Books disappear from iTunes

kakkalla · 01-20-2011, 12:46 AM

Hi everyone. I have read many posts and the user manual for a solution to this problem but I haven't had any luck. I followed everything in Calibre 0.7 + itues: Start here but the problem persists.

All by books are in the epub format. I select, say, 5 books and I send them to the device (I first Click on connect/share and I choose Connect to iTunes). Everything works fine. I can see the books in iTunes in the Books library.

If I quit calibre and itunes and then open iTunes again, some of the books have the exclamation mark next to them. Why does this happen? I'm at my wits end here!

DoctorOhh · 01-20-2011, 12:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kakkalla

Hi everyone. I have read many posts and the user manual for a solution to this problem but I haven't had any luck. I followed everything in Calibre 0.7 + itues: Start here but the problem persists.

All by books are in the epub format. I select, say, 5 books and I send them to the device (I first Click on connect/share and I choose Connect to iTunes). Everything works fine. I can see the books in iTunes in the Books library.

If I quit calibre and itunes and then open iTunes again, some of the books have the exclamation mark next to them. Why does this happen? I'm at my wits end here!

Have you disabled the Apple device interface plugin?

Debby · 01-20-2011, 01:01 AM

That typically means itunes cannot find the location of your books (or music). Confirm the location of your library in itunes (Edit, preferences, Advanced). Make certain "copy files to itunes folder when adding to library" is checked. This ensures items are placed in the "correct" itunes folder.

If that doesn't work, try to track down where the books are being sent by searching. If you are in windows just type in the name of the book (in search programs and files) and look at the location.

Good luck.....

kakkalla · 01-20-2011, 01:01 AM

Yes, in Device Interface plugins I have the Apple device interface (0.9.0) by GRiker greyed out.

kakkalla · 01-20-2011, 01:04 AM

Yes, I have the copy files option checked in iTunes. I am on a Mac. All my videos, music play without a problem. It is only the books that are getting the exclamation mark.

Debby · 01-20-2011, 01:11 AM

Any luck in searching for them to discover where they are being sent? On a PC you can ask itunes to set the location when you double click on a lost link. Hopefully one the guru's will have a solution.

kakkalla · 01-20-2011, 01:17 AM

Hmm. This is weird.

If I get info on one of the books that doesn't have the exclamation mark, in the summary panel next to 'Where' it has /Users/xxx/Music/iTunes etc. This is where I keep my iTunes library.

But for one of the books with the exclamation mark it has: file://locahost/Users etc. That is probably the problem though I have not idea of how to go about fixing it.

As you said, hopefully someone will be able to help. Fingers crossed.

itimpi · 01-20-2011, 03:39 AM

That strongly suggests that for the problem files they were not copied to iTunes. That is strange as you said you had that setting set to say they should be copied. Any chance that you changed that setting and thee files pre-date that change?

kakkalla · 01-20-2011, 04:13 AM

I am now able to replicate the problem and this time I took notes.

1. Calibre and iTunes are open.
2. Calibre: connect to iTunes.
3. I select 7 books and send them to iTunes.
4. I check the file locations of all the books. They are all in my media folder as specified in my iTunes preferences. I have the 'Add to library' box checked so this is the expected behaviour.
5. Quit iTunes.
6. Quit calibre.
7. Open iTunes.
8. Open calibre.
9. Everything is fine. No exclamation marks next to the books. File locations are media folder.
10. I select just one book, book 3, and send it again to iTunes.
11. Now I have an exclamation mark next to that book 3!
12. Get info tells me that the file is located at: file://localhost ...
13. Do the same for all the other 6 book files and the same location shows.

If the book files were initially in the iTunes media folder, something is breaking the link to them in iTunes. How can they suddenly be moved out of the media folder?

Any ideas?

GRiker · 01-20-2011, 06:16 AM

Did you do this?

Quote:

In iTunes Preferences|Advanced, uncheck Copy files to iTunes Media folder when adding to library. This tells iTunes to use calibre's copies of your books.

