Unable to Create Library

[bookmole]

Getting this message when moving library from one computer to another.

calibre, version 4.10.1
ERROR: Failed to create library: Failed to create calibre library at: u'C:\\Users\\bookmole\\Documents\\Calibre Books'.
You will be asked to choose a new library location.

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "site-packages\calibre\gui2\main.py", line 161, in get_library_path
File "os.py", line 150, in makedirs
File "os.py", line 150, in makedirs
File "os.py", line 157, in makedirs
WindowsError: [Error 5] Access is denied: u'C:\\Users\\bookmole'

I can use calibre and computers, but this is beyond me!

Any translation would be gratefully received.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by bookmole

Getting this message when moving library from one computer to another.

calibre, version 4.10.1
ERROR: Failed to create library: Failed to create calibre library at: u'C:\\Users\\bookmole\\Documents\\Calibre Books'.
You will be asked to choose a new library location.

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "site-packages\calibre\gui2\main.py", line 161, in get_library_path
File "os.py", line 150, in makedirs
File "os.py", line 150, in makedirs
File "os.py", line 157, in makedirs
WindowsError: [Error 5] Access is denied: u'C:\\Users\\bookmole'

I can use calibre and computers, but this is beyond me!

Any translation would be gratefully received.

Recent renditions of Windows security protect the Documents directory. I'd suggest creating the library in C:\bookmole\Calibre\Calibre Books to move the location outside the Documents directory. You will have to create the Calibre directory before hand.

[BetterRed]

But I'd create a C:\bookmole\Calibre\Libraries\Books directory. Any new libraries would go alongside Books, e.g. C:\bookmole\Calibre\Libraries\Comics.

BR

[DNSB]

I was making the assumption that Calibre Books was the name of his library and it's directory. Since I only keep calibre library subdirectories in my calibre directory, I don't bother with a Libraries directory.

[BetterRed]

I keep all calibre related stuff in my Calibre folder: Libraries, Autoadd, hacked plugins, last 3 install msis, various portables, etc, etc. I sometimes prefer to organise stuff by what they are about, rather than what they are - like I don't keep my chainsaw in the kitchen with my bread knife

BR

[stumped]

the double slashes looked syntactially wrong to me also,
i.e. u'C:\\Users\\bookmole\\Documents\\Calibre Books'
should be
'C:\\Users\bookmole\Documents\Calibre Books' ?

[theducks]

Double slashes are typical for STORED paths. They are 'escaped' special characters

[bookmole]

[IMG][/IMG]

This is the db file I'm trying to import from. I added one book, to be sure Calibre was reading/writing to the correct directory.

All the books have been downloaded, and are now safely on my computer, but Calibre appears unable to create a library of these books.

Do I have to resort to adding them, one at a time (and there are a lot of books!) or is there some other fix that I have just not stumbled across

Flummoxed, I am -

[bookmole]

Originally Posted by DNSB

Recent renditions of Windows security protect the Documents directory. I'd suggest creating the library in C:\bookmole\Calibre\Calibre Books to move the location outside the Documents directory. You will have to create the Calibre directory before hand.

Did this. No change.

[stumped]

what you have there looks like a compressed backup of a library, not an actual ready-to-use library you have to use the RESTORE function to unpack it.
it is something you made using calibre BACKUP function ?

[theducks]

stumped has it.
That is the Exported archive.
You need to IMPORT (not Add), from the same menu (on the Library Icon) you created it with

[bookmole]

Originally Posted by stumped

what you have there looks like a compressed backup of a library, not an actual ready-to-use library you have to use the RESTORE function to unpack it.
it is something you made using calibre BACKUP function ?

This was made using the Export function. I have used the Import function to unpack it, which it did (all the books + the db), but then was told Calibre couldn't create the library at the chosen location, and to choose another one.

Which I did - I have put this on my desktop (now OneDrive has been deactivated!) and in Documents.

I do store the backups on a NAS, but it's only used by my and Hubs, and he doesn't use Calibre, so it's pretty safe.

Just flummoxed!

Original setup is still on my Windows7-running laptop, which I wish was still supported.

How long would you expect the Restore function to take for a db of 16,000'ish books?

[theducks]

Originally Posted by bookmole

This was made using the Export function. I have used the Import function to unpack it, which it did (all the books + the db), but then was told Calibre couldn't create the library at the chosen location, and to choose another one.

Which I did - I have put this on my desktop (now OneDrive has been deactivated!) and in Documents.

I do store the backups on a NAS, but it's only used by my and Hubs, and he doesn't use Calibre, so it's pretty safe.

Just flummoxed!

Original setup is still on my Windows7-running laptop, which I wish was still supported.

How long would you expect the Restore function to take for a db of 16,000'ish books?

It is not ALL about how many. It is also how BIG the books are.
Your HD has a Write Rate - the A/V overhead ( Pause that IF you are not doing anything else at the time) IIRC it took me over an hour for a 13G Library with just a over the net copy (~MBps write)

[stumped]

If you still have the library accessible on the old pc, it may be faster not to use export ,Import. Aka backup, restore. Because those methods will pack and then unpack the database.
A calibre library is a single folder, so just copy the entire folder from old to new location. You must copy the entire folder, including any hidden file or metadata.db. a simple windows copy will preserve all the subfolder structure which calibre expects. Do it over lan or copy to a stick, walk it across the room and copy from stick to new pc.

For a lan copy , share the old folder so that everyone has read access and set up your pcs so they can see each other for file sharing, then give the copy.instrucion using the new pc to copy from remote machine to itself.

I have always used some variant of that to put calibre onto a new machine. Copying from old machine to cloud to new machine is another variant if you have enough cloud storage. I have never bothered with export import

On gigabit LAN, 15gb will be 10 mins or less,. With 100Mb ethernet links, not Gb then maybe an hour.
For gigabit LAN you need via it ports on. Both devices , and on any switch or router that is acting as middleman, and cat 5e or cat 6 cable.
If any one component is not up to spec the transfer will degrade gracefully to the slower speed.
For example I ran 20 metres of cheap, flat allegedly cat 6 cable from upstairs to downstairs, under carpets and across ceilings. It works,. But only at 100Mb. I can't face doing it all again with better cable !
Between devices on the same floor, with better cables, I get Gb connections

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by bookmole

This was made using the Export function. I have used the Import function to unpack it, which it did (all the books + the db), but then was told Calibre couldn't create the library at the chosen location, and to choose another one.

Which I did - I have put this on my desktop (now OneDrive has been deactivated!) and in Documents.

I do store the backups on a NAS, but it's only used by my and Hubs, and he doesn't use Calibre, so it's pretty safe.

Just flummoxed!

Original setup is still on my Windows7-running laptop, which I wish was still supported.

How long would you expect the Restore function to take for a db of 16,000'ish books?

I suggest you forget Export/Import and do what it does it 'manually'.

Move a copy of the Calibre Books on the Win 7 laptop to the new computer using Windows - but don't put it in the Documents folder, create a Calibre folder somewhere, e.g. C:\Users\bookmole\Calibre, and put it in there.

Start calibre on the Win 7 laptop, press the Open calibre configuration directory button in Preferences->Miscellaneous - it will open a folder called, most probably, C:\Users\bookmole\AppData\Roaming\calibre (if it's not that then let us know what it is). Close calibre and move a copy of the contents that folder to the same location on your new computer - overwriting anything that's already there.

When you start calibre on the new computer it won't find your Calibre Books library, use the folder button in Library->Create/Switch... to browse to where you put it, select the Use the previously existing library at the new location option, and press OK.

Hopefully you will be back to where you were on the Win 7 laptop.

BR