I think I've lost my calibre library

[AlexBell]

I've always had trouble returning to calibre after searching for an ebook in my library. I found an ebook this morning using the search facility, and after stumbling around trying to return to the full library with various options I seem to have only two ebooks in the library rather then the 1,100 or so I had last night - neither of which were the one I searched to correct its metadata.

I've attached the output from running calibre in debug mode.

How do I restore my library? - surely the library is on my computer somewhere, and I backed it up to a flash drive a couple of weeks ago.

If I can restore the library and want to search it again in future how do I get back to the full library from the search results page?

Please make the explanations as simple as possible - I'm getting old.

calibre Debug log
calibre 2.84  embedded-python: True is64bit: False
Windows-8-6.2.9200 Windows ('32bit', 'WindowsPE')
('Windows', '8', '6.2.9200')
Python 2.7.9
Windows: ('8', '6.2.9200', '', 'Multiprocessor Free')
Successfully initialized third party plugins: DeDRM (6, 4, 3) && Kindle and Mobipocket DeDRM (0, 4, 6) && Inept Epub DeDRM (0, 1, 9) && View Manager (1, 3, 2) && eReader PDB 2 PML (0, 0, 6) && Inept PDF DeDRM (0, 1, 7) && Manage Sony x50 Reader Book List (1, 2, 11) && Quality Check (1, 9, 11) && Reading List (1, 6, 6)
devicePixelRatio: 1.0
logicalDpi: 120.0 x 120.0
physicalDpi: 100.861627907 x 101.07357513
Starting up...
Started up in 29.53 seconds with 2 books

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by AlexBell

I've always had trouble returning to calibre after searching for an ebook in my library. I found an ebook this morning using the search facility, and after stumbling around trying to return to the full library with various options I seem to have only two ebooks in the library rather then the 1,100 or so I had last night - neither of which were the one I searched to correct its metadata.

I've attached the output from running calibre in debug mode.

How do I restore my library? - surely the library is on my computer somewhere, and I backed it up to a flash drive a couple of weeks ago.

If I can restore the library and want to search it again in future how do I get back to the full library from the search results page?

Please make the explanations as simple as possible - I'm getting old.

First up I moved the log so that its in your post. Much easier for responders to read it there, than having to download a file, open it in a suitable utility, and remembering to delete it.

Did you look in the Recycle Bin?

BR

[AlexBell]

Thanks for your response, and no, it's not there.

My computer has a data partition, and I've found a My eBooks/Calibre folder there, with (so far as I can tell) most of my ebooks in separate subfolders organised alphabetically by the author's first name.

Before trying to reload calibre from that collection I'd like to find out how to go back to the main calibre page from the search result page. Can you tell me how to do that?

[kovidgoyal]

It sounds simply like you have calibre showing you a subset of your library. There are several ways to have that happen:

1) Simply clear the search to go back

2) Uninstall the View manager plugin, you've probably got it configured to show a virtual library at startup that only has a few entries in it

3) Make sure you dont have the setting in Prefrences->Behvaior->Virtual library to show on startup enabled

[AlexBell]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

It sounds simply like you have calibre showing you a subset of your library. There are several ways to have that happen:

1) Simply clear the search to go back

2) Uninstall the View manager plugin, you've probably got it configured to show a virtual library at startup that only has a few entries in it

3) Make sure you dont have the setting in Prefrences->Behvaior->Virtual library to show on startup enabled

Thanks, Kovid

How do I 'clear the search'? I know it's a dumb question, but please bear with me.

I'm as sure as I can be that I have not installed the View manager plugin, but I'll make sure.

I'm as sure as I can be that I've never been near the Preferences->Behaviour->Virtual library, but I'll check that also.

[kovidgoyal]

Click the clear button to the right of the search bar or press the Esc key.

According to the debug log you posted, you have installed the View Manager plugin.

[AlexBell]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

Click the clear button to the right of the search bar or press the Esc key.

According to the debug log you posted, you have installed the View Manager plugin.

Pressing the Esc key on the computer keyboard does nothing.

I don't see a clear button on the right of the search bar; the buttons on the extreme right (a white cross on a green background, and the one to the left of that with a left pointing white arrow on a green background) both seem to be search buttons, not a clear button. What does the clear button look like?

How do I remove the View Manager plugin?

I have the calibre manual on one of my readers; where should I look in that for the information I need?

If I have indeed wiped the library from calibre while stumbling around how can I restore the ebooks from E:/My ebooks/calibre?

If I have to can I start over and reinstall the ebooks by hand?

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by AlexBell

What does the clear button look like?

Originally Posted by AlexBell

How do I remove the View Manager plugin?

Preferences->Plugins (bottom row) then :-



After exiting from Preferences restart calibre (Ctrl+R)

BR

[gbm]

Originally Posted by AlexBell

I've always had trouble returning to calibre after searching for an ebook in my library. I found an ebook this morning using the search facility, and after stumbling around trying to return to the full library with various options I seem to have only two ebooks in the library rather then the 1,100 or so I had last night - neither of which were the one I searched to correct its metadata.

I've attached the output from running calibre in debug mode.

How do I restore my library? - surely the library is on my computer somewhere, and I backed it up to a flash drive a couple of weeks ago.

