Backup for Calibre

[dee1952]

Hi, I'm really new at this. Was interested in knowing what I needed to backup to ensure that my Calibre Info is safe?

[kiwidude]

From the user manual:
http://calibre-ebook.com/user_manual...o-i-backup-app

[Debby]

With help from others I created batch files that automatically back up my meta data every night.

See thread https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=83311&highlight=Debby&page=3


Automatically Back up Library and Meta data

Create 2 .bat files and run them in Windows Task Scheduler.


1. Robocopy – you probably already have it - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robocopy

2. Install Notepad++ (it’s free) to create .bat files - http://www.filehippo.com/download_notepad/

Highlight items in RED should be the location of your Files

Blue highlight is a NEW directory where you will save your backup – you only need quotes around file name if there is a space in your name. If there is not, then do not use them.

To copy Metadata: copy this into Notepad++ and save as .bat file

@echo off
REM metafile copy documents
Z:
cd\My Documents\Calibrelibrary\Familybks
if exist metadata.db.6 del metadata.db.6
if exist metadata.db.5 ren metadata.db.5 metadata.db.6
if exist metadata.db.4 ren metadata.db.4 metadata.db.5
if exist metadata.db.3 ren metadata.db.3 metadata.db.4
if exist metadata.db.2 ren metadata.db.2 metadata.db.3
if exist metadata.db.1 ren metadata.db.1 metadata.db.2
if exist metadata.db copy metadata.db metadata.db.1

robocopy "Z:\My Documents\Calibrelibrary\Familybks" F:\CalibreBU /s /purge /xo /r:1 /w:1

To copy entire library:
@echo off
REM copy documents
robocopy "Z:\My Documents\Calibrelibrary\Familybks" "Z:\My Documents\Calibre Saved Libraries\BatchFile BU" /s /purge /xo /r:1 /w:1
Finish

Place these files in a directory called Batch Files and go to Windows Scheduler and add them. Under Actions: Start a Program C:\Batch Files\whatever your name is. You can select how often you want it to run. I do mine daily at 2:00 am. That should be it!

Good Luck.

[Manichean]

Note that playing back a metadata.db backup from an earlier date than the library currently is at can lead to inconsistencies between the database and the directory structure. A full library backup should be your preferred backup method.
Calibre also already contains a mechanism that backs up the metadata with each change so that you can recreate the metadata.db should it get corrupted, so having a manual backup as well is redundant.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

I'm using Carbonite for my offsite backup. It automatically updates shortly after a file has been created, deleted, or altered (and maintains versions for a week). If I were to lose my library and my local backup, I will be able to restore my library from Carbonite. It's a little less than $5/month for unlimited capacity and I don't even have to think about it since everything is automatic..

[Starson17]

Originally Posted by Manichean

Note that playing back a metadata.db backup from an earlier date than the library currently is at can lead to inconsistencies between the database and the directory structure. A full library backup should be your preferred backup method.

It's preferred to do a full backup, but the core of Calibre is metadata.db. That file is small, so multiple backups are tiny. It keeps a complete list of all your books, authors, titles, file locations and other data about the status of your library in the past, which I find very useful in a disaster recovery. Yes, if you restore an old metadata.db to a new library, you will get some inconsistencies, but most of them can be corrected with the library error recovery and management tools.

Calibre also already contains a mechanism that backs up the metadata with each change so that you can recreate the metadata.db should it get corrupted, so having a manual backup as well is redundant.

Metadata.db keeps your custom recipes and other data that does not apply to a single book. That data is not found in the opf file for individual books. The bottom line is that a metadata.db backup can be very useful and yesterday's metadata.db is a backup I can make in seconds and will rapidly recover 99.8% of my Calibre install if metadata.db becomes corrupted. I still keep a full backup of all books, covers, and metadata.db, but I also keep the same rolling metadata.db backup described here. It's sort of a belt and suspenders thing.

[Manichean]

Originally Posted by Starson17

Metadata.db keeps your custom recipes and other data that does not apply to a single book. That data is not found in the opf file for individual books.

Ah, yes, you're right. I forgot about that sort of thing.

[Starson17]

Originally Posted by Manichean

Ah, yes, you're right. I forgot about that sort of thing.

I don't use the catalog function much, but I suspect it operates almost entirely on the metadata.db file. If I have backup copies of metadata.db, I suspect I can restore it to an empty directory and get various formatted catalogs of what was in my library previously. (I know I can get that info out using SQL, even if the catalog wouldn't run). That info is sometimes useful to me.

[nynaevelan]

I use SyncBack to back up my metadata.db, settings folder and book folders as well as keep a separate backup of the books and their opf files.

[edbro]

I put my library in Dropbox. Now I can access my books from any computer plus they are backed up to the web along with their metadata.

[diamante]

Originally Posted by Manichean

Calibre also already contains a mechanism that backs up the metadata with each change so that you can recreate the metadata.db should it get corrupted, so having a manual backup as well is redundant.

Could I ask you to describe this mechanism in a little more detail? Where can I find the backups?

[Manichean]

See the metadata.opf inside each book folder? Those are backups. There's a tool to reconstruct the database from that information.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by Manichean

See the metadata.opf inside each book folder? Those are backups. There's a tool to reconstruct the database from that information.

The tool is the Restore database menu item under the Library maintenance menu.

[Manichean]

Right, this is in the GUI as well, now...

[Starson17]

Originally Posted by Manichean

See the metadata.opf inside each book folder? Those are backups. There's a tool to reconstruct the database from that information.

I know you know this, but the tool reconstructs an approximation to the database, not the entire database. It misses a few things, most notably stored custom recipes.