Houston, I've got a problem

[Gary_M_Mugford]

Hello all,

First time poster, please by gentile

After a couple of mis-starts, I really started moving a fair number of book listings into Calibre (updated regularly). I have a couple thousand books entered. But, I was noticing a book by Alastair Reynolds was always sorting to the top on startup. Normally, I have the books listed in reverse date entered order and the book should have been mid-list. This went on for a couple of days. I also noticed a bit of sloth creeping into the start and normal working mode. So I ran the integrity check and got this:

---------------------------
ERROR: Error
---------------------------
Failed to check database integrity
---------------------------
OK Copy to Clipboard Hide Details...
---------------------------
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "site-packages\calibre\gui2\dialogs\config\__init__.py", line 912, in run
File "site-packages\calibre\library\database2.py", line 1941, in check_integrity
WindowsError: [Error 32] The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process: u'N:\\GaryELib\\metadata.db'

I subsequently looked through the manual and encountered the information about calibre-debug --reinitialize-db. I quit calibre. I assumed the program was a standalone and created a shortcut to it. A DOS window opened and I got what I assumed was a command prompt ending in 1. I typed in reinitialize-db and (subsequently) every variation I could think of with single and double hyphens. None seemed to work.

At which point, I turned to this august forum to beg for help.

I am running WinXPSP3 (uptodate). I have a Sony Clie as a reader, but do not have it listed as the reader in calibre. I have a non-standard list of columns, having added a text column called FOR and a DateReviewed date column (I occasionally write book reviews in my blog). The program is installed to the default location. The data is stored on a centralized drive in the server on my home network and backed up nightly to a hard drive in my main machine. Although calibre is not currently running, I notice a that there is a metadata.db.tmp that is dated today, while metadata.db is from yesterday. The older file is a slight bit bigger at 3.0 MB compared to 2.9 MB for the newer tmp file. So, I went back into calibre and added a book. And then exited. I looked for the new folder (it was there). The metadata.db was now updated to the second of my last update to calibre. I can only surmise that the tmp file is part of the data integrity testing process.

That's about the limit I have to offer as information. Hope it's enough to guide me on my way back to full calibre happiness.

Thanks in advance, GM

[Gary_M_Mugford]

I mention I read using a Sony Clie. Kobo is listed as my device. It's my mother's device.

GM

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Gary_M_Mugford

Hello all,

First time poster, please by gentile

After a couple of mis-starts, I really started moving a fair number of book listings into Calibre (updated regularly). I have a couple thousand books entered. But, I was noticing a book by Alastair Reynolds was always sorting to the top on startup. Normally, I have the books listed in reverse date entered order and the book should have been mid-list. This went on for a couple of days. I also noticed a bit of sloth creeping into the start and normal working mode. So I ran the integrity check and got this:

---------------------------
ERROR: Error
---------------------------
Failed to check database integrity
---------------------------
OK Copy to Clipboard Hide Details...
---------------------------
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "site-packages\calibre\gui2\dialogs\config\__init__.py", line 912, in run
File "site-packages\calibre\library\database2.py", line 1941, in check_integrity
WindowsError: [Error 32] The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process: u'N:\\GaryELib\\metadata.db'

I subsequently looked through the manual and encountered the information about calibre-debug --reinitialize-db. I quit calibre. I assumed the program was a standalone and created a shortcut to it. A DOS window opened and I got what I assumed was a command prompt ending in 1. I typed in reinitialize-db and (subsequently) every variation I could think of with single and double hyphens. None seemed to work.

At which point, I turned to this august forum to beg for help.

I am running WinXPSP3 (uptodate). I have a Sony Clie as a reader, but do not have it listed as the reader in calibre. I have a non-standard list of columns, having added a text column called FOR and a DateReviewed date column (I occasionally write book reviews in my blog). The program is installed to the default location. The data is stored on a centralized drive in the server on my home network and backed up nightly to a hard drive in my main machine. Although calibre is not currently running, I notice a that there is a metadata.db.tmp that is dated today, while metadata.db is from yesterday. The older file is a slight bit bigger at 3.0 MB compared to 2.9 MB for the newer tmp file. So, I went back into calibre and added a book. And then exited. I looked for the new folder (it was there). The metadata.db was now updated to the second of my last update to calibre. I can only surmise that the tmp file is part of the data integrity testing process.

That's about the limit I have to offer as information. Hope it's enough to guide me on my way back to full calibre happiness.

Thanks in advance, GM

What version Calibre? (there was a early 0.2.x version that did not play nice with custom columns. was fixed)

[Gary_M_Mugford]

I have the auto-check turned on and regularly update as informed. I am now at 0.77. I can't prove this, but I believe the issue ocurred on and shortly after updating to 0.76. I am hesitant to toss away the past 200 or so entries, but if getting back to 0.75 and it's data set is what is required, I'll fire up Data Snapshot and do the restore.

Thanks for getting involved, GM

[neilmarr]

Goof to have your new company, Gary. Hope you can fix the wee glitch with some help from here. Best wishes. Neil

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Gary_M_Mugford

I have the auto-check turned on and regularly update as informed. I am now at 0.77. I can't prove this, but I believe the issue ocurred on and shortly after updating to 0.76. I am hesitant to toss away the past 200 or so entries, but if getting back to 0.75 and it's data set is what is required, I'll fire up Data Snapshot and do the restore.

Thanks for getting involved, GM

I am running 7.7 on XP with over 1000 books AND 2 custom fields.
No problem running the DB Integrity check.

check your fields (settings)to see if you have something odd (spaces in field name (OK for the Label).

[kovidgoyal]

That error indicates the db file is being accessed by another program. Either you have two instance of calibre running (a separate calibre server for example) or you have an aggressive antivirus program or your database is on a network share like dropbox.

[Gary_M_Mugford]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

That error indicates the db file is being accessed by another program. Either you have two instance of calibre running (a separate calibre server for example) or you have an aggressive antivirus program or your database is on a network share like dropbox.

My instinct for causative agent was similar to your list. But the problem outlasted a reboot and I neither run a calibre server (to the best of my knowledge) or have dropbox active on the computer full time. Besides, dropbox points to a spot on drive D:.

However, GOOD NEWS! The upgrade to 0.78 tonight seems to have resolved the problem. The integrity check ran through to conclusion and I seem to have the snappy response times back. Whatever you did, you did good! No, make that great.

As an aside, like the new icon bar at the top. Going to have to redo your video though. Keep up the good work.

GM