How to Duplicate My Calibre Library on Multiple Computers? - Page 2

pilotbob · 03-28-2010, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Starson17

(Sorry if I've thrown cold water on those who are happy with dropbox, but that's how I see it. I'm willing to listen to contrary views if you think I'm wrong.)

Nothing you said is wrong.

But can be easily mitigated by being careful (manual). Also, Dropbox in addition to syncing also retains older versions of files. So, if the metadata.db file does get corrupted you can always go back to a previous version.

You could probably also easily mitigate it buy using a .bat file to start calibre. It can write a "inuse.txt" dummy file in the dropbox/calibre... and delete it on exit. In this case if the batch files sees the text file there it will exit with an error that calibre is in use on another PC.

BOb

daffy4u · 03-28-2010, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Starson17

(Sorry if I've thrown cold water on those who are happy with dropbox, but that's how I see it. I'm willing to listen to contrary views if you think I'm wrong.)

I do not fully trust "the cloud" which is why I copy my Calibre library from Dropbox to all my computers (except the desktop which was used to created the Dropbox library). Having a local copy on each machine also gives me access to my books when I do not have an internet connection (as well as being additional back-ups).

Bouncing between the installations I have of Calibre on each computer hasn't caused me a problem so far. Calibre is not open on all computers at the same time.

Sydney's Mom · 03-28-2010, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daffy4u

I do not fully trust "the cloud" which is why I copy my Calibre library from Dropbox to all my computers (except the desktop which was used to created the Dropbox library). Having a local copy on each machine also gives me access to my books when I do not have an internet connection (as well as being additional back-ups).

Bouncing between the installations I have of Calibre on each computer hasn't caused me a problem so far. Calibre is not open on all computers at the same time.

So I should delete my Calibre library file on my netbook and desktop, and point Calibre to the ebook file in dropbox?

pilotbob · 03-28-2010, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sydney's Mom

So I should delete my Calibre library file on my netbook and desktop, and point Calibre to the ebook file in dropbox?

Um... I don't know what computers you have what on right now.

When you edit your config in calibre and specify a new location for your ebooks, if it is empty it will move your old library.

I'm not sure what it does if there is an existing library there. But, I would assume it would just use that one from now on.

BOb

daffy4u · 03-28-2010, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sydney's Mom

So I should delete my Calibre library file on my netbook and desktop, and point Calibre to the ebook file in dropbox?

That depends on how you want to use it. If you know you will always have internet access, then you can keep your master library on one computer and Dropbox and point the other computers to Dropbox.

In my case, I know I won't always have internet access when I'm away from home (even though I can tether my laptop/netbook to my cell phone) and I want to make sure I have access to my books at all times.

I'm not familiar with the Peer Syncing BOb is talking about so I have to investigate it.

pilotbob · 03-28-2010, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daffy4u

In my case, I know I won't always have internet access when I'm away from home (even though I can tether my laptop/netbook to my cell phone) and I want to make sure I have access to my books at all times.

Daffy... your dropbox folder/files are ALWAYS available locally. So, you will have access to your books in your dropbox folder whether you are online or not.

Dropbox syncs the data to the cloud and other computers. It is not strictly remote/cloud storage like iDisk or iDrive or something like that.

BOb

BTW: The peer-to-peer stuff doesn't change anything other than making it faster if computers you are syncing are on the same LAN.

daffy4u · 03-28-2010, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Um... I don't know what computers you have what on right now.

When you edit your config in calibre and specify a new location for your ebooks, if it is empty it will move your old library.

I'm not sure what it does if there is an existing library there. But, I would assume it would just use that one from now on.

BOb

Karma coming your way. I didn't realize that and see I have 2 copies of the library on my netbook when not connected to my wi-fi network (the one I copied and the one in my documents/dropbox folder). I can now delete the one I coped over and save some hard drive space.

Thanks for the eye-opener!

Sydney's Mom · 03-28-2010, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daffy4u

Karma coming your way. I didn't realize that and see I have 2 copies of the library on my netbook when not connected to my wi-fi network (the one I copied and the one in my documents/dropbox folder). I can now delete the one I coped over and save some hard drive space.

Thanks for the eye-opener!

Karma to both of you! I will be saving a lot of space on my netbook as well. And will have the comfort of knowing my laptop (main computer) netbook (second) and desktop (Calibre will hardly ever be running on this computer) will all be the same. I just need to make sure I log out, which I usually do.

Sydney's Mom · 03-28-2010, 08:14 PM

What do you know - when I deleted my calibre library from my netbook and pointed Calibre at dropbox, I was syncing the wrong file!! I was able to get rid of this file on my laptop, too. I right now I sm uploading my file from my laptop, and typing on my netbook - and it is showing each file as it is added. Yay! Now I see why I will always have my library on each computer.

pilotbob · 03-28-2010, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sydney's Mom

I right now I sm uploading my file from my laptop, and typing on my netbook - and it is showing each file as it is added.

Sort of like magic isn't it.

BOb

ficbot · 03-28-2010, 09:33 PM

Thanks so much for your help, Pilot Bob! Just to clarify...

