Calibre: What Just Happened ?

[ccarree]

Just purchased/transferred to my computer a kindle book from amazon. I then went to enter it into Calibre and was astonished — and dismayed — to find my Calibre was ABSOLUTELY blank: all 150 of my books had disappeared (although the Calibre Library remains intact).

What happened? and, more importantly, how can I fix it?

[FizzyWater]

Yikes!

Welcome to Mobileread, and I really hope you find your books!

[kovidgoyal]

Hard to say. Are the book files still in the directory you chose for the calibre library?

[ccarree]

Thanks for your prompt response but, after a little help from someone on a kindle board, I solved my own problem. I had inadvertently deleted the metadata.db file in an (obviously ill-advised) attempt to "clean up" my documents folder. Crisis has been adverted. Moral of the story: never, EVER delete anything the purpose of which is unknown to you!

However, while I have you "on the line," may I ask another question? Assuming that amazon will eventually come out with its long-promised Kindle App for Mac, is there a way I can copy all my calibre information from my desktop to my Mac laptop. Using a flash drive, perhaps?

[Starson17]

Originally Posted by ccarree

T is there a way I can copy all my calibre information from my desktop to my Mac laptop. Using a flash drive, perhaps?

Yes. Copy the calibre library folder to the Mac, install calibre and point calibre to that copied folder when it asks where the library should be. The calibre library folder is the one that has the metadata.db and all the folders named by author.

[ccarree]

Thanks. Now all amazon has to do is release its Mac app!

[chainring]

Originally Posted by Starson17

Yes. Copy the calibre library folder to the Mac, install calibre and point calibre to that copied folder when it asks where the library should be. The calibre library folder is the one that has the metadata.db and all the folders named by author.

Even easier is to sign up for a Dropbox account (2GB free), place your calibre folder/database in there, and make it the same on both machines. Keep it in synch across two machines, or more, and across operating systems.

[desertgrandma]

Originally Posted by chainring

Even easier is to sign up for a Dropbox account (2GB free), place your calibre folder/database in there, and make it the same on both machines. Keep it in synch across two machines, or more, and across operating systems.

I did this (along with other backup sources) and can say it definitely works.

If you have someone you share files with, books, pictures, etc, each time you invite them to share and they accept, your storage amount is increased.......free.

They only need to see the files you specifically make for them.

[ccarree]

Thanks for your suggestions re: dropbox. Viewed the video on the website and realized that, as a subscriber to MobileMe (Apple's "cloud-in-the-sky" storage system), I already have access to an external backup from which I should be able to drag my Calibre Library to my laptop. Have so far only used it for photos, not files, but don't know why it would not work. Also, it syncs automatically to my desktop and iPod Touch.

[kjk]

Originally Posted by ccarree

Thanks for your suggestions re: dropbox. Viewed the video on the website and realized that, as a subscriber to MobileMe (Apple's "cloud-in-the-sky" storage system), I already have access to an external backup from which I should be able to drag my Calibre Library to my laptop. Have so far only used it for photos, not files, but don't know why it would not work. Also, it syncs automatically to my desktop and iPod Touch.

Please post if you get this working well!
I have MobileMe as well, but rarely use it because it feels so slow to me...Dropbox, at least for Calibre's library, has been working great between my Mac and Windows computers-very fast, no downtime that I've noticed.

[Starson17]

Originally Posted by kjk

Dropbox, at least for Calibre's library, has been working great between my Mac and Windows

Do you have to take any precautions, like, not leaving both running during synchronization, or not editing from both machines at the same time to avoid data conflicts? I'm not familiar with dropbox (and it's too small for me), but I am synchronizing externally. I'm always a bit nervous about timing.

[yekim54]

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

If you have someone you share files with, books, pictures, etc, each time you invite them to share and they accept, your storage amount is increased.......free.

How much additional storage do you get for each acceptance?

[kjk]

Originally Posted by Starson17

Do you have to take any precautions, like, not leaving both running during synchronization, or not editing from both machines at the same time to avoid data conflicts? I'm not familiar with dropbox (and it's too small for me), but I am synchronizing externally. I'm always a bit nervous about timing.

I haven't had any issues, but yeah, syncing always seems fraught with unease.
I'm pretty lazy about leaving Calibre running on both machines...sometimes Dropbox says it can't write the .db file, but just restarting Dropbox seems to fix it.

[desertgrandma]

Originally Posted by yekim54

How much additional storage do you get for each acceptance?

www.dropbox.com


Go there and take the tour. It should answer all your questions.

Installs easily, and works as well as they claim.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by Starson17

Do you have to take any precautions, like, not leaving both running during synchronization, or not editing from both machines at the same time to avoid data conflicts? I'm not familiar with dropbox (and it's too small for me), but I am synchronizing externally. I'm always a bit nervous about timing.

There aren't too many precautions that you have to take. I have dropbox syncing 4 machines. Two at home and two at work. When Calibre (or any program) is open some files are locked by the program. The metadata.db file is one. During a break at work I was creating some custom recipes which are stored in that file.

I made the mistake of shutting down the computer, before shutting down Cailbre.

Usually I close any programs with locked files and give dropbox a chance to sync the files prior to shutting down the computer. What happened here was that I went home and discovered my recipes were not there. The 4 meg file didn't have a chance to sync from my work machine. Nothing was lost, it just wasn't where I wanted it.

I recreated the recipes and have been more careful since then. I have been using dropbox for 5 months now and that was the only time I had a hiccup.

I also run the portable apps from the dropbox. This way I have one Firefox browser I use on every machine. The bookmarks, history, extensions are always the same no matter which machine I open Firefox on.

I currently have 5gig of free space. You start with 2gig and can get an extra 250megs for completing 5 of the 6 items on the getting started tab. You also get 250megs of space for every person you refer that actually signs up and installs the app. You can acquire up to 3gig additional free space from referrals. When my daughter installs the app I will get the last 250megs of space they'll give me for free for a total of 5.25gig of free space.