Calibre Copies? Doesn't Delete Original?

[abrogard]

If i get calibre to import all the books it finds on a drive then it will copy all of those books into its own directories, right?

Then if I delete a book from calibre it will not delete the 'original' still there on the disk, right?

[retiredbiker]

Correct. Calibre makes a copy of the original in its own directory structure. You can add and delete within Calibre without affecting the original files. But NOTE: the Calibre directory structure is an integral part of Calibre's database. Don't touch a Calibre library with your file manager, or you will break it.

[abrogard]

Okay, thank you for that.

But, I find, just tried it, those copies are perfectly normal valid copies and can be copied out of Calibre's folders, pasted somewhere else, read, edited, whatever, just as normal.

It's all good.

[deback]

But, I find, just tried it, those copies are perfectly normal valid copies and can be copied out of Calibre's folders, pasted somewhere else, read, edited, whatever, just as normal.

That's true. I copy files from Calibre's folder all the time and copy them into my authors' folders, since I don't use Calibre to read books.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by deback

That's true. I copy files from Calibre's folder all the time and copy them into my authors' folders, since I don't use Calibre to read books.

You don't use Calibre as a Librarian.

A Librarian manages books. Stores, Sort/searches (catalogs), retrieves, converts and yes, displays (and Preferences: Behavior: gives you the choice to NOT use the internal viewer for a format).

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by abrogard

But, I find, just tried it, those copies are perfectly normal valid copies and can be copied out of Calibre's folders, pasted somewhere else, read, edited, whatever, just as normal.

Copying books out of calibre's folders won't ensure the metadata changes you made go with the book. Metadata changes are saved in the calibre database until you manually embed the data in a book using the polish (epub & azw3 only) or embed metadata features. Metadata is also embedded in the book when you convert a book or use the save to disk feature. IIRC the metadata is embedded when emailed or opened via the content server too.

[Tarana]

Please note: on PDFs, I've had a LINK to the book, but not a copy. This sort of confused me. The only PDfs I have are cookbooks and craftbooks.

[abrogard]

Please note: on PDFs, I've had a LINK to the book, but not a copy. This sort of confused me. The only PDfs I have are cookbooks and craftbooks.

That confuses me. What does it mean? That calibre has NOT copied your pdf's? It seems to copy mine alright unless it's fooling me with a sophisticated trick.

They have a file size in the Calibre listing.

If I click and copy that listing I can paste it elsewhere and it behaves exactly like a pdf.

I misunderstand what you're saying?