Marvin, Calibre and Dropbox

ldrover · 11-03-2013, 09:14 AM

My Calibre library is in Dropbox. That way whether I add books from my desktop or my laptop, the library is always in sync. If I connect Marvin to my Dropbox, will it interfer with this? Once connected, does Marvin let you pick and choose which books to import or does it download the entire library?

Philantrop · 11-03-2013, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ldrover

My Calibre library is in Dropbox. That way whether I add books from my desktop or my laptop, the library is always in sync. If I connect Marvin to my Dropbox, will it interfer with this?

No, that'll work.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ldrover

Once connected, does Marvin let you pick and choose which books to import or does it download the entire library?

The former. You get to choose from the newest 1000 books (a Dropbox API limit).

ShellShock · 11-03-2013, 12:30 PM

I have the same setup (Calibre library on dropbox and Marvin) and it works great.

UKPFC · 11-05-2013, 06:33 PM

At the moment I just have a copy of the Calibre library files on dropbox rather then the actual Calibre. It didn't occur to me to run the whole thing from there. can I just move it, is it easy?

eschwartz · 11-06-2013, 12:07 AM

Yeah, it's pretty easy, just copy-paste the library folder to your Dropbox folder (or on Ubuntu you can simply make a shortcut, Ubuntu shortcuts are symlinks that make the filesystem think the folder is there too. This does NOT work on Windows -- though there is a way to create symlinks, this isn't it.)

Be VERY careful! If you try to access the library from two different computers by syncing with dropbox, you can destroy your library by editing the database from two different places at the same time.

Faterson · 11-06-2013, 12:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UKPFC

At the moment I just have a copy of the Calibre library files on dropbox rather then the actual Calibre. It didn't occur to me to run the whole thing from there. can I just move it, is it easy?

Quote:

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Yeah, it's pretty easy, just copy-paste the library folder to your Dropbox folder

I would recommend going to Calibre Preferences, and click on Run Welcome Wizard there. The very first screen gives you the option to move your Library folder. (I mirror my Calibre Library in SugarSync, which has the advantage of not being obliged to move Calibre's default folder.)

eschwartz · 11-06-2013, 12:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Faterson

I would recommend going to Calibre Preferences, and click on Run Welcome Wizard there. The very first screen gives you the option to move your Library folder. (I mirror my Calibre Library in SugarSync, which has the advantage of not being obliged to move Calibre's default folder.)

Of course, that's an option. I just happen to like symlinking folders that are supposed to be elsewhere to sync in Dropbox. It works for me, so I'm happy. It may not be for everyone. Mind you, it's also faster than Windows copying several gigs over, though linux I believe just tells the inode(s) to move, instead of the whole folder, which makes it much faster.

Anyway, I find it easier to visualize all my files in obvious places, with Dropbox subdirectories/files pointing to my synced data. For the same reason you use SugarSync.

I also symlink the calibre config folder, for use on two Ubuntu 12.04 computers. (Same username, so all the paths are EXACTLY the same, and neither has blown up yet.)

Faterson · 11-06-2013, 01:01 AM

I believe Dropbox themselves advise against symlinking. I wouldn't recommend it, especially because moving the Calibre library is 1 press of a button on that Welcome Wizard screen, and it's a one-time process, so whether it takes 5 seconds or 5 minutes is really irrelevant. Besides, it makes absolutely no difference to Calibre as to where it stores its Library, so that it's pointless to insist on the folder's original location.

eschwartz · 11-06-2013, 01:23 AM

Practicing my Google-fu, it seems they advise against that ON WINDOWS, as Windows never really caught on to symlinks anyway, and Windows+Dropbox may just gargle your symlink.

Even then, it just won't tell dropbox that stuff got updated, I think.
http://www.dropboxwiki.com/tips-and-...ommand_Prompts

Nevertheless, they work great on Unix-based OS's, and it makes a difference to ME where I keep it, so I'm happy. What can I say, it works for me.

11-03-2013, 09:14 AM	#1
ldrover Connoisseur Posts: 86 Karma: 4890 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Bedford, Nova Scotia Device: iPad Mini	Marvin, Calibre and Dropbox My Calibre library is in Dropbox. That way whether I add books from my desktop or my laptop, the library is always in sync. If I connect Marvin to my Dropbox, will it interfer with this? Once connected, does Marvin let you pick and choose which books to import or does it download the entire library?

11-06-2013, 01:23 AM	#9
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,422 Karma: 85397180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	Practicing my Google-fu, it seems they advise against that ON WINDOWS, as Windows never really caught on to symlinks anyway, and Windows+Dropbox may just gargle your symlink. Even then, it just won't tell dropbox that stuff got updated, I think. http://www.dropboxwiki.com/tips-and-...ommand_Prompts Nevertheless, they work great on Unix-based OS's, and it makes a difference to ME where I keep it, so I'm happy. What can I say, it works for me. Last edited by eschwartz; 11-06-2013 at 01:31 AM.

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11-03-2013, 12:30 PM	#3
ShellShock Wizard Posts: 1,176 Karma: 2431850 Join Date: Sep 2008 Device: IPad Mini 2 Retina	I have the same setup (Calibre library on dropbox and Marvin) and it works great.

11-05-2013, 06:33 PM	#4
UKPFC Member Posts: 13 Karma: 1000010 Join Date: Sep 2013 Device: Ipad Mini	At the moment I just have a copy of the Calibre library files on dropbox rather then the actual Calibre. It didn't occur to me to run the whole thing from there. can I just move it, is it easy?

11-06-2013, 12:07 AM	#5
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,422 Karma: 85397180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	Yeah, it's pretty easy, just copy-paste the library folder to your Dropbox folder (or on Ubuntu you can simply make a shortcut, Ubuntu shortcuts are symlinks that make the filesystem think the folder is there too. This does NOT work on Windows -- though there is a way to create symlinks, this isn't it.) Be VERY careful! If you try to access the library from two different computers by syncing with dropbox, you can destroy your library by editing the database from two different places at the same time.

11-06-2013, 01:01 AM	#8
Faterson pokrývač škridiel Posts: 1,525 Karma: 3300000 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Bratislava, Slovakia Device: 3iPad, SamsungNote & Tabs, 2OnyxBoox, Huawei 8″, PocketBook	I believe Dropbox themselves advise against symlinking. I wouldn't recommend it, especially because moving the Calibre library is 1 press of a button on that Welcome Wizard screen, and it's a one-time process, so whether it takes 5 seconds or 5 minutes is really irrelevant. Besides, it makes absolutely no difference to Calibre as to where it stores its Library, so that it's pointless to insist on the folder's original location.

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