Using Cloud Service with Calibre Companion vs a Local Calibre Server

[varaonaid]

Hello,

I'm trying to figure out how best to setup my ebooks to share with my family. I want to be able to access then online via any of my computer or reading devices. I currently use Calibre for all my ebook organizing but haven't yet taken it further.

My understanding is that the two basic ways of accomplishing this is either use something like Box.com which I have a 50gb free account with or using Calibre to run a server from a local computer. I already have a computer that stays on all the time as a local server at home for things like printing. So, this wouldn't be a change in use for me.

What I'd like to know is which one you think has the most advantages and why. If I'm going to set this up, I want to choose the right way the first time. I know I'll need to pay the $3.99 or so for Calibre Companion which is fine. But if there are advantages to my simply running a local server, I'd really love to hear it. Not having used either one, I just don't know the benefits and drawbacks of each method.

If there is another way I should be considering, please let me know that as well. Thanks so much!! I'm looking forward to learning from you knowledge and experiences.

[ekbell]

I use both methods for moving books onto my tablet (I have two Calibre libraries) and both methods work well with CC.

However, I find that the Calbre server is better when sharing books with family members who don't own an android devices (I'm the only one with an android tablet, other family members have iPads, laptops and kobos) as it allows for browsing via web browser or by software supporting OPDS.

[theducks]

Control freak here

Server can be kept internal (no router pinhole) to your LAN

OTOH
Cloud? Hackers? DOJ? Or simply a family member being trusting or careless.

[varaonaid]

OK, so you're saying that if I go with the internal self hosted Calibre server, I can use CC to browse the contents as well as any other web browser so that basically any laptop or Android device (or iDevice, I suppose, though we generally stay away from those in our family) could simply browse from there rather than having to go through CC.

Just thinking aloud here, could I also use something like Box.com to "host" my files on my own internal server? I have a Box folder on my computer that syncs and I'm assuming that would be another alternative that would allow for cloud storage/sync while also giving the option to browse from any device. Of course, the privacy issue that @theducks brought up is still an issue but I imagine I could also still access my books should my server computer ever go down due to power outage, etc while I'm away. Am I getting this correct in how I'm thinking about it?

Lastly, how hard is it to actually setup the Calibre server? Fairly straightforward? Do you use anything other than the Calibre software itself or are there third party apps/software involved?

Thanks so much! I really appreciate your advice!

[theducks]

Click Sharing (over the net) Icon: Start Server
that is the default configuration

I use the CLI calibre-server.exe to set a different port and Always use a specific Library.
This is handy when you want only one served without interruption, but work on/in different Libraries during the day.
See the online Help Commandline tools for more

[varaonaid]

Thanks so much @theducks. That's super helpful. Running a Calibre server has sounded so ethereal and complex... I guess I should have known they would have made it as user friendly as the rest of the program. Thanks for the info about setting the port and library. While I may not need to charger the library that I share, I likely will need to change the port.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by varaonaid

Thanks so much @theducks. That's super helpful. Running a Calibre server has sounded so ethereal and complex... I guess I should have known they would have made it as user friendly as the rest of the program. Thanks for the info about setting the port and library. While I may not need to charger the library that I share, I likely will need to change the port.

Many of us run an 'Intake" library, where we clean and edit things before moving them to the Main Library. If you run the server from the GUI.
What you are seeing, is what they are seeing

BTW You CAN set the port in the GUI version also (I made it different from the one I used with the CLI)

[varaonaid]

@theducks, thank you for the additional info about the GUI version. I will definitely be more comfortable using that.

Given that if I run the server via the GUI, "what I'm seeing is what they are seeing", are you saying it's still possible to run an intake library that isn't shared for cleaning things up? So, for instance, a newly added book goes into intake, rather than my main library. Once that given book is all set with covers and meta, I can move it over to the "live" finished library? If that the general idea? Can I accomplish this via the GUI?

Is there anything that will allow reading location to be shared across devices? Whether it's Calibre itself (I read a post last night where David was going work on a new version on the server that allowed reading directly via a browser and there inference was that reading location would be saved), a third party app, out whatever, I don't care. I'm finding there are so many aspects to think through when setting this up it's making my head spin. I don't want to find out that I didn't plan for something that causes incompatibility in the future and kids of work changing direction. I truly appreciably your help and the knowledge that you're sharing with me. It's a huge help and blessing.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by varaonaid

@theducks, thank you for the additional info about the GUI version. I will definitely be more comfortable using that.

Given that if I run the server via the GUI, "what I'm seeing is what they are seeing", are you saying it's still possible to run an intake library that isn't shared for cleaning things up? So, for instance, a newly added book goes into intake, rather than my main library. Once that given book is all set with covers and meta, I can move it over to the "live" finished library? If that the general idea? Can I accomplish this via the GUI?

Is there anything that will allow reading location to be shared across devices? Whether it's Calibre itself (I read a post last night where David was going work on a new version on the server that allowed reading directly via a browser and there inference was that reading location would be saved), a third party app, out whatever, I don't care. I'm finding there are so many aspects to think through when setting this up it's making my head spin. I don't want to find out that I didn't plan for something that causes incompatibility in the future and kids of work changing direction. I truly appreciably your help and the knowledge that you're sharing with me. It's a huge help and blessing.

If you switch to the Intake Library, that is what will also be 'served', which is why I run the CLI server.
It is really simple. make a shortcut (batch)

"C:\Program Files\Calibre2\calibre-server.exe" --port 8083 --with-library C:\Users\MEMyselfAndI\MainLib

Reading position sync

[eschwartz]

Reading position sync requires support from the reader device/app.

In other words, there is no way.
Unless the device/app supports it already (and many do support syncing -- within their own vendor platform only).

