Help! New User-accidentally used REMOVE FORMAT

[Fussimist]

Hi,
First, I admit, I am an idiot - I didn't back up before starting to edit my files. I am new, just finished entering all my ebooks, and after selecting all of them, clicked on Edit Metadata, and clicked Remove Format - now I can't open any of my books - it says "...has no available formats." How do I fix this? I couldn't find an undo button... HELP!! Thanks,
Lee

[BetterRed]

Which Operating system ?

If Windows have a look in Recycle Bin they should be in there. You'll have to restore them and add them back into the book folders.

If not too many books, simplest way is to drag/drop individually from the temporary folder back to into the relevant books (into the book details panel on the right).

For Windows at least, the format files will be restored to a folder named "XXXXXXX deleted yyyyyy" where XXXXXXX is the Library name and yyyyyy is some random string, as in :



After putting the format files back where they came from, you can delete the "XXXXXXX deleted yyyyyy" folder with your file manager.

I don't know if Calibre has the same behaviour on OSX or Linux.

And I don't know why this operation doesn't have a confirmation popup.

BR

[kovidgoyal]

there is not a confirmation because IIRC it does nothing until you actually click OK in the edit metadata dialog -- so having another OK seems rather pointless.

[The Texas Dude]

I am more comfortable having "are you sure" instructions on all delete actions. Sometimes finger slips cause inadvertent destruction of the DB which may go unnoticed.

[gbm]

Originally Posted by The Texas Dude

I am more comfortable having "are you sure" instructions on all delete actions. Sometimes finger slips cause inadvertent destruction of the DB which may go unnoticed.

This is the warming that comes up with remove all books:



This is the warming that comes up with remove all formats:


bernie

[Divingduck]

I am not. I also do never ever want a discussion between me and my car about meaning of a red traffic light and answers like "are you sure stopping a driving car right now?"

[Divingduck]

@gbm,
for deleting one of more formats for a book (also with multiple books) you do not have this warning. The process for this is slightly different.

After initializing a delete action for a format, there is a additional window where you need to select the format(s) for deletion from a listing of available formats. After that the user have the choice to select the button Ok or Cancel. For me this is enough safety too. I am fully with Kovid.

(But that won't help the questioner. His last safety net is the Recycle Bin, as BetterRed mentioned)

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

there is not a confirmation because IIRC it does nothing until you actually click OK in the edit metadata dialog -- so having another OK seems rather pointless.

Kovid - I was thinking of a popup when the Remove format: drop down widget lost focus and it had a value; along the lines of "Do you really want to delete all the <whatever>s"

Such a warning wouldn't have been 'pointless' for Fussimist, might have saved him/her considerable stress, and...

Is the move the formats to a 'temporary folder' before the delete (move to recycle bin) operation a Windows-only behaviour, or does it apply to OSX and Linux too?

Originally Posted by The Texas Dude

I am more comfortable having "are you sure" instructions on all delete actions. Sometimes finger slips cause inadvertent destruction of the DB which may go unnoticed.

I agree, especially as the files cannot be restored into the book folders from the recycle bin in the normal way (more to come).

Deleting formats won't destroy the database, their absence will be recorded in the database. And a database can be restored from the metadata.opf files via Library Maintenance->Restore database, but that won't restore the format files you inadvertently removed from the library.

Originally Posted by Divingduck

. . .(But that won't help the questioner. His last safety net is the Recycle Bin, as BetterRed mentioned)

Sort of - but it's not the normal safety net, on Windows at least you can't just hit the Restore button and have the file put back where it was, you have to use abnormal procedures - trying to undo a blunder is stressful enough...

FWIW - I just discovered that in Windows at least you can drag/drop the deleted format files out of the Recycle Bin folder directly into the relevant Book Details panel, and when you do you'll get two message popups :



So no messages when the original error was made, but two when you're trying to recover

I see Windows delves into the file to extract the metadata - that's nice. That would be useful on the calibre "You have dragged some files..." message. When dragging a file out of a details mode folder, its easy to select the wrong file.

FWIW I'd like to be able to copy (or cut) and paste from file manager into book details. Far less chance of copying the wrong file with ctrl+c(x) and ctrl+v than there is with drag and drop. And you don't have to position the windows 'just so'.

BR

Originally Posted by Divingduck

I [...] never ever want a discussion between me and my car about meaning of a red traffic light and answers like "are you sure stopping a driving car right now?"

