Backing Up Calibre Library

[JohnnyRocks]

Is there a way to back up (to a completely different hard drive), the complete calibre libarary? Books, metadata, the whole kit and kaboodle? Is it as simple as simply copying from the currention location to the desired backup location?

I tried searching for this but could not come up with anything. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

One of my hard drives in my RAID5 array has failed and I want to back up before losing any data.

[kovidgoyal]

http://calibre-ebook.com/user_manual...o-i-backup-app

[cybmole]

everything you need, apart from the program itself is in 2 locations:

on my PC they are
C:\Users\....\AppData\Roaming\calibre
C:\Users\...\Documents\Calibre Library

backup all of those 2 folders.

app data has your GUI settings, conversion preferences.....

library has your books & metatdata.

I think app data also has your plug ins but that they have to be re-installed on the back up PC - they don't transfer automatically.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by cybmole

I think app data also has your plug ins but that they have to be re-installed on the back up PC - they don't transfer automatically.

I haven't tried a restore, But I'd bet a diet coke that the plugins will not have to be reinstalled if you copy the proper configuration directory as you suggest.

I know this because I run from dropbox on multiple computers and only install the plugins once on whatever machine I happen to be on at the time.

[cybmole]

Originally Posted by dwanthny

I haven't tried a restore, But I'd bet a diet coke that the plugins will not have to be reinstalled if you copy the proper configuration directory as you suggest.

I know this because I run from dropbox on multiple computers and only install the plugins once on whatever machine I happen to be on at the time.

1 raise the bet to 2 diet cokes:-)

i set up calibre on a 2nd computer a few weeks back, copied everything, but found the open-with plug ins did NOT work until I reinstalled them. I think there's also confirmation somewhere in the plug in thread that they have to be reinstalled. now I could be wrong about this but I think the odds are in my favour.

[Dopedangel]

Originally Posted by cybmole

1 raise the bet to 2 diet cokes:-)

i set up calibre on a 2nd computer a few weeks back, copied everything, but found the open-with plug ins did NOT work until I reinstalled them. I think there's also confirmation somewhere in the plug in thread that they have to be reinstalled. now I could be wrong about this but I think the odds are in my favour.

You are right the plugins need to be installed on each computer.
I use dropbox for my calibre settings folder and the plugins only show for the computer I installed them on.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by Dopedangel

I use dropbox for my calibre settings folder and the plugins only show for the computer I installed them on.

Are you sure? Do you start calibre via a batch file pointing to your configuration folder in dropbox?

[cybmole]

i think we are right about needing to install on each -find a virgin computer & run a test -

but I don't quite understand why that is so, if it is so. I guess it is because a plug in has to be "installed" - you can't just drop one into a suitable folder & be done.

maybe calibre makes registry settings when plug-ins are added ? - the plug in authors should know ?

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by cybmole

i think we are right about needing to install on each -find a virgin computer & run a test

Just to make sure I'm not mis-observing things I am moving it to a virgin computer. I'll let you know how it works out.

Originally Posted by cybmole

but I don't quite understand why that is so, if it is so. I guess it is because a plug in has to be "installed" - you can't just drop one into a suitable folder & be done.

I need to find out if Dopedangel is running from a batch file and setting his configuration file accurately, because I do not install plugins more then once and they work on both of my machines. I do not need to install a plugin on both machines if I install on either machine it works on the other.

Bottom line is I'm bringing things to a virgin computer now and will report back.

[kiwidude]

Originally Posted by cybmole

maybe calibre makes registry settings when plug-ins are added ? - the plug in authors should know ?

Plugins cannot be installed by just dropping into the plugins folder within that local profile. They must be installed using either the GUI or the command line. There are no registry settings (remember Calibre is cross-platform).

Instead there are references to the plugins stored within the customize.py file within your profile. These references are stored as full file paths (not relative ones). So unless you have exactly the same user name, operating system and install location for user profiles on your other machine you will not be able to just copy across the Calibre profiles folder and expect plugins to work, they would need to be reinstalled.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by dwanthny

But I'd bet a diet coke that the plugins will not have to be reinstalled if you copy the proper configuration directory as you suggest.

It looks like I lost a diet coke.

Will this do instead?

Originally Posted by kiwidude

Instead there are references to the plugins stored within the customize.py file within your profile. These references are stored as full file paths (not relative ones). So unless you have exactly the same user name, operating system and install location for user profiles on your other machine you will not be able to just copy across the Calibre profiles folder and expect plugins to work, they would need to be reinstalled.

That explains why both of my machines work without error. I have different usernames but the same paths (program, config, library and temp files) on both XP machines. Most likely I am in the minority in my setup.

Thanks for the clarification.

[cybmole]

it also explains why my test failed - I was going from a win 7 desktop PC to a win XP netbook so the app data path is different.

still, we got everything nicely clarified & documented so cokes all around I reckon.

[chyron8472]

As well it would not work for me. My Dropbox folder on my Win7 desktop and my XP laptop are in the Public/All Users profile, adn as they have those in different locations...

still, I could get it to work if dropbox was in a standard location, such as c:\dropbox\... but I don't want to have to do that.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by chyron8472

still, I could get it to work if dropbox was in a standard location, such as c:\dropbox\... but I don't want to have to do that.

That is similar to how I have mine setup with both my calibre library and calibre config directory in my Dropbox. It was worth it to avoid the little things I kept running into.

[cybmole]

it is no big deal to re-install plug-ins, and can act as a reminder to check that you have latest updates.