Create a catalog in a shared folder

jvik · 05-28-2025, 06:46 PM

I'm running Windows 11 as the host system. I run Oracle Virtualbox with various Linux distros installed as Virtual Machines. In general this works great - with shared folders I can access any drive on the host system that I choose to share as a "shared folder".

So from Linux Mint, Debian, Fedora ... I can create, read, write, modify ... files in the Windows environment. E.g. with LibreOffice I create a document in Win 11 stored on a disk drive that is shared as a folder with one of the Linux VMs. From this virtual machine I can read, write etc. those files with LibreOffice running under Linux or any other Linux software that can understand that format.

Now, specifically in Win 11 Calibre I can save some books to a directory on a shared folder. Then in a Linux Calibre I can use Add Books to read them and add them to my Linux Calibre library (and vice versa of course.)

What I can't do is open or create a calibre catalog on the shared folder.

This is the traceback I get trying to open a library:

calibre, version 8.4.0
Corrupted database: The library database at /e/calibre-libs/test appears to be corrupted. Do you want calibre to try and rebuild it automatically? The rebuild may not be completely successful.

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "calibre/gui2/ui.py", line 974, in library_moved
File "calibre/db/legacy.py", line 192, in __init__
File "calibre/db/legacy.py", line 46, in create_backend
File "calibre/db/backend.py", line 551, in __init__
File "calibre/db/backend.py", line 990, in initialize_notes
File "calibre/db/notes/connect.py", line 79, in __init__
File "calibre/db/notes/connect.py", line 100, in reopen
File "calibre/db/notes/schema_upgrade.py", line 29, in __init__
File "calibre/db/backend.py", line 433, in execute
File "src/cursor.c", line 240, in resetcursor
apsw.IOError: IOError: disk I/O error

Should Calibre be able to do this?

Any info would be great. Thanks,
jvik

theducks · 05-28-2025, 07:07 PM

It is in the FAQ. No share or networked drives.

Not only did you try a share, but you spanned OS file systems, which keep file names differently.
Calibre stores the book in the filesystem (for performance. must stay in lockstep) and keeps the where in the DB. Jumping between OS weirds it out.

The Export and Import tool takes care of the needed stuf when you move to another computer.

05-28-2025, 06:46 PM	#1
jvik Member Posts: 16 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Phoenix, AZ Device: Nook	Create a catalog in a shared folder I'm running Windows 11 as the host system. I run Oracle Virtualbox with various Linux distros installed as Virtual Machines. In general this works great - with shared folders I can access any drive on the host system that I choose to share as a "shared folder". So from Linux Mint, Debian, Fedora ... I can create, read, write, modify ... files in the Windows environment. E.g. with LibreOffice I create a document in Win 11 stored on a disk drive that is shared as a folder with one of the Linux VMs. From this virtual machine I can read, write etc. those files with LibreOffice running under Linux or any other Linux software that can understand that format. Now, specifically in Win 11 Calibre I can save some books to a directory on a shared folder. Then in a Linux Calibre I can use Add Books to read them and add them to my Linux Calibre library (and vice versa of course.) What I can't do is open or create a calibre catalog on the shared folder. This is the traceback I get trying to open a library: calibre, version 8.4.0 Corrupted database: The library database at /e/calibre-libs/test appears to be corrupted. Do you want calibre to try and rebuild it automatically? The rebuild may not be completely successful. Traceback (most recent call last): File "calibre/gui2/ui.py", line 974, in library_moved File "calibre/db/legacy.py", line 192, in __init__ File "calibre/db/legacy.py", line 46, in create_backend File "calibre/db/backend.py", line 551, in __init__ File "calibre/db/backend.py", line 990, in initialize_notes File "calibre/db/notes/connect.py", line 79, in __init__ File "calibre/db/notes/connect.py", line 100, in reopen File "calibre/db/notes/schema_upgrade.py", line 29, in __init__ File "calibre/db/backend.py", line 433, in execute File "src/cursor.c", line 240, in resetcursor apsw.IOError: IOError: disk I/O error Should Calibre be able to do this? Any info would be great. Thanks, jvik

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05-28-2025, 07:07 PM	#2
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 30,932 Karma: 60358908 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	It is in the FAQ. No share or networked drives. Not only did you try a share, but you spanned OS file systems, which keep file names differently. Calibre stores the book in the filesystem (for performance. must stay in lockstep) and keeps the where in the DB. Jumping between OS weirds it out. The Export and Import tool takes care of the needed stuf when you move to another computer.