Calibre Importing Libraries Frustration - Need Help!

[Parriss]

My Computer crashed ended up needing a new drive, luckily I had an external drive back up. Downloaded Calibre 4.15 with no problem but I am having a major problem trying to import my individual libraries!

When I import (import all calibre data) to create a library, say 'Mysteries' for example that library is imported successfully, however when I create a new library say 'Hobbies' and import that library (it is also imported successfully); however, when I do a 'Quick Switch' to view the mystery library it is no-longer there - not listed to choose - the whole library has disappeared - just gone!! I can find the previously mystery library created on the new drive (file explorer) but cannot assess it in Calibre (quick switch) the same issue occurs if I try to re-import the previous mysteries library again-then the hobbies library disappears! I have tried by deleting the previous library data off of the new hard drive and have gave the library a different name when trying to import a new library - the previous one always disappears!! (Even tried to import from the created library on the new drive-the previous library still disappears!)

So I tried 'Add from directories and sub-directories' under the 'Multi-file books?' - 'Assume all e-book files in a single directory are the same book in a different formats?' 'yes' or 'no' - well I have tried to download the individual libraries using this function once by clicking the 'yes' and then again by choosing 'no' the same issue occurs. When I go to 'Quick Switch' to review the previously downloaded library - it is just gone!!

So, I tried to 'import' one library and to 'add from directories' to create the other library with no success - one library always disappears!

I have even uninstalled the Calibre program and reinstalled Calibre again thinking that something might of gone wrong with the download. The same issue keeps occurring! - one library always disappears!

I have not tried 'Add multiple books from archive (ZIP/RAR)' since all books are EPUB and AZW3.

I am extremely frustrated and I'm in major need of help!

Please, all suggestions to fix this so that I can have multiple libraries in Calibre with my previous libraries again will be greatly appreciated.

Thank You.



(I did not have this issue before-when I upgraded to a new computer 3 yrs ago-I had imported all my previous libraries successfully with no issues. Has there been a program change-that it is no longer possible to have multiple libraries from backed-up data?)

[BetterRed]

Is what you're 'importing' a spanned archive created by calibre's export/import library feature?

BR

[Parriss]

Yes I had exported my libraries to my hard drive. Is that a not so good issue.
I have also located an older library on the auxiliary drive. Tried to import that one as well with same issues. So completely stumped.

[stumped]

i don't use import myself but I am pretty sure that a single import completely replaces the calibre config folder, with the version that was exported. In that config file is the name and location of the imported library
so the 2nd import is overwriting the config file that the previous import created.

you should be able to workaround it though,
1.import 1st library then move it to a different folder to keep it safe from what you are about to do next:
2.import 2nd library. ( that will destroy the pointer to 1st library but will not destroy the books in it )
3. use add library to locate and connect to that ( moved) 1st library

[theducks]

Import allows selection of what pieces:
Config
Each Library (when more than 1 known at Export)

[stumped]

Originally Posted by theducks

Import allows selection of what pieces:
Config
Each Library (when more than 1 known at Export)

maybe that was not the case? its not obvious why the OP is finding it so difficult to import x 2 and merge

but a brute force workaround would be to import the 2 libraries to 2 different windows user accounts, check that both libraries are intact... then (windows) folder copy one out to USB storage, and then back into the other account, then merge

[theducks]

Originally Posted by stumped

maybe that was not the case? its not obvious why the OP is finding it so difficult to import x 2 and merge

but a brute force workaround would be to import the 2 libraries to 2 different windows user accounts, check that both libraries are intact... then (windows) folder copy one out to USB storage, and then back into the other account, then merge

The OP may have all the Libraries with the same name.
Solution: Import: Use calibre to rename (also moves to new path) <eg LibMain> after the first import


import #2 (without config): rename: Lib2
<<repeat as needed>> new name for each so there are never duplicated names.
The OP can always Merge 2 Libraries LATER with Copy To Library (on context menu if added)

[Parriss]

Hello, thank you for the feed-back, I am learning new things but we maybe going down the wrong path. Not looking to merge two libraries together into one.
Have two separate libraries containing different books. One by mystery/thrillers authors and the other containing hobby books. In my previous calibre edition, I could quick switch between the different libraries to view the different set of books. I would like to import the two different libraries so I can do the same again.

Are you suggesting that I import/merge then separate the books into a different folder(library)?

Maybe I shouldn't try to import at all - is there a different way to add a complete library?

Tried- 'Add from directories and sub-directories' to import the separate libraries with no success. What am I missing????

Do I have to "Add books from a single directory' and add the books one at a time and not as a group(library)?

[BetterRed]

A calibre library is a directory (folder) with a metadata.db file in it, and a hierarchy of author and title directories (folders) containing cover.jpg, metdata.opf and format files (.epub, .mobi, .pdf etc).

If you have such a thing use the calibre Library icon->Create/switch library... tool to browse to it, and select the Use the previously existing library at the new location option. If you want it in a different location use your file manager to copy it to where you want it first.

BR

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Parriss

Hello, thank you for the feed-back, I am learning new things but we maybe going down the wrong path. Not looking to merge two libraries together into one.
Have two separate libraries containing different books. One by mystery/thrillers authors and the other containing hobby books. In my previous calibre edition, I could quick switch between the different libraries to view the different set of books. I would like to import the two different libraries so I can do the same again.

Are you suggesting that I import/merge then separate the books into a different folder(library)?

Maybe I shouldn't try to import at all - is there a different way to add a complete library?

Tried- 'Add from directories and sub-directories' to import the separate libraries with no success. What am I missing????

Do I have to "Add books from a single directory' and add the books one at a time and not as a group(library)?

Since you keep saying export/import, I'm going to ASSUME that you used the Export/import all calibre data from the library dropdown and did not simply copy the library directory to your external drive. If you exported your calibre library, it should import with the library structure intact. I exported my library with 4 libraries and it happily imported those 4 libraries when I restored it on a new drive.

When you look at the contents of the directory that calibre exported your data to, do you see a set of files named part-0001.calibre-data, part-0002.calibre-data ... part-0xxx.calibre-data where xxx is the last member of the file set? You will not see any directories containing books.

If so, when you use calibre's export/import all calibre data and select that directory, does a Specify locations box pop up (it should show the old locations of the libraries and a box to insert the new locations with the warning that any left blank will not be imported.

What I did was to look at the old location (c:\users\dnsb\calibre\calibre_library and enter d:\calibre\library_name. Once the library import finished, all looked happy.

If you simply copied the directory structure over to the external drive, what happens when you try switch/create library and use the User the previously existing library at the new location option to point it at one of the library directories you copied? If that works, you can create a new empty library on your local hard drive and then copy the contents of the old library to the new library.

[Parriss]