CantOpenError: unable to open database file

Zepa77 · 03-12-2018, 05:55 AM

Hi,

I've downloaded Kindle 1.17.44170, then downloaded my books, But when i drag them over to Calibre, I get the following error message. I am singularly nontechnical, so have no idea what to do about it. I assume I've done something wrong in the download, but can't figure out what.

calibre, version 3.19.0
ERROR: Errors while adding: Failed to add any books, click "Show details" for more information

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Failed to add the book: Devil Water
C:\Users\zepa7\AppData\Local\Temp\calibre_vkfgjj\p rehzx_add_books\0\B00IRIFYF8_EBOK.azw3
With error:
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "site-packages\calibre\gui2\add.py", line 399, in add_book
File "site-packages\calibre\db\legacy.py", line 224, in create_book_entry
File "site-packages\calibre\db\cache.py", line 63, in call_func_with_lock
File "site-packages\calibre\db\cache.py", line 1566, in create_book_entry
File "site-packages\calibre\db\cache.py", line 1287, in set_metadata
File "site-packages\calibre\db\cache.py", line 1113, in update_path
File "site-packages\calibre\db\backend.py", line 1574, in update_path
File "site-packages\calibre\db\tables.py", line 135, in set_path
File "site-packages\calibre\db\backend.py", line 845, in execute
File "c:\t\t\apsw-j6gj96\apsw-3.13.0-r1\src\cursor.c", line 236, in resetcursor
CantOpenError: CantOpenError: unable to open database file

pdurrant · 03-12-2018, 05:59 AM

It looks to me more like a calibre installation problem. But I don't know what.

Zepa77 · 03-12-2018, 06:14 AM

It was a recent installation (few days ago) on a new 'clean' machine - does a re-install sound like a good idea?

kovidgoyal · 03-12-2018, 08:24 AM

That error is typically caused by an antivirus program blocking calibre from accessing its database. Either disable it or exclude the calibre library folder from its scans.

DoctorOhh · 03-12-2018, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zepa77

I've downloaded Kindle 1.17.44170, then downloaded my books, But when i drag them over to Calibre, I get the following error message. I am singularly nontechnical, so have no idea what to do about it. I assume I've done something wrong in the download, but can't figure out what.
...~~~...
CantOpenError: CantOpenError: unable to open database file

Kovid has always said the following about this error.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

Something, most likely an antivirus program is blocking calibre from opening the metadata.db file in its library folder.

One user solved it by the following:

Quote:

Originally Posted by rfcdvc45

Thanks to all of you who helped me on this one. Yes, it was in fact something blocking the Calibre files, and yes, it was in fact Defender! Turns out it was a new feature in Defender that shipped with the latest Fall Creators Update v1709. The feature, which I had forgotten, and which I had enabled is called 'Controlled Folder Access.' It is supposed to help guard against potential ransomware attacks. Anyway, when I realized that this was the blocking agent, I created an exception for Calibre. Once unblocked, I created a new Calibre Library, copied back the book folders into it. And finally I had to use the 'Restore Database' tool in Calibre. Now all's well again.

You guys at MobileRead rock! Couldn't have done it without your help.

Zepa77 · 03-12-2018, 10:58 AM

Hi All,

It was MacAfee (which came with the PC and which my partner did immediately tell me to remove..... I shall listen to her in future --- maybe :-) )

Thank you all very much; I don't think I have ever had such fast responses from a forum, especially one I only joined today! Brilliant.

Zepa77 · 03-12-2018, 12:12 PM

Sigh.

Now I am just confused. Having added a few books successfully, I downloaded the remainder of my Amazon books, at which point they again started to get the same error message. The anti-virus is off, so I'm wondering what i did to 'break' calibre again and if I need to do the 'restore database' referred to by DoctorOhh above. However, can't find that. Apologies for being a pain, but this is bugging the heck out of me....

DNSB · 03-12-2018, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zepa77

Sigh.

Now I am just confused. Having added a few books successfully, I downloaded the remainder of my Amazon books, at which point they again started to get the same error message. The anti-virus is off, so I'm wondering what i did to 'break' calibre again and if I need to do the 'restore database' referred to by DoctorOhh above. However, can't find that. Apologies for being a pain, but this is bugging the heck out of me....

You might want to check the Dealing with Kindle for PC/Mac 1.19 and KFX in calibre sticky.

pdurrant · 03-12-2018, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zepa77

Sigh.

Now I am just confused. Having added a few books successfully, I downloaded the remainder of my Amazon books, at which point they again started to get the same error message. The anti-virus is off, so I'm wondering what i did to 'break' calibre again and if I need to do the 'restore database' referred to by DoctorOhh above. However, can't find that. Apologies for being a pain, but this is bugging the heck out of me....

Are you certain it's really the same error?

Are you certain your Anti-virus hasn't turned itself back on?

