Is My Calibre's Going Blind from All the Many e

[BetterRed]

@BewilderedUser - a calibre library has author directories and within those there are book directories. So, your Vivek Chibber directory will have three book directories. What you see in File Explorer is a count of author directories, plus the files at the root of the library directory (e.g metadata.db, metadata_db_prefs_backup.json, metadata_pre_restore.db).

BR

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by BewilderedUser

Hmm, sounds like a plan...but how exactly do I re-create a new library (on my SSD), please?

Switch/create new library -> Create an empty library at the new location. You might have to create a new, empty folder somewhere on your local disk and point Calibre to that folder.

After that, if you can't access the old libraries on the card with Calibre to copy the books to the new library, you may have to import the books via the Add Books button.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by BewilderedUser

Oops -- never mind; just found out how!

But I'm still curious...why doesn't what worked before work anymore?

Why's Calibre now telling me that any directory I try to point it at is either "not an existing calibre library" or "not empty"???

Frankly, no idea why it no longer recognizes your libraries on the micro SD. If you have never moved the files around manually outside the Calibre program (that would immediately mess up the database), then your card might have a corruption problem or something like that (I'm not very familiar with microSD cards).

[BewilderedUser]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

@BewilderedUser - a calibre library has author directories and within those there are book directories. So, your Vivek Chibber directory will have three book directories. What you see in File Explorer is a count of author directories, plus the files at the root of the library directory (e.g metadata.db, metadata_db_prefs_backup.json, metadata_pre_restore.db).

BR

Yes, that's certainly true -- and all the directories I'm trying to point Calibre at are fully of such author folders and so forth so I'm puzzled why Calibre's suddenly not recognizing that.

[BewilderedUser]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Frankly, no idea why it no longer recognizes your libraries on the micro SD.

Actually, it does still recognize the "main" "Calibre Library" directory (that I'm trying to consolidate everything into); it just doesn't recognize any other directory with Calibre author files and so forth anymore now.

Originally Posted by Sirtel

If you have never moved the files around manually outside the Calibre program (that would immediately mess up the database), then your card might have a corruption problem or something like that (I'm not very familiar with microSD cards).

Yes, I'm wary of my card -- it's 1TB and I've once heard these huge denominations can be problematic for some reason or other. That's partially why I'm trying to consolidate all my eBooks under Calibre: to make backup easier!

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by BewilderedUser

Yes, that's certainly true -- and all the directories I'm trying to point Calibre at are fully of such author folders and so forth so I'm puzzled why Calibre's suddenly not recognizing that.

The crucial thing a calibre library folder has to have is a metadata.db file. That is the actual library database.

[theducks]

Each Library is a self contained set of files and folders. the files BetterRed controls the interface (what you see). These are a lock stepped SET, which is why you do not change things OUTSIDE of the Calibre GUI or CLI.

If something keeps disappearing, you had a storage / AV issue.
You mentioned a 1T flash. There are a lot of fakes (reports way larger than the chip stores). I suspect you metadata.db's are getting stomped upon

Also Flash can fail with no notice. Usually HD's start making small errors that should be taken as a warning :"clone me now"

[BewilderedUser]

Originally Posted by jhowell

The crucial thing a calibre library folder has to have is a metadata.db file. That is the actual library database.

Ah, this makes sense!

So is there a way I can just get some kinda generic Calibre metadata.db file for all the directories with eBooks I'd like Calibre to add??

Turns out I'm missing such a crucial file from all these directories for some reason!

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by BewilderedUser

Ah, this makes sense!

So is there a way I can just get some kinda generic Calibre metadata.db file for all the directories with eBooks I'd like Calibre to add??

Turns out I'm missing such a crucial file from all these directories for some reason!

There is no other way than to use Restore Database (from Library Maintenance) and hope Calibre can rebuild the database. Otherwise you have to add the books manually to your new library, as there's no way to make Calibre "see" a library with no database file.

[BewilderedUser]

Originally Posted by theducks

Each Library is a self contained set of files and folders. the files BetterRed controls the interface (what you see). These are a lock stepped SET, which is why you do not change things OUTSIDE of the Calibre GUI or CLI.

