Deleting books but keeping titles?

NaughtyDonkey · 02-19-2020, 12:06 PM

Hi,

Is there anyway of deleting books but keeping the titles that are marked read?

I don't see the point of keeping books that I have read, but when it comes to a series, it would be useful to keep a record of what I have read previously.

I don't know how many times I have downloaded a book to find that I have in fact read it.

Thanks in advance

kovidgoyal · 02-19-2020, 12:11 PM

Delete the actual book files by right clicking the remove books button and keep the book record

theducks · 02-19-2020, 12:36 PM

You don't ever re-read?

(disk space is cheap. If anyone had told me back in the 90's that 5T drives were under a $100

(I paid $450 for my first 40Meg HD in the mid 80's ) [no adjustments for inflation]

I prefer to see what I am trashing, so I do this in the MDE.
Select a format in/on the Right window and use the recycle icon: OK

Or use the Right click Remove: <option> :formats <<< be very careful, there is no UNDO.

shalym · 02-19-2020, 12:50 PM

I do this because I keep a publicly available Calibre library available with no actual book files, just metadata in addition to my regular Calibre library with all of the book files, that isn't publicly available. I use it as a catalog for when I'm not at home to help me choose my next book, since I can't see the metadata of books on my Kindle account without downloading and opening the book.

I used to use Calibre Companion for this, but I find it's easier for me to just be able to do it from a browser. Once I choose a book, I download it from the Kindle cloud using my Kindle.

Shari

Deskisamess · 02-19-2020, 12:51 PM

My inability to throw away paper books has continued in my use of digital books. I rarely delete any book, unless it's just terrible, or not what it was supposed to be.

NaughtyDonkey · 02-19-2020, 01:12 PM

Thanks for the quick replies,

Still not 100% sure which of those options on right clicking will delete the book but keep the title. They look a bit dangerous to me, scary words like 'Format' and 'Remove All'

Kovid, I am sure you have heard this many times, but.. Thank You for Calibre!

I am a voracious reader and Calibre, and of course the InterWeb, has meant I no longer have to hide in the Library toilets at closing time, so I can get locked in overnight....

As you say TheDucks, space is cheap these days. A hard Drive you say? I remember storing my files on cassettes! lol

Aah, the day I got my BBC B, with a real hard drive...Sheer magic. What the youth of today take for granted eh?

theducks · 02-19-2020, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NaughtyDonkey

Thanks for the quick replies,

Still not 100% sure which of those options on right clicking will delete the book but keep the title. They look a bit dangerous to me, scary words like 'Format' and 'Remove All'

Kovid, I am sure you have heard this many times, but.. Thank You for Calibre!

I am a voracious reader and Calibre, and of course the InterWeb, has meant I no longer have to hide in the Library toilets at closing time, so I can get locked in overnight....

As you say TheDucks, space is cheap these days. A hard Drive you say? I remember storing my files on cassettes! lol

Aah, the day I got my BBC B, with a real hard drive...Sheer magic. What the youth of today take for granted eh?

Format, means the CHOSEN format

Oh! yes, Cassette for my TI 99-4 until the came out with the Floppy interface. (I cloned the Factory 360K drive unit * 3 for just over 1.8 M of drives. Amazing what you could do when you did not have to keep switching disks

)

Sirtel · 02-19-2020, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deskisamess

My inability to throw away paper books has continued in my use of digital books. I rarely delete any book, unless it's just terrible, or not what it was supposed to be.

Ditto.

BetterRed · 02-19-2020, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NaughtyDonkey

Still not 100% sure which of those options on right clicking will delete the book but keep the title. They look a bit dangerous to me, scary words like 'Format' and 'Remove All'

I use the Remove files of a specific format from selected books option to remove one, some, or all formats, I use it a lot, so I set its shortcut to Alt+Del:

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I also set Shift+Numpad-Del to Remove selected books… Del alone does nothing, far too dangerous.

I've never kept books that I'm unlikely to re-read. The thing I dislike most about ebooks is that I can't leave them 'lying about' for others to read - for free or nearly so if I leave them at a charity shop.

BR

NaughtyDonkey · 02-19-2020, 04:43 PM

Better Red : "I've never kept books that I'm unlikely to re-read. The thing I dislike most about ebooks is that I can't leave them 'lying about' for others to read - for free or nearly so if I leave them at a charity shop."

Oh, I dunno, I've lost a couple of laptops that way, usually left behind in a cafe...

Once again, Thanks everyone for your help..

02-19-2020, 12:06 PM	#1
NaughtyDonkey Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2018 Device: none	Deleting books but keeping titles? Hi, Is there anyway of deleting books but keeping the titles that are marked read? I don't see the point of keeping books that I have read, but when it comes to a series, it would be useful to keep a record of what I have read previously. I don't know how many times I have downloaded a book to find that I have in fact read it. Thanks in advance

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02-19-2020, 12:11 PM	#2
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,850 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Delete the actual book files by right clicking the remove books button and keep the book record

02-19-2020, 12:36 PM	#3
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 29,792 Karma: 54830978 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	You don't ever re-read? (disk space is cheap. If anyone had told me back in the 90's that 5T drives were under a $100 (I paid $450 for my first 40Meg HD in the mid 80's ) [no adjustments for inflation] I prefer to see what I am trashing, so I do this in the MDE. Select a format in/on the Right window and use the recycle icon: OK Or use the Right click Remove: <option> :formats <<< be very careful, there is no UNDO.

02-19-2020, 12:50 PM	#4
shalym Wizard Posts: 3,032 Karma: 52740263 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: New England Device: PW 1, 2, 3, Voyage, Oasis 2 & 3, Fires, Aura HD, iPad	I do this because I keep a publicly available Calibre library available with no actual book files, just metadata in addition to my regular Calibre library with all of the book files, that isn't publicly available. I use it as a catalog for when I'm not at home to help me choose my next book, since I can't see the metadata of books on my Kindle account without downloading and opening the book. I used to use Calibre Companion for this, but I find it's easier for me to just be able to do it from a browser. Once I choose a book, I download it from the Kindle cloud using my Kindle. Shari

02-19-2020, 12:51 PM	#5
Deskisamess Wizard Posts: 2,607 Karma: 42697471 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Ohio Device: iPhone 7+, iPad mini, 2021 iPad Pro 12.9",Paperwhite 6.8"	My inability to throw away paper books has continued in my use of digital books. I rarely delete any book, unless it's just terrible, or not what it was supposed to be.

02-19-2020, 01:12 PM	#6
NaughtyDonkey Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2018 Device: none	Thanks for the quick replies, Still not 100% sure which of those options on right clicking will delete the book but keep the title. They look a bit dangerous to me, scary words like 'Format' and 'Remove All' Kovid, I am sure you have heard this many times, but.. Thank You for Calibre! I am a voracious reader and Calibre, and of course the InterWeb, has meant I no longer have to hide in the Library toilets at closing time, so I can get locked in overnight.... As you say TheDucks, space is cheap these days. A hard Drive you say? I remember storing my files on cassettes! lol Aah, the day I got my BBC B, with a real hard drive...Sheer magic. What the youth of today take for granted eh?

02-19-2020, 04:43 PM	#10
NaughtyDonkey Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2018 Device: none	Better Red : "I've never kept books that I'm unlikely to re-read. The thing I dislike most about ebooks is that I can't leave them 'lying about' for others to read - for free or nearly so if I leave them at a charity shop." Oh, I dunno, I've lost a couple of laptops that way, usually left behind in a cafe... Once again, Thanks everyone for your help..