Finding where Calibre is loading its library

[mitch13]

I have been fooled for quite some time. I run Calibre from my 500Gb plug-in drive. This has worked great as I use it on my laptop and on another PC. I was a bit slow in recognizing that there was a difference between records on the laptop compared to my PC. It is only a small variation so did not notice it until this week when I saw that records that I had added to my laptop did not show up on my PC!!
I have been searching my laptop to find the Calibre library but cannot identify where it is coming from. At the moment I did not connect my USB drive and loaded Calibre. Therefore I need to find out which file it is using. I have several backups of my library and these are in folders called 'Calibre Backup' with a sub folder which is a copy of the Calibre library. Can I tell from within Calibre where it is getting its library?
If I can identify it is there anything that I can do to merge the libraries leaving out duplicates?

I have a very large library as I use it for both ebooks and also my 'Dead Tree Books'



HELP!!


mitch13

[mitch13]

I have just found out where the library is - it is using one of my backup files even though it is in a sub folder!!

What can be done about merging without duplicates??

mitch13

[Starson17]

Originally Posted by mitch13

I have just found out where the library is - it is using one of my backup files even though it is in a sub folder!!

What can be done about merging without duplicates??

mitch13

Turn on Automerge, select one of the Merge options, then use Copy to Library.

[mitch13]

Originally Posted by Starson17

Turn on Automerge, select one of the Merge options, then use Copy to Library.

Hi Starson17,

Turned on Automerge - selected 'Ignore duplicate incoming formats. Then used Copy to Library and used 'Add books from Directories including sub-directories - Multiple books per directory, assumes every ebook file is a different book.

I wonder whether this last choice was the correct option. Anyway I have ended up with a library of almost twice the size that it was which I am sure is not correct.

What have I done wrong??

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by mitch13

Turned on Automerge - selected 'Ignore duplicate incoming formats. Then used Copy to Library

The above is what you were advised to do.

Originally Posted by mitch13

and used 'Add books from Directories including sub-directories - Multiple books per directory, assumes every ebook file is a different book.

A completely unnecessary step, but it shouldn't cause any problems.

Originally Posted by mitch13

I wonder whether this last choice was the correct option. Anyway I have ended up with a library of almost twice the size that it was which I am sure is not correct.

Twice the size or twice as many books? If twice the size it is because you added new formats per book that weren't previously in your library.

[mitch13]

Was 9.943 files - is now 22,500 files

Size was 5.87 Gb - is now 10.3 Gb

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by mitch13

Was 9.943 files - is now 22,500 files

Size was 5.87 Gb - is now 10.3 Gb

So the number of books in the library is about the same?

[mitch13]

No was around 6,150 now 10,728

[DoctorOhh]

It looks like the metadata for book titles were significantly different and you most likely have a bunch of duplicates in your library now. You might benefit from the Find Duplicates plugin or restoring from backup.

Good Luck.

[mitch13]

Thanks Walt,

Yes that would be the answer. I import ALL books into Calibre then alter titles, authors to suit the format I want. All now sorted - thanks to you and all for help

mitch13