Error adding books

[spynumber]

When ever I try to add books I get errors. Any ideas what I need to do to fix it? I have copied the log file below:

calibre, version 2.79.1
ERROR: Errors while adding: Failed to add any books, click "Show details" for more information


----------------------------------------------------------------------
Failed to add the book: Forgive My Grief Vol I - IV
D:\Books\Forgive My Grief\Forgive_My_Grief_01.mobi
With error:
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "site-packages\calibre\gui2\add.py", line 379, in add_book
File "site-packages\calibre\db\legacy.py", line 217, in create_book_entry
File "site-packages\calibre\db\cache.py", line 61, in call_func_with_lock
File "site-packages\calibre\db\cache.py", line 1530, in create_book_entry
File "site-packages\calibre\db\backend.py", line 822, in execute
File "c:\cygwin64\home\kovid\sw\build\apsw-3.8.2-r1\src\cursor.c", line 231, in resetcursor
CantOpenError: CantOpenError: unable to open database file


----------------------------------------------------------------------
Failed to add the book: Forgive My Grief Vol I - IV
D:\Books\Forgive My Grief\Forgive_My_Grief_04.mobi
With error:
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "site-packages\calibre\gui2\add.py", line 379, in add_book
File "site-packages\calibre\db\legacy.py", line 217, in create_book_entry
File "site-packages\calibre\db\cache.py", line 61, in call_func_with_lock
File "site-packages\calibre\db\cache.py", line 1530, in create_book_entry
File "site-packages\calibre\db\backend.py", line 822, in execute
File "c:\cygwin64\home\kovid\sw\build\apsw-3.8.2-r1\src\cursor.c", line 231, in resetcursor
CantOpenError: CantOpenError: unable to open database file


----------------------------------------------------------------------
Failed to add the book: Forgive My Grief Vol I - IV
D:\Books\Forgive My Grief\Forgive_My_Grief_02.mobi
With error:
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "site-packages\calibre\gui2\add.py", line 379, in add_book
File "site-packages\calibre\db\legacy.py", line 217, in create_book_entry
File "site-packages\calibre\db\cache.py", line 61, in call_func_with_lock
File "site-packages\calibre\db\cache.py", line 1530, in create_book_entry
File "site-packages\calibre\db\backend.py", line 822, in execute
File "c:\cygwin64\home\kovid\sw\build\apsw-3.8.2-r1\src\cursor.c", line 231, in resetcursor
CantOpenError: CantOpenError: unable to open database file


----------------------------------------------------------------------
Failed to add the book: Forgive My Grief Vol I - IV
D:\Books\Forgive My Grief\Forgive_My_Grief_03.mobi
With error:
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "site-packages\calibre\gui2\add.py", line 379, in add_book
File "site-packages\calibre\db\legacy.py", line 217, in create_book_entry
File "site-packages\calibre\db\cache.py", line 61, in call_func_with_lock
File "site-packages\calibre\db\cache.py", line 1530, in create_book_entry
File "site-packages\calibre\db\backend.py", line 822, in execute
File "c:\cygwin64\home\kovid\sw\build\apsw-3.8.2-r1\src\cursor.c", line 231, in resetcursor
CantOpenError: CantOpenError: unable to open database file

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by spynumber

When ever I try to add books I get errors. Any ideas what I need to do to fix it? I have copied the log file below:

calibre, version 2.79.1
ERROR: Errors while adding: Failed to add any books, click "Show details" for more information

---------------<snip> ----------------

CantOpenError: CantOpenError: unable to open database file

@spynumber - the ast line of the error messages says it all. The database file the error is referring to is the metadata.db file in the library folder.

Is the metadata.db file there?
Has something else locked it?
Has something changed the file access control permissions?

Are you syncing your library to a cloud storage service, like Dropbox, Amazon S3, OneDrive, Google Drive etc. If so then you need to read this ==>> I am getting errors with my calibre library on a networked drive/NAS?

A cloud storage service is, to all intents and purposes, a network drive.

BR

[spynumber]

The metadata.db file is there. I don't think anything is locking it. I uninstalled Calibre and re-installed it and I still get the same error. I'm syncing to a USB flash drive.

[theducks]

Syncing?
Only Calibre can can be accessing the Library folder. File sync (backup/shadow) must be paused or you can get lock clashes.

Once Calibre creates a Library. Installation/uninstall will not affect it (except a rare schema upgrade that has not happened in a very long time. Calibre db is STABLE)

[spynumber]

Perhaps "syncing" is the wrong word. When I add books to my Calibre Library that library is located on USB flash drive. So, I cannot figure out what would make my database file unable to be opened. I did try renaming the metadata.db file but when I reopen Calibre all my files are still there. From what I saw in the help section it should have shown nothing in my library if I renamed that file. Am I wrong? When that seemed to make no difference when I add a book, I went ahead and renamed it back to metadata.db and again there is no difference. I have been looking into my preferences and checking for anything that might be causing this problem but I haven't found anything yet.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by spynumber

Perhaps "syncing" is the wrong word. When I add books to my Calibre Library that library is located on USB flash drive. So, I cannot figure out what would make my database file unable to be opened.

How much free space on the USB drive?

Where is Calibre installed?

Originally Posted by spynumber

I did try renaming the metadata.db file but when I reopen Calibre all my files are still there. From what I saw in the help section it should have shown nothing in my library if I renamed that file. Am I wrong?

No, your not wrong.

If you rename or remove the metadata.db file, then when you open that 'library' in calibre it should create an fresh metadata.db file and you will have an empty library - the author and book folders would still be there of course.

Are you sure that the path of the library you're looking at in your file manager is the same as the one that calibre is accessing.

Try this: With your file manager add a file of some sort into the library folder, name it something like 'test.file'. Start calibre, select a book and press 'O' (to open the book folder), go up the folder tree until you get to the library folder - is 'test.file' there?

BR

[theducks]

Flash drives are slow. Maybe the previous write (to the DB) has not been written (still in disk cache) out and you need to write again, but that is blocking.
Most likely is A/V scanning ever write