PC and MAC databases: Are they compatinble?

Greg Waddell · 06-06-2013, 05:22 PM

Hi,

I am running both a PC and an iMAC.
Both machines have Calibre installed.
I have both installations pointing to the same database on Dropbox.
I already know that I must not access the DB from different machines at the same time.

My question: Are there any compatibility issues between how MAC maintains the database and how Windows maintains the database? OR is it essentially the same database?

Just wanting to get a heads up before diving into this.

Greg

P.S. Sorry about the mispelling in the title. Don't know how to edit the title.

kovidgoyal · 06-06-2013, 10:10 PM

THe main problem is that on windows the maximum path length is much shorter than on os x. If you dont have any books with long title/many authors, you will never come across this issue, but if you do, you can end up with problems. The database format itself is the same on all platforms. The problems come from differing filesystems.

Greg Waddell · 06-07-2013, 11:30 AM

Well, I do have some scholarly papers with terribly long titles -- or do you mean the actual name of the file?

kovidgoyal · 06-07-2013, 12:06 PM

The name of the file is derived from the title and the authors.

itimpi · 06-07-2013, 02:11 PM

Is it worth considering some sort of 'compatible file path mode' setting which causes Calibre to use the most restrictive of the path length settings across all the OS it supports? That might be a way to make accessing the same library from multiple OS less error prone?

kovidgoyal · 06-07-2013, 08:39 PM

That's not a road I want to go down. There can be other incompatibilities, like case sensitivity (file systems on OS X can be case sensitive or not, depending on user settings). Once I start saying multiple OS access is supported, people are going to expect it to work without problems and that is not possible to guarantee. For instance, what if someone turns on that setting on an existing library? It will then apply for newly added/moved books but there could be older books with issues.

Greg Waddell · 06-14-2013, 12:01 PM

I have had zero problems so far accessing the same db from my mac and from my pc. I'm a happy camper.

twowheels · 06-14-2013, 12:56 PM

I was using it between Linux & Windows for a while... it was working well.

Adoby · 06-14-2013, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twowheels

I was using it between Linux & Windows for a while... it was working well.

Take care, the filesystems are very different :

In Windows the filenames "A filename.epub" and "A Filename.epub" identical and will overwrite so one of them disappear. In Linux they are two different files and can exist side by side.

twowheels · 06-14-2013, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adoby

Take care, the filesystems are very different :

In Windows the filenames "A filename.epub" and "A Filename.epub" identical and will overwrite so one of them disappear. In Linux they are two different files and can exist side by side.

I'm aware of that, but had no problems with that while I was using it. That said, I don't really use Calibre much anymore as I don't maintain a library of past books since I never re-read.

Greg Waddell · 06-21-2013, 03:59 PM

I am using Calibre as my general file management system. I don't just have books there but all kinds of documents. I have found this the best way to archive and find files.

06-06-2013, 05:22 PM	#1
Greg Waddell WTMaxx Posts: 28 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: USA Device: Calibre	PC and MAC databases: Are they compatinble? Hi, I am running both a PC and an iMAC. Both machines have Calibre installed. I have both installations pointing to the same database on Dropbox. I already know that I must not access the DB from different machines at the same time. My question: Are there any compatibility issues between how MAC maintains the database and how Windows maintains the database? OR is it essentially the same database? Just wanting to get a heads up before diving into this. Greg P.S. Sorry about the mispelling in the title. Don't know how to edit the title. Last edited by Greg Waddell; 06-06-2013 at 05:23 PM. Reason: Mispelling

06-07-2013, 11:30 AM	#3
Greg Waddell WTMaxx Posts: 28 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: USA Device: Calibre	Re: PC and MAC database: Are they compatible? Well, I do have some scholarly papers with terribly long titles -- or do you mean the actual name of the file?

06-14-2013, 12:01 PM	#7
Greg Waddell WTMaxx Posts: 28 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: USA Device: Calibre	No Problems So Far I have had zero problems so far accessing the same db from my mac and from my pc. I'm a happy camper.

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06-06-2013, 10:10 PM	#2
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,853 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	THe main problem is that on windows the maximum path length is much shorter than on os x. If you dont have any books with long title/many authors, you will never come across this issue, but if you do, you can end up with problems. The database format itself is the same on all platforms. The problems come from differing filesystems.

06-07-2013, 12:06 PM	#4
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,853 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	The name of the file is derived from the title and the authors.

06-07-2013, 02:11 PM	#5
itimpi Wizard Posts: 4,552 Karma: 950151 Join Date: Nov 2008 Device: Sony PRS-950, iphone/ipad (Marvin/iBooks/QuickReader)	Is it worth considering some sort of 'compatible file path mode' setting which causes Calibre to use the most restrictive of the path length settings across all the OS it supports? That might be a way to make accessing the same library from multiple OS less error prone?

06-07-2013, 08:39 PM	#6
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,853 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	That's not a road I want to go down. There can be other incompatibilities, like case sensitivity (file systems on OS X can be case sensitive or not, depending on user settings). Once I start saying multiple OS access is supported, people are going to expect it to work without problems and that is not possible to guarantee. For instance, what if someone turns on that setting on an existing library? It will then apply for newly added/moved books but there could be older books with issues.

06-14-2013, 12:56 PM	#8
twowheels Wizard Posts: 1,786 Karma: 13412766 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: Kobo Clara HD, iPad Pro 10", iPhone 15 Pro	I was using it between Linux & Windows for a while... it was working well.

06-21-2013, 03:59 PM	#11
Greg Waddell WTMaxx Posts: 28 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: USA Device: Calibre	I am using Calibre as my general file management system. I don't just have books there but all kinds of documents. I have found this the best way to archive and find files.

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