How to merge libraries

[BAD18]

I keep four Calibre Libraries. Somehow I've ended up with two Calibre Libraries. Same name different ebooks. How do I go about merging the two libraries with the same name? Thanks.

Barbara

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by BAD18

I keep four Calibre Libraries. Somehow I've ended up with two Calibre Libraries. Same name different ebooks. How do I go about merging the two libraries with the same name?

@BAD18 - rename one of the libraries (using calibre), and copy or move (using calibre) all the books in it to the other one.

If you think there are duplicate books in the two libraries use the Find Duplicate->Library Duplicates option first; you may need to install the optional plugin ==>> Find Duplicates

BR

[theducks]

Originally Posted by BAD18

I keep four Calibre Libraries. Somehow I've ended up with two Calibre Libraries. Same name different ebooks. How do I go about merging the two libraries with the same name? Thanks.

Barbara

They are not in the same Folder (if they have the exact same name).
So the first step is to find out WHERE. Use the O/S search and find ALL places with metadata.db.
These are your Libraries. Make a note of where (the path) they all are

If both names are NOT on the Quick Switch list we will be going for the easy trick

Prep work:
With Calibre open to the Library you want to Keep. Tap 'O' . Noter the Full Path to the Book. (the first part of this Matches 1 of the above metadata.db paths)

In the O/S change the name of the OTHER folder
eg. Calibre Library -> Extra Library (the name can be almost any valid folder name, It will be what the Library Name will be in the Switch List)

With That done, we are ready
Add the New (renamed) Library to the List using Switch/Create option on the Library Icon
Cleanup 1:
Now use the QuickSwitch to Switch Back to the Original name. NOTE If this fails, delete that entry (it was the link to the old name). If it Worked, delete the Other
Switch back to the Extra Library: Select some Books: Right click: Copy to Library <name>: Delete after copy

Note that your (what to do, when) Adding Books Rules prevail

Repeat: Wash, Spin, Dry



Ready to Merge

[BetterRed]

@theducks - psst - calibre can support two libraries with same name (must be in different locations), no need to rename with OS, can be done with calibre.



BR

[theducks]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

@theducks - psst - calibre can support two libraries with same name (must be in different locations), no need to rename with OS, can be done with calibre.

Attachment 136209

BR

Psst! I know that.
The whole purpose was to make it clear WHICH you were working with at any moment

[BetterRed]

I thought you were one of the 'don't do in the OS that which can be done in calibre' school, so I wondered if you did know

Originally Posted by BetterRed

... rename one of the libraries (using calibre),

BR

[eschwartz]

Well, renaming a library in calibre can b a lot slower than renaming via the OS. So I personally would rename in the OS and calibre would then prompt me for the new location.

Of course, I have libraries on a FAT32 flashdrive, that is a major source of slowdown.

[theducks]

I don't recommend Messing Around inside a Library

I use the O/S to do a backup, I also append the ISO date to the Lib name at that time

Murphy is NOT my friend. I try and NOT give him a chance... ever

[BetterRed]

I've only renamed NTFS and Ext3 libraries in calibre, never noticed they're appreciably slower than renaming a folder natively - more or less instant. On Windows either way wakes up the indexer, but that's a separate low very priority process, I only know its running because it rattles the disk.

BR

[eschwartz]

Well, I believe calibre moves each file it controls, but mostly should be done pretty fast -- on modern filesystems.
External storage meant for switching between OSes still needs FAT, which requires making copies of all files very slow.
(same problem renaming dozens of authors/titles.)

calibre doesn't rename files, it hardlinks/copies them (depending on filesystem support for hardlinks) and then expires the old copies.

Like theducks, I prefer to let the OS handle what it is good at handling, no need to get calibre involved...

[BetterRed]

We're talking about renaming folders, not files - hardlinking only applies to files, the rough equivalent for folders is junctions.

FAT32 aside - I cant see why one would not prefer to enter the new name once - into calibre, rather than twice - once into the file manager and then into calibre. Just as one does for author and book folders; if one trusts calibre to get those right (which is complex because of the need to change the format file names) then why wouldn't one be happy letting the calibre take care of library names - which are by comparison, trivial

BR

[eschwartz]

The files get hardlinked and the folders are created as needed -- I find it simpler to rename the folder, just like you.

There is a good reason to let calibre handle author-book folders -- it needs to, in order to get them right, the OS has no ability to handle that properly.

Besides, calibre leaves behind anything it doesn't index, occasionally there can be meaningful things there, for one, the Dropbox index. The OS does things the way I tell it to.