Yeah, I didn't realize any of this until starting to consolidate my collection today! But surely there's a way to slap Calibre on the head and say, "there boy there, fetch! Sic! Kill!"

I mean, how can I make Calibre know that these are eBooks already arranged in nice Calibre author-name folders??

Originally Posted by theducks

If something keeps disappearing, you had a storage / AV issue.
You mentioned a 1T flash. There are a lot of fakes (reports way larger than the chip stores). I suspect you metadata.db's are getting stomped upon

Well, the counterfeit stuff is supposed to fail basically right away -- and I didn't get the card off Amazon but from B&H which isn't a total Wild West kind of place. But I was just referring to Flash technology's inherent limitations; I got a SanDisk 1TB microSD for $250 instead of something like a $400 top-of-the-line Samsung one.

Originally Posted by theducks

Also Flash can fail with no notice. Usually HD's start making small errors that should be taken as a warning :"clone me now"

Yup! That's why I thought it's about time all my eBooks from various different installations of Calibre across different computers should be consolidated now -- on my microSD as well as a compact portable HDD!

[BewilderedUser]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

There is no other way than to use Restore Database (from Library Maintenance) and hope Calibre can rebuild the database. Otherwise you have to add the books manually to your new library, as there's no way to make Calibre "see" a library with no database file.

But that's just the thing: I can't get Calibre "pointed at" the directory in the first place so that it can then run Restore Database over it. Or is there some way to do what you're saying without Calibre being able to recognize the folder as what it calls a "calibre library"??

Right now, all I know is to click the big Calibre Library icon on top...which isn't working now 'cause of those missing db files I guess.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by BewilderedUser

But that's just the thing: I can't get Calibre "pointed at" the directory in the first place so that it can then run Restore Database over it. Or is there some way to do what you're saying without Calibre being able to recognize the folder as what it calls a "calibre library"??

Right now, all I know is to click the big Calibre Library icon on top...which isn't working now 'cause of those missing db files I guess.

Hmm yes, you're right. Well, I did try to create an empty text file in my test library (which had no database file) and I renamed that file metadata.db. Calibre was then able to recognize the folder as a library (with a blank list of books, of course) and rebuilt the database. But you should certainly run the library check after the database has been restored.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by BewilderedUser

Yeah, I didn't realize any of this until starting to consolidate my collection today! But surely there's a way to slap Calibre on the head and say, "there boy there, fetch! Sic! Kill!"

I mean, how can I make Calibre know that these are eBooks already arranged in nice Calibre author-name folders??



Well, the counterfeit stuff is supposed to fail basically right away -- and I didn't get the card off Amazon but from B&H which isn't a total Wild West kind of place. But I was just referring to Flash technology's inherent limitations; I got a SanDisk 1TB microSD for $250 instead of something like a $400 top-of-the-line Samsung one.



Yup! That's why I thought it's about time all my eBooks from various different installations of Calibre across different computers should be consolidated now -- on my microSD as well as a compact portable HDD!

You did it and it quickly failed again. Library maintainence:restore

That builds a fresh db using metadata_db_prefs_backup.json to create a empty DB matching the old DB custom structure. THEN it reads the metadata.opf in every folder in that file tree.
IMHO get a USB H drive. 5T is under $100

[BewilderedUser]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Hmm yes, you're right. Well, I did try to create an empty text file in my test library (which had no database file) and I renamed that file metadata.db. Calibre was then able to recognize the folder as a library (with a blank list of books, of course) and rebuilt the database. But you should certainly run the library check after the database has been restored.

Oh Math bless you! That did it -- thanks!!

Hey you ever think about running for President?? ;-)

[BewilderedUser]

Originally Posted by theducks

You did it and it quickly failed again. Library maintainence:restore

That builds a fresh db using metadata_db_prefs_backup.json to create a empty DB matching the old DB custom structure. THEN it reads the metadata.opf in every folder in that file tree.

Yes, I can see how that works now...came across something about it in the manual but couldn't quite "put two and two together" at the time (a bit like how Warren Buffett reads the same news we do but somehow manages to make billions out of it).

Originally Posted by theducks

IMHO get a USB H drive. 5T is under $100

Indeed, I've got a WD 4TB HDD in addition to the 1TB microSD!