Help: Calibre issue with dropbox

[Josieb1]

I have two pc's that use the same Calibre library. I have the library loaded in Dropbox with both pc's pointing to it and generally it works okay, each time I open Calibre on either device it shows the same records, updating as dropbox sync's.

I say generally, a couple of times its not reflected the new records on the other pc even though Dropbox is fully sync'ed to that PC. I've tried to repoint the Calibre library on the pc that is missing records by using the run welcome wizard but even though the new books are in the Calibre folder in Dropbox (i,e in the folder I am selecting)the Calibre home page on that PC is not picking them up.

Is there a way to prevent this from happening or can I simply not expect Calibre to remain in sync on both pc's?

It's become a major problem today as I added over 35 new books last night to Calibre using my W7 laptop and they are not showing in Calibre on my Surface and its a real pain to reload them again. The Calibre library folder on the Surface does have those books but they are not showing in the Calibre software.

Any advice or help would be appreciated, thanks

[eschwartz]

YOU CANNOT DO THAT!!!!

realtime syncing of calibre is subject to race conditions -- calibre and dropbox fighting over who gets to modify the database and which copy is the real copy.
Especially if you run calibre at the same time on both computers! calibre keeps the database in-memory, and it won't pick up on outside changes until it restarts -- by which time you will either have an irreparably damaged database or a bad copy from the aforementioned fight.


Run calibre on one computer, with Dropbox paused. Close calibre. Sync Dropbox.
Switch to other computer. Sync Dropbox fully. Pause Dropbox. Run calibre. Close calibre. Sync Dropbox.

Repeat ad nauseam.

...

What you saw, files on disk that calibre doesn't know about, is the classic, canonical example of not following the above directions, and as a result, corrupting the database.

To fix:
Run Library Maintenance ==> Restore database.
Then run Check library. Verify that you don't have loose files floating around -- if you do, move them out of the library and re-add them.

[Josieb1]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

YOU CANNOT DO THAT!!!!

realtime syncing of calibre is subject to race conditions -- calibre and dropbox fighting over who gets to modify the database and which copy is the real copy.
Especially if you run calibre at the same time on both computers! calibre keeps the database in-memory, and it won't pick up on outside changes until it restarts -- by which time you will either have an irreparably damaged database or a bad copy from the aforementioned fight.


Run calibre on one computer, with Dropbox paused. Close calibre. Sync Dropbox.
Switch to other computer. Sync Dropbox fully. Pause Dropbox. Run calibre. Close calibre. Sync Dropbox.

Repeat ad nauseam.

...

What you saw, files on disk that calibre doesn't know about, is the classic, canonical example of not following the above directions, and as a result, corrupting the database.

To fix:
Run Library Maintenance ==> Restore database.
Then run Check library. Verify that you don't have loose files floating around -- if you do, move them out of the library and re-add them.

Thanks for the advice. I never have two PCs on at the same time but I will check what you have posted. I think my problem was a Dropbox issue after all as the version on my Surface failed to sync. I updated it with a beta version (the same version on my W7 laptop) and it synced all the files. I then just deleted any convicted metadata copies, so far it now looks okay.

[eschwartz]

So the files weren't even on that computer at all?

That *would* point to Dropbox as the culprit...

[Josieb1]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

So the files weren't even on that computer at all?

That *would* point to Dropbox as the culprit...

Initially I thought they were as the recents change icon showed the books but no they were not in the actual Calibre folder, which i didn't realise at first (so not quite sure why recents showed them .

I appreciate at some point this might become unmanageable, Dropbox lately seems to be unstable, but I'll persevere while I can. Thanks again for the help and advice.

[eschwartz]

I haven't noticed Dropbox being unstable it's always been quite manageable for me.

[DoctorOhh]

Dropbox is as stable as ever. After closing calibre on your computer you need to let Dropbox fully sync to the cloud before you shutdown your computer. And after logging into your Surface you have to let Dropbox start and fully sync before starting calibre or you will continue to have problems.

[Josieb1]

Originally Posted by DoctorOhh

Dropbox is as stable as ever. After closing calibre on your computer you need to let Dropbox fully sync to the cloud before you shutdown your computer. And after logging into your Surface you have to let Dropbox start and fully sync before starting calibre or you will continue to have problems.

When I was referring it's instability I was not taking about the sync with Calibre, I was talking about Dropbox generally.

On both my laptop and my Surface the current downloadable official version kept losing the icon at the bottom of the screen and no longer syncing. Dropbox Support were of no help so after hunting around for a solution I came across a beta version of Dropbox so I installed that on both devices. So far it's still working fine but IMO the fact that I need to use a beta version and not the official version is a concern. My laptop in W7 and my Surface W10.

It was exactly that issue on my Surface (which happened about a month after the Laptop) that caused me to write the first post on the thread.

If anyone knows why Dropbox closes and no longer syncs, dropping the icon at the bottom of the screen I'd be grateful for an answer.

[Terisa de morgan]

From time to time it happens to me at W7. I don't know the reason but, usually, I start it again and that's all. Too lazy to look at more, I'm afraid

[eschwartz]

I've never seen that.

Note: I am still using the 2.x version (GTK2) because the new icon is really ugly, and I don't need the gigantic size of bundled qt.

[cybmole]

Dropbox is flawless for me and very fast. If I edit a doc in dropbox on pc 1, with pc 2 also on, I hear the synched chime with seconds as the edit is uploaded and synched. But I use only a one way back up into dropbox for calibre files, I do not keep the live library there. I use dropbox live for things like to do lists, and for gaming related stuff, and to go between tablet and pc. Google sync is much slower, and there is no fire tablet app.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by Josieb1

On both my laptop and my Surface the current downloadable official version kept losing the icon at the bottom of the screen and no longer syncing.
...~~~...
If anyone knows why Dropbox closes and no longer syncs, dropping the icon at the bottom of the screen I'd be grateful for an answer.

I'm using version 3.8.8 on Windows 10 pro and Windows 7 Enterprise and have never had Dropbox drop out on me the way described. Good luck with your install.