Unusual (unnecessary?) Calibre files

Beemer2 · 05-10-2013, 11:57 AM

I have the following two files in my C:\users\xxx\APPDATA\temp folder

calibre_0.9.22_tmp_plyzgt which is 3.5GB 27th March 2013

and

calibre_0.9.22_tmp_cebp0m which is 2.7GB 27th March 2013

I have updated Calibre today, 10th May, and also added more books. However these files still remain with the same size and date. As they are so large I am reluctant to delete them before someone gives me advice as to what they are for?

itimpi · 05-10-2013, 12:02 PM

Sounds as if lse are left behind from an earlier Calibre run - but not sure what could be that size. Occasionally Calibre fails to delete its temporary files so that is probablynwhat happened. It is normally safe to delete any Calibre files left in the temp folder as long as Calibre is not currently running.

theducks · 05-10-2013, 09:04 PM

Those sizes are probably the leftovers of a CRASH from either a large book or a runaway conversion..
It pays to check once in a while

DoctorOhh · 05-11-2013, 01:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beemer2

As they are so large I am reluctant to delete them before someone gives me advice as to what they are for?

I think it is safe to delete them, I know I would.

theducks · 05-11-2013, 07:34 AM

I'm with Dr. Ohh
Nuke them suckers

Hey! if they were important, they should not be LEFT is a folder named: 'Temp'

Beemer2 · 05-11-2013, 07:56 AM

Thanks to all for the deletion advice. When I went to do this I found five other "calibre" folders in the temp directory this time all around 20MB and for different March dates. I'm stumped as to how these got created as I have not had any computer or Calibre crashes.

So now my SSD has over 6GB more free space.

thanks.

RichieTheK · 05-11-2013, 08:23 AM

From my experience, calibre frequently leaves files in the temp directory, even after normal execution and exit, no crashes required.

I've resorted to creating a script file to launch calibre. The script reassigns the environment variables TMP, TEMP, and CALIBRE_TEMP_DIR to a scratch directory (CalibreTemp). After calibre exits, the script deletes the contents of CalibreTemp.

I've never seen any ill effects resulting from the deletion of these temporary files after calibre exits.

Adoby · 05-11-2013, 03:51 PM

Yet another reason why I am happy that I put my temp folder on a RAM drive. Every time I reboot it is cleared.

DoctorOhh · 05-11-2013, 07:16 PM

I built this machine about a year ago and I just checked my temp directory. I had zero files from calibre even though I upgraded to every single version along the way. I may only have converted between 100 and 200 books on this machine in that time.

Now that I think of it the difference may be that I always install the portable version and it extracts the files for install outside of the temp area (in my cloud directory). But it also has always cleaned those files up.

Adoby · 05-11-2013, 09:43 PM

As far as I know, calibre only leaves junk files in temp if calibre crash or is forcibly interrupted during some conversion or update of metadata during send to device or save to disc. If it doesn't crash or is interrupted, all the files are cleared in temp.

Perhaps there could be some housekeeping code added to calibre to examine temp when started, and remove anything there that is identified as left over junk from a previous crash?

kovidgoyal · 05-11-2013, 10:14 PM

calibre most definitely does not leave temp files behind when exiting normally, unless some other program, like an antivirus scanner has locked the files.

BetterRed · 05-11-2013, 10:29 PM

I don't think they're from installs, I think they're from conversions - if you look inside the files in the folders you'll see stuff you recognise. Only some conversions leave stuff behind in the session temp folders, I can't recall any of them crashing or me killing them - its probably a timing issue or as Kovid suggests your AV - I would advise against excluding temp folders from your AV.

Calibre's just one of many programs that 'leaves' files in my Temp folder.

Once week, after closing all applications including those run in the tray, I run the Windows Disk Clean utility.

Anything that's in Temp is fair game for deletion, you can't delete everything in there if Windows is running - Disk Clean will bypass those files, if you tick the boxes it will also clean up browser caches and empty your trash etc.

BR

ShellShock · 05-12-2013, 10:15 AM

Could a badly written plug-in be leaving files in temp, even files that start with "calibre" as in this case?

theducks · 05-12-2013, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShellShock

Could a badly written plug-in be leaving files in temp, even files that start with "calibre" as in this case?

With Calibre Launched, I have 1 folder (empty) and 2 tmp files (0 size) with the timestamp of Calibre Launching. (I have preferences set to limit #of jobs to # of cores (hyperthread in my case which probably accounts for those 2 files).

HarryT · 05-12-2013, 10:38 AM

I've just checked, and after running Calibre for several years on my current laptop, and performing many, many hundreds of conversions, I have no Calibre files in my "Temp" directory.

05-10-2013, 11:57 AM	#1
Beemer2 Member Posts: 17 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2013 Device: Sony PRS-T1	Unusual (unnecessary?) Calibre files I have the following two files in my C:\users\xxx\APPDATA\temp folder calibre_0.9.22_tmp_plyzgt which is 3.5GB 27th March 2013 and calibre_0.9.22_tmp_cebp0m which is 2.7GB 27th March 2013 I have updated Calibre today, 10th May, and also added more books. However these files still remain with the same size and date. As they are so large I am reluctant to delete them before someone gives me advice as to what they are for?

