calibre hangs on changing author name or book title

Ellie · 09-29-2022, 12:58 PM

I'm wondering if someone has the answer I need. I recently switched from Win7, using Calibre 3 and also portable Calibre 6. I've used Calibre for years.
Once I couldn't update the portable version any more a few months ago I decided to bite the bullet and get a new computer with Win11. I keep Calibre updated as soon as it's available.
My problem is, when I edit Metadata for epubs and mobis, as soon as I change the author name or book title, it takes a long time to process and close the Edit Metadata window. If I change anything else, like series name, description, etc it processes and closes instantly. But changing those 2 things hangs it up for sometimes up to 5 minutes.
Now if I just put them in Calibre and come back to them the next day, even without rebooting the computer, 9 times out of 10 they will process instantly. I realize that these 2 changes probably makes the book move to a different folder but with my old computer, even with portable v6 it was instantly processed. Is there something I can do to fix that? Is there a plugin that will help? I have my library on a drive other than my c drive. My c drive is a solid state and the rest are not. Would switching the library to the c drive help?
Thanks in advance.

theducks · 09-29-2022, 02:37 PM

IIRC once you have touched a Library with Later version of Calibre 5 or Calibre 6, the DB (the data), becomes incompatible with Calibre 3,4 or early 5

Ellie · 09-29-2022, 02:45 PM

Thanks for your reply. I have the latest version of Calibre now, have had it ever since updating my computer.

chaley · 09-29-2022, 02:50 PM

If you have enough space on the SSD, try that. If it is faster then you have learned something: the external drives are the problem.

In that case I would try these things:

Clean the calibre database. Library / Library Maintenance / Check library. Might as well check the files while you are at it. The first step compacts the database.
"Optimize" the external drive, however that is done on Win11. The goal here is to ensure that the various file system bits are co-located for speed.
Ensure caching is enabled. See https://www.lacie.com/gb/en/support/...ve-in-windows/
If the external drive is a USB plugin key, replace it with a 'real' drive.

Ellie · 09-29-2022, 03:16 PM

Thanks for the tips. I'll try them. My Calibre library however is not on an external drive, it's on an internal one. Just not on the solid state drive. I have 3 internal drives, including the solid state one.

BetterRed · 09-29-2022, 05:37 PM

Up to date Windows 10/calibre 6.5 here.

I have had my calibre libraries on internal and USB HDDs for over a decade, and I have had no similar problems.

The metadata elements I care most about are Title and Authors. And, because I edit metadata in the book list rather than the metadata edit dialogue, after editing either cell, the folder and file shuffle happens as soon as I tab out of the cell. If I change both columns, the folder/file shuffle is done twice, this often happens especially when I add articles to my Journals library .

What happens if you move a folder containing a few files with Windows File Explorer that is NOT within a calibre library? Like so:

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As far as I know Calibre and Windows/NTFS move files and folder in the same way - via hardlink construction and destruction - i.e. the file content isn't copied, the MFT (Master File Table) is updated. And both happen more or less instantly.

My newish Dell XPS has a PCie M.2 SSD (256GB). So, for curiosities sake I tried putting my Books library on it. Made no observable difference to calibre performance - which was already PDQ on my Windows and X1 Indexed, Compressed, AV visible, HDD drive - so I put it back on the HDD.

- maybe your power management settings are spinning the internal hard disk drive down too damn fast.

BR

ownedbycats · 09-29-2022, 07:41 PM

I had the same sort of issue a few years ago. It was an early sign of a failing hard drive. HDDScan (Windows only) can help check for problems.

Ellie · 09-30-2022, 09:00 AM

BetterRead: I tried changing metadata right in the book list, forgot I could do that so thank you. Unfortunately, same lag occurs when editing author and book title.
Owned by Cats: I hope that's not it since I just realized I had put my Calibre Library right on the c drive which is the new solid state drive. I normally do have it somewhere else on another internal drive and had forgotten I did that when setting up this computer.
Thanks for both of your replies.
I've been playing around with setting up a plugboard and changing some settings to avoid editing book title and author. So far, limited success. I also changed the priority to high instead of normal.

