Content Server Multiple Libraries with different views?

[jamng]

I'm not sure how to go about doing this. I think Calibre allows multiple libraries but it requires me to manually switch them.

Is there any way to have multiple "users" with different library views for the content server?

For example, I want my kids to have a selection of just their books, my wife would have access to everything except my technical journals (since she doesn't care about those anyway) and I'd be able to see everything?

The only way I can see it now is 2 different content servers?

[Manichean]

Originally Posted by jamng

Is there any way to have multiple "users" with different library views for the content server?

Yes, by running multiple servers. Note that you don't need to use a new library, you can also do what you want by using saved searches as restrictions.

[jamng]

Originally Posted by Manichean

Yes, by running multiple servers. Note that you don't need to use a new library, you can also do what you want by using saved searches as restrictions.

Saved searches? I'm not familiar with how this work. When they connect to the content server wouldn't they see all of the books until they hit the search function? ie, From their desktop or reader I just want them to see only the books they would see which I thought would work if there were different logins and books but if they're are all using the same login I would assume they would have the same access.

Can you elaborate?

[Starson17]

Originally Posted by jamng

Saved searches? I'm not familiar with how this work. When they connect to the content server wouldn't they see all of the books until they hit the search function? ie, From their desktop or reader I just want them to see only the books they would see which I thought would work if there were different logins and books but if they're are all using the same login I would assume they would have the same access.

Can you elaborate?

A server can be restricted to provide access to a subset of books in the library. The subset is defined by a saved search. On the GUI, you set the saved search you want to use for the restriction on the Preferences page where you turn on the server. ("Restriction (saved search) to apply")

I believe there's a command line option when doing this by command line, and you'll need that to run multiple servers at the same time.

[jamng]

Can you run 2 instances of Calibre on the same Windows machine with different saved searches or are the 2 instances limited to linux only?

How do I start multiple Windows instances?

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by jamng

Can you run 2 instances of Calibre on the same Windows machine with different saved searches or are the 2 instances limited to linux only?

You can't run multiple instances of calibre on any OS. You can run multiple instances of calibre-server.exe from the command line. You would need to setup a batch file with the proper options to run multiple instances.

Maybe someone who has done this will post some examples for you to follow.

[ilovejedd]

A couple of ways to accomplish this. The critical thing is to make sure you use a different port for each server instance.

First option would be to create a separate library for each user (imho, the easiest for you since you already seem to have separate libraries set-up). Just change the library path to the ones corresponding to the libraries you've set-up.
e.g.

@echo off
start /min calibre-server.exe -p 8080 --with-library "X:\PortableApps\CalibrePortable\Calibre Library"
start /min calibre-server.exe -p 8081 --with-library "X:\PortableApps\CalibrePortable\Mommy"
start /min calibre-server.exe -p 8082 --with-library "X:\PortableApps\CalibrePortable\Kids"

Second option is to have just one big library and create a saved search containing the books you want visible to certain users.
e.g.

@echo off
start /min calibre-server.exe -p 8080 --with-library "X:\PortableApps\CalibrePortable\Calibre Library"
start /min calibre-server.exe -p 8081 --with-library "X:\PortableApps\CalibrePortable\Calibre Library" --restriction "mommy"
start /min calibre-server.exe -p 8082 --with-library "X:\PortableApps\CalibrePortable\Calibre Library" --restriction "kids"

In either of the above examples, http://<your_ip_address>:8080 points to the main library, http://<your_ip_address>:8081 points to your wife's library and http://<your_ip_address>:8082 points to the kids' library.

[Starson17]

Originally Posted by ilovejedd

In either of the above examples, http://<your_ip_address>:8080 points to the main library, http://<your_ip_address>:8081 points to your wife's library and http://<your_ip_address>:8082 points to the kids' library.

It's also possible to set different username/passwords if needed.

[mclien]

have the same problem like jamng (only as a linux setup), so here is my question.
Setting up calibre the way ilovejedd suggest means the following (from my limmited experience with calibre):
1) you have one user act as librarien (no matter, just another admin task)
2) you have to access the library with your reader (most likely useing WLAN)

I'd like to have all users capable of starting calibre on thier clients using the contant server as "backbone" instead of an local library and then sending the ebooks via usb to the divice with the "send to device" Button.
Is there a way for that setup?

[Manichean]

Originally Posted by mclien

I'd like to have all users capable of starting calibre on thier clients using the contant server as "backbone" instead of an local library and then sending the ebooks via usb to the divice with the "send to device" Button.
Is there a way for that setup?

Not safely, unless you can make absolutely sure that ony one client is running at any given time. Multi-user capabilities are being developed, but there's no ETA.
Edit: Also, you won't be able to use the content server as a library. You'll have to share the library folder in a writeable manner. Did I mention you should ensure that only one client can connect at any time?

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by mclien

I'd like to have all users capable of starting calibre on thier clients using the contant server as "backbone" instead of an local library and then sending the ebooks via usb to the divice with the "send to device" Button.
Is there a way for that setup?

What you want does not currently exist. Kovid has been working on modifying the database to hand multiple simultaneous access. What kind of restrictions / permissions he might additionally implement is yet to be seen.

[mclien]

Originally Posted by Manichean

Not safely, unless you can make absolutely sure that ony one client is running at any given time. Multi-user capabilities are being developed, but there's no ETA.
Edit: Also, you won't be able to use the content server as a library. You'll have to share the library folder in a writeable manner.

That brings me back to this path of thought

Did I mention you should ensure that only one client can connect at any time?

not in this post :-)))

[Manichean]

Originally Posted by mclien

That brings me back to this path of thought

I saw that post after answering here. My *nix-fu isn't strong enough to answer, though I suspect the solution would be somewhat clunky.

[mclien]

Originally Posted by Manichean

I saw that post after answering here. My *nix-fu isn't strong enough to answer, though I suspect the solution would be somewhat clunky.

needed leo.org to get the meaning of "clunky. You are perhaps right from your point of view and to setup side of this idea. But after setting it up, the user side is perhaps sort of elegant and with the same convience to the user like a single-user desktop use of calibre.
OK, I didn't mention I haven't set up a WLAN inside my house, because of: paranoia and aversion of flooding may estate wich electromagnetic radiation.
And I tink using calibre on the desktop is more comfortable and faster than the contetnt server via WLAn and browser on the reader device..

[Manichean]

If some of the clients only should have read access, local caching and downward-only synchronization of the library for those clients may be a solution as well.