Merge an existing library with a backup from Dropbox

peaceridge · 09-19-2020, 01:28 PM

Somehow I have managed to lose a bunch of books from my Calibre library. I have a backup on dropbox I want to just merge the backup into my library (ignoring duplicates).

My problem is that calibre does not recognize the backup as a library. Do I have to open every single folder on the backup to recover the ebooks, or is there a slick way of getting calibre to accept the dropbox ebooks as a library? I have read through everything I can find on here, but it all assumes 2 calibre libraries.

theducks · 09-19-2020, 03:03 PM

A 'backup' LIBRARY includes Metadata.db
If tht is not there, it is just folders (with books).

Make a NEW (temp?) Library; ADD those books to it the normal CALIBRE way .
Now you can use Copy to Library (remember to set the what to do about Duplicates section when adding)
You can either toss the Temp Library or replace your archive with a 'proper'

one

peaceridge · 09-19-2020, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theducks

A 'backup' LIBRARY includes Metadata.db
If tht is not there, it is just folders (with books).

Make a NEW (temp?) Library; ADD those books to it the normal CALIBRE way .
Now you can use Copy to Library (remember to set the what to do about Duplicates section when adding)
You can either toss the Temp Library or replace your archive with a 'proper'

one

I have metadata.db attached to the dropbox folder, but I don't know what to do with it to get calibre to recognize it.

latepaul · 09-19-2020, 04:36 PM

Click on the library icon on the Calibre task bar, you should get a library menu. Click on the first item "switch/create library...". Then you'll get a dialog with different options, make sure the first one, "use the previously existing library at the new location" is checked. Then click on the folder icon next to "New location" and navigate to your dropbox folder and then click OK. It should then recognise the Dropbox copy as a library, you should see all the books there.

Once you've done that you can right click on selections of books and choose "Copy to Library" and copy/move them to the original library.

peaceridge · 09-19-2020, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by latepaul

Click on the library icon on the Calibre task bar, you should get a library menu. Click on the first item "switch/create library...". Then you'll get a dialog with different options, make sure the first one, "use the previously existing library at the new location" is checked. Then click on the folder icon next to "New location" and navigate to your dropbox folder and then click OK. It should then recognise the Dropbox copy as a library, you should see all the books there.

Once you've done that you can right click on selections of books and choose "Copy to Library" and copy/move them to the original library.

You are a lifesaver!!! Worked perfectly! Thank you so much!

pjmpjm · 02-10-2021, 11:01 PM

This was a great help to me, latepaul. It took me a while to appreciate that 'merging' in Calibre means going to the 'second library' and choosing all the books you want to merge in the 'first library.' A right click brings up the 'copy' command, which you can then point to the 'first library'. A nify help is found in 'Preferences' (Adding Books/Adding Actions) . . . where you can choose to merge duplicates. That saves a lot of work.

09-19-2020, 01:28 PM	#1
peaceridge Wizard Posts: 1,019 Karma: 4407864 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: North Carolina Device: Kobo Aura1, Nexus7.2, Galaxy Tab A 8.4, Ipad Air & Mini 6	Merge an existing library with a backup from Dropbox Somehow I have managed to lose a bunch of books from my Calibre library. I have a backup on dropbox I want to just merge the backup into my library (ignoring duplicates). My problem is that calibre does not recognize the backup as a library. Do I have to open every single folder on the backup to recover the ebooks, or is there a slick way of getting calibre to accept the dropbox ebooks as a library? I have read through everything I can find on here, but it all assumes 2 calibre libraries.

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09-19-2020, 03:03 PM	#2
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 31,057 Karma: 60358908 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	A 'backup' LIBRARY includes Metadata.db If tht is not there, it is just folders (with books). Make a NEW (temp?) Library; ADD those books to it the normal CALIBRE way . Now you can use Copy to Library (remember to set the what to do about Duplicates section when adding) You can either toss the Temp Library or replace your archive with a 'proper' one

09-19-2020, 04:36 PM	#4
latepaul Wizard Posts: 1,270 Karma: 10468300 Join Date: Dec 2011 Device: a variety (mostly kindles and kobos)	Click on the library icon on the Calibre task bar, you should get a library menu. Click on the first item "switch/create library...". Then you'll get a dialog with different options, make sure the first one, "use the previously existing library at the new location" is checked. Then click on the folder icon next to "New location" and navigate to your dropbox folder and then click OK. It should then recognise the Dropbox copy as a library, you should see all the books there. Once you've done that you can right click on selections of books and choose "Copy to Library" and copy/move them to the original library.

02-10-2021, 11:01 PM	#6
pjmpjm Zealot Posts: 116 Karma: 48334 Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Australia Device: Fire HD 10	This was a great help to me, latepaul. It took me a while to appreciate that 'merging' in Calibre means going to the 'second library' and choosing all the books you want to merge in the 'first library.' A right click brings up the 'copy' command, which you can then point to the 'first library'. A nify help is found in 'Preferences' (Adding Books/Adding Actions) . . . where you can choose to merge duplicates. That saves a lot of work.

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