I thought Portable meant Portable - It Doesn't

[RBraverman]

Just changed Notebooks - the only S/W change is it went x64. I use Calibre Portable -on purpose.
I copied over the c:\program files\calibre-portable folder to c:\program files (x86)\ and even (which should not be there!) users\appdata\calibre and NONE of my settings are there, my specials sets nothing, it wants me to start from scratch.

What did the author do, that apparantly made this semi-portable?

OR of course what did I do wrong.

[BookJunkieLI]

Have you tried pointing Calibre towards the location of the library - either using the wizard or the Switch Library option?

I'm not a programmer but I was kind of under the impression that Portable meant it was best for use on a USB stick or Memory card that is getting switched from one computer to another and that's why you open the program by clicking on the calibre-portable.exe rather than a desktop icon. By moving it the way you did you changed the actual directory structure (\program files\ to \program files (x86)\) rather than just the drive letter. I could be wrong though.

[RBraverman]

Originally Posted by BookJunkieLI

Have you tried pointing Calibre towards the location of the library - either using the wizard or the Switch Library option?

I'm not a programmer but I was kind of under the impression that Portable meant it was best for use on a USB stick or Memory card that is getting switched from one computer to another and that's why you open the program by clicking on the calibre-portable.exe rather than a desktop icon. By moving it the way you did you changed the actual directory structure (\program files\ to \program files (x86)\) rather than just the drive letter. I could be wrong though.

I've been using portable installs forever - I like the idea that I don't have go tracking down all the parts, to move something and this is the first time I've run into this.

I did try your suggestion, but same results.

I can't even find a settings backup, so that I could go that way - this just doesn't make any sense to me.

[itimpi]

I have never had any problem with Calibre Portable keeping all settings as it migrates.

It DOES require that you keep the Calibre Library and Calibre Settings folders also under the Calibre Portable folder (which is how it runs by default) as well as the Calibre folder that contains the binaries, so installing it into Program Files is very inappropriate as that area tends to restrict write access.

[BetterRed]

@RBraverman - If, like me, you don't want to clutter the root of your system drive with portable program folders, create a root level folder for them - I called mine Portable Programs. My rule (since at least Win2000) is - never put portable programs into Program Files or Program Files (X86), the Windows install created them, so let Windows look after them.

If you have a users\«you»\appdata\roaming\calibre folder (known as the configuration folder), then at some time you must have downloaded one of the msi files (32bit or 64 bit) and installed it.

Calibre Portable is 'self contained' as described by itimpi - mine looks like

C:\Portable Programs\Calibre Portable\Calibre - the software
C:\Portable Programs\Calibre Portable\Calibre Library - the default library
C:\Portable Programs\Calibre Portable\Calibre Settings - the settings (configuration)
C:\Portable Programs\Calibre Portable\calibre-portable.exe - the program

I often copy the C:\Portable Programs\Calibre Portable\ folder onto an empty USB thumb drive, put it in my pocket and use it on another computer - e.g. to show a friend what calibre does.

BR

[fidvo]

Originally Posted by itimpi

I have never had any problem with Calibre Portable keeping all settings as it migrates.

It DOES require that you keep the Calibre Library and Calibre Settings folders also under the Calibre Portable folder (which is how it runs by default) as well as the Calibre folder that contains the binaries, so installing it into Program Files is very inappropriate as that area tends to restrict write access.

I second this. In my opinion, on newer versions of Windows you should never install anything under Program Files or Program Files (x86). If you make any changes to the files there, Windows may or may not use the changed versions, sometimes preferring its own phantom copies of old versions.

(Don't even get me started on why you should never store your documents under My Documents).

Try copying your calibre-portable folder from your old computer to some place NOT under program files. I've copied my Calibre Portable all over, and never had any problems with it opening the library. This includes on 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows.

Also, make sure you're actually running calibre-portable.exe in the calibre-portable folder, not calibre.exe in the Calibre subfolder.

