How to merge two libraries from the command line?

[MateoPeri]

I have calibre and calibre-server in my Synology NAS. Recently I found a huge library (~500 GB) and want to add it to my existing library. I can of course switch to that library but I'd lose my existing books.
I've seen many posts about merging libraries using the Calibre GUI, but I don't have that available.
What is the best approach? Should I add the books one by one? If so, how? Is there a 'bulk add' command?

Thanks in advance

[kovidgoyal]

https://manual.calibre-ebook.com/gen...calibredb.html

[MateoPeri]

Sorry, I don't understand. Which is the command to merge two libraries?

[kovidgoyal]

https://manual.calibre-ebook.com/gen...bredb.html#add

[MateoPeri]

So if I use:
calibre --with-library /path/to/main/library add /path/to/other/libary
will it add all the books in the other library to my main library?

[kovidgoyal]

And add --recursive and --one-book-per-directory

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by MateoPeri

So if I use:
calibre --with-library /path/to/main/library add /path/to/other/libary
will it add all the books in the other library to my main library?

You will likely need to add books from a directory and it's subdirectories (see the Adding From Directories at the end of the Add section in https://manual.calibre-ebook.com/gen...bredb.html#add ). I have not used that functionality but the --recurse or -r and --one-book-per-directory or -1 options should work (the one book item may not be needed if the second library only has a single format in each subdirectory).

Unless that 500GB library is a single directory which is somewhat unlikely, IMNSHO.

Edit: I don't want to think about the provenance of a 500GB ebook library.

[MateoPeri]

The file structure is:
- Library
-- Author
---- Book Title
------ Book, Cover, metadata...

I'll try with the add from directory command. I'm not sure about the -1 command, but I'll give it a try.

[MateoPeri]

When I run this command in the calibre docker container I get this output (after like an hour or two).
The process has taken around 2.5GB or RAM, and has not finished yet (it actually crashed and I had to reattach).

root@linuxserver-calibre:/# calibredb --with-library /Calibre_Library add -r "/downloads/Bibliot
eca 75.452 (EPUB) (ESP)/Biblioteca"                                                             
                                                                                                
                                                                                                
Failed to render /tmp/calibre_4.20.0_tmp_EEgtWb/F4ULLA_epub_meta/OEBPS/Text/index_split_000.html
 with errors:                                                                                   
Traceback (most recent call last):                                                              
  File "site-packages/calibre/utils/ipc/simple_worker.py", line 54, in run                      
  File "site-packages/calibre/utils/ipc/__init__.py", line 23, in eintr_retry_call              
EOFError                                                                                        
                                                                                                
Failed to render /tmp/calibre_4.20.0_tmp_EEgtWb/ladgpT_epub_meta/OEBPS/Text/cubierta.xhtml with 
errors:                                                                                         
Traceback (most recent call last):                                                              
  File "site-packages/calibre/utils/ipc/simple_worker.py", line 54, in run                      
  File "site-packages/calibre/utils/ipc/__init__.py", line 23, in eintr_retry_call              
EOFError

[JSWolf]

Where did this "found" 500GB library come from and are there books in there that are still in copyright?

[MateoPeri]

Are you asking because you want them? I can PM them to you (not sure about the link posting rules in this forum), but the books are all in Spanish.

A lot of them are classical books (no copyright), but others are still in copyright. Why? Is it not allowed in this forum?

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by MateoPeri

Are you asking because you want them? I can PM them to you (not sure about the link posting rules in this forum), but the books are all in Spanish.

A lot of them are classical books (no copyright), but others are still in copyright. Why? Is it not allowed in this forum?

Copyright violation is severely frowned upon. It's the sort of thing that attracts unwanted attention from lawyers. I'm not a moderator but I agree that copyright violation is not a good way to keep MobileRead open and accessible. One group I used years back was shut down due to a couple of members who kept posting links to copyright material and pusillanimous moderators who did not want to ban posters.

Do not post a link here to your library.

BTW, that is why I did not want to think about the provenance of your library.

One other issue is that quite a few of the books in your library are likely to be total garbage which you are going to spend more time and effort to clean up than the end result will be worth.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by DNSB

One other issue is that quite a few of the books in your library are likely to be total garbage which you are going to spend more time and effort to clean up than the end result will be worth.

The solution is to save yourself 500GB and delete the entire library that's not fully legal.

[kovidgoyal]

That output is because your docker container is preventing qqtwebengine from running which is used to render the first page of epub files as their covers when they dont have a cover.

[MateoPeri]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

That output is because your docker container is preventing qqtwebengine from running which is used to render the first page of epub files as their covers when they dont have a cover.

Thanks you for answering.
Why would that be? A permissions issue maybe? The docker image I'm using is linuxserver/calibre (latest).
I'll try running it as root.

But that's not that big of an issue, is it? Does it prevent the book from being imported?