Deleting temp calibre files sometimes takes forever

Takeshi_12 · 07-28-2010, 06:30 PM

Hi,

I'm using the command line tool on Linux to convert a lot of ebooks. Every day I have some temporary dirs left over in my /tmp/ directory called something like calibre_0.7.10_xaAwDN_plumber. I delete the files with a cron but sometimes a directory has zillions of files in it and it takes over an hour to delete one plumber directory on my ext3 filesystem.

Is there any possibility to avoid writing so many files in one directory? Is there a possibility to add subdirs in the plumber directories like a/f/e/image.png which is way faster to delete?

I was thinking about defining an extra calibre temp partition and format it every other day. Ok, that's not good style but I don't know how to clean up my tmp directory if deletions of calibre temp files takes several hours a day.

Any suggestions? ;-)

Cheers,
Takeshi

kovidgoyal · 07-28-2010, 06:37 PM

If you're getting temp files left over, your calibre command is crashing, you should investigate and fix that rather than messing around with gaziliions of temp files.

Or if you dont want to do that, then simply set the TEMP environment variable and cleanup after the command exits each time.

banjomike · 07-28-2010, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

If you're getting temp files left over, your calibre command is crashing, you should investigate and fix that rather than messing around with gaziliions of temp files.

Or if you dont want to do that, then simply set the TEMP environment variable and cleanup after the command exits each time.

I only use the GUI version and also get temp files left in my TEMP folder after every Calibre session or after using the viewer. Typically 2 for each run of the viewer and 40 or so after a short session of adding/converting books. They add-up. The first time I noticed there were over 500 files and folders.

The worst case was a PDF to EPUB conversion which left 34000 image files.

Is there a way to specify a working folder for Calibre rather than just use the TEMP (or TMP) variable which is where every other program dumps files?

Using XP/SP3, Calibre 7.10

kovidgoyal · 07-28-2010, 08:37 PM

Set the TEMP environment variable

banjomike · 07-29-2010, 04:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

Set the TEMP environment variable

TEMP and TMP are already set to e:\temp which just means that Calibre files get mixed in with files from all the other applications that use the environment variables to define their working directory.

kovidgoyal · 07-29-2010, 11:29 AM

Launch calibre from a bat file which sets the variables to a specific location.

banjomike · 07-29-2010, 05:13 PM

That looks to have worked. After closing Calibre only 4 files and the fontconfig tree were left this time but removing the occasional 34000'er should be MUCH easier. Thanks.

Incidently, you didn't specifically say but I am sure you already know that Calibre uses both TEMP and TMP variables.

Anyway, thanks.

07-28-2010, 06:30 PM	#1
Takeshi_12 Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2010 Device: none	Deleting temp calibre files sometimes takes forever Hi, I'm using the command line tool on Linux to convert a lot of ebooks. Every day I have some temporary dirs left over in my /tmp/ directory called something like calibre_0.7.10_xaAwDN_plumber. I delete the files with a cron but sometimes a directory has zillions of files in it and it takes over an hour to delete one plumber directory on my ext3 filesystem. Is there any possibility to avoid writing so many files in one directory? Is there a possibility to add subdirs in the plumber directories like a/f/e/image.png which is way faster to delete? I was thinking about defining an extra calibre temp partition and format it every other day. Ok, that's not good style but I don't know how to clean up my tmp directory if deletions of calibre temp files takes several hours a day. Any suggestions? ;-) Cheers, Takeshi

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Temp files	Jeff L	Calibre	3	10-14-2010 05:58 PM
LIT-to->EPUB conversion leaving behind temp files?	Stinger	Calibre	1	06-20-2010 09:31 PM
Calibre deleting files?	al35	Calibre	7	03-22-2010 12:43 PM
Getting list of books on device takes forever	grib	Calibre	4	10-29-2009 06:59 AM
Calibre files left in Temp folder	itimpi	Calibre	8	05-06-2009 06:15 AM

07-28-2010, 06:37 PM	#2
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,149 Karma: 27110894 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	If you're getting temp files left over, your calibre command is crashing, you should investigate and fix that rather than messing around with gaziliions of temp files. Or if you dont want to do that, then simply set the TEMP environment variable and cleanup after the command exits each time.

07-28-2010, 08:37 PM	#4
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,149 Karma: 27110894 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Set the TEMP environment variable

07-29-2010, 11:29 AM	#6
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,149 Karma: 27110894 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Launch calibre from a bat file which sets the variables to a specific location.

07-29-2010, 05:13 PM	#7
banjomike Addict Posts: 319 Karma: 397404 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: UK Device: PRS-505,DSlibris,nook Glow & HD+,Tab S2,Moon+,Clara,Clara Colour	That looks to have worked. After closing Calibre only 4 files and the fontconfig tree were left this time but removing the occasional 34000'er should be MUCH easier. Thanks. Incidently, you didn't specifically say but I am sure you already know that Calibre uses both TEMP and TMP variables. Anyway, thanks.

Advert

Advert