Syncronize book and pdf reading using a local private Cloud

[Xwang]

Hi to all.
I have about 80GB of documents (mainly pdf) which at the moment I store in a USB pendrive.
I would like to know if it is possible to create a sort of private local cloud so that to be able to access to those files from the locally connected devices (PC with linux and windows, android tablet and smartphone) and possibly being able to get the last read page when changing from a device to the other.
Moreover it is important to avoid local copies of the files on the reading devices.
Is there any software (possibly open source) which permit me to create such a thing?
What type of reading software should I use on the devices?
Currently I use okular on linux and ebookdroid or librera on android.
I do not use a lot windows and in case I prefer a portable or browser based reader.
My idea is if any software permit me to do that to test it using my pc as "local cloud server" and if it works then try to find a portable mini pc with a battery which could run the same and share using wifi.
Any idea?

[shalym]

Originally Posted by Xwang

Hi to all.
I have about 80GB of documents (mainly pdf) which at the moment I store in a USB pendrive.
I would like to know if it is possible to create a sort of private local cloud so that to be able to access to those files from the locally connected devices (PC with linux and windows, android tablet and smartphone) and possibly being able to get the last read page when changing from a device to the other.
Moreover it is important to avoid local copies of the files on the reading devices.
Is there any software (possibly open source) which permit me to create such a thing?
What type of reading software should I use on the devices?
Currently I use okular on linux and ebookdroid or librera on android.
I do not use a lot windows and in case I prefer a portable or browser based reader.
My idea is if any software permit me to do that to test it using my pc as "local cloud server" and if it works then try to find a portable mini pc with a battery which could run the same and share using wifi.
Any idea?

I believe that the new calibre content server/viewer can do some of what you want, but I'm not sure if it works with PDFs. You would have to install the Calibre program and import all of your books into it, and have it run on a computer, which the other devices would connect to using a browser. As I said, though, I'm unsure as to how well the new viewer works with PDF.

Shari

[haertig]

I tried a couple of things. Nothing I found does exactly what you want though.

I used the MoonReaderPro app on two different Android devices. I set each app to sync to my Nextcloud server (that's a self-hosted cloud that I run on my own computers). With this setup, reading position is synced to all devices, as long as they are using MoonReaderPro. But it fails your criteria because the books are locally downloaded.

Next I tried reading a PDF file that was hosted on my Nextcloud server. I accessed my Nextcloud with a web browser on each device. This setup does not require you to download the book locally. But it doesn't remember reading position between devices, or even for the same device on different login sessions.

Next, I tried a book that is hosted in my Calibre database. I accessed the book from a 3rd web app I run named "Calibre-Web". Despite the name, this is NOT official Calibre software. It just is able to read a Calibre database. I personally like this 3rd party server better than the one that is built into Calibre. Anyway, Calibre-Web has a "Read in Browser" option, and that is what I used from the client devices. The client devices use a web browser to access the Calibre-Web server. With this setup I do not have to download books locally. And it remembers reading position, but only on a per-device basis. It does not sync reading position across different devices.

So none of these things I tried meet all of your criteria. They each meet a different subset of criteria, but none meet 100% of your criteria.

FWIW, those were my results.

[Xwang]

First of all thank you to botth of you.
Secondly I would like to have more infos on this method:

Originally Posted by haertig

I tried a couple of things. Nothing I found does exactly what you want though.

I used the MoonReaderPro app on two different Android devices. I set each app to sync to my Nextcloud server (that's a self-hosted cloud that I run on my own computers). With this setup, reading position is synced to all devices, as long as they are using MoonReaderPro. But it fails your criteria because the books are locally downloaded.

What I would like to know is if the locally downloaded books are just a sort of cache which automatically deletes older books (but keeping the last page read in case you get back reading a book/document you have left in the middle) if it grows to occupay more than a maximum amount of disk space on the client device.
In case it is not managed in such a way, does you lose all your settings and reading position deleting the locally stored books on the client device?

[Xwang]

Originally Posted by shalym

I believe that the new calibre content server/viewer can do some of what you want, but I'm not sure if it works with PDFs. You would have to install the Calibre program and import all of your books into it, and have it run on a computer, which the other devices would connect to using a browser. As I said, though, I'm unsure as to how well the new viewer works with PDF.

Shari

I'll give it a try, but since in case it works sufficiently from the software point of view, then I'm going to put it in a wearable device probably based on arm, is calibre available for arm devices?

[haertig]

Originally Posted by Xwang

What I would like to know is if the locally downloaded books are just a sort of cache which automatically deletes older books (but keeping the last page read in case you get back reading a book/document you have left in the middle) if it grows to occupay more than a maximum amount of disk space on the client device.

In the case of MoonReaderPro, it is not a rotating cache. The book is either their on your device (in it's entirety), or it's not. Deleting books is manual - you do it, the software does not automatically do it.

In case it is not managed in such a way, does you lose all your settings and reading position deleting the locally stored books on the client device?

