Compare two instances of calibre

snoopyeab · 02-12-2015, 05:07 AM

I've got Calibre on my PC and a portable version on a USB stick. They both have their own library, although I started the USB version from the PC version.
My question is: how can I keep the two databases in sync? For starters I would like to be able to generate a difference file, but it would be even nicer if you could open two db's at the same time. From all posts here I take it that this is not possible so any suggestions on how to check the differences are welcome.

mbovenka · 02-12-2015, 06:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snoopyeab

I've got Calibre on my PC and a portable version on a USB stick. They both have their own library, although I started the USB version from the PC version.
My question is: how can I keep the two databases in sync? For starters I would like to be able to generate a difference file, but it would be even nicer if you could open two db's at the same time. From all posts here I take it that this is not possible so any suggestions on how to check the differences are welcome.

You can use any directory sync tool (FreeFileSync is popular for that around here; I use it myself) to sync a master library to a fully functional backup copy ('mirror' mode). However, if you have two libraries that are out of sync and you want to merge them, picking one as the master and copying the other into it (or copying both into a new library) from within Calibre is the only way.

EDIT: The Find Duplicates plugin can search across libraries; that may help or even be what you need.

BetterRed · 02-12-2015, 06:46 AM

↑ ↑ ↑

@snoopyeab You can open two libraries from two virtual machines using something like Virtual Box

You could output a book list for the two libraries via the calibredb list command, and use a file compare command to see the differences. Also there are gui tools to compare differences between text files - WinMerge is said to be quite good and its free. I'd use Beyond Compare, but its not free and it's probably overkill for what you want to do.

BR

snoopyeab · 02-12-2015, 07:10 AM

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll probably start with the duplicate plugin. The option to export a list and then compare is the second to try if the first method is not good enough.
Thanks again

The duplicate plugin did not do what I expected, but generating a catalog from both systems and then comparing these worked fine.

snoopyeab · 03-08-2015, 10:15 AM

Quote/ picking one as the master and copying the other into it (or copying both into a new library) from within Calibre is the only way.
Unquote

I'm trying to find how to copy a library into a new one. Either I completely overlook this option or I need some additional help like a plugin.
Anyhow, can someone tell me where to find this option? And the next step would be to copy a second library into this newmade library.

eschwartz · 03-08-2015, 11:08 AM

Select books to be moved, and right-click --> Copy to library (You have to create the library first.)

snoopyeab · 03-08-2015, 05:52 PM

Ok, thanks, this works.
Now I'm trying the following: I have these two instances of calibre. By using Winmerge I've pretty much made them equal, just a few loose ends. Also the metadata is not exactly the same in both.
I want to create a new library which is a complete copy of instance nr1 ( This is already done) and now I'm copying nr 2 into this one in batches. This also works fine. Now I use Find duplicates, also fine, but now the problem: how do I simply delete duplicates without having to select each one of them? The libraries are 9500 in size otherwise I wouldn't mind. Again, I'm probably overlooking an obvious action, but in Find Duplicates it starts with one duplicate pair selected. Also can I select which instance to keep and which one to delete?

LadyKate · 03-09-2015, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snoopyeab

Ok, thanks, this works.
Now I'm trying the following: I have these two instances of calibre. By using Winmerge I've pretty much made them equal, just a few loose ends. Also the metadata is not exactly the same in both.
I want to create a new library which is a complete copy of instance nr1 ( This is already done) and now I'm copying nr 2 into this one in batches. This also works fine. Now I use Find duplicates, also fine, but now the problem: how do I simply delete duplicates without having to select each one of them? The libraries are 9500 in size otherwise I wouldn't mind. Again, I'm probably overlooking an obvious action, but in Find Duplicates it starts with one duplicate pair selected. Also can I select which instance to keep and which one to delete?

This is hazardous to your library's health. Calibre does not like you "going under it's skirts" so to speak. If you modify a library using a file system level tool like winmerge you will be screwing up the Calibre database.

It is best to treat the calibre library file structure as hands off... like it was one large file that you can't touch the individual parts of. This will keep from breaking it.

