Help with Calibre Portable and Linux - Page 5

bambuko · 03-29-2015, 04:08 PM

When I try to run it as user it insists that library database is corrupted and tries to repair it...
but there is nothing wrong with database - if I run it as root it is perfectly fine

Database is (as everything else) is read/write/modify by anybody.

The only issue I can think about, is that usb stick mounts in /media (which is only accessible as root).

eschwartz · 03-29-2015, 04:14 PM

Huh? I mean, /media is usually only writeable as root... but it should be readable by everyone, else how do you find your drives???

bambuko · 03-29-2015, 04:26 PM

I know... I am as puzzled as you are by this weird behaviour.

bambuko · 03-29-2015, 05:29 PM

SOLVED the problem
It would appear that when Calibre creates library database metadata.db and metadata_db_prefs_backup.json it assigns to them an owner "1000" with write permissions to owner only.
I never created these files so it didn't occur to me to check the owner until this particular problem.

Which of course meant that it was OK when running as root, but not as dogsbody.

Simple solution - was to manually change the owner (to root as everything else onm this usb stick)

All runs as clappers

What do you reckon about this?

BetterRed · 03-29-2015, 05:35 PM

I reckon you should get 1000 brownie points - when you installed and ran the welcome wizard who were you logged in as? I think that's when the files are created.

BR

bambuko · 03-29-2015, 05:47 PM

Don't know enough to quibble, but I never existed as "1000"

Most puzzling (although I must admit that this is the usual state of mind for me

)

eschwartz · 03-29-2015, 06:12 PM

Sounds like those files escaped the umask, I assume like everything else they were created before the current version of calibre-portable.sh -- so, the question is, when you originally did "chmod 777", did those files get skipped? Or is calibre overriding the umask, because I don't think it is.

bambuko · 03-29-2015, 06:29 PM

Now that I know what the problem was I will create brand new/virgin usb stick to test it all, because to be honest even if I knew the answers to your questions, I wouldn't be sure I am right...
I'll be back

ps... just realised - library directory was copied from backup directory created on another linux machine - had a look at it and all the directories are owned by "1024"
What's going on?
I am not a number....

it would appear (from my searches) that:

Quote:

...user id for users created on Linux systems starts from 1000 (at least on some) It is specified in /etc/login.defs file. So, a user with uid 1000 is the first normal user (non-root user) created on the system...

That would explain why files created by the system were given owner number.
Still doesn't explain why they have escaped umask?

eschwartz · 03-29-2015, 07:15 PM

Well, the umask only applies for newly-created files, hence why I asked if it works on a virgin library.

As far as the actual user account, those are stored as numbers, it is the OS that gives them username labels. They don't typically transfer well across systems -- at least, they don't automagically bind themselves to the user account you desire.

theducks · 03-29-2015, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bambuko

Now that I know what the problem was I will create brand new/virgin usb stick to test it all, because to be honest even if I knew the answers to your questions, I wouldn't be sure I am right...
I'll be back

ps... just realised - library directory was copied from backup directory created on another linux machine - had a look at it and all the directories are owned by "1024"
What's going on?
I am not a number....

it would appear (from my searches) that:

That would explain why files created by the system were given owner number.
Still doesn't explain why they have escaped umask?

All *nix users and groups have numbers assigned.
Look in /etc/passwd

Users assignments typically start at 1000

bambuko · 03-30-2015, 01:20 PM

OK...
re-created the usb stick and found the problem:
When copying library from it's backup location to usb stick all the directories change their owner from whatever it was in backup directory (in this particular case it happened to be 1024) to the root (which I am when doing the copying), but...
metadata.db and metadata_db_prefs_backup.json (and all the files inside sub-directories) do not change the owner and retain whatever it was originally (in this case 1024)

In doing so I have re-created exact issue I have reported before, and exactly as before if I run the script it reports that database is corrupted.
Ownership of the files inside sub-directories of library doesn't matter a hoot and Calibre is not bothered about it at all (once it gets going)
It is only the two database files that seem to bother it when starting

Luckily by now I know exactly what to do

go on the usb stick into the CalibreLibrary and manually modify the owner to root and Bob is your uncle

I am not knowledgeable enough to understand what is going on - I just report

For now I will modify my Library and use it OK.

eschwartz · 03-30-2015, 01:31 PM

Ownership of the files matters greatly. If you try to do anthying with them, you will soon see...

calibre doesn't try reading and writing to every file just because you launched the program, it maintains info in the database and tries to access the files as and when needed.

Try running calibre sometime with a database copy-pasted from a library into an empty folder. It will work... until it doesn't.

bambuko · 03-30-2015, 01:48 PM

OK, so what do I do with it?

I guess there is a Linux way of copying Library without loosing permissions and ownership?
Off to educate myself

eschwartz · 03-30-2015, 02:32 PM

Code:

cp -pr

manpages are useful

rsync -a (for archive) does that too.

Note: Must run as root in order to set ownership.

