Linking Calibre to thumbdrive library

NickyNite444 · 01-02-2017, 02:18 PM

If this is on another thread pls forgive and direct me to it.
Too many books for my notepad memory. Can I store my library on a thumb drive and access it normally by enabling calibre? Everything I have done fails. I basically use my Surface Pro 3 for everything including reading a book. I wish to be able to just plug in my thumb drive library click on Calibre icon on my screen and go just as if the library was on my notepad internal memory drive. And will this allow me to store additional books onto the thumbdrive as it does on my internal hard drive?

BetterRed · 01-02-2017, 03:04 PM

@NickyNite444 - its very simple, you've probably been over thinking it.

close calibre
with file manager copy the library folder (I'll assume its called Calibre Library) to the thumb drive (give it a different name - e.g. MyLibrary)
start calibre
select Switch /Create library from library-icon dropdown menu
locate MyLibrary on the thumb drive
select the Use the previously existing library at the new location radio button
click OK - calibre will switch to MyLibrary - i.e. make it the current library
select Remove library->Calibre Library from library-icon dropdown menu. That will remove that library from calibre's configuration data, but it will not delete it from the Surface's 'disk drive', you'll need to do that with your file manager.

Moderator Notice
I'll also move this to the Library Management forum as it's not a reading device issue

BR

fidvo · 01-02-2017, 07:19 PM

BetterRed's instructions will get you exactly what you're asking for. But if you're going to store your library on a thumb drive anyway, you might consider putting Calibre Portable on it. You can then plug it into any computer and run Calibre without having to install it.

Stellita · 04-13-2017, 03:58 PM

Thank you, everyone. I have lost many hours trying to figure this out. It worked perfectly to set up the calibre-portable library from a very large existing library on mi pc calibre. I had taken the time to update all the metadata, and just thinking of doing it all over again was a nightmare.

:

01-02-2017, 02:18 PM	#1
NickyNite444 Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2017 Device: Nook and Surface Pro 3	Linking Calibre to thumbdrive library If this is on another thread pls forgive and direct me to it. Too many books for my notepad memory. Can I store my library on a thumb drive and access it normally by enabling calibre? Everything I have done fails. I basically use my Surface Pro 3 for everything including reading a book. I wish to be able to just plug in my thumb drive library click on Calibre icon on my screen and go just as if the library was on my notepad internal memory drive. And will this allow me to store additional books onto the thumbdrive as it does on my internal hard drive?

01-02-2017, 03:04 PM	#2
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 20,572 Karma: 26954694 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	@NickyNite444 - its very simple, you've probably been over thinking it. close calibre with file manager copy the library folder (I'll assume its called Calibre Library) to the thumb drive (give it a different name - e.g. MyLibrary) start calibre select Switch /Create library from library-icon dropdown menu locate MyLibrary on the thumb drive select the Use the previously existing library at the new location radio button click OK - calibre will switch to MyLibrary - i.e. make it the current library select Remove library->Calibre Library from library-icon dropdown menu. That will remove that library from calibre's configuration data, but it will not delete it from the Surface's 'disk drive', you'll need to do that with your file manager. Moderator Notice I'll also move this to the Library Management forum as it's not a reading device issue BR Last edited by BetterRed; 01-02-2017 at 03:07 PM.

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01-02-2017, 07:19 PM	#3
fidvo Addict Posts: 296 Karma: 1599870 Join Date: Jun 2012 Device: none	BetterRed's instructions will get you exactly what you're asking for. But if you're going to store your library on a thumb drive anyway, you might consider putting Calibre Portable on it. You can then plug it into any computer and run Calibre without having to install it.

04-13-2017, 03:58 PM	#4
Stellita Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2017 Device: kindle	Thank you, everyone. I have lost many hours trying to figure this out. It worked perfectly to set up the calibre-portable library from a very large existing library on mi pc calibre. I had taken the time to update all the metadata, and just thinking of doing it all over again was a nightmare. :