Temp files...

BadGandalf · 10-22-2010, 05:12 PM

Hi all,

I just discovered Calibre and find it is a great tools. I have, however, come into a problem that is disturbing me. I noticed my PC was slowing down after installing calibre and after some research found that it was copying thousands of files (i believe they are backup copies or something similar of the books) to the C:\Windows\Temp directory.

Anyone knows how to stop this or why is it doing so? Thks,

Ignacio

Manichean · 10-22-2010, 06:01 PM

Are you using an older version of Windows (I'm thinking 9x)? I've seen Calibre creating temporary files inside the systems temporary folder (which, in all recent versions of Windows, should be something else than %WINDIR%\Temp) while converting or downloading feeds, but I've never seen it create files anywhere or anytime else.

BadGandalf · 10-23-2010, 03:06 AM

I'm using XP.

Manichean · 10-23-2010, 05:59 AM

What are your temp and tmp variables set to? (type "set" without quotes in the command prompt and look for "TEMP=whatever" and "TMP=whatever")

pchrist7 · 10-23-2010, 07:00 AM

I see the same on Vista 64 bit. Older Calibre versions leave a book copy, newer just empty logfiles

Manichean · 10-23-2010, 07:03 AM

Okay, then it seems my assumption that Calibre only writes into the system's temporary folder is wrong.

banjomike · 10-23-2010, 07:59 AM

The Calibre ebook viewers leave 2 files in my temp folder for every book I open, without exception. With names like ebo9.tmp, lrfB.tmp.

The pdftohtml.exe utility can leave truly huge numbers of files, especially if you get sick of watching it run and decide/need to cancel the job in Calibre. A folder with 356529 files takes a while to delete.

Starson17 · 10-23-2010, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by banjomike

A folder with 356529 files takes a while to delete.

It speeds things up if you hold the shift key down when you hit delete (which tells Win not to copy them into the trashcan first).

banjomike · 10-23-2010, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Starson17

It speeds things up if you hold the shift key down when you hit delete (which tells Win not to copy them into the trashcan first).

I know that, but it still took forever. It is slightly quicker if you delete the folder and then recreate it later.

The annoying thing, one of the more annoying things about the vast number of files was that they all seemed to be identical 100x100 pixel png files. I dropped a few hundred on a hash utility and had identical CRC. All of them were the same size.

The other annoying thing, one of the many other annoying things is that there is no indication of how many files will be created or how long the job will take, it is just open-ended. The last time I tried it I gave up after 2752 minutes (46 hours).

Manichean · 10-23-2010, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by banjomike

The other annoying thing, one of the many other annoying things is that there is no indication of how many files will be created or how long the job will take, it is just open-ended. The last time I tried it I gave up after 2752 minutes (46 hours).

I think that's because it's impossible to tell beforehand or even while a job is running.

speakingtohe · 10-23-2010, 06:13 PM

Create a tempoarary folder on same drive
Select all of the files you want to delete.
Move them into the tempoarary folder by clicking and dragging, do not cut
and paste
Delete the temporary file.

It's not elegant but it works.

BadGandalf · 10-24-2010, 03:06 AM

The copies I was getting were something like epub-nameofthebook.zip and were being created as soon as I started windows. I finally got rid of it by deleting the library from my documents. I will stop using Calibre in my xp portable for a while trying to figure out what happened and keep the database on my W7 pc. Rgds,

Ignacio

banjomike · 10-24-2010, 07:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by speakingtohe

Create a tempoarary folder on same drive
Select all of the files you want to delete.
Move them into the tempoarary folder by clicking and dragging, do not cut
and paste
Delete the temporary file.

It's not elegant but it works.

I don't know if you mean me but, you cannot do that, using explorer, with a folder containing 350000 files. It would take hours (literally) just to select the files. It took an hour just to get the properties page to display. Windows just does not expect a folder to contain that number of files.

Oddly enough, DOS doesn't mind. I copied a few hundred files and directory listings from the jumbo folder for future reference using DOS. Yay, DOS.

