Quote:
Originally Posted by ShellShock
Calibre library on local storage
The Calibre library is stored entirely on the local file system, and all file I/O from the local Calibre process is to the local file system, as normal. In addition, there is a separate file syncing process (e.g., Dropbox) that synchronises the library files with a remote copy e.g., in the cloud.
This is the scenario I use and am familiar with. Here the situation is more nuanced. I use it to partly backup my library, but mainly to enable me to download epubs in the library (synced to the Dropbox cloud) to my IPad for reading, using an IOS Dropbox client.
We can assume that Calibre needs full access to the files in its library, for reads and writes, and will use shared as well as exclusive locks (e.g., for writes).
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One issue being that file locking involving a network connection can be very iffy.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ShellShock
Ideally, we want the syncing process to only use shared reads on the library so as not to interfere with Calibre. I take the risk that, as long as I only change library files using Calibre, then Dropbox will detect these changes and use a shared read to copy the changed files to the Dropbox cloud.
It is also possible to pause Dropbox synchronisation whilst using Calibre, to be double-sure.
I consider the trade-off of potential file corruption versus the convenience of remote access to my ebooks is worth it, but others should decide this for themselves.
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Stopping synchronization between a local copy and a remote copy while using calibre is, currently, the only process I would consider safe. Unfortunately most cloud services use a 2 way sync. Everyone should get to choose the level of risk they are comfortable with. I would prefer if the complaints when the bear stops dancing were sent to /dev/null.
I can access my cloud backups from anywhere but those are copies that are only touched by the backup process. Since I can access Dropbox or Google Drive directly from my ereaders, that those copies might be a day or two out of date is not a big worry to me.