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Old 12-30-2013, 07:52 PM   #1
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Calibre appending numbers to the book folders

I just spent a few days straightening out my Calibre library. While Calibre was shutdown I moved the library, made a backup (just in case) deleted all the OPF files and metadata files and pored through the folders deleting duplicates, fixing author names and fixing case names and corrupted names on files and folders. It was a lot of work but it was the most efficient way to fix the mess I had created with poor management.

I reopened Calibre and of course the library was empty, I imported the fixed books back into the library and everything came out fine.

One thing I was wondering is why Calibre puts numbers at the end of the book name folders? During my "fix" session I took them out and Calibre added more back in - visible when viewing the library in Explorer. I am more curious than anything as to what these numbers do?

I notice the Calibre does not keep the numbers in the folder names when using the Save to Disk feature.
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Old 12-30-2013, 07:58 PM   #2
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The basic answer is, "that's how calibre works". Have a read of the sticky post https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=119175 for some more details.
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Old 12-30-2013, 08:14 PM   #3
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I'm no expert on the Calibre DB (in fact, I know bugger all...) however I imagine it serves two purposes. First I would assume that it ensures every folder name is unique. Second, I would imagine that the number corresponds to a numerical "book id" field in the database, making it very easy for calibre to search and find the appropriate file/folder.


Of course, I could also be completely wrong.


*scurries off before being told he hasn't a clue what he's talkiing about*
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Old 12-30-2013, 08:41 PM   #4
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@Rootman - what sherman just wrote is right on the money But I might as well post what's already in the breech.

Essentially the numbers are the means via which calibre associates a row in its database (metadata.db) with a book folder.

Because calibre permits duplicate books (same author, same title) it needs something unique to identify a book. And that's what the number is, its just a sequential number that's incremented whenever a book is added to a library. Internally its called the book-id, if you press I on a book you'll see it listed there.

This is a very common technique in applications that use relational databases to ensure unique identification of rows in a table. And since the database wars of the 60/70's most databases are relational.

When a book is saved to disk calibre doesn't need to write the book-id, because it's database does not keep track of those folders, they are yours to do with as you will.

It could argued that calibre doesn't need the author or titles in folder and file names - it could just use the book-ids. But then it would have been a heck of lot harder for you to do do what you just did - sort out a messy library by hand and build a new library from scratch.

BR

Last edited by BetterRed; 12-30-2013 at 08:56 PM. Reason: spell/grammar
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Old 12-30-2013, 08:43 PM   #5
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That's what I thought.

Thanks for the answer guys!
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Old 12-30-2013, 09:40 PM   #6
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The number of the folder is what you get with the {id} template (this also matches a Key in the metadata.db for that BOOK)
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