How do I import an old Calibre Library?

louwin · 03-22-2012, 08:41 AM

I have a folder which I suspect was a Calibre Library some time ago. It has since been maintained outside Calibre but it has the correct format (I think).

So I imported the books from it. Even though the file names are the perfect form, Calibre went back to the books to extract details so I have lots of books called "Prologue", "Chapter 1" and "Default". In fact the better part of the collection is incorrectly named.

Below is an example of the format of the library:-

Volume in drive W is Portable
Volume Serial Number is 700A-7A43

Directory of W:\eBook Library\SciFi\A N Author

12/03/2012 07:22 AM <DIR> A Book With 2 Formats (1247)
12/03/2012 07:15 AM <DIR> A Book With A Cover (1247)
12/03/2012 07:13 AM <DIR> Just Another Book (123)
12/03/2012 07:12 AM <DIR> The First Book (122)

Directory of W:\eBook Library\SciFi\A N Author\A Book With 2 Formats (1247)

07/12/2011 03:05 PM 2,377,380 A Book With 2 Formats - A N Author.epub
31/12/2011 02:17 PM 843,540 A Book With 2 Formats - A N Author.mobi
07/12/2011 03:05 PM 19,400 cover.jpg

Directory of W:\eBook Library\SciFi\A N Author\A Book With A Cover (1247)

07/12/2011 03:05 PM 2,377,380 A Book With A Cover - A N Author.pdf
07/12/2011 03:05 PM 21,423 cover.jpg

Directory of W:\eBook Library\SciFi\A N Author\Just Another Book (123)

11/12/2011 05:05 PM 91,585 Just Another Book - A N Author.pdf

Directory of W:\eBook Library\SciFi\A N Author\The First Book (122)

11/12/2011 05:05 PM 275,666 The First Book - A N Author.pdf

Is there anyway I can tell Calibre to import the books and use the source file names rather than the contents of the actual books?

theducks · 03-22-2012, 10:37 AM

Well, if there was an metadata.OPF file in each Book folder, it would be real easy because all you would need to do for the first step would be to switch/create to the 'other' Library and use Library maintenance to rebuild that Library.
Then you would be ready for step2

Select the titles you want: right click: Copy To Library: <your main Library name selected here>

louwin · 03-23-2012, 04:00 AM

no opf files I'm afraid

kovidgoyal · 03-23-2012, 04:27 AM

Right click add books and select add books from subfolders (one book per folder)

louwin · 03-23-2012, 09:07 AM

Will this work if some folders (quite a few actually) have the same book on two different formats?

As in the example, the same book in epub AND mobi formats.

kovidgoyal · 03-23-2012, 09:25 AM

They will be imported as separate books, you can use the duplicate finder plugin after the import completes to find such things.

03-22-2012, 08:41 AM	#1
louwin Newbie Nerd Posts: 114 Karma: 1000354 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Perth, Western Australia Device: iPad 3 64Gb Black	How do I import an old Calibre Library? I have a folder which I suspect was a Calibre Library some time ago. It has since been maintained outside Calibre but it has the correct format (I think). So I imported the books from it. Even though the file names are the perfect form, Calibre went back to the books to extract details so I have lots of books called "Prologue", "Chapter 1" and "Default". In fact the better part of the collection is incorrectly named. Below is an example of the format of the library:- Volume in drive W is Portable Volume Serial Number is 700A-7A43 Directory of W:\eBook Library\SciFi\A N Author 12/03/2012 07:22 AM <DIR> A Book With 2 Formats (1247) 12/03/2012 07:15 AM <DIR> A Book With A Cover (1247) 12/03/2012 07:13 AM <DIR> Just Another Book (123) 12/03/2012 07:12 AM <DIR> The First Book (122) Directory of W:\eBook Library\SciFi\A N Author\A Book With 2 Formats (1247) 07/12/2011 03:05 PM 2,377,380 A Book With 2 Formats - A N Author.epub 31/12/2011 02:17 PM 843,540 A Book With 2 Formats - A N Author.mobi 07/12/2011 03:05 PM 19,400 cover.jpg Directory of W:\eBook Library\SciFi\A N Author\A Book With A Cover (1247) 07/12/2011 03:05 PM 2,377,380 A Book With A Cover - A N Author.pdf 07/12/2011 03:05 PM 21,423 cover.jpg Directory of W:\eBook Library\SciFi\A N Author\Just Another Book (123) 11/12/2011 05:05 PM 91,585 Just Another Book - A N Author.pdf Directory of W:\eBook Library\SciFi\A N Author\The First Book (122) 11/12/2011 05:05 PM 275,666 The First Book - A N Author.pdf Is there anyway I can tell Calibre to import the books and use the source file names rather than the contents of the actual books?

03-23-2012, 09:07 AM	#5
louwin Newbie Nerd Posts: 114 Karma: 1000354 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Perth, Western Australia Device: iPad 3 64Gb Black	Further question Will this work if some folders (quite a few actually) have the same book on two different formats? As in the example, the same book in epub AND mobi formats.

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03-22-2012, 10:37 AM	#2
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 30,321 Karma: 58000000 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	Well, if there was an metadata.OPF file in each Book folder, it would be real easy because all you would need to do for the first step would be to switch/create to the 'other' Library and use Library maintenance to rebuild that Library. Then you would be ready for step2 Select the titles you want: right click: Copy To Library: <your main Library name selected here>

03-23-2012, 04:00 AM	#3
louwin Newbie Nerd Posts: 114 Karma: 1000354 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Perth, Western Australia Device: iPad 3 64Gb Black	no opf files I'm afraid

03-23-2012, 04:27 AM	#4
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 44,293 Karma: 23661992 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Right click add books and select add books from subfolders (one book per folder)

03-23-2012, 09:25 AM	#6
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 44,293 Karma: 23661992 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	They will be imported as separate books, you can use the duplicate finder plugin after the import completes to find such things.

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