If you are updating two calibre libraries that are essentially the same books in different locations you will run into some problems with which books in which library are "most up to date".

snoopyeab · 03-09-2015, 10:25 AM

You misunderstand: I did not use Winmerge directly on Calibre, but on two catalogs I created from both libraries and then transfered to textfiles that I compare using Winmerge. From there it was manual work to import books and sometimes delete books from either library.
Now that I'm almost done I want to try if I can import both into one, which I can, but obviously I will have many duplicates. That is my question: how do I remove these duplicates in an easy way?

snoopyeab · 03-10-2015, 05:03 AM

OK, I think I have found what I need: just turn on automerge.
Next question: which set of metadata will be used and is there some kind of merging possible on this level?

02-12-2015, 05:07 AM	#1
snoopyeab Member Posts: 11 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Netherlands Device: Aura HD	Compare two instances of calibre I've got Calibre on my PC and a portable version on a USB stick. They both have their own library, although I started the USB version from the PC version. My question is: how can I keep the two databases in sync? For starters I would like to be able to generate a difference file, but it would be even nicer if you could open two db's at the same time. From all posts here I take it that this is not possible so any suggestions on how to check the differences are welcome.

02-12-2015, 06:46 AM	#3
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 21,660 Karma: 29711016 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	↑ ↑ ↑ @snoopyeab You can open two libraries from two virtual machines using something like Virtual Box You could output a book list for the two libraries via the calibredb list command, and use a file compare command to see the differences. Also there are gui tools to compare differences between text files - WinMerge is said to be quite good and its free. I'd use Beyond Compare, but its not free and it's probably overkill for what you want to do. BR Last edited by BetterRed; 02-12-2015 at 06:49 AM.

02-12-2015, 07:10 AM	#4
snoopyeab Member Posts: 11 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Netherlands Device: Aura HD	Thanks for the suggestions. I'll probably start with the duplicate plugin. The option to export a list and then compare is the second to try if the first method is not good enough. Thanks again The duplicate plugin did not do what I expected, but generating a catalog from both systems and then comparing these worked fine. Last edited by snoopyeab; 02-17-2015 at 03:55 AM. Reason: Update

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03-08-2015, 10:15 AM	#5
snoopyeab Member Posts: 11 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Netherlands Device: Aura HD	Quote/ picking one as the master and copying the other into it (or copying both into a new library) from within Calibre is the only way. Unquote I'm trying to find how to copy a library into a new one. Either I completely overlook this option or I need some additional help like a plugin. Anyhow, can someone tell me where to find this option? And the next step would be to copy a second library into this newmade library.

03-08-2015, 11:08 AM	#6
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)	Select books to be moved, and right-click --> Copy to library (You have to create the library first.)

03-08-2015, 05:52 PM	#7
snoopyeab Member Posts: 11 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Netherlands Device: Aura HD	Ok, thanks, this works. Now I'm trying the following: I have these two instances of calibre. By using Winmerge I've pretty much made them equal, just a few loose ends. Also the metadata is not exactly the same in both. I want to create a new library which is a complete copy of instance nr1 ( This is already done) and now I'm copying nr 2 into this one in batches. This also works fine. Now I use Find duplicates, also fine, but now the problem: how do I simply delete duplicates without having to select each one of them? The libraries are 9500 in size otherwise I wouldn't mind. Again, I'm probably overlooking an obvious action, but in Find Duplicates it starts with one duplicate pair selected. Also can I select which instance to keep and which one to delete?

03-09-2015, 10:25 AM	#9
snoopyeab Member Posts: 11 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Netherlands Device: Aura HD	You misunderstand: I did not use Winmerge directly on Calibre, but on two catalogs I created from both libraries and then transfered to textfiles that I compare using Winmerge. From there it was manual work to import books and sometimes delete books from either library. Now that I'm almost done I want to try if I can import both into one, which I can, but obviously I will have many duplicates. That is my question: how do I remove these duplicates in an easy way?

03-10-2015, 05:03 AM	#10
snoopyeab Member Posts: 11 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Netherlands Device: Aura HD	OK, I think I have found what I need: just turn on automerge. Next question: which set of metadata will be used and is there some kind of merging possible on this level?

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