Can you mirror a calibre installation?

[Chris_Snow]

I'd like to install calibre on my wife's puter and have it the exact same as my own install. I'm not sure how I can achieve this.

I was hoping that calibre could easily export the current library onto her machine and that would be it, but it doesn't appear to do this.

I've seen that some people use synctoy to keep two libraries in sync. I've searched this site, but not sure what I should actually be looking for.

I guess to have a mirror setup the libraries would have to be identical (and the metadata db), along with all the settings / plugin files from calibre. Is this correct?

Is there an easy way to achieve this?

Appreciate any input., Thx

[Adoby]

Since calibre is a single user program it is not possible to share the same data between two installs. So there is no perfect solution.

Instead you will have to make sure that the two installs doesn't run simultaneously and that you sync all changes after you quit calibre on one computer, and start it on another. Doable, but it will most likely fail sooner or later.

However, this is only if there are changes made to the database and library. If you can have one install being "read-only" then things will become much easier. The you just have to sync to that computer, and not from. And you can suddenly run both installs simultaneously.

The easiest way is perhaps to have a central backup copy. A. Preferably on a NAS that is always on.
Whenever install B exit calibre it runs a sync to update A with the latest changes.
Whenever install C start calibre I runs a sync to update C from A.

When you start calibre you run a script. So the commands to sync could be put in that script. I use rsync for my syncing needs. There are many other sync utilities to find if you google.

There are other alternatives as well.
You could get a third shared computer just to run calibre. And run the calibre server from that computer to give access to all the books. Or run the computer remotely using some remote desktop software. VNC for instance.

Yet another method could be to decide that your wife handles one calibre library, with one type of books. And you handle another. So you each have a read-only library and a read-write library. And setup sync using ABC and abc as above for that. A little clunky...

Perhaps best of all would be to get a portable hard drive, and install portable calibre on that. Then there is a guarantee that only one person can use the libreary at the same time, and both have full access. Of course this is only best if you only use calibre to maintain the library and upload books to some reading devices, and don't use calibre to actually read the books.

Also it should be avoided to use the same calibre library using different operating systems. Differences between how operating systems handle filenames may cause data loss. And it is NOT safe to access the calibre library using a shared folder. That may also cause data loss.

[hunnymonster]

Calibre Portable on a flash stick or on a NAS...

Only issue I seem to have is that the installer doesn't seem to like the UNC of the NAS installation.

And as above make sure its not being used from more than one place at a time.

[fidvo]

Originally Posted by hunnymonster

Calibre Portable on a flash stick or on a NAS...

Only issue I seem to have is that the installer doesn't seem to like the UNC of the NAS installation.

And as above make sure its not being used from more than one place at a time.

I second the use of Calibre Portable. Here's the system I would recommend:

Set up Calibre Portable on one of the computers. Install the plugins you want, modify the preferences, and copy the library files into the Calibre Portable library folder.

Once you have it set up the way you want, to transfer to the other computer, just copy the entire Calibre Portable folder over. Any time you want to transfer it again (e.g. after updates or adding new books), delete the folder on the second computer and copy the files over again.

The biggest caveat with using this method is that you should only make changes on one of the computers. When adding books, add them to the library on the same computer each time, and when changing preferences or installing plugins, only do it on that same computer. If you follow this rule, keeping two libraries in sync is trivial.

[Chris_Snow]

Thx muchly for the insight. Lots to think about.

The 2nd installation (wife's) would be only for viewing the library (no mods or book additions) so read only would be okay. How is this done in windows? Mark the folder read-only? Actually, it would be preferential that the wife CAN'T change anything in the library.

I would like calibre to have the same plugins and columns / settings etc though on the 2nd machine.

I have some tinkering to do I see. Thx again.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Chris_Snow

Thx muchly for the insight. Lots to think about.

The 2nd installation (wife's) would be only for viewing the library (no mods or book additions) so read only would be okay. How is this done in windows? Mark the folder read-only? Actually, it would be preferential that the wife CAN'T change anything in the library.

I would like calibre to have the same plugins and columns / settings etc though on the 2nd machine.

I have some tinkering to do I see. Thx again.

EASY-Peasy
Run the Calibre Content server on your desktop
She uses Firefox (web browser) the search and access books using the URL (IP) for your system,
She can 'download' the selected book either to her PC or move it to her reader (if her device has a browser, the browser works Direct.

[Chris_Snow]

Originally Posted by theducks

EASY-Peasy
Run the Calibre Content server on your desktop
She uses Firefox (web browser) the search and access books using the URL (IP) for your system,
She can 'download' the selected book either to her PC or move it to her reader (if her device has a browser, the browser works Direct.

Thx, I'll give this a look as well. The only downside (if you can call it that) is that my pc has to be on. I like this option. Thx

[jscarbo]

Maybe I'm missing something but if you store your calibre library in a dropbox folder and use the same dropbox account on both computers as explained here, wouldn't that do it? https://www.dropbox.com/help/4/en

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by jscarbo

Maybe I'm missing something but if you store your calibre library in a dropbox folder and use the same dropbox account on both computers as explained here, wouldn't that do it? https://www.dropbox.com/help/4/en

Yes, but the content server is easier to find stuff in, since you have all sorts of wonderful calibre searches you can do. It even shows the summary comments, and good luck finding that in Windows Explorer!

[Chris_Snow]

I had a quick look at Dropbox, and I don't think it's what I'm looking for. I certainly don't want to have to do something through a website!

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by Chris_Snow

I had a quick look at Dropbox, and I don't think it's what I'm looking for. I certainly don't want to have to do something through a website!

Then the Calibre Content Server isn't what you're looking for either, I assume...

Well, to each his own. I find it useful, but you don't have to.

Maybe you could use a script to check if calibre is running on the other computer (it will create a synced lock file and test for it before startup) and replace that as the way to start calibre. You'd have to replace all the desktop shortcuts and stuff to prevent accidents.