Some questions about using ...

SkyDream · 06-18-2010, 06:26 AM

Hi,

until now i've used calibre primarily as a converter tool and Sony library for maintaining my collection. Yet i'd decided to give calibre a try and instantly have some problems. Checking the FAQ, manual and other threads i found no solution. Maybe someone could help.

Using the latest version 0.72 on WinXP SP3 latest patches.

As a sample i'm importing the book "Backup" from Cory Doctorow as PDF. The library on disk creates the following directory structure (defined as "{tags}/{authors}/{series}/{title}" at preferences - add/save - saving books by me)

F:\Books\
Cory Doctorow\
Backup (416)\
Backup - Cory Doctorow.pdf
cover.jpg

Questions :

1. I checked "Swap author firstname and lastname" on the preferences but it's always "Cory Doctorow" and not "Doctorow Cory". How to change the order ?

2. Any way to remove the number "(416)" in the path ?

3. The title is "Backup" but the stored file name is still "Backup - Cory Doctorow.pdf" although i specified not to add the authors name. What's wrong ?

4. There is always a "cover.jpg" file although i unchecked the "save cover separately" option. As the cover is also in the pdf file it's just doubled and wasted space. As i'm going to import about 5.000 books i didn't like that. What i'm doing wrong ?

Thanks for your help !

Manichean · 06-18-2010, 06:39 AM

You're trying to access the directory Calibre uses as a library directly. That's not how Calibre is intended to work. See this post for details- it's far better written than anything I'd come up with.

EDIT: I'll try anyway, in short: Don't access the Calibre library in any other way than through Calibre itself- it's best viewed as a "black box" and left alone. Use the "Save to disk"- function to get your book to disk, then it'll do what you specified. Or transfer directly to your reader, both Sonys you have should be supported.

DoctorOhh · 06-18-2010, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkyDream

F:\Books\
Cory Doctorow\
Backup (416)\
Backup - Cory Doctorow.pdf
cover.jpg

Questions :

1. I checked "Swap author firstname and lastname" on the preferences but it's always "Cory Doctorow" and not "Doctorow Cory". How to change the order ?

2. Any way to remove the number "(416)" in the path ?

3. The title is "Backup" but the stored file name is still "Backup - Cory Doctorow.pdf" although i specified not to add the authors name. What's wrong ?

4. There is always a "cover.jpg" file although i unchecked the "save cover separately" option. As the cover is also in the pdf file it's just doubled and wasted space. As i'm going to import about 5.000 books i didn't like that. What i'm doing wrong ?

Thanks for your help !

As Manichean and the post he linked to by Worldwalker states you can't change the structure of calibre's database of books.

Now if you want to change how the books go on your device or how you can save them to a separate directory or disk then everything is pretty customizable.

Bottom line ignore the database structure behind the library.

SkyDream · 06-18-2010, 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Manichean

You're trying to access the directory Calibre uses as a library directly. That's not how Calibre is intended to work. See this post for details- it's far better written than anything I'd come up with.

EDIT: I'll try anyway, in short: Don't access the Calibre library in any other way than through Calibre itself- it's best viewed as a "black box" and left alone. Use the "Save to disk"- function to get your book to disk, then it'll do what you specified. Or transfer directly to your reader, both Sonys you have should be supported.

Nope, just looked at the way the documents are stored. I don't want to open calibre each time i want to read a pdf or copy a pdf to external storage. It's easier to use windows explorer and it doesn't change anything for calibre itselft as there will be no change.

I don't want to access the library directly but use the preferences to modify the way they are stored. As i wrote i used some preference settings but they seem to be without any effect.

SkyDream · 06-18-2010, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dwanthny

As Manichean and the post he linked to by Worldwalker states you can't change the structure of calibre's database of books.

Now if you want to change how the books go on your device or how you can save them to a separate directory or disk then everything is pretty customizable.

Bottom line ignore the database structure behind the library.

The preferences seem to indicate that you can do that.

SkyDream · 06-18-2010, 08:18 AM

Ok, understand.
I've checked the thread linked by Manichean.

At least calibre is a good converter tool.

Manichean · 06-18-2010, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkyDream

Ok, understand.
I've checked the thread linked by Manichean.

At least calibre is a good converter tool.

It's also a good library management tool, if you use it like it's intended.

Starson17 · 06-18-2010, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Manichean

It's also a good library management tool, if you use it like it's intended.

"It's also a great library management tool, if you use it like it's intended."

There, now I've fixed that

Worldwalker · 06-18-2010, 10:29 AM

As I said in that long-winded post of mine (and in my .sig), calibre isn't for managing files; calibre is for managing books. A book can consist of any number of files. Let calibre do its own thing. It works much better than the OS filesystem for storing metadata. Really it does. Once you've gotten used to it, you'll wonder why you ever bothered trying to remember if a book by Smith & Jones was stored under "\smith" or "\jones". The key is to stop thinking about your books as files and start thinking of them as books.