It's happening already, I was in a friends new MB the other day, heard things like, "Approaching school, slow down to 40", "Red light ahead, better brake now", "Stationary vehicle ahead, take care"

I asked whether it could be turned off, friend said, "Sure it can, but why would I, it could save my kids lives... yours too..."

The Benz practically parked itself, so it won't be long before it does stop at a red light. Would be handy down here, red lights issue fines and bad driving points automatically. I think it's 3 for a red light, similar for >40kph in a school zone, if you accumulate 13 points over 12 months your license is suspended for 3 months. IIRC at least one state will confiscate your car!

[kovidgoyal]

We dont seem to be talking about the same things. The OP, and I, are talking about the remove format button in the Edit Metadata dialog, not the popup of the delete books button. And as I said, there is already a confirmation for that, namely the OK button of the edit metadata dialog. I am not going to add another.

And there are two confirmations for drag and drop because one comes from windows, not calibre.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

We dont seem to be talking about the same things. The OP, and I, are talking about the remove format button in the Edit Metadata dialog, not the popup of the delete books button.

Originally Posted by Fussimist

... just finished entering all my ebooks, and after selecting all of them, clicked on Edit Metadata, and clicked Remove Format...

When I select all books and click edit metadata I get this :



I assumed the OP was seeing similar.

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

And as I said, there is already a confirmation for that, namely the OK button of the edit metadata dialog. I am not going to add another.

And there are two confirmations for drag and drop because one comes from windows, not calibre.

I know the second one comes from Windows, that's why I wrote

I see Windows delves into the file to extract the metadata - that's nice....

BTW that message will only pop if you drag the file out of the Recycle Bin folder. You won't see it if drag the file from a regular folder, because a drag into calibre from a regular folder won't remove the file from the regular folder.

If all the books have the same single format, when you click on the Remove Books drop down that format is shown and there's no way to clear it. The only way out is to use Cancel, if you use OK or Apply the delete will proceed.

BR

[kovidgoyal]

Ah we are talking about the bulk metadata dialog, my mistake. Actually, the remove format operation should probably be entirely removed from that dialog -- it is redundant since it is also available via the remove books button dropdown, where it is much better implemented.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

Actually, the remove format operation should probably be entirely removed from that dialog -- it is redundant since it is also available via the remove books button dropdown

Totally agree, as I was fathoming the OP's post I was asking that very question - why do we need this - Alt+Del is a much better way to do it

BR

[Divingduck]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

Ah we are talking about the bulk metadata dialog, my mistake. Actually, the remove format operation should probably be entirely removed from that dialog -- it is redundant since it is also available via the remove books button dropdown, where it is much better implemented.

@BetterRed, I missed that too. (But with this way around there comes a unmistakable warning too, right?) Edit -> not correct for the first 2 sheets

@Kovid, where will this all end?
Bulk editing metadata is a powerful function what did exactly for what it was former designed. Everything, what you are doing there, have a direct impact - what we all know and what we all comment to use with special care. The first sentence in the window point out very clear what can happen if you don't know what you are doing. No safety net, no double bottom - no way back. It does exactly for what it is mentioned to be.

I am not really happy to see if bulk editing will loose parts of its functionality because of some users don't like to look/think first, don't like to be responsible or need to protect people from themselves in all matters concerning.
This is one of the functions what makes calibre so powerful for experienced users. If people want to do things in a safety way, they better read first and/or use the other possible functions that are also in place.
That's exactly what the sentence means: "You can destroy your library using this feature. ..."

Not to mention that at least I use bulk editing with all its functionalities more often in my libraries as normal user functions.

Edit: Never mind, I didn't realize that the warning isn't there for the first two sheets. Maybe you can add it to all sheets...

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by Divingduck

@BetterRed, I missed that too. (But with this way around there comes a unmistakable warning too, right?) Edit -> not correct for the first 2 sheets

@Kovid, where will this all end?

@Divingduck - Mate you're uber-overreacting. Kovid has suggested one widget be removed from the General tab. The one I highlighted in post #10 - "Remove Format", as he said its redundant.

That is the widget the Lee referred to, by name, in CAPS, in the thread title, and again in his post -- "...clicked on Edit Metadata, and clicked Remove Format..." (my emphasis).

There are much better ways to do mass deletes of format files from selected books - I select the books, press Alt+Del, and then deal with this:



BR

[Divingduck]

@BetterRed, I do not feel so (uber-overreacting).

I have a different view and explained to Kovid why. He took his decision early in the morning (my time) and that was/is allways ok for me.

I like to discuss with respect and that is why I like MobileRead. I can't really laugh about your last post.

Regards,
DD