G

kakkalla · 01-20-2011, 06:22 AM

I read about this here:

In iTunes Preferences|Advanced, the checkbox Copy files to iTunes Media folder when adding to library is significant. If the box is unchecked, iTunes remembers the location of the file (calibre's copy). If the box is checked, iTunes makes a copy of the file to its own storage. However, iTunes also modifies calibre's copy of the epub by adding a plist file. Files so modified by iTunes have been tested in the calibre viewer and in Adobe Digital Editions with no observed problems.
Recommendation: unchecked.

If you are currently using iTunes to manage other media for your iDevice, and this is checked, leave it checked. iTunes will make its own copy of the added books rather than referencing calibre's copy. Any new media you add to iTunes will be stored in iTunes, as before.

Because I use iTunes to manage all my media, I thought it best that I keep this checked. Do you think that might be the problem? I'd hate to do away with this feature of iTunes as I never have to worry about the location of my music and video files.

What do you think?

GRiker · 01-20-2011, 07:30 AM

Quote:

What do you think?

I think you should follow the directions - they are there for a reason.

You can enable the checkbox when adding other media, but when adding books, you need to disable the checkbox. Why? The simple answer is that when calibre makes changes to a book, only the copy in calibre's database is current. If iTunes stores a copy, it's a snapshot of the book at that moment, and any subsequent changes you make in calibre won't be made to iTunes' copy. There are other deeper technical reasons for this recommendation as well, but that's the simple one.

Keep in mind that you are actually using two database managers to send books to your iPad: iTunes and calibre. Managing that checkbox is one of the necessary compromises.

G

kakkalla · 01-20-2011, 07:39 AM

Understood.

I was playing around with this and I've realised that I can just select the books and click on consolidate and then iTunes will copy them into the media folder. That's a great workaround.

If I make a change to one of the books I'd like that to be reflected in iTunes. In Preferences>Sending books to devices, is it best to select Automatic management?

From what I understand, every time I send a new item to iTunes, it will update all the other books that have changed. Is this correct? Is that what the 'on every connect' means or does it mean every time I launch calibre?

Thank you.

GRiker · 01-20-2011, 09:56 AM

Automatic management is not currently implemented in the iTunes driver. (It's a per-driver feature). It's on my to-do list, but not in the near term.

For now, if you've updated a book or its metadata, you will need to send it to iTunes again.

G

Debby · 01-20-2011, 11:10 AM

Learn something new everyday. Mine is checked and I have never had issues. But, I will now uncheck when transferring.

01-20-2011, 12:46 AM	#1
kakkalla Zealot Posts: 143 Karma: 194 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Melbourne Device: iPad	Books disappear from iTunes Hi everyone. I have read many posts and the user manual for a solution to this problem but I haven't had any luck. I followed everything in Calibre 0.7 + itues: Start here but the problem persists. All by books are in the epub format. I select, say, 5 books and I send them to the device (I first Click on connect/share and I choose Connect to iTunes). Everything works fine. I can see the books in iTunes in the Books library. If I quit calibre and itunes and then open iTunes again, some of the books have the exclamation mark next to them. Why does this happen? I'm at my wits end here!

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01-20-2011, 01:01 AM	#3
Debby Connoisseur Posts: 75 Karma: 600 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Depends Upon the Season..... Device: Cybook, Sony & ipad	That typically means itunes cannot find the location of your books (or music). Confirm the location of your library in itunes (Edit, preferences, Advanced). Make certain "copy files to itunes folder when adding to library" is checked. This ensures items are placed in the "correct" itunes folder. If that doesn't work, try to track down where the books are being sent by searching. If you are in windows just type in the name of the book (in search programs and files) and look at the location. Good luck.....

01-20-2011, 01:04 AM	#5
kakkalla Zealot Posts: 143 Karma: 194 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Melbourne Device: iPad	Yes, I have the copy files option checked in iTunes. I am on a Mac. All my videos, music play without a problem. It is only the books that are getting the exclamation mark.

01-20-2011, 01:11 AM	#6
Debby Connoisseur Posts: 75 Karma: 600 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Depends Upon the Season..... Device: Cybook, Sony & ipad	Any luck in searching for them to discover where they are being sent? On a PC you can ask itunes to set the location when you double click on a lost link. Hopefully one the guru's will have a solution.

