Library and Folders out of sync

[abookguy]

I keep my calibre library in dropbox to keep it synced across my various PCs and add books from whichever device is convenient. I did something to get them out of sync and now some books are no longer in my library but the books, covers and metadata files are still in the folder structure.

Is there an easy way to re-add these books into my library? I tried using Library Maintenance --> Restore database but that didn't work.

Thanks in advance!

[gbm]

Sign. You have just leaned the hard why this is part of the calibre FAQ:

https://manual.calibre-ebook.com/faq...rked-drive-nas

You may have to recover your books by re-downloading them or getting them from you device.

bernie

Originally Posted by abookguy

I keep my calibre library in dropbox to keep it synced across my various PCs and add books from whichever device is convenient. I did something to get them out of sync and now some books are no longer in my library but the books, covers and metadata files are still in the folder structure.

Is there an easy way to re-add these books into my library? I tried using Library Maintenance --> Restore database but that didn't work.

Thanks in advance!

[mbovenka]

Originally Posted by abookguy

Is there an easy way to re-add these books into my library? I tried using Library Maintenance --> Restore database but that didn't work.

I would have expected that to work, but if it didn't, what you can try is creating a new library and use Calibre to move your current one into it. It will copy everything it knows about into the new library, and what's left in the old one is stuff Calibre lost track of. You can re-import those by pointing Add Books (option Add Book from folders and subfolders -> Assume all e-book files in a single folder are multiple formats of the same book -> Yes) at the root directory of your old library.

And keep Calibre away from Dropbox et al in the future. That FAQ warning isn't there just for fun and giggles, as you found out.

[theducks]

That notice mostly apples to the WORKING (the one that drives the GUI) Library and 2-way sync back to a working library.

Simple reason: Only Calibre MUST make changes to any path (file and folder) name or the DB loses track of the book.

Google drive messes with the file names (adds versioning) which destroys the above DB linkages.

There are device Viewers that can use a cloud COPY of the Calibre Library.
THIS COPY SHOULD NEVER - EVER BE MERGED BACK TO THE ORIGINAL FOLDER.

[Sirtel]

Dropbox works fine when you only edit and make changes on one computer, and pause syncing while calibre is open (I've had one of my libraries in Dropbox for more than a decade without any issues. I only work with it on my main PC and Dropbox is not running in the background). Problems arise when you make changes on multiple devices and/or have Dropbox continously running - both will corrupt your database.

As folks do forget to pause Dropbox or make changes strictly on one specific device only, it's best to not keep your active library in Dropbox.

[abookguy]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Dropbox works fine when you only edit and make changes on one computer, and pause syncing while calibre is open (I've had one of my libraries in Dropbox for more than a decade without any issues. I only work with it on my main PC and Dropbox is not running in the background). Problems arise when you make changes on multiple devices and/or have Dropbox continously running - both will corrupt your database.

As folks do forget to pause Dropbox or make changes strictly on one specific device only, it's best to not keep your active library in Dropbox.

Yeah my library has also been in dropbox for over a decade. I'm careful to never open calibre on more than on PC at a time but I've never paused syncing.

I suppose I may have to reimport all my books into a new library, which isn't the end of the world, but still a PITA.

[mbovenka]

Originally Posted by abookguy

I suppose I may have to reimport all my books into a new library, which isn't the end of the world, but still a PITA.

Don't do a reimport, do a move from the old library into the new one. That gets you everything back that Calibre knows about, you can do an import of what's left.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by abookguy

Yeah my library has also been in dropbox for over a decade. I'm careful to never open calibre on more than on PC at a time but I've never paused syncing.

I suppose I may have to reimport all my books into a new library, which isn't the end of the world, but still a PITA.

If you continue to work with your library on more than one computer, you will mess it up again, no matter how careful you are. A calibre library is not meant to be multi-user/multi-device. It's meant to be used locally on one device, not over a network of devices.

I've used my library on multiple computers in the past, and even with syncing paused, errors always crept in at some point. It just doesn't work in the long run.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

If you continue to work with your library on more than one computer, you will mess it up again, no matter how careful you are. A calibre library is not meant to be multi-user/multi-device. It's meant to be used locally on one device, not over a network of devices.

I've used my library on multiple computers in the past, and even with syncing paused, errors always crept in at some point. It just doesn't work in the long run.

I use my library on multiple computers. However, I use a networked drive off of the mini-PC so it's all good. I make sure I do not run calibre more then once at a time.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I use my library on multiple computers. However, I use a networked drive off of the mini-PC so it's all good. I make sure I do not run calibre more then once at a time.

Networked drive is just as dangerous as a cloud and people have often had issues with it. Actually, Dropbox is deemed less dangerous in calibre FAQ.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Networked drive is just as dangerous as a cloud and people have often had issues with it. Actually, Dropbox is deemed less dangerous in calibre FAQ.

I've been doing this for more then 10 years without a problem.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I've been doing this for more then 10 years without a problem.

But others have had problems. So please stop recommending a networked drive for managing a calibre library. Not to mention that doing so goes directly against the user manual. It's your own business if you want to ignore the warning there yourself (I've ignored that warning too on occasion), but advising others to do it is not really a responsible thing to do.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

But others have had problems. So please stop recommending a networked drive for managing a calibre library. Not to mention that doing so goes directly against the user manual. It's your own business if you want to ignore the warning there yourself (I've ignored that warning too on occasion), but advising others to do it is not really a responsible thing to do.

I can honestly say I've had no problems.

[theducks]

I only PULL from a share (my Intake Library PC).
It was a 75% fail if I pushed to the Main.

YMMV But the general advice (and from Kovid), is Don't do it

Jon, cease offering your version of advice on this topic.
The FAQ is the only approved answer.

[JSWolf]

I am syncing one of my libraries to Overdrive now. It's not all that fast. However, it's a one-way sync. I'm using rclone and winfsp to create a drive letter to Onedrive. I'm using FreeFileSync to do the one-way sync.