Can I extract series info. from "metadata.calibre" file

[Charlotte-B]

This is a follow-up to a previous post (https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...35#post4488335) - which received no replies

Anyway, this one supersedes that one, and if a moderator would like to remove the old one, please do - with apologies for any redundancy on my part.

Basically, the only residual issue is that I don't seem to be able to restore series metadata. I copied the kepub files directly from the local backup I made of the Kobo files (including all the files/file structure from the device). That (to my surprise) seems to have retained/restored collections data, for example, as well as covers and other images - the only thing that seems to be missing is series data.

So, the question now is: Is it possible to retrieve the series data from the "metadata.calibre" file on the device, which is also of course in the local backup? I haven't plugged in my device yet, because I don't want to risk Calibre "syncing" anything on it, with resulting metadata loss. This might be excessive caution on my part, or even superstition. But if anyone can assure me that I can just plug in, with the right options selected in the Calibre settings, I'll give that a go.

[Charlotte-B]

Slight correction: In fact, collections data hasn't transferred perfectly. About a third of my books are missing collections information.

Also, some series data has transferred, but not all - it's a bit more difficult to check (all of my books have collections metadata, but - of course - not necessarily series data).

But my question at the end of the above post still stands!

[theducks]

It is really an XML file. You can look at it with Notepad++ (do with a copy or the whole file could get replaced if you damage it)

I could not come up with a quick input template (put fields into columns) for Libra Office Calc

As to lost or missing values. Those sections may already have been updated (peeking at the file can confirm)

[Charlotte-B]

Originally Posted by theducks

As to lost or missing values. Those sections may already have been updated (peeking at the file can confirm)

Thanks very much for this. I don't completely understand this last part. The metadata is all still good on my device (I haven't yet plugged it into the laptop while Calibre is running). So, do you mean that, for some reason, the metadata is not present in the backup I made (just a straightforward copy-and-paste from the device, including the whole file structure), even though it's in the original files on the device? In that case, is there a way of transferring it directly from the device into the Calibre library, by plugging in the device while Calibre is running (which I've so far avoided!) rather than using my local backup of the device data?

Apologies if this question reveals me as a tech. bumpkin... !

[theducks]

I would not try connecting.
that file is mostly just for Calibre connection ondevice speedup. Otherwise, it would have to rescan the device every time.

I don't believe there is a way to use it to fix The Calibre DB.

Be 100% sure that Calibre is NOT running.
Connect and Copy that file to a safe place. Just in case something you try later breaks things worse

[Charlotte-B]

One other thing that really confuses me:

All I did initially was copy-and-paste the kepub files into Calibre. This seemed to successfully transfer a good deal of the collections data, and at least some of the series data. But I didn't transfer, or touch at all, the "metadata.calibre" file - which, from its name, you'd think would contain all the metadata... ?!

Same applies, incidentally, with the "kobo-images" folder: the images in all the books I've checked seem to be in order; but I didn't take ANY of them from that folder or any of its subfolders.

[Charlotte-B]

Originally Posted by theducks

I would not try connecting.
that file is mostly just for Calibre connection ondevice speedup. Otherwise, it would have to rescan the device every time.

I don't believe there is a way to use it to fix The Calibre DB.

Be 100% sure that Calibre is NOT running.
Connect and Copy that file to a safe place. Just in case something you try later breaks things worse

Ah, okay. Still don't really understand - but thanks for your replies.