 0

For the last time, the problems are in your device. All the best, I am done here.

04-04-2015, 10:21 PM	#1
mikefulton Member Posts: 17 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2014 Device: Kindle Fire HDX	Problems talking to Kindle from Mac I am having a lot of trouble getting Calibre to talk to my Kindle Fire lately. First, it takes FOREVER to read the list of files. Like nearly THREE HOURS in the latest attempt. The error isn't always the same, but in this case, it failed at the end of the process of reading files. The job progress bar actually read 100% and I get this message: ------ Failed to delete (u'Internal storage', u'metadata.calibre') with error: 2:PTP Layer error 02ff: LIBMTP_Delete_Object(): could not delete object. 2:Error 02ff: PTP: I/O error Traceback (most recent call last): File "site-packages/calibre/gui2/device.py", line 87, in run File "site-packages/calibre/gui2/device.py", line 503, in _books File "site-packages/calibre/devices/mtp/driver.py", line 275, in books File "site-packages/calibre/devices/mtp/driver.py", line 301, in write_metadata_cache File "site-packages/calibre/devices/mtp/base.py", line 24, in synchronizer File "site-packages/calibre/devices/mtp/unix/driver.py", line 366, in put_file File "site-packages/calibre/devices/mtp/base.py", line 24, in synchronizer File "site-packages/calibre/devices/mtp/unix/driver.py", line 411, in delete_file_or_folder DeviceError: Failed to delete (u'Internal storage', u'metadata.calibre') with error: 2:PTP Layer error 02ff: LIBMTP_Delete_Object(): could not delete object. 2:Error 02ff: PTP: I/O error --- I've already reset my Kindle back to factory defaults once, but after I did that I haven't been able to get all my books back onto the device. From the message it appears that Calibre is actually writing some file 'metadata.calibre' to the device, in addition to whatever books it's copying. Is that correct?

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04-07-2015, 08:33 PM	#2
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	Moderator Notice Since this is a calibre issue, I am moving this thread to the calibre forums. -- connecting to MTP devices is not part of OSX itself, calibre does that

04-07-2015, 11:12 PM	#3
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,345 Karma: 27182818 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Your Kindle's flash memory is dying. You'd need to replace its internal memory. I f I were you I'd just reset it to factory defaults, then load only a few books onto it at a time to avoid stressing it.

04-10-2015, 01:45 AM	#5
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,345 Karma: 27182818 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Load patterns are what matters. And incidentally, calibre uses libmtp to communicate with the device, which is the same thing that every other utility that talks to the device uses. So if you are getting file transfer errors then your device is failing.

04-10-2015, 03:11 AM	#6
mikefulton Member Posts: 17 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2014 Device: Kindle Fire HDX	I never said i was getting file transfer errors. The one i posted was something about being unable to delete a file. My guess would be that the file is in use and an access denied error is occuring. None of the errors i've seen involved a file transfer. Usually it fails getting the list of books.

04-10-2015, 04:02 AM	#7
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,345 Karma: 27182818 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	You also said transfers are taking forever. Which indicates file I/O very slow on your device. And that a device reset temporarily fixed that. And if something on the device is locking a file, then you need to figure out what that is and stop it from doing so. In any case, it is my opinion that your problems are caused by something specific to your device. You are free to disagree.

04-10-2015, 04:15 AM	#8
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Have you tried using a different cable? Faulty cables are often the cause of data transfer issues.

04-10-2015, 07:13 PM	#9
mikefulton Member Posts: 17 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2014 Device: Kindle Fire HDX	Harry, it's unclear that there's a problem with the actual data transfer. But even so, I'd consider the cable thing a possibility if not for the fact that transfers using the Android File Transfer program work fine at the expected speed. Koyid, I didn't say file transfers were taking a long time. I said it was taking a long time to get the list of files on the device, and then at the end of the process I get the error message shown in the first post. You said "something on the device locking a file" as if Calibre wasn't involved in that, despite the fact that the file in question is "metadata.calibre", a file that is created and manipulated by the Calibre app during the process of getting the list of books. I don't understand why "metadata.calibre" even exists on the device at all. When I saw the error message, my first reaction was, why the heck is Calibre creating and writing files on the device when it's supposedly just getting the list of files? Especially if it's a temporary file that's getting deleted at the end? Why isn't that getting saved on the computer side of things?

04-11-2015, 12:22 AM	#12
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,345 Karma: 27182818 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Sigh. You are determined not to listen to someone that knows what they are talking about, because they wrote the actual code. I'll give it one more try, then I am out of here: 0) All communication between calibre and the device is by listing files and transferring them. No code is ever executed on the device by calibre. 1) MTP is a transacted protocol. It does not include any file locking. File locking if it occurs at all must occur on the device. 2) Listing files on the device, literally involves transferring file data from the device to calibre. The data in question is directory entries and actual file data for files for which internal metadata has to be read. Therefore if listing is taking a long time, it is taking a long time because transfer of file data is taking a long time. And that process is entirely limited by the speed at which your device can read files from its memory and shove the data down the USB cable. 3) metadata.calibre is never manipulated on the device, see point 0 For the last time, the problems are in your device. All the best, I am done here.

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