05-11-2013, 10:29 PM	#12
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 20,564 Karma: 26954694 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	I don't think they're from installs, I think they're from conversions - if you look inside the files in the folders you'll see stuff you recognise. Only some conversions leave stuff behind in the session temp folders, I can't recall any of them crashing or me killing them - its probably a timing issue or as Kovid suggests your AV - I would advise against excluding temp folders from your AV. Calibre's just one of many programs that 'leaves' files in my Temp folder. Once week, after closing all applications including those run in the tray, I run the Windows Disk Clean utility. Anything that's in Temp is fair game for deletion, you can't delete everything in there if Windows is running - Disk Clean will bypass those files, if you tick the boxes it will also clean up browser caches and empty your trash etc. BR Last edited by BetterRed; 05-11-2013 at 10:33 PM.

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05-10-2013, 12:02 PM	#2
itimpi Wizard Posts: 4,552 Karma: 950151 Join Date: Nov 2008 Device: Sony PRS-950, iphone/ipad (Marvin/iBooks/QuickReader)	Sounds as if lse are left behind from an earlier Calibre run - but not sure what could be that size. Occasionally Calibre fails to delete its temporary files so that is probablynwhat happened. It is normally safe to delete any Calibre files left in the temp folder as long as Calibre is not currently running.

05-10-2013, 09:04 PM	#3
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 29,790 Karma: 54830978 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	Those sizes are probably the leftovers of a CRASH from either a large book or a runaway conversion.. It pays to check once in a while

05-11-2013, 07:34 AM	#5
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 29,790 Karma: 54830978 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	I'm with Dr. Ohh Nuke them suckers Hey! if they were important, they should not be LEFT is a folder named: 'Temp'

05-11-2013, 07:56 AM	#6
Beemer2 Member Posts: 17 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2013 Device: Sony PRS-T1	Thanks to all for the deletion advice. When I went to do this I found five other "calibre" folders in the temp directory this time all around 20MB and for different March dates. I'm stumped as to how these got created as I have not had any computer or Calibre crashes. So now my SSD has over 6GB more free space. thanks.

05-11-2013, 08:23 AM	#7
RichieTheK Enthusiast Posts: 36 Karma: 480532 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA Device: Nexus 7 (2012), Samsung Galaxy Pro 8.4	From my experience, calibre frequently leaves files in the temp directory, even after normal execution and exit, no crashes required. I've resorted to creating a script file to launch calibre. The script reassigns the environment variables TMP, TEMP, and CALIBRE_TEMP_DIR to a scratch directory (CalibreTemp). After calibre exits, the script deletes the contents of CalibreTemp. I've never seen any ill effects resulting from the deletion of these temporary files after calibre exits.

05-11-2013, 03:51 PM	#8
Adoby Handy Elephant Posts: 1,736 Karma: 26785668 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Southern Sweden, far out in the quiet woods Device: Thinkpad E595, Ubuntu Mate, Huawei Mediapad 5, Bouye Likebook Plus	Yet another reason why I am happy that I put my temp folder on a RAM drive. Every time I reboot it is cleared.

05-11-2013, 07:16 PM	#9
DoctorOhh US Navy, Retired Posts: 9,864 Karma: 13806776 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: North Carolina Device: Icarus Illumina XL HD, Nexus 7	I built this machine about a year ago and I just checked my temp directory. I had zero files from calibre even though I upgraded to every single version along the way. I may only have converted between 100 and 200 books on this machine in that time. Now that I think of it the difference may be that I always install the portable version and it extracts the files for install outside of the temp area (in my cloud directory). But it also has always cleaned those files up.

05-11-2013, 09:43 PM	#10
Adoby Handy Elephant Posts: 1,736 Karma: 26785668 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Southern Sweden, far out in the quiet woods Device: Thinkpad E595, Ubuntu Mate, Huawei Mediapad 5, Bouye Likebook Plus	As far as I know, calibre only leaves junk files in temp if calibre crash or is forcibly interrupted during some conversion or update of metadata during send to device or save to disc. If it doesn't crash or is interrupted, all the files are cleared in temp. Perhaps there could be some housekeeping code added to calibre to examine temp when started, and remove anything there that is identified as left over junk from a previous crash?

05-11-2013, 10:14 PM	#11
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,849 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	calibre most definitely does not leave temp files behind when exiting normally, unless some other program, like an antivirus scanner has locked the files.

05-12-2013, 10:15 AM	#13
ShellShock Wizard Posts: 1,176 Karma: 2431850 Join Date: Sep 2008 Device: IPad Mini 2 Retina	Could a badly written plug-in be leaving files in temp, even files that start with "calibre" as in this case?

05-12-2013, 10:38 AM	#15
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I've just checked, and after running Calibre for several years on my current laptop, and performing many, many hundreds of conversions, I have no Calibre files in my "Temp" directory.