[chaley]

Originally Posted by varaonaid

Is there anything that will allow reading location to be shared across devices? Whether it's Calibre itself (I read a post last night where David was going work on a new version on the server that allowed reading directly via a browser and there inference was that reading location would be saved), a third party app, out whatever, I don't care. I'm finding there are so many aspects to think through when setting this up it's making my head spin. I don't want to find out that I didn't plan for something that causes incompatibility in the future and kids of work changing direction. I truly appreciably your help and the knowledge that you're sharing with me. It's a huge help and blessing.

Syncing reading positions is app dependent. Most apps can do it, but they do it in their own way. For example, Moon+ (which I use) syncs reading positions via Dropbox and possibly other cloud providers.

Kovid (not David) is indeed working on adding a web reader to the new content server. It will be able to store reading positions. I don't *know* that the positions will be by user, but it is hard to imagine that Kovid would do something else. That said, reading using a browser on a phone or a tablet isn't a particularly good idea. It requires connectivity. Performance depends on the cell network speed. It won't be "app like".

FWIW: I run a content server for my family. The server, which is a "Virtual Private Server" (VPS) provided by Linode, runs in a data center in London, serving my immediate family (wife and kids) in three countries on two continents. It uses a dropbox-synced copy of my library so the users see my changes when I make them. I run the calibre content server, started using the command line, behind Apache as described in the calibre docs so that I get per-user login. I use a VPS so that I am not required to keep a computer running at home open to the internet, and so that someone else is responsible for keeping the computer up 24/7. Three family members run CC exclusively, fetching books through it. The fourth sometimes uses an iDevice and accesses the content server directly from whatever app he uses.

FWIW squared: Kovid's new content server implementation will support per-user login. CC already supports the new content server.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by varaonaid

Given that if I run the server via the GUI, "what I'm seeing is what they are seeing", are you saying it's still possible to run an intake library that isn't shared for cleaning things up? So, for instance, a newly added book goes into intake, rather than my main library. Once that given book is all set with covers and meta, I can move it over to the "live" finished library? If that the general idea? Can I accomplish this via the GUI?

Yes. In the content server preferences you can choose to share a virtual library. I choose to share my "Finished" library. My working books are never exposed to the content server.

Originally Posted by varaonaid

Is there anything that will allow reading location to be shared across devices?

I use Moon+ Reader Pro which allows you to sync reading location via dropbox or Google Drive.

[varaonaid]

Originally Posted by theducks

If you switch to the Intake Library, that is what will also be 'served', which is why I run the CLI server.
It is really simple. make a shortcut (batch)

"C:\Program Files\Calibre2\calibre-server.exe" --port 8083 --with-library C:\Users\MEMyselfAndI\MainLib

Thanks for sharing the difference in function with the GUI vs the CLI. I wouldn't have realized that difference existed and ended up confused or frustrated. The command is very helpful as well. I wouldn't have looked into the CLI further without that thinking it would just be more difficult than I'm prepared to get into at the moment. However, I may well pursue it thanks to your help.

[varaonaid]

Originally Posted by chaley

Syncing reading positions is app dependent. Most apps can do it, but they do it in their own way. For example, Moon+ (which I use) syncs reading positions via Dropbox and possibly other cloud providers.

Kovid (not David) is indeed working on adding a web reader to the new content server. It will be able to store reading positions. I don't *know* that the positions will be by user, but it is hard to imagine that Kovid would do something else. That said, reading using a browser on a phone or a tablet isn't a particularly good idea. It requires connectivity. Performance depends on the cell network speed. It won't be "app like".

FWIW: I run a content server for my family. The server, which is a "Virtual Private Server" (VPS) provided by Linode, runs in a data center in London, serving my immediate family (wife and kids) in three countries on two continents. It uses a dropbox-synced copy of my library so the users see my changes when I make them. I run the calibre content server, started using the command line, behind Apache as described in the calibre docs so that I get per-user login. I use a VPS so that I am not required to keep a computer running at home open to the internet, and so that someone else is responsible for keeping the computer up 24/7. Three family members run CC exclusively, fetching books through it. The fourth sometimes uses an iDevice and accesses the content server directly from whatever app he uses.

FWIW squared: Kovid's new content server implementation will support per-user login. CC already supports the new content server.

@chaley, thanks so much for sharing your setup. That sounds incredible. I hadn't realized that. Calibre could be setup on a remote server but it only makes sense. I just hadn't thought that far scaled out. The one thing I didn't fully understand if how you implement the Dropbox part of your setup. Is it an entire second copy of your library on Dropbox in addition to the VPS calibre server library? I apologize I don't "get" that part yet but it sounds fairly crucial to the success of your setup. It's great to hear that Kovid (I'm incredibly embarrassed that I didn't check the autocorrect on Kovid>David, thanks for correcting me on it) is working on some cool server upgrades and that CC is already supporting it. That's great integration and cooperation between the devs.

[varaonaid]

Originally Posted by DoctorOhh

Yes. In the content server preferences you can choose to share a virtual library. I choose to share my "Finished" library. My working books are never exposed to the content server.



I use Moon+ Reader Pro which allows you to sync reading location via dropbox or Google Drive.

@DoctorOhh, that's brilliant info on how I can setup the finished library vs working library via the GUI! Thanks so much for sharing. I'll definitely integrate that. It also encouraged me that I may not have to delve into the CLI at this point which may be biting off more than I can handle at the moment.

One question about Moon+ Reader Pro and its syncing... does it use the Dropbox/Google Drive cloud just for syncing the reading location of the book? Meaning that I don't have to "serve" my whole library via Dropbox/GDrive in order for it to sync, am I'm understanding that correctly? There's a vast difference in space required for the two scenarios which is why i was wondering.