There you go, I've saved you the time to google the answer: answer being, "man cp".

bambuko · 03-30-2015, 02:51 PM

Starting totally from scratch, including installing Calibre directly into the stick (just in case this is also causing some grief) and then big cp of library and will report result!

03-30-2015, 01:20 PM	#71
bambuko Connoisseur Posts: 62 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2014 Device: Kobo mini, Kobo Clara HD	OK... re-created the usb stick and found the problem: When copying library from it's backup location to usb stick all the directories change their owner from whatever it was in backup directory (in this particular case it happened to be 1024) to the root (which I am when doing the copying), but... metadata.db and metadata_db_prefs_backup.json (and all the files inside sub-directories) do not change the owner and retain whatever it was originally (in this case 1024) In doing so I have re-created exact issue I have reported before, and exactly as before if I run the script it reports that database is corrupted. Ownership of the files inside sub-directories of library doesn't matter a hoot and Calibre is not bothered about it at all (once it gets going) It is only the two database files that seem to bother it when starting Luckily by now I know exactly what to do go on the usb stick into the CalibreLibrary and manually modify the owner to root and Bob is your uncle I am not knowledgeable enough to understand what is going on - I just report For now I will modify my Library and use it OK. Last edited by bambuko; 03-30-2015 at 01:25 PM.

03-30-2015, 01:48 PM	#73
bambuko Connoisseur Posts: 62 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2014 Device: Kobo mini, Kobo Clara HD	OK, so what do I do with it? I guess there is a Linux way of copying Library without loosing permissions and ownership? Off to educate myself Last edited by bambuko; 03-30-2015 at 02:17 PM.

03-30-2015, 02:32 PM	#74
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,422 Karma: 85397180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	Code: cp -pr manpages are useful rsync -a (for archive) does that too. Note: Must run as root in order to set ownership. There you go, I've saved you the time to google the answer: answer being, "man cp".

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03-29-2015, 04:08 PM	#61
bambuko Connoisseur Posts: 62 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2014 Device: Kobo mini, Kobo Clara HD	When I try to run it as user it insists that library database is corrupted and tries to repair it... but there is nothing wrong with database - if I run it as root it is perfectly fine Database is (as everything else) is read/write/modify by anybody. The only issue I can think about, is that usb stick mounts in /media (which is only accessible as root).

03-29-2015, 04:14 PM	#62
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,422 Karma: 85397180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	Huh? I mean, /media is usually only writeable as root... but it should be readable by everyone, else how do you find your drives???

03-29-2015, 04:26 PM	#63
bambuko Connoisseur Posts: 62 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2014 Device: Kobo mini, Kobo Clara HD	I know... I am as puzzled as you are by this weird behaviour.

03-29-2015, 05:29 PM	#64
bambuko Connoisseur Posts: 62 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2014 Device: Kobo mini, Kobo Clara HD	SOLVED the problem It would appear that when Calibre creates library database metadata.db and metadata_db_prefs_backup.json it assigns to them an owner "1000" with write permissions to owner only. I never created these files so it didn't occur to me to check the owner until this particular problem. Which of course meant that it was OK when running as root, but not as dogsbody. Simple solution - was to manually change the owner (to root as everything else onm this usb stick) All runs as clappers What do you reckon about this?

03-29-2015, 05:35 PM	#65
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 20,568 Karma: 26954694 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	I reckon you should get 1000 brownie points - when you installed and ran the welcome wizard who were you logged in as? I think that's when the files are created. BR

03-29-2015, 05:47 PM	#66
bambuko Connoisseur Posts: 62 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2014 Device: Kobo mini, Kobo Clara HD	Don't know enough to quibble, but I never existed as "1000" Most puzzling (although I must admit that this is the usual state of mind for me )

03-29-2015, 06:12 PM	#67
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,422 Karma: 85397180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	Sounds like those files escaped the umask, I assume like everything else they were created before the current version of calibre-portable.sh -- so, the question is, when you originally did "chmod 777", did those files get skipped? Or is calibre overriding the umask, because I don't think it is.

03-29-2015, 07:15 PM	#69
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,422 Karma: 85397180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	Well, the umask only applies for newly-created files, hence why I asked if it works on a virgin library. As far as the actual user account, those are stored as numbers, it is the OS that gives them username labels. They don't typically transfer well across systems -- at least, they don't automagically bind themselves to the user account you desire.

03-30-2015, 01:31 PM	#72
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,422 Karma: 85397180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	Ownership of the files matters greatly. If you try to do anthying with them, you will soon see... calibre doesn't try reading and writing to every file just because you launched the program, it maintains info in the database and tries to access the files as and when needed. Try running calibre sometime with a database copy-pasted from a library into an empty folder. It will work... until it doesn't.

03-30-2015, 02:51 PM	#75
bambuko Connoisseur Posts: 62 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2014 Device: Kobo mini, Kobo Clara HD	Starting totally from scratch, including installing Calibre directly into the stick (just in case this is also causing some grief) and then big cp of library and will report result!

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