Multiple user questions

[mclien]

I read some posts and manuals/howtos, but didn't find the right things.
How i would love to have it work:
What I have:
-a Linux server (file and mail server) inside my home-LAN
-2 user groups (2adults, 2children)
-several linux-PCs (which use the file/mail server)

How I#d like to run Calibre in this environment:
-having the ebooks stored centrally on the server
-having metedata database stored individually for each user (because the users would rate, tag etc. the books diffrently)
-having books, which are acessable only by one group (18+ books e.g.)

Is there a way to get this set up by using internal linux functions, like two groups (ebook and ebok18 e.g.) and links to have a consistent content of the ebooks?

BTW: i won't mind to have "special user(s) to fill the "ebook content" part of this construct

EDIT: main idea was: store the content of the books in a /data- path, which is nfs mount to the server. And store the meta part in each users home-dir. While all hme dirs are nfs mounts on the server, too (user work via NIS)
/EDIT

[itimpi]

Calibre is not designed to be multi-user, and the Calibre metadata database is tightly bound to the actual ebook files, so I do not think you can do what you want.

[mclien]

the content server "only delivers the ebooks for reading in the browser, right (din't found much onfo about that)

[theducks]

Originally Posted by mclien

the content server "only delivers the ebooks for reading in the browser, right (din't found much onfo about that)

Yes!
The content server is read only from the clients end.
This rules out individual (per user) tagging.

BTW Tags, Ratings are just another part of the Data inside metadata.db (and I don't think it would be a trivial task to make it into a per user data set)
At best, you could create custom columns for each users ratings and tags
and have a Librarian apply the changes.

[mclien]

Tat would mean at least 2 libraries and 2 librarians (to seperate the adult books from the others).
And you have to use the librarian user to upload content to your eBookreader. :-(
Or you have to "sudo-ing" the "real" users, so they can start calibre with a script as the calibre user(s).
So copying all new books tfor every user and use calibre per user is easier.

All this variants are not very*nix like, though.

Perhaps it's worth to think about what has to be done to get calibre multiuser.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by mclien

the content server "only delivers the ebooks for reading in the browser, right (din't found much onfo about that)

No!

The content server allow users to search, select and download the books they wish to read. While you certainly could use a browser on a PC to read these books, most folks use the wireless feature on their reader to download the book to the reader and then read the book on their ereader.

I have a PRS-950 with PRS+ installed and I can download from my content server and read the book on my reader as can many other ereaders.

Also the content server can be started with a restriction in place to filter out the "Adult" books.

[mclien]

Originally Posted by dwanthny

.. most folks use the wireless feature on their reader to download the book to the reader and then read the book on their ereader.
I have a PRS-950 with PRS+ installed and I can download from my content server and read the book on my reader as can many other ereaders.

My question was more about, if that would be a way to have the metedata seperated the content. But i think even with a content server, you can't have the tags per user and only one source for the content.

Also the content server can be started with a restriction in place to filter out the "Adult" books.

But this means restriction on or off and note on/off on per user/group basis?

[Starson17]

Originally Posted by mclien

this means restriction on or off and note on/off on per user/group basis?

If you want a restriction per group, you need to run multiple servers from the command line and set each with a different restriction. You can set different passwords, ports, etc., as well.

[mclien]

general question:
the content server runs as web server instance, right (apache , I guess). Does that mean I have to use a web browser on my ebookreader to search/download content? (which is a PITA, at least with my reader)

And if I run two instances of the content server, I have 2 times of the processes (ok doesen't bother if the server has enought power) and I have to connect two servers to load the books of the different sources....

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by mclien

the content server runs as web server instance, right (apache , I guess). Does that mean I have to use a web browser on my ebookreader to search/download content? (which is a PITA, at least with my reader)

Yes/No, It is not Apache it's CherryPy and has a well optimized mobile site, but you don't have to use a web browser you can still load your books through the USB cable. Anyone else you want to have access will have to go through the web browser since that is the only current way to restrict access.

Originally Posted by mclien

And if I run two instances of the content server, I have 2 times of the processes (ok doesen't bother if the server has enought power) and I have to connect two servers to load the books of the different sources....

You only "have" to connect to one server, any more than that for you is counter productive.

In my instance the most I would run is 2 different content servers. I would have one server that was unrestricted so I could get anything from my library via that one sever. And one server would be restricted to limit what was served. I wouldn't want my youngest son (yet) to download certain erotica or non-fiction adult books and would restrict his access accordingly.

No matter how many servers you run each server would need its own port assigned and could have different usernames - passwords and restrictions in place.

ilovejedd has some sample command line strings in this post. Check here for other command line options.