What file contains the data for Apple Books "My Collections"?

[blackxacto]

19,1 iMac, Monterey 12.4:

I updated to Monterey 12.4, "My Collections" data in Apple Books disappeared. So now I have ONE GIANT jumbled library of pdfs, books, audiobooks.

Anyone know what file held the data for the collections before I upgraded to 12.4?

 

[blackxacto]

Whoa, it only took four hours to reorganize my book, pdf, audiobook collection. That ain't bad, F____!

 

[Akhwel]

Old thread, but I had the same or at least similar problem and couldn't find any solution. My Collections was suddenly empty on MacOS, but still ok in my iPhone and iPad. On MacOS Books I could click "New Collection" button just to get multiple "Untitled Collection N" collections on other devices, but the MacOS Books wouldn't even show those.

Finally digged deeper and checked what the files are Books is using. In terminal when Books is running:

lsof -c Books

The relevant folder for me was: ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.iBooksX
Note, I have iCloud syncing on and backups of the epub ebook files so this was pretty safe operation for me to move the whole folder, not sure if you have only local book files in Books.
So closed Books, moved that folder to another location (just in case for backup!), rebooted Mac, started Books and then everything was fine again with My Collections.

 

[blackxacto]

Old thread, but I had the same or at least similar problem and couldn't find any solution. My Collections was suddenly empty on MacOS, but still ok in my iPhone and iPad. On MacOS Books I could click "New Collection" button just to get multiple "Untitled Collection N" collections on other devices, but the MacOS Books wouldn't even show those.

Finally digged deeper and checked what the files are Books is using. In terminal when Books is running:

lsof -c Books

The relevant folder for me was: /Library/Containers/com.apple.iBooksX
Note, I have iCloud syncing on and backups of the epub ebook files so this was pretty safe operation for me to move the whole folder, not sure if you have only local book files in Books.
So closed Books, moved that folder to another location (just in case for backup!), rebooted Mac, started Books and then everything was fine again with My Collections.

Are you accessing this folder in the System Library, or the User Library? I do keep backups of ~/library/containers/. . . and you are correct if I had done your method I didn’t have to lose 4 hours work. Thanks. But I keep at least 3 backups of the Books folders plus TimeMachine. I create many pdfs of articles I read. Sure as I trash a pdf, I will need to refer to it.

 

[Akhwel]

Are you accessing this folder in the System Library, or the User Library? I do keep backups of ~/library/containers/. . . and you are correct if I had done your method I didn’t have to lose 4 hours work. Thanks. But I keep at least 3 backups of the Books folders plus TimeMachine. I create many pdfs of articles I read. Sure as I trash a pdf, I will need to refer to it.

Thank you for noticing that, the path was missing the crucial tilde character. Fixed the post now. So the correct place is under the user home folder.

 

[blackxacto]

Thank you for noticing that, the path was missing the crucial tilde character. Fixed the post now. So the correct place is under the user home folder.

Thanks