How to completely delete a library & preferences

[Kraftwerk]

Originally Posted by chaley

I assume you are talking about calibre settings? Sorry, but I find the notion of a calibre 'factory' amusing.

In any event, you can erase the saved conversion settings for books by selecting the books in question, opening 'edit metadata in bulk' (the E key if more than one book is selected), choosing 'remove stored conversion settings for selected books', and pressing OK.

For the preferences, use the 'Restore defaults' button available on every dialog.

If you *truly want* to reset completely to default, then:
1: start calibre. Go to preferences -> advanced -> Miscellaneous.
2: choose 'open calibre configuration directory'. A file explorer should appear.
3: quit calibre.
4: delete all the files showing in the file explorer. The files will have names like gui.py, gui.json, global.py, iterator.pickle, save_to_disk.py, and many more.
5: start calibre. You will be started in the welcome wizard. Tell it where your library is.

I suggest that you make a backup of the configuration folder, just in case you find you don't really like starting over.

An old thread, but this is what I want to do:
Reset Calibre to default and have the welcome wizard appear.

I've been having problems installing Calibre on a new laptop.

I'm going to use the 'Export/Import all Calibre data' feature this time but I have books in my library already.
Shoud I (following the instructions above) delete the file explorer for 'Calibre configuration directory' after Calibre has shut down, then delete the books in my library?
I will then have an empty library folder.
Start up Calibre where I should get the welcome wizard where it will ask for destination of the library folder. Point it to the folder (which is now empty).
I then use 'Export/Import all Calibre data' to install all books, settings and plugins.
Is this the correct way to do this?

[chaley]

Originally Posted by Kraftwerk

An old thread, but this is what I want to do:
Reset Calibre to default and have the welcome wizard appear.

I've been having problems installing Calibre on a new laptop.

I'm going to use the 'Export/Import all Calibre data' feature this time but I have books in my library already.
Shoud I (following the instructions above) delete the file explorer for 'Calibre configuration directory' after Calibre has shut down, then delete the books in my library?
I will then have an empty library folder.
Start up Calibre where I should get the welcome wizard where it will ask for destination of the library folder. Point it to the folder (which is now empty).
I then use 'Export/Import all Calibre data' to install all books, settings and plugins.
Is this the correct way to do this?

If I understand you correctly you want to:

• Delete all preferences and your current library
• Start calibre and have it create a new empty library and empty preferences
• Import an existing library.

If this is right then the above steps aren't quite correct.

1. Instead of deleting the files in the configuration folder, delete the entire folder.
2. With calibre not running delete the existing calibre library folder, not just the contents of the folder. Calibre will not use an existing folder for a library.
3. Start calibre and use the welcome wizard to put the new empty library where you want it, which seems to be where it was.
4. Then use the import tool.

Please note that this process will *delete* your existing calibre library and setup. I really hope that is what you want to do.

[chaley]

Moderator Notice
Moved to its own thread

[Kraftwerk]

Originally Posted by chaley

Please note that this process will *delete* your existing calibre library and setup. I really hope that is what you want to do.

I have my library saved on a couple of external hard drives so no worries there.

One thing I'm not sure about is the books already in my library:
When I use the 'Export/Import' function to transfer all data which will include all books, I guess I should delete all the books that are already in my library first as all the same books will be imported again?

There's different ways of installing Calibre onto a new computer and transferring all books/plugins etc.
The way I tried it the first time, the path for the library on the new laptop was different which messed things up when I added the data from the 'Configuration Directory'.

I just need to know if I should delete everything in the Library first (which I think I should, but who knows, perhaps I don't have to?) and then I can go ahead and delete all data in 'Configuration Directory', start Calibre where I should get the 'Welcome Wizard' and then install all books/plugins using the 'Export/Import' function.

[chaley]

Originally Posted by Kraftwerk

I just need to know if I should delete everything in the Library first (which I think I should, but who knows, perhaps I don't have to?) and then I can go ahead and delete all data in 'Configuration Directory', start Calibre where I should get the 'Welcome Wizard' and then install all books/plugins using the 'Export/Import' function.

As I said above, you cannot use an existing folder for a new library. If you intend to use the welcome wizard then you must delete the library folder. Or rename it.

I also note that you say "delete all data in 'Configuration Directory'". I told you to delete the directory (folder), not its contents. I suspect that deleting the contents will work but I don't know that.

[Kraftwerk]

Originally Posted by chaley

I also note that you say "delete all data in 'Configuration Directory'". I told you to delete the directory (folder), not its contents. I suspect that deleting the contents will work but I don't know that.

I couldn't see just the folder, then realized I had to click on 'roaming'

[Kraftwerk]

Originally Posted by chaley

Please note that this process will *delete* your existing calibre library and setup. I really hope that is what you want to do.

You mentioned the above which got me slightly worried but I then thought:

'But I will be importing all the data using my saved Export file, so what is there to worry about?',

unless I'm missing something?

Having Calibre back to default with the 'Welcome Wizard' is how Calibre was when I first installed it on this new laptop of mine.

I overthink things, but that's just the way I am.
I just want to make sure I'm doing everything correctly.
Thanks for your help.

[chaley]

Originally Posted by Kraftwerk

You mentioned the above which got me slightly worried but I then thought:

'But I will be importing all the data using my saved Export file, so what is there to worry about?',

unless I'm missing something?

Having Calibre back to default with the 'Welcome Wizard' is how Calibre was when I first installed it on this new laptop of mine.

I overthink things, but that's just the way I am.
I just want to make sure I'm doing everything correctly.
Thanks for your help.

I am a bit paranoid about data loss. I never delete something until I am convinced that the replacement works. That is why I would rename the calibre library folder instead of deleting it. I would delete it once the new calibre installation is running. If you are less paranoid than I am then delete the library folder before running the welcome wizard.

As for Import/Export, the calibre documentation says:

Install calibre on your new computer and run through the Welcome wizard, it does not matter what you do there, as you will be importing your old settings in the next step. You will now have an empty calibre, with just the Getting Started guide in your library.

So, yes, you do want to create a new library with the welcome wizard.

[Kraftwerk]

All done!