Zepa77 · 03-12-2018, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DNSB

You might want to check the Dealing with Kindle for PC/Mac 1.19 and KFX in calibre sticky.

That is the thread I started with, and it seemed to be going fine until..... (and so far as I can tell both Defender and McAfee are turned off).

calibre, version 3.19.0
ERROR: Errors while adding: Failed to add any books, click "Show details" for more information

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Failed to add the book: A Time of Hope (Part Five of The People of this Parish Saga)
C:\Users\zepa7\AppData\Local\Temp\calibre_4hijxg\5 6rraj_add_books\0\B00CDT5E3O_EBOK.mobi
With error:
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "site-packages\calibre\gui2\add.py", line 399, in add_book
File "site-packages\calibre\db\legacy.py", line 224, in create_book_entry
File "site-packages\calibre\db\cache.py", line 63, in call_func_with_lock
File "site-packages\calibre\db\cache.py", line 1566, in create_book_entry
File "site-packages\calibre\db\cache.py", line 1287, in set_metadata
File "site-packages\calibre\db\cache.py", line 1113, in update_path
File "site-packages\calibre\db\backend.py", line 1574, in update_path
File "site-packages\calibre\db\tables.py", line 135, in set_path
File "site-packages\calibre\db\backend.py", line 845, in execute
File "c:\t\t\apsw-j6gj96\apsw-3.13.0-r1\src\cursor.c", line 236, in resetcursor
CantOpenError: CantOpenError: unable to open database file

BetterRed · 03-12-2018, 05:21 PM

@Zepa77 - to get rid of McAfee entirely you may need to download and run a 'utility' from McAfee. I don't know whether that still applies, but it did the last time I needed to get rid of it from someone's system. Search the Web for "Remove McAfee".

BR

rwmcafee · 03-12-2018, 09:02 PM

And don't worry. It won't remove me.

PaceyIV · 07-30-2018, 02:55 PM

I have the same error when I use Calibre Portable on my PC on my NAS.

Quote:

calibre 3.28 Portable embedded-python: True is64bit: False
Windows-10-10.0.17134-SP0 Windows ('32bit', 'WindowsPE')
32bit process running on 64bit windows
('Windows', '10', '10.0.17134')
Python 2.7.12+
Windows: ('10', '10.0.17134', 'SP0', u'Multiprocessor Free')
Interface language: it
Successfully initialized third party plugins: DeDRM (6, 2, 1) && Find Duplicates (1, 6, 3) && Search The Internet (1, 7, 6) && Count Pages (1, 8, 2) && INMONDADORI (0, 2, 1)
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "site-packages\calibre\gui2\actions\add.py", line 285, in add_empty
File "site-packages\calibre\db\legacy.py", line 253, in import_book
File "site-packages\calibre\db\cache.py", line 1597, in add_books
File "site-packages\calibre\db\cache.py", line 63, in call_func_with_lock
File "site-packages\calibre\db\cache.py", line 1567, in create_book_entry
File "site-packages\calibre\db\cache.py", line 1287, in set_metadata
File "site-packages\calibre\db\cache.py", line 1113, in update_path
File "site-packages\calibre\db\backend.py", line 1572, in update_path
File "site-packages\calibre\db\tables.py", line 136, in set_path
File "site-packages\calibre\db\backend.py", line 843, in execute
File "c:\t\t\apsw-bdov6u\apsw-3.23.1-r1\src\cursor.c", line 236, in resetcursor
CantOpenError: CantOpenError: unable to open database file

I can modify database, setting for example custom column on existing record, but when I try to add new books I get this error. If I close Calibre and open it again I can see the book I've created.
If I import a book from file I get the same error. If I close Calibre and open it again I can see the book I've created but without the file.
If I copy the whole Calibre Portable directory into my disk I have no error, but I've always use Calibre Portable on that network disk without problem.

theducks · 07-30-2018, 10:46 PM

NAS and other networked drives are not supported (and iffy, if you ever got them to work).
Adding books in calibre is very complex (file system wise). You create folders, add 2 or 3 files (single book format), update the DB.

All this has to happen in order and quickly.

In your case, something is blocking or slowing down one of thos steps, so another fails.

PaceyIV · 07-31-2018, 09:13 AM

I can share a network drive from a virtual machine and use calibre inside it wirhout errors. In my previous setting I've used Debian 9 on a low power arm board. Calibre works in it. It was slow in the start and when I add sine books from file. Non I upgrade my server with a more power solution: an Intel celeron and I use u ubuntu server. Calibre starts more quickly now.
I can't believe It can't works.
The speed can't be a problem. Windows takes only more time to do the system callback.

Can you help me to lunch calibre with a debugger to check what is going wrong? I am a Visual Studio developer (VB.net, c# and c++).