I do not know what all MoonReaderPro syncs. Reading position for sure, because that's what I use. Annotations too. I would assume bookmarks as well, but I haven't tested that to be able to verify it foe you. But what else MoonReaderPro might sync (if anything?) - I don't know. I know that it does NOT sync the entire book up to your cloud. You must have the book downloaded onto your client device.

But if you delete a book manually from your client, you do NOT lose all the things MoonReaderPro has synced up to your cloud. If you reinstall the book, everything that was saved is still there. But realize that you need to be using MoonReaderPro on all your devices. Things are NOT going to sync between MoonReadPro on your phone, and say, Kindle Reader on your tablet.

[Xwang]

Originally Posted by haertig

In the case of MoonReaderPro, it is not a rotating cache. The book is either their on your device (in it's entirety), or it's not. Deleting books is manual - you do it, the software does not automatically do it.


I do not know what all MoonReaderPro syncs. Reading position for sure, because that's what I use. Annotations too. I would assume bookmarks as well, but I haven't tested that to be able to verify it foe you. But what else MoonReaderPro might sync (if anything?) - I don't know. I know that it does NOT sync the entire book up to your cloud. You must have the book downloaded onto your client device.

But if you delete a book manually from your client, you do NOT lose all the things MoonReaderPro has synced up to your cloud. If you reinstall the book, everything that was saved is still there. But realize that you need to be using MoonReaderPro on all your devices. Things are NOT going to sync between MoonReadPro on your phone, and say, Kindle Reader on your tablet.

Uhm it could be good enouth, but I've to check if a linux version of moonreaderpro exists.

[Xwang]

I've tried the calibre server and:
1) it does not keep the pdf format
2) it does not keep syncronization (I've tried with three device to open the same book and every one has opened to the first page instead of opening the last page read on the other device)

[Xwang]

Originally Posted by Xwang

I've tried the calibre server and:
1) it does not keep the pdf format
2) it does not keep syncronization (I've tried with three device to open the same book and every one has opened to the first page instead of opening the last page read on the other device)

So now it seems the use of nextcloud and moonreader the most viable one.
Is there any open source reader alternative to moonreader?

[shalym]

Originally Posted by Xwang

I'll give it a try, but since in case it works sufficiently from the software point of view, then I'm going to put it in a wearable device probably based on arm, is calibre available for arm devices?

You don't need to run the calibre program on the mobile device, you just access the server using a web browser to choose your book and read it. (the calibre server would be installed on your linux or windows server)

Shari

[Xwang]

Originally Posted by shalym

You don't need to run the calibre program on the mobile device, you just access the server using a web browser to choose your book and read it. (the calibre server would be installed on your linux or windows server)

Shari

I would like to have a portable device so that to
1) be able to access the library even where WAN access is not available (train journeys with lot of galleries, beach and so on)
2) avoid to have my pc always on and to open access from the internet to it
3) avoid to have a fix public IP to be reachable from outside the net.

A small pc like the intel compute stick or a raspberry both powered by a 5v battery pack should be able to do the trick.
intel is x86, but rasbperry is arm.

[shalym]

Originally Posted by Xwang

I've tried the calibre server and:
1) it does not keep the pdf format
2) it does not keep syncronization (I've tried with three device to open the same book and every one has opened to the first page instead of opening the last page read on the other device)

Were you using the full program of Calibre on each device, or were you accessing it remotely?

For instance, if you install Calibre on my PC and start the server, which turns on sharing...I believe you have to set up users and logins, but you would want to do that anyway, since it will be available over the web. You then go to a different computer, put in the IP of the server and open a book and read a little bit. Then go to your phone and put in the IP and open the same book, hit sync, and continue reading. You can get more details of all of this in the Calibre forum on MobileRead.

Shari

[shalym]

Originally Posted by Xwang

I would like to have a portable device so that to
1) be able to access the library even where WAN access is not available (train journeys with lot of galleries, beach and so on)
2) avoid to have my pc always on and to open access from the internet to it
3) avoid to have a fix public IP to be reachable from outside the net.

A small pc like the intel compute stick or a raspberry both powered by a 5v battery pack should be able to do the trick.
intel is x86, but rasbperry is arm.

How were you planning on having a local cloud without having a computer (of some sort) always on and accessible with a fixed public IP?

Shari

[Xwang]

Originally Posted by shalym

How were you planning on having a local cloud without having a computer (of some sort) always on and accessible with a fixed public IP?

Shari

As I've said with an "Intel compute stick" (https://www.intel.it/content/www/it/...ute-stick.html) or a rasbperry both powered by a powerbank.

[shalym]

Originally Posted by Xwang

As I've said with an "Intel compute stick" (https://www.intel.it/content/www/it/...ute-stick.html) or a rasbperry both powered by a powerbank.

You can install Calibre on either of those and run the server. Go to the Calibre forum and check it out--it's very flexible. https://www.mobileread.com/forums/fo...play.php?f=166

Shari