01-20-2011, 01:17 AM	#7
kakkalla Zealot Posts: 143 Karma: 194 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Melbourne Device: iPad	Hmm. This is weird. If I get info on one of the books that doesn't have the exclamation mark, in the summary panel next to 'Where' it has /Users/xxx/Music/iTunes etc. This is where I keep my iTunes library. But for one of the books with the exclamation mark it has: file://locahost/Users etc. That is probably the problem though I have not idea of how to go about fixing it. As you said, hopefully someone will be able to help. Fingers crossed.

01-20-2011, 03:39 AM	#8
itimpi Wizard Posts: 4,552 Karma: 950151 Join Date: Nov 2008 Device: Sony PRS-950, iphone/ipad (Marvin/iBooks/QuickReader)	That strongly suggests that for the problem files they were not copied to iTunes. That is strange as you said you had that setting set to say they should be copied. Any chance that you changed that setting and thee files pre-date that change?

01-20-2011, 04:13 AM	#9
kakkalla Zealot Posts: 143 Karma: 194 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Melbourne Device: iPad	I am now able to replicate the problem and this time I took notes. 1. Calibre and iTunes are open. 2. Calibre: connect to iTunes. 3. I select 7 books and send them to iTunes. 4. I check the file locations of all the books. They are all in my media folder as specified in my iTunes preferences. I have the 'Add to library' box checked so this is the expected behaviour. 5. Quit iTunes. 6. Quit calibre. 7. Open iTunes. 8. Open calibre. 9. Everything is fine. No exclamation marks next to the books. File locations are media folder. 10. I select just one book, book 3, and send it again to iTunes. 11. Now I have an exclamation mark next to that book 3! 12. Get info tells me that the file is located at: file://localhost ... 13. Do the same for all the other 6 book files and the same location shows. If the book files were initially in the iTunes media folder, something is breaking the link to them in iTunes. How can they suddenly be moved out of the media folder? Any ideas?

01-20-2011, 06:22 AM	#11
kakkalla Zealot Posts: 143 Karma: 194 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Melbourne Device: iPad	I read about this here: In iTunes Preferences\|Advanced, the checkbox Copy files to iTunes Media folder when adding to library is significant. If the box is unchecked, iTunes remembers the location of the file (calibre's copy). If the box is checked, iTunes makes a copy of the file to its own storage. However, iTunes also modifies calibre's copy of the epub by adding a plist file. Files so modified by iTunes have been tested in the calibre viewer and in Adobe Digital Editions with no observed problems. Recommendation: unchecked. If you are currently using iTunes to manage other media for your iDevice, and this is checked, leave it checked. iTunes will make its own copy of the added books rather than referencing calibre's copy. Any new media you add to iTunes will be stored in iTunes, as before. Because I use iTunes to manage all my media, I thought it best that I keep this checked. Do you think that might be the problem? I'd hate to do away with this feature of iTunes as I never have to worry about the location of my music and video files. What do you think?

01-20-2011, 07:39 AM	#13
kakkalla Zealot Posts: 143 Karma: 194 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Melbourne Device: iPad	Understood. I was playing around with this and I've realised that I can just select the books and click on consolidate and then iTunes will copy them into the media folder. That's a great workaround. If I make a change to one of the books I'd like that to be reflected in iTunes. In Preferences>Sending books to devices, is it best to select Automatic management? From what I understand, every time I send a new item to iTunes, it will update all the other books that have changed. Is this correct? Is that what the 'on every connect' means or does it mean every time I launch calibre? Thank you.

01-20-2011, 09:56 AM	#14
GRiker Comparer of the Ephemeris Posts: 1,496 Karma: 424697 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: iPad	Automatic management is not currently implemented in the iTunes driver. (It's a per-driver feature). It's on my to-do list, but not in the near term. For now, if you've updated a book or its metadata, you will need to send it to iTunes again. G

01-20-2011, 11:10 AM	#15
Debby Connoisseur Posts: 75 Karma: 600 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Depends Upon the Season..... Device: Cybook, Sony & ipad	Learn something new everyday. Mine is checked and I have never had issues. But, I will now uncheck when transferring.

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