Single library, multiple storages

[DervishD]

Hi all!

First of all, my excuses for not having logged in for nearly four years

I have a question whose reply is probably "you can't" but I wanted to try nonetheless.

I would love to have my current ebook library split in more than one location, and I know I can have separate libraries, or even virtual libraries, but that doesn't cover my needs.

What I would need is having, like I have now, a single library, with all my ebooks listed together, but having the books themselves split among more than one place.

For example, have all the files at C:\Users\user\ebooks except for some which will be stored at C:\Users\user\whatever\large_ebooks, so large ebooks are stored in another folder, potentially even in another physical drive.

I haven't found any information regarding this so I bet it's not possible, but I'm just asking out of curiosity, because it's not the first time I end up doing something with Calibre which I first thought it was impossible!

Thanks a lot in advance

[theducks]

The issue is Calibre uses only ONE DB per Library (listing)

The DB resides in the root of the Library (the folder name IS the Library name)

The basic internal structure is Author Folders alongside their DB. Not format, not size or anything else, Authors.

As you are aware, A VL is just a (restricted) View of the overall, so you could have a VL for coffee table sized (>MB) books [ {size}>2000000 } (note this value is not just a single book, but the contents of that Title record)

That leaves a distinct, separate Library as your choice
But
You could add 'EMPTY BOOKS' (a book without Formats), tagged: "In XYZ Library" (which you switch to). The drawback is this is a High effort maintenance model (Every BIG book added/changed needs the mirrored empty book metadata)

So, what are you really trying to cure by doing this?

[DervishD]

Well, first of all, thanks A LOT for your reply

Originally Posted by theducks

As you are aware, A VL is just a (restricted) View of the overall, so you could have a VL for coffee table sized (>MB) books [ {size}>2000000 } (note this value is not just a single book, but the contents of that Title record)

Well, the problem here is that the separation between big and small books is not a matter of viewing them, but where are they to be stored.

The size was just an example, really. The complete issue I explain below

You could add 'EMPTY BOOKS' (a book without Formats), tagged: "In XYZ Library" (which you switch to). The drawback is this is a High effort maintenance model (Every BIG book added/changed needs the mirrored empty book metadata)

So, what are you really trying to cure by doing this?

Well, in my library I have books bought from quite a number of stores. Some of them are updated frequently (well, more or less) when the books are corrected. For example, Amazon does that, sometimes nearly weekly for new books.

Other books are updated very seldom, if at all.

And other books I maintain myself (most of them from friends who self-publish), and they are shared with the authors.

This is only the tip of the iceberg, my library is quite complex so it makes sense for me to store some of the books in a folder which is periodically synced to the cloud, others in a network storage which is always available, others in a folder in my laptop, etc.

Right now I have all of them together, and I can live with that, but it would make my life a bit easier if the library could be spread over more than one storage.

I know there's a single DB but I thought that since the paths of the books have to be stored on the DB (I think...) there would be some tweak.

Thanks a lot, really

[theducks]

FWIW I was disillusioned by Amazon Updates

Many were done by the Authors solely FOR MARKETING of new releases
(adding titles to the 'Other books' page) and not to correct actual errors.
Since, I invest time in formatting more to my liking (along with correcting errors I find) and optimizing code / repetitive image use (amazing how many books have 42 copies of the same one), I am loath to update just for ads

[DervishD]

Oh, I know, I know, I don't update blindly. I get the updates and check if there's some difference in the text itself using Calibre's convert to text feature and a quick diff.

But you're right, and I agree 100%. Not a big fan of Amazon editorial uses

[theducks]

Originally Posted by DervishD

Oh, I know, I know, I don't update blindly. I get the updates and check if there's some difference in the text itself using Calibre's convert to text feature and a quick diff.

But you're right, and I agree 100%. Not a big fan of Amazon editorial uses

I don't think it is all on the big A. The system is Automated a lot.
It is the Authors (mostly seen with self pub titles), doing this.
Note to Authors: I rarely read those pages or Raves IN THE BOOK. I bought your book based upon what I found at the STORE.

Maybe I am smarter than the average bear , but I go to the Stores site to find more from the Series or Author , not a book I HAVE READ

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by theducks

Note to Authors: I rarely read those pages or Raves IN THE BOOK. I bought your book based upon what I found at the STORE.

Yeah. I delete all ads and praises immediately, even before actually reading the book. They're loathsome. For me, of course.

The excerptions from other books are even worse offenders. I never read them and they also get wiped right off. If I'm interested in an author's other books, I'm perfectly capable of looking them up myself.