[FizzyWater]

Originally Posted by fidvo

(Don't even get me started on why you should never store your documents under My Documents).

Huh?

[DoctorOhh]

Portable does mean portable you can take it to any Windows machine drop it and execute calibre-portable.exe and it will run with all of your settings and custom columns.

Originally Posted by RBraverman

I copied over the c:\program files\calibre-portable folder to c:\program files (x86)\ and even (which should not be there!) users\appdata\calibre and NONE of my settings are there, my specials sets nothing, it wants me to start from scratch.

What did the author do, that apparantly made this semi-portable?

OR of course what did I do wrong.

By default, as BetterRed indicates, all program files, settings and the library are inside the Calibre Portable folder. Simply copying the folder to a new location and running calibre-portable.exe is all you have to do. I have no idea how you may have altered things so that they no longer function.

Originally Posted by BetterRed

Calibre Portable is 'self contained' as described by itimpi - mine looks like

C:\Portable Programs\Calibre Portable\Calibre - the software
C:\Portable Programs\Calibre Portable\Calibre Library - the default library
C:\Portable Programs\Calibre Portable\Calibre Settings - the settings (configuration)
C:\Portable Programs\Calibre Portable\calibre-portable.exe - the program

I often copy the C:\Portable Programs\Calibre Portable\ folder onto an empty USB thumb drive, put it in my pocket and use it on another computer - e.g. to show a friend what calibre does.

@RBraverman my install is the same as BetterRed. If yours does not match you have altered something.

\Calibre Portable\Calibre
\Calibre Portable\Calibre Library
\Calibre Portable\Calibre Settings
\Calibre Portable\calibre-portable.exe

[Vortex]

I've had the same problem in the past. Calibre loses settings unless the drive letter and file structure are exactly the same on the computer you are moving it to as the original.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by Vortex

I've had the same problem in the past. Calibre loses settings unless the drive letter and file structure are exactly the same on the computer you are moving it to as the original.

If you are running Calibre Portable downloaded from Calibre's site in the structure that it comes, loosing settings based on drive letters is not possible.

Years ago if you ran a makeshift calibre portable using the bat file something like what you described may have been possible.

[sreknob]

Sounds very much like a UAC problem with Windows. Ether run the program with administrative privileges, disable UAC, or run it from a location other than \Program Files\ as suggested earlier. To test, right click the main program exe and "Run as Administrator". The \Programs Files\ (& x86) have special permission requirements under UAC that can prevent portable programs from accessing the settings (as Microsoft believes that settings are NOT supposed to be saved in the Program Files folders ;-)

[RBraverman]

Originally Posted by DoctorOhh

If you are running Calibre Portable downloaded from Calibre's site in the structure that it comes, loosing settings based on drive letters is not possible.

Years ago if you ran a makeshift calibre portable using the bat file something like what you described may have been possible.

Sure, but it's just running the .exe now and as a portable install, why is there info in docs and settings?

[RBraverman]

Originally Posted by sreknob

Sounds very much like a UAC problem with Windows. Ether run the program with administrative privileges, disable UAC, or run it from a location other than \Program Files\ as suggested earlier. To test, right click the main program exe and "Run as Administrator". The \Programs Files\ (& x86) have special permission requirements under UAC that can prevent portable programs from accessing the settings (as Microsoft believes that settings are NOT supposed to be saved in the Program Files folders ;-)

But it portable! It runs all it needs for IT'S folder.

What am I missing?

[theducks]

Originally Posted by RBraverman

But it portable! It runs all it needs for IT'S folder.

What am I missing?

You are missing that you insist on violating OS (security) rules.

Portable is portable on portable media.
Portable can be used when it IS NOT installed in a programs (restricted) area. Install (the install is just a script for building the required folder structure and copying files) it in a USER area.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by RBraverman

Sure, but it's just running the .exe now and as a portable install, why is there info in docs and settings?

What docs and settings?