Starting calibre as a Windows Service via NSSM

RG9400 · 06-17-2018, 04:17 PM

My end goal is to be able to use calibredb to read and write to my books directory on Windows 10 boot. Currently, I've saved a shortcut of calibre.exe in my startup folder which launches the interface when I log in. This works fine, but I would like to accomplish this without a required log in. I use NSSM for the rest of my services, but pointing NSSM at the executable does not work. When launching via NSSM, nothing happens.

Anyone else figured this out? Should I use NSSM for the server only? My settings launch the server when I start the application.

kovidgoyal · 06-17-2018, 10:11 PM

IIRC there were a few posts from people that managed to run calibredb.exe as a service by using a wrapper for it. Some googleing should help you find those posts.

drjenkins · 06-18-2018, 08:29 AM

I use NSSM as the wrapper to run caliber as a service on my 2012R2 server. I have never tried doing so on Windows 10.

I prefer the old server interface, so I am still running 2.85.1 64bit on the server. I did test NSSM with version 3.x and it ran with no difficulties.

RG9400 · 06-18-2018, 11:00 AM

I would prefer to use NSSM since everything else I use is running via that. Do you use it to launch calibre.exe or calibre-server or calibredb? I would appreciate it if you could tell me how you configured it when you tested to see if it would work with 3.x.

On a separate note, if calibre is running, is there a way to run the metadata download and count pages automatically when adding books? Right now, I have to manually run them each time via the GUI.

BetterRed · 06-18-2018, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RG9400

I would prefer to use NSSM since everything else I use is running via that. Do you use it to launch calibre.exe or calibre-server or calibredb? I would appreciate it if you could tell me how you configured it when you tested to see if it would work with 3.x.

Did you as Kovid suggested, search the Calibre forum?

I just did a search for "NSSM", one of the several threads listed documents how a user runs calibre-server as a service using NSSM Ψ²

BR

RG9400 · 06-18-2018, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BetterRed

Did you as Kovid suggested, search the Calibre forum?

I just did a search for "NSSM", one of the several threads listed documents how a user runs calibre-server as a service using NSSM Ψ²

BR

Actually, I did read through the threads, but I think I am getting confused with Calibre and all of the components. The latest thread states this:

"I consider the contents of this thread obsolete for at least two reasons:
Calibre 3 no longer supports running the content server and GUI simultaneously."

Does this mean I need to run calibre.exe via NSSM or calibre-server.exe or calibredb.exe? In another thread, Kovid had mentioned just running calibre.exe (by putting it in the startup folder), and letting that start calibre server as a sort of best practice. The threads, on the other hand, seem to be more geared towards launching calibre-server via NSSM

BetterRed · 06-18-2018, 09:45 PM

@RG9400 - I'm only aware of people running calibre-server.exe as a service, either via NSSM, AlwaysUp, or Powershell commands. Not heard of anyone running calibre.exe or calibredb.exe as a service.

BR

RG9400 · 06-18-2018, 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BetterRed

@RG9400 - I'm only aware of people running calibre-server.exe as a service, either via NSSM, AlwaysUp, or Powershell commands. Not heard of anyone running calibre.exe or calibredb.exe as a service.

BR

It works, but does this mean that running the GUI will cause problems? Should I keep "Run server automatically when calibre starts" checked?

kovidgoyal · 06-18-2018, 11:13 PM

You should never rin the main calibre program and the server simultaneously. Either run the main program and its embedded server. Or run calibre-server.exe and shut it down before starting the main program.

RG9400 · 06-18-2018, 11:35 PM

That's what I figured, which leads me to trying to run calibre.exe via NSSM instead.

calibre-server.exe works via NSSM, but calibre.exe does not. I just point it at the .exe and use --start-in-tray as an argument (I tried it without as well)

kovidgoyal · 06-18-2018, 11:38 PM

I highly doubt, calibre.exe is going to work via NSSM, it assumes access to the windowing subsystem.

RG9400 · 06-18-2018, 11:57 PM

Is there any other way that you know of to run calibre.exe as a Windows Service?

kovidgoyal · 06-18-2018, 11:59 PM

Nope, sorry.

06-17-2018, 04:17 PM	#1
RG9400 Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2018 Device: None	Starting calibre as a Windows Service via NSSM My end goal is to be able to use calibredb to read and write to my books directory on Windows 10 boot. Currently, I've saved a shortcut of calibre.exe in my startup folder which launches the interface when I log in. This works fine, but I would like to accomplish this without a required log in. I use NSSM for the rest of my services, but pointing NSSM at the executable does not work. When launching via NSSM, nothing happens. Anyone else figured this out? Should I use NSSM for the server only? My settings launch the server when I start the application.

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06-17-2018, 10:11 PM	#2
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,842 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	IIRC there were a few posts from people that managed to run calibredb.exe as a service by using a wrapper for it. Some googleing should help you find those posts.

06-18-2018, 08:29 AM	#3
drjenkins Addict Posts: 250 Karma: 1702156 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: Kindle Voyage	I use NSSM as the wrapper to run caliber as a service on my 2012R2 server. I have never tried doing so on Windows 10. I prefer the old server interface, so I am still running 2.85.1 64bit on the server. I did test NSSM with version 3.x and it ran with no difficulties.

06-18-2018, 11:00 AM	#4
RG9400 Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2018 Device: None	I would prefer to use NSSM since everything else I use is running via that. Do you use it to launch calibre.exe or calibre-server or calibredb? I would appreciate it if you could tell me how you configured it when you tested to see if it would work with 3.x. On a separate note, if calibre is running, is there a way to run the metadata download and count pages automatically when adding books? Right now, I have to manually run them each time via the GUI.

06-18-2018, 09:45 PM	#7
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 20,552 Karma: 26954694 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	@RG9400 - I'm only aware of people running calibre-server.exe as a service, either via NSSM, AlwaysUp, or Powershell commands. Not heard of anyone running calibre.exe or calibredb.exe as a service. BR

06-18-2018, 11:13 PM	#9
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,842 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	You should never rin the main calibre program and the server simultaneously. Either run the main program and its embedded server. Or run calibre-server.exe and shut it down before starting the main program.

06-18-2018, 11:35 PM	#10
RG9400 Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2018 Device: None	That's what I figured, which leads me to trying to run calibre.exe via NSSM instead. calibre-server.exe works via NSSM, but calibre.exe does not. I just point it at the .exe and use --start-in-tray as an argument (I tried it without as well)

06-18-2018, 11:38 PM	#11
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,842 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	I highly doubt, calibre.exe is going to work via NSSM, it assumes access to the windowing subsystem.

06-18-2018, 11:57 PM	#12
RG9400 Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2018 Device: None	Is there any other way that you know of to run calibre.exe as a Windows Service?

06-18-2018, 11:59 PM	#13
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,842 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Nope, sorry.