How do I find out what files are missing from the library

[glenm]

I have a number of books in my library that Calibre metadata says exist as an epub. When I try to read the book I get a "book has no available formats" type error.

Looking in the folder the book is supposed to be in the file is missing.

Obviously something I've done has deleted a small number of file from the library without removing the metadata, I do not think this is an issue with Calibre but rather a "problem that exists between the chair and keyboard".

How can I scan the whole library and find out what books/files are missing from the folder structure?

Thanks
Glen

[Sirtel]

Click on the library icon -> Library Maintenance -> Check library

[jbacelar]

Or search:
formats:"false"

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by jbacelar

Or search:
formats:"false"

The search won't find them if Calibre thinks they're still in the library (i.e. the database and the actual files are not in sync).

[theducks]

Originally Posted by jbacelar

Or search:
formats:"false"

Sirtel is correct. Calibre (metadata.db) has a True status for the format requested, thus the 'error when actually trying to fetch' and found no FILE

BTW formats: false only finds books KNOWN (no entry in the DB) to have NO formats. any format would pass the True test.

[JojoSs75]

Bonjour,

j'ai eu le même problème il y a 5 ans...
Peut-être un plugin a développer ??

Personnellement, j'ai recrée une nouvelle bibliothèque en important les eBooks de l’ancienne.

JojoSs

In English via Google translate
Hello,

i had the same problem 5 years ago ...
Maybe a plugin to develop ??

Personally, I have recreated a new library by importing the eBooks from the old one.

JojoSs

[glenm]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Click on the library icon -> Library Maintenance -> Check library

This is the one thank you very much.
There are a lot more books missing than I thought

[theducks]

Originally Posted by glenm

This is the one thank you very much.
There are a lot more books missing than I thought

The big question: What is causing this?

Is it YOU making any change to the File or Folder names, by using the file system?

Do you have the Library on a NAS or Cloud sync (Seriously not advised. See the FAQ)?

Is your hardware failing?

[SteveM49]

I'd like to do a search on my computer for missing books. Is there a way I can copy the names of all the missing books so that I can paste them into a file?

Steve

[theducks]

Originally Posted by SteveM49

I'd like to do a search on my computer for missing books. Is there a way I can copy the names of all the missing books so that I can paste them into a file?

Steve

No formats found has a different meaning than Missing.

No formats found says you tried to do something and there may not be a compatible format available do to settings or restrictions

A Missing book is one that Calibre Thinks it has, but due to some outside event, was lost. Common is the USER using the OS to change stuff inside the Library folder. #2 is putting the Library on a Cloud/remote folder. Bad HW or Power can glitch things.

To find lost/mismatches: run Library Maintenance (pay attention to phase 2 results)

There is no SIMPLE way to look on your computer for 'those that are missing', because the computer has no idea what is not in the Library that should be.
Many of the extensions that we use are also valid in other places. PDF, HTML,TXT...

You could read up on the command DIR (Windows) or ls (linux) on how to do a recursive search

Windows: open a command prompt: type help dir
Linux: in a console window:man ls

[chaley]

Originally Posted by SteveM49

I'd like to do a search on my computer for missing books. Is there a way I can copy the names of all the missing books so that I can paste them into a file?

Steve

To add to @theducks, calibre's check library tells you about "missing" and "extra" formats (and other things). "Missing" formats are ones that calibre thinks should be there but aren't. "Extra" formats are ones that exist that calibre doesn't know about. There is a "Copy to clipboard" button in that dialog.

IMO the most important thing to do is determine why you have missing formats. The usual suspect is putting your calibre library on a network/autosynced file system.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by chaley

. . .

IMO the most important thing to do is determine why you have missing formats. The usual suspect is putting your calibre library on a network/autosynced file system.

Or you did something within a book folder that created extra files.

Example: unpacking a CBZ to reorder the images, and then forgetting to remove the folder of images after recreating the CBZ

BR

[Teeg]

Originally Posted by theducks

#2 is putting the Library on a Cloud/remote folder.

Is there a way to do this without messing up your library?

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Teeg

Is there a way to do this without messing up your library?

NO
Only as a backup and NEVER on Google Drive as it modifies file names.

[glenm]

Originally Posted by Teeg

Is there a way to do this without messing up your library?

It depends if you want to access your ebooks while they are in the cloud.

If you want to use Calibre then the answer is no, but if you like me and just want to access the ebooks the there are 2 ways I know of.

Firstly you can use something like 7-zip to create an archive of your books and put that in the cloud. I use this as a backup of my library. The disadvantage of this is that you can't access individual books.
Secondly you can use the export books facility within Caliber to export selected books (or the whole library) and copy the exported files up to the cloud. Then you can access individual books from the cloud

Be careful with the following as it is only too easy to screw up and lose books.

Both of these methods will allow you to reconstruct your library. The zipped archive can be unzipped to a folder and opened from Caliber and if you have exported all the ebooks in your library the exported files can be imported into an empty library.