Problem with Library transfer

[Janeygee]

Confirm I have Calibre 1.13 64 bit.
Drive "D" is an internal hard drive ( the re-write DVD drive is "Q" for me "

I presume you mean the main icon "Calibre Library " the drop down list has only 3 options " Switch/Create" ; Pick a random Book ; Library maintainance , or am I looking at wrong main icon ?

When I select the "Switch/Create" option, the top line in the box, above the 3 buttons says " Your current library is located at D:\Calibre Library" , but no books are shown on the main Calibre interface.

If I select the 3rd button "Move current library to a new location" , then specify "D:\Calibre Library" ...>OK .........It says "Your current Calibre Library is stored at this location" !!!!!

I have tried the 3rd button again, however moving it to a new folder at C:\Users\DFC\Documents\Calibre Library. The move seemed OK, however the only files that moved were the 2 small database files, leaving the books in D:\Calibre Library .

I have also tried uninstalling/re-installing Calibre, running through the Welcome Wizard, the only stage I skipped was the EMail screen, but same results as above.

What am I doing wrong ?

It seems my library is there but Calibre is not able to read it

[itimpi]

It sounds as if the library location on the D: drive does not have the metadata.db file from the library that you copied, but a new empty one. That could happen if you told Calibre to create a new library there rather than use an existing one. As Calibre will only display books that are entered into the database that might explain your symptoms.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by Janeygee

Confirm I have Calibre 1.13 64 bit.
Drive "D" is an internal hard drive ( the re-write DVD drive is "Q" for me "

I presume you mean the main icon "Calibre Library " the drop down list has only 3 options " Switch/Create" ; Pick a random Book ; Library maintainance , or am I looking at wrong main icon ?

No there is only one - so that is the right one.

Originally Posted by Janeygee

When I select the "Switch/Create" option, the top line in the box, above the 3 buttons says " Your current library is located at D:\Calibre Library" , but no books are shown on the main Calibre interface.

What is the location of the library on your old XP system ?

I can't understand why it should not have "Calibre Library" in the list under the separator, yet display "Your current library is located at D:\Calibre Library" in the Switch/Create dialogue.

Did you browse to the "D:\Calibre Library" location via the blue button or did you type the path - I suggest you use the browse button to select the folder

Another thing you might try is to browse to the copy of the library you have on that USB drive - I have to go now, hopefully others can help you get this resolved.

Good thinking itimpi - my suggestion to browse to the folder on the USB drive should confirm that

BR

[theducks]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

The OP posted


So something like this



But if D: is a DVD drive on the new Win8.1 system what would calibre do if I entered "D:\ Calibre Library"

Maybe it would display something like



That's what it does here


Dark Ale

I'm in Sydney, not Newcastle UK - I don't think we have Dark Ale -- you'll have to settle for Fosters lager or a Coopers cloudy bitter.

BR

I would expect a DVD drive would cause a lot more errors (messages too) than just a Blank Library.


I don't know about W8, But I have additional internal drives D: E: on one system and I reassigned (forced) the letters for the CD-burner and DVD to F: and G: using the disk management tool

[Janeygee]

OK. Thank you for being patient with me

I am going to uninstall Calibre. Delete the existing "Calibre Library" files on both the C: and D: drives.
Delete the existing files on the thunmb drive, re-copy the library from the XP machine and try again.

Back in an hour, having drunk a cup of tea !!!!

[theducks]

Something is really hinkey

1) is there a metadata.db in the indicated folder

2)What are the user rights for that folder (and all child folders)? They need to have 'FULL' (read/write/delete/create)

Regardless of what the top line says. Use the first item to browse to the Library.

Maybe W8 does not like full rights to a Root folder

On one of my systems (xp) d:\users\Calibre Library

Just keep the first level name short

[Janeygee]

Whilst the tea is brewing and the library is downloading/copying from the XPmachine to the thumb drive................questions posed are "answered" below:

1) is there a metadata.db in the indicated folder

Which "indicated folder" ?

2

)What are the user rights for that folder (and all child folders)? They need to have 'FULL' (read/write/delete/create)

Tell me how to find that and I will let you know.

What is the location of the library on your old XP system ?

D:\My Documents\Calibre Library

I can't understand why it should not have "Calibre Library" in the list under the separator, yet display "Your current library is located at D:\Calibre Library" in the Switch/Create dialogue.

What is "the separator" ?

I have to say I feel good about all this, someone is going to solve this

[Janeygee]

Question please:

The folder "Calibre Library" on the XP machine is in D:\ drive.

When I copy the library across to the thumb drive H:\ , should I creat a new folder there called "Calibre Library" or just copy the folder to H:\ ?

[theducks]

'Indicated' at the top of Create/switch dialog

If you are seeing any Library grid (even empty), there IS a metadate DB (just a small one). Search your system for more than one

Separator (See image)
There might not be a separator if there is only ONE library defined
Below the line is the 'Quick Switch' list

[Janeygee]

"theducks" :

Indicated library ............yes , there was a library indicated, although nothing displayed where my library of books used to reside.

This is what I get when I selct Calibre Library

[theducks]

quit Calibre (no content server running either)

copy the folder (not just the contents) H:\Calibre Library From the Thumb drive
COPY THAT TO d:\ (this will replace the current one. The answer is Replace All if when asked)

When completed:
Now start Calibre You should see books

As an additional check (highly recommended when changing OS versions)
Run both parts the Library Maintenance. resolve any issues

[Janeygee]

"theducks" :

THANK YOU

and of course everyone else who provided suggestions

All my books and the star ratings are there now.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by Janeygee

"theducks" :

THANK YOU

All my books and the star ratings are there now.

Great

You helped yourself by providing answers to our questions and telling us what you did.

BR