File behavior when editing metadata

[BlindSquirrel]

Hello folks...first post.

I notice that after I add a book, if I wish to edit the metadata, Calibre creates a new file in the library filesystem but also maintains the original file. Is there a way to have Calibre delete the old file when the new is created? It just seems to be creating a lot of unwanted additional files.

[theducks]

Instead of using Add Books, set up a Auto Add folder.
Preferences: adding books: Automatic Adding (a tab). Then drop a new book into that folder.

But WAIT! What if something goes South?
The original (untouched) is now gone.
For a little effort, I can do a normal ADD, then move the files to an 'Archive' (USB connected HD) drive

[BlindSquirrel]

First, thanks for the response.

I think the behavior you're describing is something else. I'm perfectly fine with retaining my original ebook when Calibre adds the book into its own library. In fact, I don't want to delete that original file at all. This is after that. So this is what I do that is the source of the question...

1. Once the book has been added to the Calibre Library, I want to modify the metadata to include the results of the "download metadata" button, ads well as a couple of personal tags, so I go through that process.

2. I find that if the author name is different in the downloaded metadata (eg. "JK Rowling" vs "J. K. Rowling"), then Calibre updates the data for me in its library, which is fine, but it also creates a new folder under the modified author's name. So far, that's all fine and good.

3. If, after you complete this process, you go look in the filesystem Calibre is using for its books, you'll now find two entries, one under the old author name, one under the new. That's where I'd like to eliminate the redundancy.

Is that a thing, or do I just have to remember to go back into the filesystem and delete the old files and folder? Hope that makes sense; I'll make a video if it doesn't.

It strikes me that there would be one of two solutions to this problem, and I'm wondering if I'm just missing the appropriate ticky box that's somewhere in the configuration.

1. When metadata is updated, the original file and folder in the filesystem should be modified/overwritten with the result. or...

2. When editing metadata results in the creation of a new file/folder, we should have the option to delete the existing folder (the one that has been added to the library, not the original) as part of the process.

[ilovejedd]

Calibre automatically deletes old folders once they're no longer in use.

Did you change the author name on all affected books? Because as long as you have at least one book that still uses the incorrect version, then Calibre will not delete the incorrect folder. Either that or the original folders/files may have been locked when Calibre was trying to delete them.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by ilovejedd

Calibre automatically deletes old folders once they're no longer in use.

Did you change the author name on all affected books? Because as long as you have at least one book that still uses the incorrect version, then Calibre will not delete the incorrect folder. Either that or the original folders/files may have been locked when Calibre was trying to delete them.

A faster way for Authors:
1) The quality Check Plugin: a) Check Author initials, b)Fix Author initials
* Assumes you have configured the PI for your flavor

2)In the Tag Browser: a) Right click The Author: rename. b)right click any author: Manage: make your changes

either way adjusts all affected (and the unused folders should go UNLESS you have manually placed auxiliary (outside of Calibre) items in that folder

[jhowell]

Using Library Maintenance -> Check Library from the Library menu is a good idea at this point. After the first part of the check completes it then gives you the option to make sure that the files in your library match the contents of the database. That will detect any incorrect, left over folders.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by BlindSquirrel

<snip>

3. If, after you complete this process, you go look in the filesystem Calibre is using for its books, you'll now find two entries, one under the old author name, one under the new. That's where I'd like to eliminate the redundancy.

Is that a thing, or do I just have to remember to go back into the filesystem and delete the old files and folder? Hope that makes sense; I'll make a video if it doesn't.

<snip>

As post #4 says, what you describe shouldn't happen.

• Which operating system and file system are you using?
• Is the library located on a network device/service?

Do the Library Check, as advised in post#6.

BR

[ownedbycats]

Going on a hunch here, suspecting that there may be some sort of permissions issue going on here preventing the original from being deleted; I've seen similar issues with other applications that was attributed to this.

What operating system are you running?

EDIT: I tested my theory by opening a PDF file so it was locked in-use and attempting to change the author. Calibre told me it was unable to move the file location. So maybe I'm a little off on this.

[BlindSquirrel]

I love this board! I'm still very much a Calibre rookie and there's a lot of great information here. I've left out a very important fact here that happens on EVERY metadata edit, without exception, so much so that it became background noise. Running Windows 10 by the way, and the library is on my Synology NAS, mapped as an M: Drive. The first save I try after editing metadata, I get this...

error (32, 'delete file', 'The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process.')

Be gentle with me, I'm a rookie. But that might've been nice to tell you all at the beginning, eh? Sometimes I get that error 2 or even 3 times before it finally lets me save the thing.

[BlindSquirrel]

A little more testing...

First, Calibre is installed locally on my desktop. Tried creating a local library, and leaving the source file on the NAS, got the same error. Same was true when I moved the source file locally and ran through the whole process with everything local. So it considers the file locked by some application in every case.

[BetterRed]

Firstly you need to take heed of this ==>> I am getting errors with my calibre library on a networked drive/NAS?

Do not put your calibre library on a networked drive.

But it still seems that something is locking library folders and/or files - Library Maintenance->Check library may give you an idea of what is being locked.

Try running in Safe Mode with no network and terminate as many other programs (AV, Encryptors, Indexers etc etc) as possible. And read the other FAQs, some have details of 3rd party are known to have caused problems.

BR

[BlindSquirrel]

Thanks very much for the check library idea...it has sufficiently solved the problem. I still don't know root cause (probably that I'm storing the Library on the NAS and will continue to do so), but this solution goes through and cleans up any leftover metadata/folders/files after I'm done, which is good enough for me.

With the proliferation of data locations out there these days, it surprises me that NAS-based libraries are not supported but I'm sure there's either a really good reason for that or the developers just haven't gotten round to it yet. Either way, I'm really very thankful for all of the great feedback on this thread.