Import existing .opf's & books

haiyeekayakee · 12-12-2010, 11:53 AM

I'm sorry if this is a silly question and I've had a quick search but can't find anything about it, but I've been messing around and managed to make a haimes of things and my backup drive has gone kaput (it's currently resting in the freezer in the ultimate desperate act to try and recover data!)

I'm now left with my main library, and several-dozen subdirs where I'd been playing around with another library. These subdirs contain the books, cover and .opfs. I can import all the files (epubs) from Calibre, but it seems to
leave all the metadata from the .opfs behind.

Is there any way by which I can import these folders in bulk including the metadata? Right now I'm having to go to each folder in Nautilus (I'm using Linux), select the opf and open it with Calibre, then go to Calibre and manually add the book to the entry. It's a pain to say the least

kovidgoyal · 12-12-2010, 11:58 AM

a recursive add (one book per directory) will read the emtadata from the opfs. click the arrow next to the add books button.

wallcraft · 12-12-2010, 11:58 AM

Make a ZIP of the folder containing a single .opf plus the rest of the files for that ebook, then import the .zip file into Calibre.

If the original was an ePub, then you could try renaming the .zip to .epub, but this might not make a legal .epub (and I don't know how much difference it makes to Calibre anyway).

haiyeekayakee · 12-12-2010, 12:17 PM

That's strange, I could have sworn I'd tried that already (as it's so obvious and basic, which is why I was a bit embarrassed to ask this) and it hadn't worked. Maybe I'd then looked at some entries that I hadn't originally entered data for or something equally daft

Either way, it has worked, I'm saved ! Many thanks for the very fast replies, you're scholars and gentlemen

Manja · 09-17-2016, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

a recursive add (one book per directory) will read the emtadata from the opfs. click the arrow next to the add books button.

I never thought it'd be so simple to restore my corrupt library.
Thanks a lot!

VirgoGirl · 06-26-2017, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

a recursive add (one book per directory) will read the emtadata from the opfs. click the arrow next to the add books button.

I just migrated my calibre library over to my new computer using the "export data/import data" tool, and had the same issue - all my metadata.opf files are missing.

Please, can you explain what you mean by a "recursive add"? I'm assuming I need these files.

Thanks!!

mbovenka · 06-26-2017, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VirgoGirl

I just migrated my calibre library over to my new computer using the "export data/import data" tool, and had the same issue - all my metadata.opf files are missing.

Please, can you explain what you mean by a "recursive add"? I'm assuming I need these files.

You don't really need them; they are a backup of the data in your Calibre database. You can regenerate them from the GUI with Library -> Library Maintenance -> Library metadata backup status -> Queue all books for backup. Or with the command line 'calibredb backup_metadata'

VirgoGirl · 06-26-2017, 08:17 PM

Thanks! I'm trying that now! I couldn't figure out why nothing I imported had the metadata files in the folders, I thought Windows 10 was hiding them despite being told to show hidden files. Then I realised they hadn't been imported when the new files I had created since the import had them.

Again, many thanks!!!

Whalehead · 01-11-2025, 12:11 PM

I've tried everything in this thread - I have a large (older) library (just the files & folders) that I'm trying to add to my shiny new library (docker version of Calibre). When I try ALL the options from 'Add books' - NONE of them pull in the cover.jpg nor the metadata.opf for the epub. I am using calibre 7.24 (again, installed via docker). I've pulled up the opf and it is full of information - and can load the cover.jpg manually - but I've got nearly 1200 of these to do and would much rather have a bulk capability. Can anyone help? Thanks!

kovidgoyal · 01-11-2025, 10:42 PM

Add books -> Add from folders and sub folders -> Assume all files in a folder are the same book in different formats does read metadata from OPF files.

Whalehead · 01-11-2025, 11:19 PM

Thank you for the response. I followed the steps you indicated - and while it does load the metadata and the cover.jpg properly with the epub, I also get two additional rows in my library... '.metadata', and '.Dirge' (the title of the book)... which also contains a copy of the EPUB. Is there a setting I have wrong for the import that is creating those 2 extra files? So close

kovidgoyal · 01-12-2025, 03:42 AM

If you are getting extra rows then you have extra folders. Each row will correspond to a folder.

Whalehead · 01-13-2025, 10:19 AM

I'd like to send you images but this forum doesn't allow an image from my pc - I'd have to load it somewhere on the net and link in

I am only clicking on one folder (it won't allow multiple anyway) - and there are no subfolders. There are only the three files in the folder... 'Dirge - Alan Dean Foster.epub', metadata.opf, and cover.jpg.

Since the two errant entries begin with '. ' perhaps I can craft a maintenance task that will remove all of these after the mass load.

kovidgoyal · 01-13-2025, 11:41 AM

Nope those folders are there, they are just hidden. Use ls -a to see them.

