Advise on Calibre installation on NAS (synology 415+)

[ZioNemo]

Hi,
I did some search, but I'm quite confused about what is considered "best practice".

I used Calibre to store my collection of eBooks under windows.

Now I'm moving unto a (home) networked environment mainly based on my NAS and several computers, mainly running Linux, I also have a couple of kindles.

I would like to move all my database to NAS (which is backupped), but I read this is not the "advised" configuration.

• I am ok to maintain (add/remove/edit_metadata) from a single location.
• It would be OK to maintain directly from NAS, but it is headless (accessible either via web or ssh).
• My specific NAS is Intel-based (4core Atom).
• Other PC's should be able to browse book list and to download for local reading.
• I'm aware of two "plugins" for my NAS which seem Calibre-related (BicBucStrim and COPS), but it's unclear to me their actual usage.
• I would like to avoid duplication of my (large) collection.

Can someone point me in the right direction, please?

(note: I'm a programmer and i have a long Linux experience, so compilation/code-modification doesn't scare me, I just would like to avoid wasting my ample spare time reinventing the wheel)

[kovidgoyal]

Keep your master calibre library on a desktop machine. Write a script that launches calibre and when calibre quits, rsyncs the library to the NAS server and restarts the calibre-server process on the NAS server.

[darryl]

You should of course follow Kovid's good advice. Having said that, I myself am somewhat hypocritical. I have been keeping my Calibre Database on an NFS share on my QNAP NAS for years without a problem. I run Calibre mainly on one particular Linux Box, but I do have it installed on others. I also backup the whole calibre directory including the database files regularly to a local machine via rsync, and keep separate backups of several versions of the database files. Problems are typically with corruption of the database rather than damage to the actual book files and directories. Having the database on an NAS is not supported and frequently does lead to problems, though I haven't experienced any significant ones personally. If you do run the database on the NAS it is better to run Calibre only on Linux machines or Windows ones. Mixing them frequently leads to problems. As mentioned, I always use NFS shares rather than CIFS, though people do use CIFS shares also. I also run COPS which I use to access my books from ereaders, phones and the odd windows machine when I really must.

People do this with mixed success. If you want to try it you do so at your own risk and have no right to whinge if things go wrong. Keeping a backup of everything is a must. Murphy's law frequently comes into play, though sometimes I almost believe that it is more likely to come into play when you don't have a good backup.

[ZioNemo]

Thanks Kovid,
if I get You right You are suggesting to:
* Keep all my library on a "normal" PC.
* Keep a working server on NAS.
* rsync (or otherwise copy/syncronize) PC copy with NAS copy.
* Actually Calibre workflow *on PC* should be:
** stop server on NAS
** launch full Calibre on PC
** edit as needed (on PC)
** rsync PC -> NAS
** restart server on NAS

I do not understand a few things:
* why can't I keep all Lib on NAS and do the same workflow as before without needing to rsync?
* in this setup what if I need a different format? Will NAS server perform required conversion?
* can server handle USB devices (i.e.: kindle)? if so: how? They would be attached to a PC.
* as NAS is the only thing on 24/7, wouldn't be easier to run server+web-frontend there?

TiA!

[ZioNemo]

Thanks darryl.
Understood.

I fail to understand why DB locking seems so difficult (I do routinely access databases, even embedded SQLite, from multiple sources at the same time with no adverse effects) to have a full reentrance, but that's probably just my fault.

As said I do *not* plan to access a full Calibre concurrently at all.
I could also put in place some failsafe to avoid concurrent access "by mistake".

In all cases my full NAS is backed up on another one *and* on a cloud (better safe than sorry

[BetterRed]

@ZioNemo - FYI ==>> calibre server TODOs

BR

[ngh0]

I want to be able to see my books on my NAS and also see the metadata.
This in not my MAIN library, but a copy I want others in the family to be able to access.

I had COPS on my Synology NAS which did OK for what I wanted.

Things just do not work...

With an upgrade from Synology COPS does not work any longer, I followed all instructions on fixing this and nothing but more trouble and changes etc meaning it just would not work any more.

Looked at another app on the NAS which was supposed to work out of the box and this also failed.

I see that there is a solution with DOCKER but my Synology NAS is not compatible with DOCKER so NO LUCK there. DS414 DSM6.2.2 Marvel Armd

I want this on the NAS as it is on 24/7 and easily accessed by all the family via the NAS web server, where I created web site of useful information we all frequently use, I want to add the books there too with the metadata.

So I suppose 3 Questions if not more...

Aim: access Calibre books via php on my Local NAS with metadata.
possibly a read only (any changes to be made on Main Library on my desktop where only I can change then update the copy on the NAS.)

1. If there is a EASY solution, that would be great.

if not:
2. I am passable with python and not great with php but I get by, and wonder if I could work my own solution with php and python, my first stumbling block is how to access the main .db file what is the password and user name?

3. Calibredb works on my linux OS terminal as but how do I use it on my NAS?

I would appreciate any help. Remember I DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO DOCKER!