Different libraries on 2 computers - how to merge?

Statch · 08-30-2013, 05:10 PM

I used to use Calibre on a laptop. A couple of years ago, I switched back to using a desktop, but left Calibre on the laptop. I've been adding books to the Calibre library on the desktop. I just recently realized that somehow when I moved my books to the desktop, I didn't transfer most of my old MS Reader books (and I had a lot). So the Calibre library on the laptop has the MS Reader books, but the Calibre library on the desktop has all the books I've bought in the last two years (with ratings, etc). Both libraries have a subset of books that are the same on each device.

Is there any way I can merge the two on my desktop, and keep the items that are the same in both libraries while adding the books that the laptop has that the desktop doesn't have? I tried doing it by copying an author directory from the laptop to the desktop, hoping that it would only copy over the new files and ask me whether I wanted to overwrite any existing files (so I could say no), but it just created a duplicate copy of the directory.

I'll do this book by book if I have to, but it would be really nice if there was a more efficient way I could do it.

theducks · 08-30-2013, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Statch

I used to use Calibre on a laptop. A couple of years ago, I switched back to using a desktop, but left Calibre on the laptop. I've been adding books to the Calibre library on the desktop. I just recently realized that somehow when I moved my books to the desktop, I didn't transfer most of my old MS Reader books (and I had a lot). So the Calibre library on the laptop has the MS Reader books, but the Calibre library on the desktop has all the books I've bought in the last two years (with ratings, etc). Both libraries have a subset of books that are the same on each device.

Is there any way I can merge the two on my desktop, and keep the items that are the same in both libraries while adding the books that the laptop has that the desktop doesn't have? I tried doing it by copying an author directory from the laptop to the desktop, hoping that it would only copy over the new files and ask me whether I wanted to overwrite any existing files (so I could say no), but it just created a duplicate copy of the directory.

I'll do this book by book if I have to, but it would be really nice if there was a more efficient way I could do it.

Copy the Library folder (safer than mounting as a network drive) to a SEPERATE (from the current Library) folder.

Then start Calibre: right-click the Library Icon:Create-Switch: Use Existing:<choose that folder>. (This 'registers' the Library).

Now Select Books you wish to merge: Right click: Copy TO Library <main library name> ...Wait

Now, right-click the Library Icon: Select old Library

Enjoy

dwig · 08-31-2013, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theducks

Copy the Library folder (safer than mounting as a network drive) to a SEPERATE (from the current Library) folder.

Then start Calibre: right-click the Library Icon:Create-Switch: Use Existing:<choose that folder>. (This 'registers' the Library).

Now Select Books you wish to merge: Right click: Copy TO Library <main library name> ...Wait

Now, right-click the Library Icon: Select old Library

Enjoy

I would add that you should first BACKUP the target library. That way, if the merge fails or produces any undesired results you can simply delete it and revert to the backup copy of the original.

Statch · 08-31-2013, 04:44 PM

Thanks so much to both of you! I'm going to try it this evening and will report how it went (in case anyone else runs into this).

Statch · 09-02-2013, 04:34 PM

I tried this (after making a backup) and it did work. The only problem I had was figuring out which ones I needed to copy to the target library since I wasn't seeing both libraries at once. I've kept a spreadsheet for years for my ebooks so ended up going through comparing that to the target library, highlighting any books that needed moving, and then putting up the older library and using the spreadsheet to decide what to move. I was hoping that I could just copy everything and would be asked whether I wanted to copy duplicates, so I could say no, but it doesn't look like it works that way.

Thanks again for the responses! I really appreciate the help.

08-30-2013, 05:10 PM	#1
Statch Connoisseur Posts: 96 Karma: 2084 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Georgia, USA Device: Kindle PW2, Samsung Galaxy 3, Kindle Fire HD	Different libraries on 2 computers - how to merge? I used to use Calibre on a laptop. A couple of years ago, I switched back to using a desktop, but left Calibre on the laptop. I've been adding books to the Calibre library on the desktop. I just recently realized that somehow when I moved my books to the desktop, I didn't transfer most of my old MS Reader books (and I had a lot). So the Calibre library on the laptop has the MS Reader books, but the Calibre library on the desktop has all the books I've bought in the last two years (with ratings, etc). Both libraries have a subset of books that are the same on each device. Is there any way I can merge the two on my desktop, and keep the items that are the same in both libraries while adding the books that the laptop has that the desktop doesn't have? I tried doing it by copying an author directory from the laptop to the desktop, hoping that it would only copy over the new files and ask me whether I wanted to overwrite any existing files (so I could say no), but it just created a duplicate copy of the directory. I'll do this book by book if I have to, but it would be really nice if there was a more efficient way I could do it.

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08-31-2013, 04:44 PM	#4
Statch Connoisseur Posts: 96 Karma: 2084 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Georgia, USA Device: Kindle PW2, Samsung Galaxy 3, Kindle Fire HD	Thanks so much to both of you! I'm going to try it this evening and will report how it went (in case anyone else runs into this).

09-02-2013, 04:34 PM	#5
Statch Connoisseur Posts: 96 Karma: 2084 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Georgia, USA Device: Kindle PW2, Samsung Galaxy 3, Kindle Fire HD	I tried this (after making a backup) and it did work. The only problem I had was figuring out which ones I needed to copy to the target library since I wasn't seeing both libraries at once. I've kept a spreadsheet for years for my ebooks so ended up going through comparing that to the target library, highlighting any books that needed moving, and then putting up the older library and using the spreadsheet to decide what to move. I was hoping that I could just copy everything and would be asked whether I wanted to copy duplicates, so I could say no, but it doesn't look like it works that way. Thanks again for the responses! I really appreciate the help.

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