Sirtel · 01-13-2025, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Whalehead

I'd like to send you images but this forum doesn't allow an image from my pc - I'd have to load it somewhere on the net and link in

You can attach an image from your computer by going "Advanced" when you reply and clicking on a paperclip icon.

12-12-2010, 11:53 AM	#1
haiyeekayakee Member Posts: 23 Karma: 524 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: Sony PRS650	Import existing .opf's & books I'm sorry if this is a silly question and I've had a quick search but can't find anything about it, but I've been messing around and managed to make a haimes of things and my backup drive has gone kaput (it's currently resting in the freezer in the ultimate desperate act to try and recover data!) I'm now left with my main library, and several-dozen subdirs where I'd been playing around with another library. These subdirs contain the books, cover and .opfs. I can import all the files (epubs) from Calibre, but it seems to leave all the metadata from the .opfs behind. Is there any way by which I can import these folders in bulk including the metadata? Right now I'm having to go to each folder in Nautilus (I'm using Linux), select the opf and open it with Calibre, then go to Calibre and manually add the book to the entry. It's a pain to say the least

01-11-2025, 11:19 PM	#11
Whalehead Member Posts: 12 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2024 Device: Kindle Scribe	So close - but I get 3 rows in my library instead of 1 Thank you for the response. I followed the steps you indicated - and while it does load the metadata and the cover.jpg properly with the epub, I also get two additional rows in my library... '.metadata', and '.Dirge' (the title of the book)... which also contains a copy of the EPUB. Is there a setting I have wrong for the import that is creating those 2 extra files? So close

01-13-2025, 10:19 AM	#13
Whalehead Member Posts: 12 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2024 Device: Kindle Scribe	sorry, no. There is only one folder... I'd like to send you images but this forum doesn't allow an image from my pc - I'd have to load it somewhere on the net and link in I am only clicking on one folder (it won't allow multiple anyway) - and there are no subfolders. There are only the three files in the folder... 'Dirge - Alan Dean Foster.epub', metadata.opf, and cover.jpg. Since the two errant entries begin with '. ' perhaps I can craft a maintenance task that will remove all of these after the mass load.

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12-12-2010, 11:58 AM	#2
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,355 Karma: 27182818 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	a recursive add (one book per directory) will read the emtadata from the opfs. click the arrow next to the add books button.

12-12-2010, 11:58 AM	#3
wallcraft reader Posts: 6,977 Karma: 5183568 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mississippi, USA Device: Kindle 3, Kobo Glo HD	Make a ZIP of the folder containing a single .opf plus the rest of the files for that ebook, then import the .zip file into Calibre. If the original was an ePub, then you could try renaming the .zip to .epub, but this might not make a legal .epub (and I don't know how much difference it makes to Calibre anyway).

12-12-2010, 12:17 PM	#4
haiyeekayakee Member Posts: 23 Karma: 524 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: Sony PRS650	That's strange, I could have sworn I'd tried that already (as it's so obvious and basic, which is why I was a bit embarrassed to ask this) and it hadn't worked. Maybe I'd then looked at some entries that I hadn't originally entered data for or something equally daft Either way, it has worked, I'm saved ! Many thanks for the very fast replies, you're scholars and gentlemen

06-26-2017, 08:17 PM	#8
VirgoGirl "Why is it doing that?" Posts: 322 Karma: 725344 Join Date: Sep 2011 Device: Black Kobo Touch & Glo, responsible for 2 PaperWhites	Thanks! I'm trying that now! I couldn't figure out why nothing I imported had the metadata files in the folders, I thought Windows 10 was hiding them despite being told to show hidden files. Then I realised they hadn't been imported when the new files I had created since the import had them. Again, many thanks!!!

01-11-2025, 12:11 PM	#9
Whalehead Member Posts: 12 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2024 Device: Kindle Scribe	I've tried everything in this thread - I have a large (older) library (just the files & folders) that I'm trying to add to my shiny new library (docker version of Calibre). When I try ALL the options from 'Add books' - NONE of them pull in the cover.jpg nor the metadata.opf for the epub. I am using calibre 7.24 (again, installed via docker). I've pulled up the opf and it is full of information - and can load the cover.jpg manually - but I've got nearly 1200 of these to do and would much rather have a bulk capability. Can anyone help? Thanks!

01-11-2025, 10:42 PM	#10
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,355 Karma: 27182818 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Add books -> Add from folders and sub folders -> Assume all files in a folder are the same book in different formats does read metadata from OPF files.

01-12-2025, 03:42 AM	#12
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,355 Karma: 27182818 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	If you are getting extra rows then you have extra folders. Each row will correspond to a folder.

01-13-2025, 11:41 AM	#14
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,355 Karma: 27182818 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Nope those folders are there, they are just hidden. Use ls -a to see them.

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