03-12-2018, 05:55 AM	#1
Zepa77 Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2018 Location: France Device: Kindle	CantOpenError: unable to open database file Hi, I've downloaded Kindle 1.17.44170, then downloaded my books, But when i drag them over to Calibre, I get the following error message. I am singularly nontechnical, so have no idea what to do about it. I assume I've done something wrong in the download, but can't figure out what. calibre, version 3.19.0 ERROR: Errors while adding: Failed to add any books, click "Show details" for more information ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Failed to add the book: Devil Water C:\Users\zepa7\AppData\Local\Temp\calibre_vkfgjj\p rehzx_add_books\0\B00IRIFYF8_EBOK.azw3 With error: Traceback (most recent call last): File "site-packages\calibre\gui2\add.py", line 399, in add_book File "site-packages\calibre\db\legacy.py", line 224, in create_book_entry File "site-packages\calibre\db\cache.py", line 63, in call_func_with_lock File "site-packages\calibre\db\cache.py", line 1566, in create_book_entry File "site-packages\calibre\db\cache.py", line 1287, in set_metadata File "site-packages\calibre\db\cache.py", line 1113, in update_path File "site-packages\calibre\db\backend.py", line 1574, in update_path File "site-packages\calibre\db\tables.py", line 135, in set_path File "site-packages\calibre\db\backend.py", line 845, in execute File "c:\t\t\apsw-j6gj96\apsw-3.13.0-r1\src\cursor.c", line 236, in resetcursor CantOpenError: CantOpenError: unable to open database file

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Calibre 2.7 Unable to open Database file	Gordo29	Devices	22	11-04-2016 11:10 PM
Help!!!! CantOpenError: unable to open database file	cbbs70a	Library Management	2	06-11-2015 11:11 AM
unable to open database file	mihal.v	Calibre	3	08-16-2014 09:44 AM
Unable to open database file	wladdy	Library Management	6	08-28-2012 05:04 AM
Unable to open database file	JulieR	Calibre	2	04-24-2009 04:40 AM

03-12-2018, 05:59 AM	#2
pdurrant The Grand Mouse 高貴的老鼠 Posts: 71,506 Karma: 306214458 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Norfolk, England Device: Kindle Voyage	It looks to me more like a calibre installation problem. But I don't know what.

03-12-2018, 06:14 AM	#3
Zepa77 Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2018 Location: France Device: Kindle	It was a recent installation (few days ago) on a new 'clean' machine - does a re-install sound like a good idea?

03-12-2018, 08:24 AM	#4
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,857 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	That error is typically caused by an antivirus program blocking calibre from accessing its database. Either disable it or exclude the calibre library folder from its scans.

03-12-2018, 10:58 AM	#6
Zepa77 Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2018 Location: France Device: Kindle	Hi All, It was MacAfee (which came with the PC and which my partner did immediately tell me to remove..... I shall listen to her in future --- maybe :-) ) Thank you all very much; I don't think I have ever had such fast responses from a forum, especially one I only joined today! Brilliant.

03-12-2018, 12:12 PM	#7
Zepa77 Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2018 Location: France Device: Kindle	Sigh. Now I am just confused. Having added a few books successfully, I downloaded the remainder of my Amazon books, at which point they again started to get the same error message. The anti-virus is off, so I'm wondering what i did to 'break' calibre again and if I need to do the 'restore database' referred to by DoctorOhh above. However, can't find that. Apologies for being a pain, but this is bugging the heck out of me....

03-12-2018, 05:21 PM	#11
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 20,568 Karma: 26954694 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	@Zepa77 - to get rid of McAfee entirely you may need to download and run a 'utility' from McAfee. I don't know whether that still applies, but it did the last time I needed to get rid of it from someone's system. Search the Web for "Remove McAfee". BR

03-12-2018, 09:02 PM	#12
rwmcafee Connoisseur Posts: 53 Karma: 2024 Join Date: Apr 2011 Device: none	And don't worry. It won't remove me.

07-30-2018, 10:46 PM	#14
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 29,800 Karma: 54830978 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	NAS and other networked drives are not supported (and iffy, if you ever got them to work). Adding books in calibre is very complex (file system wise). You create folders, add 2 or 3 files (single book format), update the DB. All this has to happen in order and quickly. In your case, something is blocking or slowing down one of thos steps, so another fails.

07-31-2018, 09:13 AM	#15
PaceyIV Member Posts: 12 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2014 Device: Kindle Touch	I can share a network drive from a virtual machine and use calibre inside it wirhout errors. In my previous setting I've used Debian 9 on a low power arm board. Calibre works in it. It was slow in the start and when I add sine books from file. Non I upgrade my server with a more power solution: an Intel celeron and I use u ubuntu server. Calibre starts more quickly now. I can't believe It can't works. The speed can't be a problem. Windows takes only more time to do the system callback. Can you help me to lunch calibre with a debugger to check what is going wrong? I am a Visual Studio developer (VB.net, c# and c++).