refresh/update clibre database

[Danesh]

Hi,
Having used The Remove books action I deleted an item from the Book list (calibre 2.70 [64bit]; I changed my mind and restored it from the Recycle Bin (Windows7 x64). Now that I search for the book in my calibre, it doesn't show up!
Should I refresh/update clibre database? If yes, how?
Regards,

[fidvo]

Restoring from the recycle bin only puts the file back in its original folder. It does not add the entry back to the database. As far as Calibre is concerned, it's now just an extra file in the data folder that shouldn't be there.

There's a rebuild library feature that might work (I've never used it myself) but I would recommend moving the folder containing the book file out of the Calibre library folder and re-adding it as a new book through the Calibre interface. That's probably your fastest way to get it back, since you wouldn't have to run a process that affects your entire library.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by fidvo

Restoring from the recycle bin only puts the file back in its original folder. It does not add the entry back to the database. As far as Calibre is concerned, it's now just an extra file in the data folder that shouldn't be there.

On Windows at least, when a book is removed from a library, the book folder is moved to a temporary folder within the library's parent directory, and it is that folder than gets moved to the Recycle Bin.

So when you do a Restore from the Recycle Bin it is the temporary folder than gets restored. You can then use its content to add the book back into the library, then you will probably want to delete the restored temporary folder.



I'm not 100% sure, but I think the same basic process happens on OSX and Linux.

Note that I have not unchecked the Show this dialogue again checkbox in the 'Are you sure' message, in part because restoration of a deleted book is not just a matter of opening the Recycle Bin and doing a restore - instead it requires a Recycle Bin restore, a calibre add book, and a File Manager folder delete.

I normally find it easier to recover a wrongfully deleted book from back-up.

BR

[Danesh]

Dear friends,

What's the path to the temporary folder within the library's parent directory, and also the data folder that fidvo said? To my shame, I failed to find them!
Best

[higgs]

If you open Calibre, click on your Library icon, then 'Switch/create library', the top line will show the path to your current calibre library.

[BetterRed]

@Danesh - on Windows (I can't speak for Linux or OSX), when you remove a book, the book directory is MOVED from the library to a temporary directory in the library parent, which will have a random 6 character string in its name (e.g. 'D:\Calibre Libraries\_Test deleted avybyo' in my previous screenshot), and that means it's no longer in the library.

And then the temporary directory is MOVED to the Recycle Bin, and that in turn means it's no longer in the library parent directory.

On advanced files systems (NTFS, EXT3, HFS+ etc) the MOVES are effected via creating and destroying hardlinks, so it happens in the blink of eye. But in any event, after the delete the temporary directory will ONLY exist in the Recycle Bin.

I can't recall why calibre deletes book directories in a two step process. But I am certain it was a conscious design choice by Kovid, which he has explained a couple of times. A search of this subforum for posts by kovidgoyal that have 'delete' in them might find them.

I added some extra commentary to my previous screen shot.

BR

[fidvo]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

On Windows at least, when a book is removed from a library, the book folder is moved to a temporary folder within the library's parent directory, and it is that folder than gets moved to the Recycle Bin.

I didn't know that. This makes a lot of sense. Once again I'm impressed with the way Calibre always does things the right way.