And given that a 1.5 TB external hard drive is $99 at buy.com, with free shipping, don't stress about the space.

theducks · 06-18-2010, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkyDream

Nope, just looked at the way the documents are stored. I don't want to open calibre each time i want to read a pdf or copy a pdf to external storage. It's easier to use windows explorer and it doesn't change anything for calibre itselft as there will be no change.

I don't want to access the library directly but use the preferences to modify the way they are stored. As i wrote i used some preference settings but they seem to be without any effect.

If you have started Calibre (0.7.x) once during your logon, it reside in the tool tray and re-opens very quickly on all but the lamest systems.

Older versions were a little more sluggish

Worldwalker · 06-18-2010, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkyDream

I don't want to access the library directly but use the preferences to modify the way they are stored.

If you don't want to access the library directly, why would it matter how they are stored?

SkyDream · 06-18-2010, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worldwalker

If you don't want to access the library directly, why would it matter how they are stored?

Problem may be that i'm a technical person which means that i care about what's behind the curtain.

Anyway. I thought that "Preferences - Add/Save - Saving books" is used to customize how books are stored on the file system. I changed it to what i want it, and it didn't worked. From the feedback i've gotten so far i'm wrong. It's used for some different purpose.

theducks · 06-18-2010, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkyDream

Problem may be that i'm a technical person which means that i care about what's behind the curtain.

Anyway. I thought that "Preferences - Add/Save - Saving books" is used to customize how books are stored on the file system. I changed it to what i want it, and it didn't worked. From the feedback i've gotten so far i'm wrong. It's used for some different purpose.

Add/Save is for saving books on Another File System (Reader,Backup...)

Starson17 · 06-18-2010, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theducks

Add/Save is for saving books on Another File System (Reader,Backup...)

I think of Add/Save as Import/Export into/out of the Calibre library.

theducks · 06-18-2010, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Starson17

I think of Add/Save as Import/Export into/out of the Calibre library.

Maybe Kovid will change the name to try and avoid confusion.

06-18-2010, 06:26 AM	#1
SkyDream Wizard Posts: 1,377 Karma: 9400 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Europe Device: PRS-650, iPod touch 4G, iPad 3	Some questions about using ... Hi, until now i've used calibre primarily as a converter tool and Sony library for maintaining my collection. Yet i'd decided to give calibre a try and instantly have some problems. Checking the FAQ, manual and other threads i found no solution. Maybe someone could help. Using the latest version 0.72 on WinXP SP3 latest patches. As a sample i'm importing the book "Backup" from Cory Doctorow as PDF. The library on disk creates the following directory structure (defined as "{tags}/{authors}/{series}/{title}" at preferences - add/save - saving books by me) F:\Books\ Cory Doctorow\ Backup (416)\ Backup - Cory Doctorow.pdf cover.jpg Questions : 1. I checked "Swap author firstname and lastname" on the preferences but it's always "Cory Doctorow" and not "Doctorow Cory". How to change the order ? 2. Any way to remove the number "(416)" in the path ? 3. The title is "Backup" but the stored file name is still "Backup - Cory Doctorow.pdf" although i specified not to add the authors name. What's wrong ? 4. There is always a "cover.jpg" file although i unchecked the "save cover separately" option. As the cover is also in the pdf file it's just doubled and wasted space. As i'm going to import about 5.000 books i didn't like that. What i'm doing wrong ? Thanks for your help !

06-18-2010, 06:39 AM	#2
Manichean Wizard Posts: 3,130 Karma: 91256 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Germany Device: Cybook Gen3	You're trying to access the directory Calibre uses as a library directly. That's not how Calibre is intended to work. See this post for details- it's far better written than anything I'd come up with. EDIT: I'll try anyway, in short: Don't access the Calibre library in any other way than through Calibre itself- it's best viewed as a "black box" and left alone. Use the "Save to disk"- function to get your book to disk, then it'll do what you specified. Or transfer directly to your reader, both Sonys you have should be supported. Last edited by Manichean; 06-18-2010 at 06:42 AM.

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06-18-2010, 08:18 AM	#6
SkyDream Wizard Posts: 1,377 Karma: 9400 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Europe Device: PRS-650, iPod touch 4G, iPad 3	Ok, understand. I've checked the thread linked by Manichean. At least calibre is a good converter tool.

06-18-2010, 10:29 AM	#9
Worldwalker Curmudgeon Posts: 3,085 Karma: 722357 Join Date: Feb 2010 Device: PRS-505	As I said in that long-winded post of mine (and in my .sig), calibre isn't for managing files; calibre is for managing books. A book can consist of any number of files. Let calibre do its own thing. It works much better than the OS filesystem for storing metadata. Really it does. Once you've gotten used to it, you'll wonder why you ever bothered trying to remember if a book by Smith & Jones was stored under "\smith" or "\jones". The key is to stop thinking about your books as files and start thinking of them as books. And given that a 1.5 TB external hard drive is $99 at buy.com, with free shipping, don't stress about the space.