find and remove zero size .epub files? - Page 2

eschwartz · 06-22-2015, 09:10 AM

Whatever it is that is zeroing your files, you should try finding out what!

For the record, your account is the first time I have ever heard of such behavior associated with calibre.

theducks · 06-22-2015, 10:32 AM

I am going to ditto eschwartz

You may have had a rogue Anti-Virus the cleaned

inside zip files (EPUB being a custom zip file).
Even with no (visible) content, an EPUB may still have size: OPF, various HTML, just nothing that renders visible between the <body> tags (Sigil starts up with one of these. 100% validated, nothing

).

eschwartz · 06-22-2015, 10:41 AM

Worth noting, that `find` command was directed to only match zero-byte files. Whatever it is, it isn't cleaning inside the ZIP -- the ZIP header is gone too.

hank · 06-23-2015, 11:42 AM

Hm. More weirdness. I have a "Formats" column -- and in the first three copies of the Library, it's filled in, identifying EPUB and MOBI and PDB where they exist (even if zero).

On the newest copy of the library saved a few days ago -- that colum is blank, and I don't see any way to get it to regenerate.

Where should I be looking, or asking, for help with this?

theducks · 06-23-2015, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hank

Hm. More weirdness. I have a "Formats" column -- and in the first three copies of the Library, it's filled in, identifying EPUB and MOBI and PDB where they exist (even if zero).

On the newest copy of the library saved a few days ago -- that colum is blank, and I don't see any way to get it to regenerate.

Where should I be looking, or asking, for help with this?

If you have a Formats COLUMN, it is a custom column

If your configuration was (not/never) set for that library, that column would contain bogus info
The only places where CALIBRE shows current formats (it is managing) is in the Info or details windows and the metadata edit form

chaley · 06-23-2015, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hank

Hm. More weirdness. I have a "Formats" column -- and in the first three copies of the Library, it's filled in, identifying EPUB and MOBI and PDB where they exist (even if zero).

On the newest copy of the library saved a few days ago -- that colum is blank, and I don't see any way to get it to regenerate.

Where should I be looking, or asking, for help with this?

If this is a "column built from other columns", and in particular if its template is

Code:

{:'approximate_formats()'}

then it shows what calibre thinks is true. There is no guarantee that what calibre gets from approximate_formats() is really true. I don't know why in your case calibre would have that opinion.

FWIW: my take is that we seem to be running down a rat hole. The problem: until you figure out what is messing with your library, no one will be able to tell you how to fix it.

hank · 06-26-2015, 09:55 AM

Got the "Formats" column back -- it did have the template code you mentioned.

I finally went to each of the four Libraries, and while each of them was open, went to Preferences for Calibre in the application menu, and reset all the columns to default.

After that all four libraries appeared consistent. Then I went to Preferences and re-enabled the Formats column from the list offered. Bingo -- all four libraries now display a Formats column.

This may be a clue; should the Preferences for Calibre control how all libraries appear? Or only affect whichever one is currently open?

theducks · 06-26-2015, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hank

Got the "Formats" column back -- it did have the template code you mentioned.

I finally went to each of the four Libraries, and while each of them was open, went to Preferences for Calibre in the application menu, and reset all the columns to default.

After that all four libraries appeared consistent. Then I went to Preferences and re-enabled the Formats column from the list offered. Bingo -- all four libraries now display a Formats column.

This may be a clue; should the Preferences for Calibre control how all libraries appear? Or only affect whichever one is currently open?

Columns are Per Library and are store inside
There are 2 types of Preferences (the Preferences screen usually sets both):

Per Library for things that do not (default config) exist in a library.like Columns, column Arrangements and of course: column data

User Preference which are stored in the Calibre Config folder (

remember to back this up if you make many changes from defaults)
This is where many GUI and Editor Preferences are stored, including assigned Device templates. This is also where Plugins and other customizations are kept.

Edit: Almost Forgot

If you Create a new library, there is a Copy Structure tickbox that will copy those (per Library) special settings over to the new one

Section8 · 06-26-2015, 11:55 AM

Do you by any chance, have your calibre library in some cloud-synced directory, such as Dropbox, etc? Or maybe a networked file system?

hank · 07-03-2015, 12:49 AM

Quote:

Do you by any chance, have your calibre library in some cloud-synced directory, such as Dropbox, etc? Or maybe a networked file system?

No, neither. Internal hard drive on the computer.

Problem hasn't happened again.

theducks · 07-03-2015, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hank

No, neither. Internal hard drive on the computer.

Problem hasn't happened again.

Check your (Windows) Event Viewer system logs (red events: ?disk?)
Something really odd happened

I have been reading this forum for 5 years and I have never heard of this kind of issue with a Internal HD and a single O/S that did not include hardware failing (and that usually affects everything, not just Calibre).

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06-22-2015, 09:10 AM	#16
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	Whatever it is that is zeroing your files, you should try finding out what! For the record, your account is the first time I have ever heard of such behavior associated with calibre.

06-22-2015, 10:32 AM	#17
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 31,064 Karma: 60358908 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	I am going to ditto eschwartz You may have had a rogue Anti-Virus the cleaned inside zip files (EPUB being a custom zip file). Even with no (visible) content, an EPUB may still have size: OPF, various HTML, just nothing that renders visible between the <body> tags (Sigil starts up with one of these. 100% validated, nothing ).

06-22-2015, 10:41 AM	#18
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	Worth noting, that `find` command was directed to only match zero-byte files. Whatever it is, it isn't cleaning inside the ZIP -- the ZIP header is gone too.

06-23-2015, 11:42 AM	#19
hank Dinosaur Posts: 107 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2004 Device: Clie TH55, SJ30, VisorEdge, Palm3xe	Hm. More weirdness. I have a "Formats" column -- and in the first three copies of the Library, it's filled in, identifying EPUB and MOBI and PDB where they exist (even if zero). On the newest copy of the library saved a few days ago -- that colum is blank, and I don't see any way to get it to regenerate. Where should I be looking, or asking, for help with this?

06-26-2015, 09:55 AM	#22
hank Dinosaur Posts: 107 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2004 Device: Clie TH55, SJ30, VisorEdge, Palm3xe	Got the "Formats" column back -- it did have the template code you mentioned. I finally went to each of the four Libraries, and while each of them was open, went to Preferences for Calibre in the application menu, and reset all the columns to default. After that all four libraries appeared consistent. Then I went to Preferences and re-enabled the Formats column from the list offered. Bingo -- all four libraries now display a Formats column. This may be a clue; should the Preferences for Calibre control how all libraries appear? Or only affect whichever one is currently open?

06-26-2015, 11:55 AM	#24
Section8 Addict Posts: 264 Karma: 2121470 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Arlington, TX Device: Kindle PW4, Moon+ Reader on a cheap Android tablet	Do you by any chance, have your calibre library in some cloud-synced directory, such as Dropbox, etc? Or maybe a networked file system?

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