If I am only running Calibre on one computer and all I want to do is have a backup somewhere in case of accident, I can store the library in the Dropbox folder, proceed with Calibre business as usual, everything is stored on my machine but in the Dropbox folder and it gets backed up and life is grand?

Once a week or so I will probably back it up to USB key anyway. But is that the gist of it?

Sydney's Mom · 03-28-2010, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Sort of like magic isn't it.

BOb

Yes! Unfortunately, my DH is kinda mad, because I have tied up all the bandwith in our house. Let's see, I am uploading all my books from my laptop, and simultaneously uploading those books to my netbook and my desktop. And I am on MR . . .

pilotbob · 03-28-2010, 10:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ficbot

If I am only running Calibre on one computer and all I want to do is have a backup somewhere in case of accident, I can store the library in the Dropbox folder, proceed with Calibre business as usual, everything is stored on my machine but in the Dropbox folder and it gets backed up and life is grand?

Correct.

BOb

ficbot · 03-28-2010, 11:08 PM

Excellent! I have invested a lot in my books and I love them, so I am happy to know it is this easy and everything will be all backed up! Thanks, Pilot Bob! I never would have learned about Dropbox if it was not for this forum.

chaley · 03-29-2010, 05:20 AM

Hello all,

To reiterate what starson17 said, when you are using dropbox to share calibre libraries between machines, be aware that you should not have calibre open on more than one of them at a time. If open more than once, it is possible to lose changes or worse.

The problem arises because each version of calibre thinks it owns the metadata database and feels free to change it whenever it wants, sometimes when the user didn't make any changes. Also, the calibre viewers store bookmarks in the books, causing them to change.

When a file changes, dropbox attempts to copy that file to all the other 'dropboxes'. If it discovers that a file has been changed in another dropbox, then one of the copies wins (not clear which) and the other is renamed something like

foo (XXX's conflicted copy as of ...)

If the file is metadata.db, then your library and database are probably out of sync, and changes have possibly been lost.

You can tell if something has gone wrong by looking for files with 'conflicted' in the name. If you see them, then some cleanup is necessary.

Because I am a bit paranoid about simultaneous changes, I keep my one-true-library on my main machine outside of dropbox. From time to time I use a replicator (smart copy program) to duplicate the library into my dropbox, which then syncs to the other clients (two laptops and another desktop). Changes made by other dropbox clients are ignored, unless I choose to replicate them back into my one-true-copy.

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03-28-2010, 08:14 PM	#24
Sydney's Mom Wizard Posts: 2,895 Karma: 6995721 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Idaho, on the side of a mountain Device: Kindle Oasis, Fire 3d Gen and 5th Gen and Samsung Tab S	What do you know - when I deleted my calibre library from my netbook and pointed Calibre at dropbox, I was syncing the wrong file!! I was able to get rid of this file on my laptop, too. I right now I sm uploading my file from my laptop, and typing on my netbook - and it is showing each file as it is added. Yay! Now I see why I will always have my library on each computer.

03-28-2010, 09:33 PM	#26
ficbot Wizard Posts: 2,409 Karma: 4132096 Join Date: Sep 2008 Device: Kindle Paperwhite/iOS Kindle App	Thanks so much for your help, Pilot Bob! Just to clarify... If I am only running Calibre on one computer and all I want to do is have a backup somewhere in case of accident, I can store the library in the Dropbox folder, proceed with Calibre business as usual, everything is stored on my machine but in the Dropbox folder and it gets backed up and life is grand? Once a week or so I will probably back it up to USB key anyway. But is that the gist of it?

03-28-2010, 11:08 PM	#29
ficbot Wizard Posts: 2,409 Karma: 4132096 Join Date: Sep 2008 Device: Kindle Paperwhite/iOS Kindle App	Excellent! I have invested a lot in my books and I love them, so I am happy to know it is this easy and everything will be all backed up! Thanks, Pilot Bob! I never would have learned about Dropbox if it was not for this forum.

03-29-2010, 05:20 AM	#30
chaley Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,961 Karma: 7225107 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Notts, England Device: Kobo Libra 2	Hello all, To reiterate what starson17 said, when you are using dropbox to share calibre libraries between machines, be aware that you should not have calibre open on more than one of them at a time. If open more than once, it is possible to lose changes or worse. The problem arises because each version of calibre thinks it owns the metadata database and feels free to change it whenever it wants, sometimes when the user didn't make any changes. Also, the calibre viewers store bookmarks in the books, causing them to change. When a file changes, dropbox attempts to copy that file to all the other 'dropboxes'. If it discovers that a file has been changed in another dropbox, then one of the copies wins (not clear which) and the other is renamed something like foo (XXX's conflicted copy as of ...) If the file is metadata.db, then your library and database are probably out of sync, and changes have possibly been lost. You can tell if something has gone wrong by looking for files with 'conflicted' in the name. If you see them, then some cleanup is necessary. Because I am a bit paranoid about simultaneous changes, I keep my one-true-library on my main machine outside of dropbox. From time to time I use a replicator (smart copy program) to duplicate the library into my dropbox, which then syncs to the other clients (two laptops and another desktop). Changes made by other dropbox clients are ignored, unless I choose to replicate them back into my one-true-copy.

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