Personal experience with restoring library after crash

[Gary_M_Mugford]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

I suspect you would get better mileage out of a versioned snapshot system similar to the example I mentioned in post #7

Rather than simply maintaining x versions and firing off a backup script to rotate it, this would create a Time Machine in which you can go back and restore any files you need. The main thing is though, that if nothing changed you do not keep multiple copies, but simply hardlink one copy to multiple locations.

Anyway, using timestamps (like the example) is not only more descriptive, it also reduces the needed commands to two. One to create a new backup, the other to delete all files older than x. (we assume you will notice the problems sometime within a month.)

E,

For me, I get versioning from my cloud backup, Crashplan, TECHNICALLY, I could do nothing and the fact that the cloud backup is there would save my butt. But I've had moments where all the best planning in the world doesn't overcome my own idiocy in making changes I wish I hadn't ... and not discovering until much, much later. There was the brief moment in time where I installed every plugin that was available until the presence of Biblioteca made Spanish out of my newest imports. Some of the decisions as to what books got re-assigned to were hilarious. The work weeding them back out took weeks because I was still a novice with effective searches. (Not that that's changed much [G])

As to the flavour of backup? Each to his own. Modifying the windows batch file I use MIGHT be easier for some than modifying others. The IDEA, of course, is to promote backup of not only the books, the visible part of the Calibre iceberg, but those important bits and pieces SOME of us users don't see. And you know, I've actually starting throwing in the registry keys now. I didn't document that part because Calibre is self-contained and, to this point, Kovid's kept Calibre mostly out of the registry. I just don't want to be caught with my drawers down if that policy changes. On the other hand, I didn't think it was appropriate to add that part of the backup batch file and start a thread on the viability of registry backup [G].

Thanks again for the active part you take in Calibre. It's an important piece of software. And it needs taking care of.

[AlexBell]

Originally Posted by davidfor

You can do it in two ways. From within calibre, go to the device list, select the books, right click on them and choose "Add to library".

Alternatively, connect the device and use your file manager to copy the books from the device to the PC and calibre.

Thanks, David