Manichean · 10-24-2010, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by banjomike

Oddly enough, DOS doesn't mind. I copied a few hundred files and directory listings from the jumbo folder for future reference using DOS. Yay, DOS.

Wait, you're still booting a DOS system? That's... somehow, and I'm slightly ashamed of saying it, that's cool.

Starson17 · 10-24-2010, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by banjomike

I don't know if you mean me but, you cannot do that, using explorer, with a folder containing 350000 files. It would take hours (literally) just to select the files. It took an hour just to get the properties page to display. Windows just does not expect a folder to contain that number of files.

Oddly enough, DOS doesn't mind. I copied a few hundred files and directory listings from the jumbo folder for future reference using DOS. Yay, DOS.

For rapid deletes of folders with massive numbers of files, I've used the old deltree command (with the /Y option). It's nearly instantaneous as it works only on the folder entry in the directory.

10-22-2010, 05:12 PM	#1
BadGandalf Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: Kindle	Temp files... Hi all, I just discovered Calibre and find it is a great tools. I have, however, come into a problem that is disturbing me. I noticed my PC was slowing down after installing calibre and after some research found that it was copying thousands of files (i believe they are backup copies or something similar of the books) to the C:\Windows\Temp directory. Anyone knows how to stop this or why is it doing so? Thks, Ignacio

10-24-2010, 03:06 AM	#12
BadGandalf Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: Kindle	The copies I was getting were something like epub-nameofthebook.zip and were being created as soon as I started windows. I finally got rid of it by deleting the library from my documents. I will stop using Calibre in my xp portable for a while trying to figure out what happened and keep the database on my W7 pc. Rgds, Ignacio Last edited by BadGandalf; 10-24-2010 at 03:20 AM.

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10-22-2010, 06:01 PM	#2
Manichean Wizard Posts: 3,130 Karma: 91256 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Germany Device: Cybook Gen3	Are you using an older version of Windows (I'm thinking 9x)? I've seen Calibre creating temporary files inside the systems temporary folder (which, in all recent versions of Windows, should be something else than %WINDIR%\Temp) while converting or downloading feeds, but I've never seen it create files anywhere or anytime else.

10-23-2010, 03:06 AM	#3
BadGandalf Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: Kindle	I'm using XP.

10-23-2010, 05:59 AM	#4
Manichean Wizard Posts: 3,130 Karma: 91256 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Germany Device: Cybook Gen3	What are your temp and tmp variables set to? (type "set" without quotes in the command prompt and look for "TEMP=whatever" and "TMP=whatever")

10-23-2010, 07:00 AM	#5
pchrist7 Addict Posts: 385 Karma: 6514 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Denmark Device: Kindle 3 3G+Wifi, Oasis	I see the same on Vista 64 bit. Older Calibre versions leave a book copy, newer just empty logfiles

10-23-2010, 07:03 AM	#6
Manichean Wizard Posts: 3,130 Karma: 91256 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Germany Device: Cybook Gen3	Okay, then it seems my assumption that Calibre only writes into the system's temporary folder is wrong.

10-23-2010, 07:59 AM	#7
banjomike Addict Posts: 319 Karma: 397404 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: UK Device: PRS-505,DSlibris,nook Glow & HD+,Tab S2,Moon+,Clara,Clara Colour	The Calibre ebook viewers leave 2 files in my temp folder for every book I open, without exception. With names like ebo9.tmp, lrfB.tmp. The pdftohtml.exe utility can leave truly huge numbers of files, especially if you get sick of watching it run and decide/need to cancel the job in Calibre. A folder with 356529 files takes a while to delete.

10-23-2010, 06:13 PM	#11
speakingtohe Wizard Posts: 4,812 Karma: 26912940 Join Date: Apr 2010 Device: sony PRS-T1 and T3, Kobo Mini and Aura HD, Tablet	Create a tempoarary folder on same drive Select all of the files you want to delete. Move them into the tempoarary folder by clicking and dragging, do not cut and paste Delete the temporary file. It's not elegant but it works.