If I can restore the library and want to search it again in future how do I get back to the full library from the search results page?

Please make the explanations as simple as possible - I'm getting old.

calibre Debug log
calibre 2.84  embedded-python: True is64bit: False
Windows-8-6.2.9200 Windows ('32bit', 'WindowsPE')
('Windows', '8', '6.2.9200')
Python 2.7.9
Windows: ('8', '6.2.9200', '', 'Multiprocessor Free')
Successfully initialized third party plugins: DeDRM (6, 4, 3) && Kindle and Mobipocket DeDRM (0, 4, 6) && Inept Epub DeDRM (0, 1, 9) && View Manager (1, 3, 2) && eReader PDB 2 PML (0, 0, 6) && Inept PDF DeDRM (0, 1, 7) && Manage Sony x50 Reader Book List (1, 2, 11) && Quality Check (1, 9, 11) && Reading List (1, 6, 6)
devicePixelRatio: 1.0
logicalDpi: 120.0 x 120.0
physicalDpi: 100.861627907 x 101.07357513
Starting up...
Started up in 29.53 seconds with 2 books

Originally Posted by BetterRed

Attachment 156614


Preferences->Plugins (bottom row) then :-

Attachment 156615

After exiting from Preferences restart calibre (Ctrl+R)

BR

You also should remove/uninstall the following plugin's as they have been superseded by the DeDRM (6, 4, 3) plugin, and are no longer needed.

1. Kindle and Mobipocket DeDRM (0, 4, 6)
2. Inept Epub DeDRM (0, 1, 9)
3. eReader PDB 2 PML (0, 0, 6)
4. Inept PDF DeDRM (0, 1, 7)

bernie

[AlexBell]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

Attachment 156614


Preferences->Plugins (bottom row) then :-

Attachment 156615

After exiting from Preferences restart calibre (Ctrl+R)

BR

Thanks, BetterRed. I did your three suggestions, but but nothing has changed. I still only see the two ebooks that were there before I started.

[AlexBell]

Originally Posted by gbm

You also should remove/uninstall the following plugin's as they have been superseded by the DeDRM (6, 4, 3) plugin, and are no longer needed.

1. Kindle and Mobipocket DeDRM (0, 4, 6)
2. Inept Epub DeDRM (0, 1, 9)
3. eReader PDB 2 PML (0, 0, 6)
4. Inept PDF DeDRM (0, 1, 7)

bernie

Thanks to you both. I have learned how to do remove the old DeDRM plugins, and have done so. I have left in the most recent one, and hope I will get away with mentioning that it doesn't seem to be working for me: I uploaded a DRM'd ebook shortly before I had the current problems, and calibre only gave me a message that it was DRM protected.

Also, I'm afraid I have no idea what to to with the suggestion about 156615 (which is underlined in the post) or what it means. I really cannot emphasise too much how ignorant I am about anything but designing ebooks.

I'm about about ready to give up. Given that I have the ebooks on my E drive could you remind me how to reload them from that folder?

Or would it be better to start again from the beginning? Even if necessary to reload calibre and restore the ebooks by hand?

I am working on another ebook for the mobileread library and will see if I can upload what I've done so far to what remains of my calibre library, and download it to my Sony if I can so I can see what it looks like.

PS I now realise that this thread should probably be in the Library Management subforum. Could the moderator move it there please?

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by AlexBell

My computer has a data partition, and I've found a My eBooks/Calibre folder there, with (so far as I can tell) most of my ebooks in separate subfolders organised alphabetically by the author's first name.

@AlexBell - does that folder have a metadata.db file in it, you'd probably see after all the author folders?

If it does:-

1. click the Library icon and select Create/switch library...
2. click the folder icon at the right hand end of New Location field
3. browse to and select that My eBooks/Calibre folder
4. ensure the Use the previously existing library at the new location is set
5. press OK

I moved the thread as you requested.

BR

[AlexBell]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

@AlexBell - does that folder have a metadata.db file in it, you'd probably see after all the author folders?

If it does:-

1. click the Library icon and select Create/switch library...
2. click the folder icon at the right hand end of New Location field
3. browse to and select that My eBooks/Calibre folder
4. ensure the Use the previously existing library at the new location is set
5. press OK

I moved the thread as you requested.

BR

Yes! Thank you so much! I have my library back!

I'll search the manual to know how to do it myself the next time I make some silly mistake.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by AlexBell

Yes! Thank you so much! I have my library back!

Hey that's great, glad it worked out for you.

I suggest you remove that two book library from calibre, use the Library Icon->Remove library option. It won't delete the physical library folder, it'll simply remove it from calibre's library list. You can then deal with the two books as you see fit

BR

[AlexBell]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

Hey that's great, glad it worked out for you.

I suggest you remove that two book library from calibre, use the Library Icon->Remove library option. It won't delete the physical library folder, it'll simply remove it from calibre's library list. You can then deal with the two books as you see fit

BR

I'm quite nervous about messing with the library in any way, at least until I've calmed down. Maybe after I've finished the ebook I'm working on and I've done more reading.

I have a Synctoy routine to backup the library to a USB, and will be using it more often and more regularly in future. It's currently set up to copy from E:/My ebooks/calibre. I presume the library which has come back to life is still there? If not, how do I find out where my current library is?