Calibre reverted to freshly installed default

[Rellwood]

Don't know what happened, but I was working on my library when my computer unexpectedly powered off (didn't know it wasn't charging). When I restarted it my Calibre library had reverted to the original default gui settings.

Plus it started on a library that has never been attached to Calibre. I have a synced library in my Dropbox that isn't attached, but synced using outside tools so that I can use it on Calibre Collections. It probably is synced to Calibre because I copy the db file from the non-dropbox primary folder.

None of the plugins, or settings were showing. It was like I had freshly installed it. I checked the roaming folder and all the files were there with all the dates being current.

I had installed the newest version earlier today (before the restart). The library itself is fine, and all the library settings (columns, tags, icons, rules, etc.) are still there. Just the gui is completely "blank" and none of the other attached libraries are showing.


Also, I might add that lately it takes longer to exit Calibre than normal. Maybe it's just because my primary library is very big. My computer shows Calibre as "not responding" when I try to exit.

I looked at a bug report and it indicates that the plugins are there, but they just aren't showing.

I reset the gui using previous versions, but I don't know if there is some kind of underlying reason for this. Also, I might add that the only thing that changed was the gui.json file in the roaming folder. The previous version I reverted it to fixed it, but still, I don't want this to happen again.

Any suggestions?

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by Rellwood

<snip>

Also, I might add that lately it takes longer to exit Calibre than normal. Maybe it's just because my primary library is very big. My computer shows Calibre as "not responding" when I try to exit.

Do you run any Library Closed plugins - such as Save Composite Custom Columns, or Save Virtual Libraries To Column - I don't know that they will slow things down at library close, just hazarding a guess that they might.

Originally Posted by Rellwood

I reset the gui using previous versions, but I don't know if there is some kind of underlying reason for this. Also, I might add that the only thing that changed was the gui.json file in the roaming folder. The previous version I reverted it to fixed it, but still, I don't want this to happen again.

Why do you take backups, in case something goes belly up

BR

[ilovejedd]

Likely, the computer shutdown before it finished writing the files to the drive.

Unusual slowness can also mean the drive is full, fragmented or perhaps even an early sign of drive failure.

[DaltonST]

Taking a long time to shut down is one of the symptoms of an unnecessarily huge metadata.db. You may have one or more metadata.db files that are mostly unrecovered SQLite dead space, causing the "real data" to take up just a few percentage points of the "physical data" file size.

Run Job Spy > Utilities > Vacuum/Compress metadata.db En Masse [All Other Calibre Libraries].

Then, run Calibre's 'Check Library' for the current Library to compress it.

Then, "trim" your SSDs and defrag your HDs.


DaltonST

[JohnnyBook]

Originally Posted by DaltonST

Then, run Calibre's 'Check Library' for the current Library to compress it.
DaltonST

I looked for the Check Library function in Calibre but could not find it, Tried searching the help website but did not fine any info there either. (Google searches found some very old threads that appeared to no longer apply)

So how do I find it now.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by JohnnyBook

So how do I find it now.

You will probably have a similar looking toolbar button with your library name.

BR

[theducks]

It is on the Context menu of the Library icon: Library Maintenance: Check...

[JohnnyBook]

I found the problem, At some time on the past I had dropped the Library Icon from my toolbar. (I never change libraries so did not need most of its features, so apparently took it off the toolbar.) I've added it back.