'Missing' books

sikm · 09-27-2023, 11:01 PM

I've been transferring books this way for a long time now and HAD ALWAYS ASSUMED that it worked. In fact it hadn't. The books were in the library folder yes but my assumption that they had automatically been added to Calibre was incorrect. So I Added Books - From folders and sub folders - and selected the library folder. The accumulated books from whenever were added; all 1905 of them.

So, copying books into the library folder does not add them to Calibre you have to add them manually. Lesson learnt, maybe it was only me or maybe this will help someone else.

__________________________________________________ _________________

I have a Calibre library on one Win11 PC which I regularly copy onto a USB stick and take to another Win11 PC. Both PCs have an identical Calibre setup, same library folder on both PCs.

On PC2 I delete the old contents of the library and copy the contents from PC1. I've done this for a few years now without any problems. The result is that the contents of both Calibres are the same. Or should be....

Just lately however I've discovered that some of the books - coincidentally the latest additions? - which show in Calibre PC1 do not show in Calibre PC2. The books in question are there, I've checked and double checked the folder.

I initially thought it might have something to do with a book limit (only 768 books in the library) but all's well on PC1 but not on PC2.

Both copies of Calibre are the latest version and I've run library maintenance which found nothing untoward.

I'm at a complete loss and would welcome any suggestions.

Quoth · 09-28-2023, 09:32 AM

Pretend the Library folder doesn't exist. It's part of Calibre's Database because ebooks as files works far better than importing into an actual SQL database (I tried that once with documents and a seriously expensive SQL Server and while in theory possible it's stupid. It might not really "work" on SQLight which doesn't work the same way as MySQL, Oracle, DB2, MS-SQL or MariaDB).

There are ways to copy the Library files, but you need to have Calibre closed and copy the *.db files too. It's better to use Export and Import to copy an entire library, or Save to Disk, then Add Books inside the two Calibre libraries if just a few ebooks.

theducks · 09-28-2023, 10:05 AM

You ADDED a working Library to itself

(I thought that was blocked, but nothing stops it from doing that with a copy)

The PROPER way to MERGE 2 Libraries is to use the Copy To Library (Starting by being in the SOURCE:Selecting books:right click:Copy to Library)

The target needs to be a known Library (On the Quick Switch List)

Quoth · 09-28-2023, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theducks

You ADDED a working Library to itself

(I thought that was blocked, but nothing stops it from doing that with a copy)

I didn't unravel that, but certainly that's not intended.

Another option to fix messed up library folder is to make a new empty library and add all books (inc subdirectories) pretending that the source isn't a library. Because the Merge thing assumes an actual library, not a location someone has manually directly added ebook files to?

theducks · 09-28-2023, 11:49 AM

Right: Merge is (a good) Library to (Good) Library

sikm · 09-29-2023, 12:55 AM

Many thanks all. One lives and learns and, hopefully remembers!!!

09-27-2023, 11:01 PM	#1
sikm Member Posts: 14 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Melbourne, Australia Device: kindle	'Missing' books I've been transferring books this way for a long time now and HAD ALWAYS ASSUMED that it worked. In fact it hadn't. The books were in the library folder yes but my assumption that they had automatically been added to Calibre was incorrect. So I Added Books - From folders and sub folders - and selected the library folder. The accumulated books from whenever were added; all 1905 of them. So, copying books into the library folder does not add them to Calibre you have to add them manually. Lesson learnt, maybe it was only me or maybe this will help someone else. __________________________________________________ _________________ I have a Calibre library on one Win11 PC which I regularly copy onto a USB stick and take to another Win11 PC. Both PCs have an identical Calibre setup, same library folder on both PCs. On PC2 I delete the old contents of the library and copy the contents from PC1. I've done this for a few years now without any problems. The result is that the contents of both Calibres are the same. Or should be.... Just lately however I've discovered that some of the books - coincidentally the latest additions? - which show in Calibre PC1 do not show in Calibre PC2. The books in question are there, I've checked and double checked the folder. I initially thought it might have something to do with a book limit (only 768 books in the library) but all's well on PC1 but not on PC2. Both copies of Calibre are the latest version and I've run library maintenance which found nothing untoward. I'm at a complete loss and would welcome any suggestions. Last edited by sikm; 09-28-2023 at 01:47 AM. Reason: My bad...

09-28-2023, 09:32 AM	#2
Quoth the rook, bossing Never. Posts: 11,635 Karma: 87590587 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper11	Pretend the Library folder doesn't exist. It's part of Calibre's Database because ebooks as files works far better than importing into an actual SQL database (I tried that once with documents and a seriously expensive SQL Server and while in theory possible it's stupid. It might not really "work" on SQLight which doesn't work the same way as MySQL, Oracle, DB2, MS-SQL or MariaDB). There are ways to copy the Library files, but you need to have Calibre closed and copy the .db files too. It's better to use Export and Import to copy an entire library, or Save to Disk, then Add Books inside the two Calibre libraries if just a few ebooks. Last edited by Quoth; 09-28-2023 at 09:35 AM.*

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09-28-2023, 10:05 AM	#3
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 29,967 Karma: 55705602 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	You ADDED a working Library to itself (I thought that was blocked, but nothing stops it from doing that with a copy) The PROPER way to MERGE 2 Libraries is to use the Copy To Library (Starting by being in the SOURCE:Selecting books:right click:Copy to Library) The target needs to be a known Library (On the Quick Switch List)

09-28-2023, 11:49 AM	#5
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 29,967 Karma: 55705602 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	Right: Merge is (a good) Library to (Good) Library

09-29-2023, 12:55 AM	#6
sikm Member Posts: 14 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Melbourne, Australia Device: kindle	Many thanks all. One lives and learns and, hopefully remembers!!!