09-29-2022, 12:58 PM	#1
Ellie Avid reader Posts: 22 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Device: Kobo and Samsung Tablet	calibre hangs on changing author name or book title I'm wondering if someone has the answer I need. I recently switched from Win7, using Calibre 3 and also portable Calibre 6. I've used Calibre for years. Once I couldn't update the portable version any more a few months ago I decided to bite the bullet and get a new computer with Win11. I keep Calibre updated as soon as it's available. My problem is, when I edit Metadata for epubs and mobis, as soon as I change the author name or book title, it takes a long time to process and close the Edit Metadata window. If I change anything else, like series name, description, etc it processes and closes instantly. But changing those 2 things hangs it up for sometimes up to 5 minutes. Now if I just put them in Calibre and come back to them the next day, even without rebooting the computer, 9 times out of 10 they will process instantly. I realize that these 2 changes probably makes the book move to a different folder but with my old computer, even with portable v6 it was instantly processed. Is there something I can do to fix that? Is there a plugin that will help? I have my library on a drive other than my c drive. My c drive is a solid state and the rest are not. Would switching the library to the c drive help? Thanks in advance.

09-29-2022, 02:50 PM	#4
chaley Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,742 Karma: 6997045 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Notts, England Device: Kobo Libra 2	If you have enough space on the SSD, try that. If it is faster then you have learned something: the external drives are the problem. In that case I would try these things: Clean the calibre database. Library / Library Maintenance / Check library. Might as well check the files while you are at it. The first step compacts the database. "Optimize" the external drive, however that is done on Win11. The goal here is to ensure that the various file system bits are co-located for speed. Ensure caching is enabled. See https://www.lacie.com/gb/en/support/...ve-in-windows/ If the external drive is a USB plugin key, replace it with a 'real' drive.

09-29-2022, 05:37 PM	#6
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 20,583 Karma: 26954694 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	Up to date Windows 10/calibre 6.5 here. I have had my calibre libraries on internal and USB HDDs for over a decade, and I have had no similar problems. The metadata elements I care most about are Title and Authors. And, because I edit metadata in the book list rather than the metadata edit dialogue, after editing either cell, the folder and file shuffle happens as soon as I tab out of the cell. If I change both columns, the folder/file shuffle is done twice, this often happens especially when I add articles to my Journals library . What happens if you move a folder containing a few files with Windows File Explorer that is NOT within a calibre library? Like so: As far as I know Calibre and Windows/NTFS move files and folder in the same way - via hardlink construction and destruction - i.e. the file content isn't copied, the MFT (Master File Table) is updated. And both happen more or less instantly. My newish Dell XPS has a PCie M.2 SSD (256GB). So, for curiosities sake I tried putting my Books library on it. Made no observable difference to calibre performance - which was already PDQ on my Windows and X1 Indexed, Compressed, AV visible, HDD drive - so I put it back on the HDD. - maybe your power management settings are spinning the internal hard disk drive down too damn fast. BR Last edited by BetterRed; 09-29-2022 at 08:31 PM. Reason: grammar

09-29-2022, 07:41 PM	#7
ownedbycats Custom User Title Posts: 8,644 Karma: 61234567 Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Libra H2O, formerly Aura HD	I had the same sort of issue a few years ago. It was an early sign of a failing hard drive. HDDScan (Windows only) can help check for problems. Last edited by ownedbycats; 09-29-2022 at 07:44 PM.

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09-29-2022, 02:37 PM	#2
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 29,812 Karma: 54830978 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	IIRC once you have touched a Library with Later version of Calibre 5 or Calibre 6, the DB (the data), becomes incompatible with Calibre 3,4 or early 5

09-29-2022, 02:45 PM	#3
Ellie Avid reader Posts: 22 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Device: Kobo and Samsung Tablet	Thanks for your reply. I have the latest version of Calibre now, have had it ever since updating my computer.

09-29-2022, 03:16 PM	#5
Ellie Avid reader Posts: 22 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Device: Kobo and Samsung Tablet	Thanks for the tips. I'll try them. My Calibre library however is not on an external drive, it's on an internal one. Just not on the solid state drive. I have 3 internal drives, including the solid state one.

09-30-2022, 09:00 AM	#8
Ellie Avid reader Posts: 22 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Device: Kobo and Samsung Tablet	BetterRead: I tried changing metadata right in the book list, forgot I could do that so thank you. Unfortunately, same lag occurs when editing author and book title. Owned by Cats: I hope that's not it since I just realized I had put my Calibre Library right on the c drive which is the new solid state drive. I normally do have it somewhere else on another internal drive and had forgotten I did that when setting up this computer. Thanks for both of your replies. I've been playing around with setting up a plugboard and changing some settings to avoid editing book title and author. So far, limited success. I also changed the priority to high instead of normal.