Tag links break with library rename :-(

jecilop · 07-17-2023, 06:01 PM

Recently my links added to tags suddenly stopped working telling me there was no such entry. I had to copy and do the link again, and it worked.

However, I can see the pattern and find that the following string is part of the hex code at the end of every link before the book #. These are the ones not working.

" e66696374696f6e "
bad link ex: calibre://book-details/_hex_-5f4c4942524152595f46616e66696374696f6e/2122.

good link ex: calibre://book-details/_hex_-5f4c4942524152595f46616/2122

This seems to correlate with me CHANGING MY LIBRARY NAME for purposes of sharing on the server.

So.....
1) @KovidGoyal, this is something worth noting, perhaps a toast msg warning when someone changes a library name if it can't be set to adjust them all.

2) Does anyone know a way I can run something to clean these links up as there are MAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNYYYYY from before the rename (and after - don't want to return to the name assuming that would even work). ?
I have no idea how to run any "script" on these links. If you know the json file IF that's what keeps the record I can do a search/replace in that.

BetterRed · 07-17-2023, 08:03 PM

When you change the name of a library Calibre can't adjust the calibre:// URL's that point to books in that library because it doesn't know where they are used. They could be in the link field of a column in another library, on a web page, in a note-taking app such as Evernote, in a shortcut on your desktop - or all of the above.

Sounds like you want to do a bulk change to the Link field values in the Tag column of one of your libraries. The Link field for Tags is in the database table 'tags', I don't think calibre provides a way to do a bulk S&R on that data. You can do it using a database utility such as DB Browser or SQLite Studio. If you want to take that route, take a subset copy of the relevant libraries, and experiment with them - don't change a library database while calibre is running.

Meantime, I suggest you change the library name back to what it was.

BR

kovidgoyal · 07-17-2023, 10:00 PM

calibre links include the library name and the book id. Either of those change they will stop working. They are links like any other links, this is how links work. There is no magic by which you can link to things in ways that dont break when you rename those things. For example if someone renamed mobileread.com to somethingelse.com all links to it will stop working.

jecilop · 07-17-2023, 11:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

calibre links include the library name and the book id. Either of those change they will stop working. They are links like any other links, this is how links work. There is no magic by which you can link to things in ways that dont break when you rename those things. For example if someone renamed mobileread.com to somethingelse.com all links to it will stop working.

Yes, I already understand this. It just isn't something that I would have thought of...just suggesting the warning message during a library rename before someone hits the OK button as others may not think of that either.

kovidgoyal · 07-17-2023, 11:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jecilop

Yes, I already understand this. It just isn't something that I would have thought of...just suggesting the warning message during a library rename before someone hits the OK button as others may not think of that either.

I'm not sure that's a good idea. For example when you rename a folder or file, you dont get a warning saying any shortcuts or links to that folder or file will break. Also not everyone uses links but calibre has no way to know if you are using them or not. On the other hand renaming libraries is (hopefully) not a common poeration, so an extra warning is not too big of a burden.

kovidgoyal · 07-18-2023, 12:00 AM

https://github.com/kovidgoyal/calibr...ac0bf31004e9b4

arpeggioaccele · 07-22-2023, 01:29 PM

Good to know, thanks for the warning.

07-17-2023, 06:01 PM	#1
jecilop Addict Posts: 260 Karma: 139980 Join Date: Mar 2014 Device: Android	Tag links break with library rename :-( Recently my links added to tags suddenly stopped working telling me there was no such entry. I had to copy and do the link again, and it worked. However, I can see the pattern and find that the following string is part of the hex code at the end of every link before the book #. These are the ones not working. " e66696374696f6e " bad link ex: calibre://book-details/_hex_-5f4c4942524152595f46616e66696374696f6e/2122. good link ex: calibre://book-details/_hex_-5f4c4942524152595f46616/2122 This seems to correlate with me CHANGING MY LIBRARY NAME for purposes of sharing on the server. So..... 1) @KovidGoyal, this is something worth noting, perhaps a toast msg warning when someone changes a library name if it can't be set to adjust them all. 2) Does anyone know a way I can run something to clean these links up as there are MAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNYYYYY from before the rename (and after - don't want to return to the name assuming that would even work). ? I have no idea how to run any "script" on these links. If you know the json file IF that's what keeps the record I can do a search/replace in that. Last edited by jecilop; 07-17-2023 at 06:26 PM. Reason: corrections

07-17-2023, 08:03 PM	#2
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 21,660 Karma: 29711016 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	When you change the name of a library Calibre can't adjust the calibre:// URL's that point to books in that library because it doesn't know where they are used. They could be in the link field of a column in another library, on a web page, in a note-taking app such as Evernote, in a shortcut on your desktop - or all of the above. Sounds like you want to do a bulk change to the Link field values in the Tag column of one of your libraries. The Link field for Tags is in the database table 'tags', I don't think calibre provides a way to do a bulk S&R on that data. You can do it using a database utility such as DB Browser or SQLite Studio. If you want to take that route, take a subset copy of the relevant libraries, and experiment with them - don't change a library database while calibre is running. Meantime, I suggest you change the library name back to what it was. BR Last edited by BetterRed; 07-17-2023 at 08:06 PM.

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07-17-2023, 10:00 PM	#3
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,251 Karma: 27110894 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	calibre links include the library name and the book id. Either of those change they will stop working. They are links like any other links, this is how links work. There is no magic by which you can link to things in ways that dont break when you rename those things. For example if someone renamed mobileread.com to somethingelse.com all links to it will stop working.

07-18-2023, 12:00 AM	#6
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,251 Karma: 27110894 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	https://github.com/kovidgoyal/calibr...ac0bf31004e9b4

07-22-2023, 01:29 PM	#7
arpeggioaccele light mode user Posts: 66 Karma: 16268 Join Date: May 2023 Location: New England Device: I use the Calibre ebook-viewer on macos and Apple Books on ios.	Good to know, thanks for the warning.

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