How to Duplicate My Calibre Library on Multiple Computers?

[Sydney's Mom]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

@sydney's Mom: Feel free to continue using drop box, but just be aware of the pitfalls

Oh, I am aware of the pitfalls! I was having a problem backing up my brand new netbook - said it couldn't find the Calibre ebook library. Well, I had not only changed the library from the standard to my dropbox file, but I also deleted the empty default library. So, I tried to recreate that file, and point Calibre there. Well, Calibre was so helpful, it deleted all the books from my dropbox account and started putting them in the new (old) account. Well, I knew they weren't gone, so I went online and found out how to restore a previous version. It only took 5 minutes to reupload all those files. I just hope my netbook backup goes through.

[itimpi]

SirBC: Does your NAS allow you to run a Web Server on it? If so you might want to look at using Calibre2Opds as the way of allowing your family to access your library. That is how I do it.

[Starson17]

Originally Posted by itimpi

SirBC: Does your NAS allow you to run a Web Server on it? If so you might want to look at using Calibre2Opds as the way of allowing your family to access your library. That is how I do it.

Why do you do it that way rather than directly through the content server? (I can think of reasons, I just wondered what yours were.)

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by Starson17

Why do you do it that way rather than directly through the content server? (I can think of reasons, I just wondered what yours were.)

I assume it is because calibre will not run on his NAS device while a web server software will.

BOb

[itimpi]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

I assume it is because calibre will not run on his NAS device while a web server software will.

BOb

Got it in one!

There is also the fact that the NAS runs 24x7 whereas the PCs that I use Calibre on do not.

The other point is that Calibre2Opds catalogs give more structured navigation than the Calibre Content server making it easier to use for most people. It is also by definition Read Only which was one of the things being asked for.

I looked at porting all the packages to the NAS to get Calibre Content Server to run there but gave it up as a bad job

[Starson17]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

I assume it is because calibre will not run on his NAS device while a web server software will.

BOb

So, for the NAS, are we talking about something that's *nix based or Windows Home Server, or something else?

[itimpi]

My NAS (and most of those I know off) are Linux based. However it is a cut-down variant of Linux with no support for GUI's etc which means things like Qt cannot be ported with any real chance of success.

The NAS have comes with Apache installed which is used to support the Web admin interface. I use modifed firmware to get in at the Linux command line level and that makes it easy to configure in a new web site to run under the Apache server. Quite a few NAS systems give user level access to the Web server without any need to hack the system.

[Starson17]

Originally Posted by itimpi

The NAS have comes with Apache installed

Thanks.

[SirBC]

Originally Posted by itimpi

SirBC: Does your NAS allow you to run a Web Server on it? If so you might want to look at using Calibre2Opds as the way of allowing your family to access your library. That is how I do it.

I believe it does (It's a QNAP 509). I will take a look at that program.

[jemedwards]

Hello:
Bigtime lurker here but I had to put on my Big Girl Pants and ask a question.
The conversation about Dropbox was great and I installed it on my laptop and Netbook.
I'm now working on my Netbook and I opened Calibre and changed the path for my books to the "secret folder" in the dropbox public folder area.
However my books aren't showing up. I see them in the dropbox "secret folder" but they not being pulled into Calibre so I have 0 books.
Does it have something to do with the metadata file (which reads at 76k)? I saw an earlier reply regarding the metadata file but I don't know how to apply it to me.
I also have a _catalog folder but the only folder in there is "thumbnails" and it's empty. BTW the laptop is off so I don't have dropbox or calibre open anywhere except on this netbook now.

I don't have the knowledge that you folks have regarding techology so I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong so I'd appreciate any assistance I can get here please.
Thanks so much.

[Starson17]

Originally Posted by jemedwards

dropbox .... my books aren't showing up.
...Does it have something to do with the metadata file

Yes, it has to do with your metadata file. The metadata file provides Calibre with a list of all of your books. If there is a metadata.db file in your library folder (the one Calibre is pointed to), and you don't see any books in Calibre, then that file is empty, even if you have books in the folder. To fix this, you need to get all your books into your library folder and get the right metadata.db file in there.

Be careful about starting your laptop, as the "empty" metadata.db file may be newer, and may be written over your good metadata.db file on the laptop. Wait for someone who knows dropbox to help you get the files squared away. It may be a simple matter of waiting for dropbox to finish, or you may have to look for CONFLICT files.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by jemedwards

I'm now working on my Netbook and I opened Calibre and changed the path for my books to the "secret folder" in the dropbox public folder area. However my books aren't showing up.

Secret folder???

Anyway... I assume you had nothing in dropbox yet when you did this? How long did you wait? Calibre has to copy all the files over to the new folder. Once it does that it should work the same.

Or, did you do this on the desktop first then do it on the netbook?

BOb

[chilady1]

So I stumbled across this thread from a while ago and Syndney's Mom basically asked the same question I had around Calibre libraries on multiple computers.

I have followed the advice, opening up a Dropbox account. I have uploaded my entire Calibre library which I typically keep on my Desktop to Dropbox. I want to be able to access the library from both my Desktop and Netbook. Everything appears to have uploaded successfully (the Dropbox arrow is green as are the subfolders). I have changed the directory on both instances of Calibre to the Dropbox location for both Netbook and Desktop.

Here's the problem: when I open up Calibre on either machine, the library is empty. Can someone provide me guidance on possibilities of what I am doing wrong? I appreciate any comments or suggestions.

[Katseye]

I don't know what dropbox is but I am always leary of relying on an outside source to maintain my data. However, there is a very simple tool to do what the original poster asks that I use. It is free and works very well to use as a back up tool for the library and to synch changes.

Microsoft Synctoy

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by chilady1

So I stumbled across this thread from a while ago and Syndney's Mom basically asked the same question I had around Calibre libraries on multiple computers.

I have followed the advice, opening up a Dropbox account. I have uploaded my entire Calibre library which I typically keep on my Desktop to Dropbox. I want to be able to access the library from both my Desktop and Netbook. Everything appears to have uploaded successfully (the Dropbox arrow is green as are the subfolders). I have changed the directory on both instances of Calibre to the Dropbox location for both Netbook and Desktop.

Here's the problem: when I open up Calibre on either machine, the library is empty. Can someone provide me guidance on possibilities of what I am doing wrong? I appreciate any comments or suggestions.

Did you use claibre to change the location of the library? Or did you just copy it manually?

BOb