Imported library but metadata not showing

[marie39]

Hi!
I had to make a clean install of Windows on my computer. Beforehand I exported my Calibre library like it showed. Now I imported it, it went to the folder I specified, but it didn't change anything in Calibre itself. As such, I added the content of that folder to Calibre myself and the books added fine...but with all the metadata that I had created (collections and all). I see a file named metadata in that folder but it's like calibre isn't using it or syncing with it. I don't know. I'm really discouraged thinking that I did all that for nothing and that I lost everything anyway...



Marie

[stumped]

you did it wrong
1. where/who is the "it" in I exported my Calibre library like it showed.

if you used the built in export import solution you have to use all of it - not pick and mix
so this " I added the content of that folder to Calibre myself " was a mistake

if you write EXACTLY what you did at each stage, and what files or folders you kept, it may be recoverable. Do you still have all of the OUTPUT created by the EXPORT process?

Were you using same user name in windows and same library location as before ?

did you add the calibre program to the new install before or after the Import ?

[marie39]

Hi!
Thanks for the reply. I followed exactly the process explained here http://blog.calibre-ebook.com/2017/0...port-your.html

When I picked an empty folder to import in, the process seemed to go fine, calibre restarted by itself so I thought that once the software started again I'd see a full library, but in the software itself, the library was empty (the folder is full of all my books in folders named by author). That's why I thought I had to "add" my books", but though the books were added in Calibre, the metadata didn't so they weren't classified by collection (collections I had created).

I still have my backup file titled "part-0001.calibre-data" like in the example on the website I found. I tried doing it a second time but the same thing happened. I really don't know what I'm doing wrong.

Marie

[stumped]

what you used is someones blog. not written by calibre author. it may not be correct.
the official how-to is here
https://manual.calibre-ebook.com/faq...ter-to-another

you could examine that for differences or wait for someone more familiar with the process to assist
it is good that you have the backup file- it should be fixable

FYI metadata is stored in a file called metadata.db in the library folder. If something e.g. security or antivirus is somehow blocking that, you will see the library reported as " empty"

PS when you say "collections"- what exactly do you mean - calibre does not use that term. it has tags, genres, series,,, not collections

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by stumped

what you used is someones blog. not written by calibre author. it may not be correct.
the official how-to is here
https://manual.calibre-ebook.com/faq...ter-to-another

you could examine that for differences or wait for someone more familiar with the process to assist
it is good that you have the backup file- it should be fixable

FYI metadata is stored in a file called metadata.db in the library folder. If something e.g. security or antivirus is somehow blocking that, you will see the library reported as " empty"

PS when you say "collections"- what exactly do you mean - calibre does not use that term. it has tags, genres, series,,, not collections

Perhaps virtual libraries?

[ps67]

About collections: may be She handled Kobo collections with calibre like this?

https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/Kob...nd_Collections

[stumped]

Originally Posted by ps67

About collections: may be She handled Kobo collections with calibre like this?

https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/Kob...nd_Collections

if he wants more help. he should answer the question - its ridiculous for us to be left playing guessing games.

i can think of other tests/ things to check, though I am not the best person here, as I don't personally use export/import. but it needs to be a 2 way conversation

[marie39]

Hi!
I'm sorry, I didn't mean to seem rude. The last email alert went to junk mail for some reason. First of, when I talked about collections, I talked about "series" that I created". Also, I looked at your link from Calibre and it's the same steps. Once I imported the old library, like I said before, I had to put it in an empty folder. When I looked at it just now, I saw the metadata.db file that you talked about. I don't know if that file got created from the importation, meaning that my old metadata is in there or if it created when I installed Calibre again, meaning that there's no actual data in there. I don't know what I'm supposed to do with that file. I dragged it in the software and it's like the software thought it was a book in itself. Could it mean that if the metadata contained info it would add my old library? I'm not sure. It's not a file that I'm supposed to import from import/export menu because I tried and it doesn't recognize the extension.

Marie

[theducks]

Originally Posted by marie39

Hi!
I'm sorry, I didn't mean to seem rude. The last email alert went to junk mail for some reason. First of, when I talked about collections, I talked about "series" that I created". Also, I looked at your link from Calibre and it's the same steps. Once I imported the old library, like I said before, I had to put it in an empty folder. When I looked at it just now, I saw the metadata.db file that you talked about. I don't know if that file got created from the importation, meaning that my old metadata is in there or if it created when I installed Calibre again, meaning that there's no actual data in there. I don't know what I'm supposed to do with that file. I dragged it in the software and it's like the software thought it was a book in itself. Could it mean that if the metadata contained info it would add my old library? I'm not sure. It's not a file that I'm supposed to import from import/export menu because I tried and it doesn't recognize the extension.

Marie

You appear to be mixing methods with the expected results. It ain't gonna work.

Export/Import are a PAIRING. If you used the Export step you get 1 or more spanned Archives with names like part-####.calibre-data

THOSE are ONLY what Import reads. And it needs the whole set (whatever was created due to YOUR Library size and quantity)

Creating a Folder and dropping a FULL copy of your old Library method: is just that.
You do this BEFORE invoking Calibre. Then simply direct Calibre to USE EXISTING at <location>

[stumped]

ok - as a final wrap.
what should have happened
1.on old device you use the export all calibre data .[ i dont know how / if calibre verifies that the export is good]
2. you install calibre on new device. it will show no book, no library because you now have to do this: choose import all calibre data. Calibre should ask from where? and should then ask you for a folder location to import to, it will thenimport your library and settings, and metadata , putting the library in that location, and then will auto restart so that after a restart it is showing the imported library, metadata etc.

after that restart u you can use it as normal.

in your case, something went wrong. either you encountered a bug, or or did something out of sequence. neither case is easy to troubleshot remotely.

if you wanted a final try and you have the exported data, you could carefully repeat the import process, and stop immediately if you don't get the desired result, don't mess with it, just report back saying what you did and what you saw.
but if you have already manually fixed your lost metadata, you may not want to risk that.

personally, as said before, I do not and would not use that method, because it is a black box solution which is difficult to troubleshoot. I would use the already outlined method oc making windows copies of relevant folders , and adding those to the new device. that has the advantages that it gives you a usable backup, and it is transparent. you can at each stage check that the folder copies exactly match what you are copying from.

as for metadata.db, it is a database file which calibre uses for all the books' metadata. each calibre library has one. if it goes missing calibre will report no library at that location. it is specific to a library - you cannot take a copy from library A and use it library B. A search will give more info you want more details

[marie39]

Hi!
Yeah by reading your two answers, I’ll have to redo all by series. The only folder I kept was the export one, I didn’t keep the Calibre folder itself. I think that’s where my mistake was. I’ll look on my backup drive to see if I did a previous backup (might be able to retrieve partial library with what I had at that point), otherwise I’ll just start over. Thanks for all your help!

Marie

[stumped]

I don't personally use export, but as I understand the documentation, export all.... does what the name suggests. I.e. it does export all the extra stuff like your series data, and then import is supposed to put it all back together again.

But it's probably simpler and quicker to redo the series by hand. Either with lots of copy and paste or with bulk edit metadata tricks to generate series numbers