Setting up Calibre Portable

tweebee · 11-03-2013, 08:55 PM

I have Calibre portable installed on a USB stick. I would like to have it configured the same as Calibre on my Windows laptop, including personalized settings, plugins, etc. Is it possible to copy config files/folders over to the USB to have them the same, or do I have to go through manually setting it up and install plugins again? I will have a new library on the USB stick so I'm not looking to move my library to the USB. Thanks!

eschwartz · 11-04-2013, 12:47 AM

I once wrote up a little something for this: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...84&postcount=5

PeterT · 11-04-2013, 01:04 AM

Isn't there an issue in that plugins can now also store settings / preferences in the metadata.db database?

eschwartz · 11-04-2013, 01:30 AM

I know for instance the Overdrive Link plugin saves the "manage discovered books" list in the db, but that is a per-library setting and makes sense that it should be there, not in calibre config.

In any event, the important thing is to avoid using hard-coded paths when you move the calibre config data. The databases on the other hand were built from the ground up to be movable and not dependant on a specific location in the filesystem. I am not aware that any plugin tries to mess this up -- they either store their config in %APPDATA%\calibre\plugins\mypluginconfig.json or else as specific types of info associated with a book.

Overdrive Link has manage found books, which is just a list of titles and overdrive weblinks,
Goodreads sync has info about your account in the json, and adds identifier metadata to the db,
Annotations saves stuff as a comment in a custom column plus json stuff,
plus other plugins I either don't use or don't have the patience to enumerate,
and I'm pretty sure they could ALWAYS do that.

The moral of the story is: don't worry, it's safe.

eschwartz · 11-04-2013, 01:49 AM

I would like to add the following advice: if you will be using calibre Portable, you should use the Portableapps.com version rather than the one kovid supplies on calibre-ebook.com since the portableapps.com version supports multiple libraries and Kovid's does not. Also I like the integration with the Portableapps.com launcher, since I have a big list of portable apps installed on my flash drive.

DoctorOhh · 11-04-2013, 02:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eschwartz

since the portableapps.com version supports multiple libraries and Kovid's does not.

You may have valid reasons for recommending the portableapps version but your assertion that calibre portable does not support multiple libraries is wrong.

Quote:

Release: 0.8.70 [21 Sep, 2012]

New Features

Calibre Portable: Add support for multiple libraries created inside the 'Calibre Portable' folder.

eschwartz · 11-04-2013, 02:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DoctorOhh

You may have valid reasons for recommending the portableapps version but your assertion that calibre portable does not support multiple libraries is wrong.

Oh, thanks. I wonder how I missed that?

At_Libitum · 11-04-2013, 09:34 AM

And a word of warning.

If you DO go with the PortableApps version, AND you place your Libraries inside the 'portable' folder structure. Be sure to move them out of that folder structure if you ever decide to uninstall Calibre via the PortableApps method as it WILL kill your libraries. I would advise to not put them there but in the portable documents folder.

But, if you do decide to go PortableApps, it has a relatively unknown feature. When an update is released to Calibre Portable, just download the official Calibre portable release, place the file in the same folder as the portable apps launcher and it will automagically update Calibre in portable apps structure. Just be sure to remove the update after it's done or it will do the same on the next launch (even though it's already updated, the mere presence of the file triggers the process)

eschwartz · 11-04-2013, 04:16 PM

Actually, the PortableApps version removes the official release as part of the update process. And yes, that is why I will still prefer the PortableApps version even now that Kovid added multiple libraries (HOW did I miss that???) since Kovids still is annoying to install in a long path. Just install to the Desktop then move into PortableApps\calibrePortable and it all done.

tweebee · 11-05-2013, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eschwartz

I once wrote up a little something for this: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...84&postcount=5

I got it working now. Thanks for the info!

11-03-2013, 08:55 PM	#1
tweebee Enthusiast Posts: 46 Karma: 182 Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Boynton Beach, Florida Device: Kindle Oasis 2, Kindle Paperwhite 3	Setting up Calibre Portable I have Calibre portable installed on a USB stick. I would like to have it configured the same as Calibre on my Windows laptop, including personalized settings, plugins, etc. Is it possible to copy config files/folders over to the USB to have them the same, or do I have to go through manually setting it up and install plugins again? I will have a new library on the USB stick so I'm not looking to move my library to the USB. Thanks!

11-04-2013, 09:34 AM	#8
At_Libitum Addict Posts: 265 Karma: 724240 Join Date: Aug 2013 Device: KyBook	And a word of warning. If you DO go with the PortableApps version, AND you place your Libraries inside the 'portable' folder structure. Be sure to move them out of that folder structure if you ever decide to uninstall Calibre via the PortableApps method as it WILL kill your libraries. I would advise to not put them there but in the portable documents folder. But, if you do decide to go PortableApps, it has a relatively unknown feature. When an update is released to Calibre Portable, just download the official Calibre portable release, place the file in the same folder as the portable apps launcher and it will automagically update Calibre in portable apps structure. Just be sure to remove the update after it's done or it will do the same on the next launch (even though it's already updated, the mere presence of the file triggers the process) Last edited by At_Libitum; 11-04-2013 at 09:39 AM.

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11-04-2013, 12:47 AM	#2
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	I once wrote up a little something for this: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...84&postcount=5

11-04-2013, 01:04 AM	#3
PeterT Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,693 Karma: 79983758 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Toronto Device: Libra H2O, Libra Colour	Isn't there an issue in that plugins can now also store settings / preferences in the metadata.db database?

11-04-2013, 01:30 AM	#4
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	I know for instance the Overdrive Link plugin saves the "manage discovered books" list in the db, but that is a per-library setting and makes sense that it should be there, not in calibre config. In any event, the important thing is to avoid using hard-coded paths when you move the calibre config data. The databases on the other hand were built from the ground up to be movable and not dependant on a specific location in the filesystem. I am not aware that any plugin tries to mess this up -- they either store their config in %APPDATA%\calibre\plugins\mypluginconfig.json or else as specific types of info associated with a book. Overdrive Link has manage found books, which is just a list of titles and overdrive weblinks, Goodreads sync has info about your account in the json, and adds identifier metadata to the db, Annotations saves stuff as a comment in a custom column plus json stuff, plus other plugins I either don't use or don't have the patience to enumerate, and I'm pretty sure they could ALWAYS do that. The moral of the story is: don't worry, it's safe.

11-04-2013, 01:49 AM	#5
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	I would like to add the following advice: if you will be using calibre Portable, you should use the Portableapps.com version rather than the one kovid supplies on calibre-ebook.com since the portableapps.com version supports multiple libraries and Kovid's does not. Also I like the integration with the Portableapps.com launcher, since I have a big list of portable apps installed on my flash drive.

11-04-2013, 04:16 PM	#9
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	Actually, the PortableApps version removes the official release as part of the update process. And yes, that is why I will still prefer the PortableApps version even now that Kovid added multiple libraries (HOW did I miss that???) since Kovids still is annoying to install in a long path. Just install to the Desktop then move into PortableApps\calibrePortable and it all done.