Does Calibre mind if I have different then generated files in a book folder ?

Riva3000 · 09-19-2013, 02:54 PM

By book folder I mean /Calibre library/Author/Book/
By different files I mean image files other then calibre's cover.jpg or any file thats not recognized by calibre.

I'm guessing not, but would love to know for sure.

BetterRed · 09-19-2013, 05:24 PM

@Riva3000 - you can have one instance of any file type in the folder, but you must add non-ebook files via the Add Books->Add files to selected books.

They will appear in list of formats in View and elsewhere, if selected they will open in the default program you have set up in the OS for the file type - eg Quicktime for MOV etc. If the author or book title is changed Calibre will do to these files the same as what it does to ebook format files, i.e. rename and move to the new book folder.

You can also put a link to external resources (including files) in Comments or similar columns - see attachment. JPEG & PNG images will be embedded in line, not sure about other image formats**. This method will allow you to have multiple instances of the same file type. It is how I handle having the same book in a different language - eg in Irene Nemerovski/The Dogs and the Wolves I might have a French edition is Here link that references that epub file elsewhere - usually in a folder named libraryname_Other Files. If I click the French edition is Here link it will open the epub in the OS designated program - which for me is the Calibre ebook-viewer program.

BR

**There's a minor glitch with 'very wide' embedded images, Kovid has informed me that it'll be fixed in V1.4.

Riva3000 · 09-19-2013, 05:37 PM

Im not sure if you understand me right.
Im asking if Calibre doesnt mind if I put non-Calibre files into Calibre library file structure without Calibre knowing. Just copying them via Windows and leaving them there.

I actually dont want Calibre to notice them in any way. But also so calibre wount delete them during some of its processes. Like renaming records / lib db backups etc.

Edit: re reading your answer you actually answered me. Thanks and sorry for my confusion.

BetterRed · 09-19-2013, 06:06 PM

It will delete them during its housekeeping and renames if it has not been told about them. And I don't think that's going to change any time soon. Don't even think about doing it, you'll end up with a mess.

BR

Riva3000 · 09-19-2013, 06:17 PM

Understood. Thats what I wanted to know. Thanks again.

Riva3000 · 09-19-2013, 06:40 PM

Just out of curiosity - how does Calibre handle files auto-created anywhere in Library dirs by Windows ? Like Thumbs.db etc.
Doesnt that create a mess as well ?

Adoby · 09-19-2013, 07:03 PM

Calibre ignores files it doesn't know about. And if you change the title or author of a book, or move it to some other library, I suspect that the folder and the files typically will be orphaned.

There are some library maintenance functions that can be used to fix this. By fix I mean delete orphaned files. Or you could copy the library to a new location and the orphaned folders and files will be left behind.

But you should also try to avoid doing anything to the calibre library directly. Always use the GUI. Except when making backups of the whole library, of course.

Try to tell other programs to not create any files in the calibre library.

BetterRed · 09-19-2013, 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Riva3000

Just out of curiosity - how does Calibre handle files auto-created anywhere in Library dirs by Windows ? Like Thumbs.db etc.
Doesnt that create a mess as well ?

From memory thumbs.db were only created if the number of images > 1, and thumbs.db are only created on XP, later versions maintain a central thumbnail cache

But if there are any system and or hidden files in book folder - eg desktop.ini then calibre will lose them if the folder is renamed, if the book folder attributes are changed to read-only then it wont get deleted when a book is renamed and calibre will pop an error

Basically you should avoid adding, altering or deleting anything from any Calibre folder other than via the Calibre program

BR

09-19-2013, 02:54 PM	#1
Riva3000 Calibre fan Posts: 30 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Europe Device: iRex 800SG, iPhone 3GS (shelved: iRex iLiad, KindleDX, Adam tablet)	Does Calibre mind if I have different then generated files in a book folder ? By book folder I mean /Calibre library/Author/Book/ By different files I mean image files other then calibre's cover.jpg or any file thats not recognized by calibre. I'm guessing not, but would love to know for sure.

09-19-2013, 05:24 PM	#2
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 20,590 Karma: 26954694 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	@Riva3000 - you can have one instance of any file type in the folder, but you must add non-ebook files via the Add Books->Add files to selected books. They will appear in list of formats in View and elsewhere, if selected they will open in the default program you have set up in the OS for the file type - eg Quicktime for MOV etc. If the author or book title is changed Calibre will do to these files the same as what it does to ebook format files, i.e. rename and move to the new book folder. You can also put a link to external resources (including files) in Comments or similar columns - see attachment. JPEG & PNG images will be embedded in line, not sure about other image formats*. This method will allow you to have multiple instances of the same file type. It is how I handle having the same book in a different language - eg in Irene Nemerovski/The Dogs and the Wolves* I might have a French edition is Here link that references that epub file elsewhere - usually in a folder named libraryname_Other Files. If I click the French edition is Here link it will open the epub in the OS designated program - which for me is the Calibre ebook-viewer program. BR **There's a minor glitch with 'very wide' embedded images, Kovid has informed me that it'll be fixed in V1.4. Attached Thumbnails

09-19-2013, 05:37 PM	#3
Riva3000 Calibre fan Posts: 30 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Europe Device: iRex 800SG, iPhone 3GS (shelved: iRex iLiad, KindleDX, Adam tablet)	Im not sure if you understand me right. Im asking if Calibre doesnt mind if I put non-Calibre files into Calibre library file structure without Calibre knowing. Just copying them via Windows and leaving them there. I actually dont want Calibre to notice them in any way. But also so calibre wount delete them during some of its processes. Like renaming records / lib db backups etc. Edit: re reading your answer you actually answered me. Thanks and sorry for my confusion. Last edited by Riva3000; 09-19-2013 at 06:07 PM.

09-19-2013, 06:06 PM	#4
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 20,590 Karma: 26954694 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	It will delete them during its housekeeping and renames if it has not been told about them. And I don't think that's going to change any time soon. Don't even think about doing it, you'll end up with a mess. BR Last edited by BetterRed; 09-19-2013 at 06:09 PM.

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09-19-2013, 06:17 PM	#5
Riva3000 Calibre fan Posts: 30 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Europe Device: iRex 800SG, iPhone 3GS (shelved: iRex iLiad, KindleDX, Adam tablet)	Understood. Thats what I wanted to know. Thanks again.

09-19-2013, 06:40 PM	#6
Riva3000 Calibre fan Posts: 30 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Europe Device: iRex 800SG, iPhone 3GS (shelved: iRex iLiad, KindleDX, Adam tablet)	Just out of curiosity - how does Calibre handle files auto-created anywhere in Library dirs by Windows ? Like Thumbs.db etc. Doesnt that create a mess as well ?

09-19-2013, 07:03 PM	#7
Adoby Handy Elephant Posts: 1,736 Karma: 26785668 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Southern Sweden, far out in the quiet woods Device: Thinkpad E595, Ubuntu Mate, Huawei Mediapad 5, Bouye Likebook Plus	Calibre ignores files it doesn't know about. And if you change the title or author of a book, or move it to some other library, I suspect that the folder and the files typically will be orphaned. There are some library maintenance functions that can be used to fix this. By fix I mean delete orphaned files. Or you could copy the library to a new location and the orphaned folders and files will be left behind. But you should also try to avoid doing anything to the calibre library directly. Always use the GUI. Except when making backups of the whole library, of course. Try to tell other programs to not create any files in the calibre library.

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