Merging libraries

Codex · 04-09-2011, 04:46 PM

Here's the thing, I have calibre on my work and home PC. Two different libraries. I took the foders within my 'Calibre Library' on my work pc and pasted them into my 'calibre library' within my home pc. Problem is when I open calibre on my home pc it does not see the books from my work pc. I think I need to merge the libraries is this possible?

Manichean · 04-09-2011, 05:27 PM

Yeah, it doesn't work that way. When you copied the one library over the other, you probably wrote over the metadata.db file in the root of the library folder, which is the database folder Calibre uses for its library.
If you want to merge libraries, use the copy to library- feature you get when using multiple libraries: Switch to the second library using the library dropdown menu, select the books you want to copy and right-click. You should have the option to copy in the menu.
Since you've already seem to have overwritten your metadata.db, you basically have books in your library folder that Calibre knows nothing about. Your best bet would probably be to create a new library at another location and importing the books from the old library using the "subfolders, one book in different formats" option in the add books dropdown menu.
The thing to remember when using Calibre is that manual operations inside its library folders are almost always a Bad Thing. Reading can be okay, although metadata consistency with the database is not guaranteed, writing is always a bad idea. The best way to use Calibre is to view the library folder as a black box and use the GUI or the command line tools to interface with your library.

DoctorOhh · 04-09-2011, 05:31 PM

You should copy the work library to its own directory and open it on your home machine as a second library. Once opened as a separate library you can copy one library to the other and combine the libraries.

After merging the two libraries run Check library under Library maintenance.

theducks · 04-09-2011, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Codex

Here's the thing, I have calibre on my work and home PC. Two different libraries. I took the foders within my 'Calibre Library' on my work pc and pasted them into my 'calibre library' within my home pc. Problem is when I open calibre on my home pc it does not see the books from my work pc. I think I need to merge the libraries is this possible?

Yikes,

you did it wrong by overlaying them.

If you had simply plugged in the second library (assumes some sort of thumb/flash):
used Calibre to switch (arrow next to Library icon) TO that library:
Selectd books:
Right-click: Copy TO Library <your main library>

you would have been

Your choices may be limited

(1 or 2 assumes a copy of the 'work' library is still available)

1) Restore you Home library from a backup
Then properly merge as outlined above.

2) Use the library maintenance tools to check the Library and have it remove the 'errors'

3) Use the tools to try and 'rebuild' (from OPF data found in the folders)

Codex · 04-11-2011, 01:22 PM

I have read the above replies and I can only say that you are all correct. I made my moves too soon before I realised what I was doing. Having read your replies I now will do it the right way. Thankfully I have back up of both my original libraries.

I appreciate the help Thank you all.

theducks · 04-11-2011, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Codex

Thankfully I have back up of both my original libraries.

YES!

Way to Go.

04-09-2011, 04:46 PM	#1
Codex Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 234 Join Date: Apr 2011 Device: Kindle	Merging libraries Here's the thing, I have calibre on my work and home PC. Two different libraries. I took the foders within my 'Calibre Library' on my work pc and pasted them into my 'calibre library' within my home pc. Problem is when I open calibre on my home pc it does not see the books from my work pc. I think I need to merge the libraries is this possible?

04-11-2011, 01:22 PM	#5
Codex Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 234 Join Date: Apr 2011 Device: Kindle	Thanks I have read the above replies and I can only say that you are all correct. I made my moves too soon before I realised what I was doing. Having read your replies I now will do it the right way. Thankfully I have back up of both my original libraries. I appreciate the help Thank you all.

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04-09-2011, 05:27 PM	#2
Manichean Wizard Posts: 3,130 Karma: 91256 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Germany Device: Cybook Gen3	Yeah, it doesn't work that way. When you copied the one library over the other, you probably wrote over the metadata.db file in the root of the library folder, which is the database folder Calibre uses for its library. If you want to merge libraries, use the copy to library- feature you get when using multiple libraries: Switch to the second library using the library dropdown menu, select the books you want to copy and right-click. You should have the option to copy in the menu. Since you've already seem to have overwritten your metadata.db, you basically have books in your library folder that Calibre knows nothing about. Your best bet would probably be to create a new library at another location and importing the books from the old library using the "subfolders, one book in different formats" option in the add books dropdown menu. The thing to remember when using Calibre is that manual operations inside its library folders are almost always a Bad Thing. Reading can be okay, although metadata consistency with the database is not guaranteed, writing is always a bad idea. The best way to use Calibre is to view the library folder as a black box and use the GUI or the command line tools to interface with your library.

04-09-2011, 05:31 PM	#3
DoctorOhh US Navy, Retired Posts: 9,864 Karma: 13806776 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: North Carolina Device: Icarus Illumina XL HD, Nexus 7	You should copy the work library to its own directory and open it on your home machine as a second library. Once opened as a separate library you can copy one library to the other and combine the libraries. After merging the two libraries run Check library under Library maintenance.

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