Opening a database

All My Books reopens the last collection you used, so most of the time you do not have to open anything by hand.

1. Choose Database › Open… (Ctrl+O).
2. Select an .amb file.
3. Click Open.

Database › Reopen lists the collections you used recently — usually quicker than browsing. Double-clicking an .amb file in Windows Explorer opens it too.

If the collection is protected

A collection with a password asks for it before opening. A collection protected only against changes opens in read-only mode: you can search, sort, print and export, and Database › Get write access… unlocks editing. See Password protection.

If the file will not open

• The file is damaged. All My Books repairs it silently: it compacts the database, keeps the pre-repair state next to it as a .compactbak file, and opens the repaired copy. Nothing is lost unless the damage is severe.
• The folder is read-only. The collection opens in read-only mode and a message says so. Move the file somewhere you can write to, or fix the folder permissions.
• The database components do not start. All My Books works with the collection through Microsoft ADO, a part of Windows. If those components are broken, the program says so on startup (All My Books cannot start) rather than failing silently. This is a fault of Windows itself: open Command Prompt as administrator, run sfc /scannow and restart the computer. If that does not help, on Windows 8, 10 or 11 run DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth, then sfc /scannow once more, and restart again. Still no luck? Send us the error code shown in the message.

See also Compressing the database and Making a backup.