Calibre Problem - Please help

haino · 10-03-2014, 03:45 PM

A friend has emailed to say she cannot open her ebooks in Calibre. These are epub books she has opened previously. Now when she tries to open them she receives a message 'Power play has no available formats'. I have never come across this message previously.
Can anyone advise? Thanks

eschwartz · 10-03-2014, 03:50 PM

Sounds like her library got messed up. Is it on a networked drive? Is it being synced with Dropbox or something? Has the library been moved to/from different operating systems?

Networked drives are a BIG no-no.
Dropbox and other methods of syncing cannot be run while calibre is running, or they may argue about where files are. (Everyone loses.)
I doubt this would be the problem, but the database cannot reliably track files when moving from a non-case-sensitive OS to a case-sensitive one.

In any event, I suggest she try Library Maintenance ==> Check Library (from the dropdown by Switch Library) to see where the errors lie.

theducks · 10-03-2014, 04:20 PM

I agree: the Library (or database) has become messed up

No available formats says that the Record points to a folder that appears empty (calibre does not know of the book format contents, if it there)

In addition to the cloud drive issue:

Messing beneath the skirts: Renaming, moving, (compressing?) all will cause

Only use the Calibre UI to manipulate books.

1) search for metadata.db

2) Are there author folders in the same place? (No= not the correct Library or 'all gone'

)

3) are there book formats,metadata.OPF, cover.jpg inside? (Yes= the DB is messed, but possibly recoverable)

10-03-2014, 03:45 PM	#1
haino Connoisseur Posts: 59 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: none	Calibre Problem - Please help A friend has emailed to say she cannot open her ebooks in Calibre. These are epub books she has opened previously. Now when she tries to open them she receives a message 'Power play has no available formats'. I have never come across this message previously. Can anyone advise? Thanks

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10-03-2014, 03:50 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)	Sounds like her library got messed up. Is it on a networked drive? Is it being synced with Dropbox or something? Has the library been moved to/from different operating systems? Networked drives are a BIG no-no. Dropbox and other methods of syncing cannot be run while calibre is running, or they may argue about where files are. (Everyone loses.) I doubt this would be the problem, but the database cannot reliably track files when moving from a non-case-sensitive OS to a case-sensitive one. In any event, I suggest she try Library Maintenance ==> Check Library (from the dropdown by Switch Library) to see where the errors lie.

10-03-2014, 04:20 PM	#3
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 31,047 Karma: 60358908 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	I agree: the Library (or database) has become messed up No available formats says that the Record points to a folder that appears empty (calibre does not know of the book format contents, if it there) In addition to the cloud drive issue: Messing beneath the skirts: Renaming, moving, (compressing?) all will cause Only use the Calibre UI to manipulate books. 1) search for metadata.db 2) Are there author folders in the same place? (No= not the correct Library or 'all gone' ) 3) are there book formats,metadata.OPF, cover.jpg inside? (Yes= the DB is messed, but possibly recoverable)

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