Calibre, box.com, & multiple PC's, help!!!

[Naloomi]

Good evening,

I've been dealing with an issue for the last couple of years, and was wondering if anyone had a solution for me.

I use Calibre on my local machine and I sync my calibre library to box.com so that if something ever happens to my local drive (has before, will again) I have an online backup. I also like the fact that with box sync that as I update the updates sync online automatically without me thinking about it.

Here is where the problem comes in. I want to edit my library on multiple computers. This has worked in the past however there has been an issue that I am trying to overcome.


Syncing between multiple computers using box.com as the intermediary - What sometimes happens is that PC A (A) gets updated. It then updates Box.com (B), which then downloads to PC C (C). Somewhere in the mix A updates B when C has already updated B, instead of B updating A from the updates it got from C.

How can I force the most recent copy to update the older copies without causing confusion? I don't want A to update B when B is newer and when B should be updating A instead.

Thoughts? Ideas? HELP!!!!

Thank you.
Chris aka Naloomi

[theducks]

First rule:
Only ONE calibre started at any time
AND
not started until the sync is done on the PC

I might suggest NOT making changes in multiple locations on the same Library (image).
For New books, I use a Intake Library for the prep work, then move the books to Main
If the MAIN PC is not always used, you might try a Remote Desktop/VNC type solution where you do the work by Remote Control.

[eschwartz]

I use Dropbox, not Box.com, but the theory is the same.

Before starting calibre, I start Dropbox and make sure it is fully synced.
Pause Dropbox.
Start calibre.
[...]
Close calibre.
Resume Dropbox, make sure it fully syncs.

In other words, make sure that everything agrees at all times, and don't let them run simultaneously.



There is no especial trick except being diligent about not slipping up and running calibre without making sure that Dropbox is synced first.

[Naloomi]

That's what I was afraid of. It precludes the ability to have multiple people assist in updating metadata, correcting items, duplicates, etc.

Okay. Thanks for the intel.

Chris aka Naloomi

[eschwartz]

No, it just requires you to trust them to be careful and finish syncing first. And a bit of luck or scheduling to make sure two people don't work on it at the same time.

Think of it like a word document. What happens if you store a word document in there, and multiple people need to edit it? Pretend the fancy-shmancy brand new collaboration features don't exist.

...

Alternatively, the upcoming calibre v3 is expected to have read/write capabilities in the server.
Essentially, you will be able to run calibre on one computer and connect to it from other computers as a cloud service. (This is especially interesting to those who have moved over to a Chromebook, I guess.)
Also, collaboration!

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Naloomi

That's what I was afraid of. It precludes the ability to have multiple people assist in updating metadata, correcting items, duplicates, etc.

Okay. Thanks for the intel.

Chris aka Naloomi

Split OFF (move) a bunch of books into a separate Library that only 1 'Helper' works on, then merge (copy to Library) back into Main when they are done