Not enough space to export/backup library. How to do partial backup?

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

No downsides other than having two libraries instead of one, AFAIK. You can copy your split books back to your main library afterwards.

There is a plugin for splitting a library. I haven't tried it myself.

If you are just going to create one other library and move to it, the easiest solution is to create a new library based on the structure of the existing library and move the eBook you wat to it. That would split the to libraries.

But if droppy goes the 512GB Flash drive way, then there would be no need to split.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by droopy

Before my calibre library became bigger than my remaining space, I have done one-way syncing to the cloud. In other words I upload the data files that Calibre creates when I export my library into my Google drive. But I don't use/have active sync or two-way sync as you say.

I'm on Linux. Google has not created a two-way sync program for Linux. So I'm safe from any risks that you are warning me about.

If you ever have to restore, then you would be screwed. That's why Google is a bad idea for use to backup your library.

[droopy]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

No downsides other than having two libraries instead of one, AFAIK. You can copy your split books back to your main library afterwards.

There is a plugin for splitting a library. I haven't tried it myself.

If there are no downsides to splitting a library, then I think this is the way I want to proceed. I prefer this solution versus the recommendations to buy more hardware (hard drive or flash drive).

[droopy]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

If you ever have to restore, then you would be screwed. That's why Google is a bad idea for use to backup your library.

Iirc, I have never had to restore my calibre library yet . So I don't know if the exported data files on my Google cloud will not work if I were to download them and choose to ”restore the library”. Are you telling me that even though I don't use two-way sync, restoring manually downloaded calibre files from my Google drive account will prove to be ineffective?
I am aware that Google drive changes the modification date of files to whatever the upload date and time is. but I don't see how that will affect manually restoring a calibre library. Does calibri look at modification date when it's time to restore a library?

[droopy]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

If you are just going to create one other library and move to it, the easiest solution is to create a new library based on the structure of the existing library and move the eBook you wat to it. That would split the to libraries.

Not sure what you mean by ”move to it”.
Also, what do you mean by creating a new library based on the structure of the existing one?

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by droopy

Iirc, I have never had to restore my calibre library yet . So I don't know if the exported data files on my Google cloud will not work if I were to download them and choose to ”restore the library”. Are you telling me that even though I don't use two-way sync, restoring manually downloaded calibre files from my Google drive account will prove to be ineffective?
I am aware that Google drive changes the modification date of files to whatever the upload date and time is. but I don't see how that will affect manually restoring a calibre library. Does calibri look at modification date when it's time to restore a library?

Yes you will have data corruptions. The parenthesis with the number in the filenames will either be modified or removed. So don't rely on Google drive as it can't be trusted.

I am going to say this again, cloud storage is not a good idea. A good idea is a 512GB USB Flash Drive since you don't want to buy an external hard drive.

[droopy]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Yes you will have data corruptions. The parenthesis with the number in the filenames will either be modified or removed. So don't rely on Google drive as it can't be trusted.

I am going to say this again, cloud storage is not a good idea. A good idea is a 512GB USB Flash Drive since you don't want to buy an external hard drive.

Okay, so I should ”zip/ ”archive”/tar (put the files into some wrapper/package) the data files before uploading.
Sorry, when I said I don't want to buy a hard drive, I meant I didn't want to buy any other hardware (like a flash drive).

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

If you ever have to restore, then you would be screwed. That's why Google is a bad idea for use to backup your library.

Compressing the folder to an archive (although 7z is most compressible, RAR is also good for backups because it has recovery records) before dropping it into Google Drive should hopefully protect against Google Drive eating the id numbers.

In any case, using "add from directories" ought to be able to get them back into a library regardless of ID numbers.

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by droopy

Iirc, I have never had to restore my calibre library yet . So I don't know if the exported data files on my Google cloud will not work if I were to download them and choose to ”restore the library”.

Note that the built-in Calibre import/export also includes the config files. It's mostly for use in migrating systems, not so much as backup.

[droopy]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

Compressing the folder to an archive (although 7z is most compressible, RAR is also good for backups because it has recovery records) before dropping it into Google Drive should hopefully protect against Google Drive eating the id numbers.

In any case, using "add from directories" ought to be able to get them back into a library regardless of ID numbers.

Yes I believe so. Google will not be altering anything inside the package / wrapper

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by droopy

Okay, so I should ”zip/ ”archive”/tar (put the files into some wrapper/package) the data files before uploading.
Sorry, when I said I don't want to buy a hard drive, I meant I didn't want to buy any other hardware (like a flash drive).

Putting your library in a compressed file before uploading may not work. You may not have enough space to do this. And then if you ever want to restore something, you have to download the compressed file and then extract what it is you want. Again, not a good idea. You don't have enough disk space,

Why are you so against buying external storage of some kind? You don't have much of a choice with not enough disk space available.

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Why are you so against buying external storage of some kind? You don't have much of a choice with not enough disk space available.

For what it matters, an external enclosure is very useful to have, especially since you can swap out drives.

[droopy]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Putting your library in a compressed file before uploading may not work. You may not have enough space to do this. And then if you ever want to restore something, you have to download the compressed file and then extract what it is you want. Again, not a good idea. You don't have enough disk space,

Why are you so against buying external storage of some kind? You don't have much of a choice with not enough disk space available.

I would use .tar file format, because tar does not try to compress a file. Calibre's exported data files are already quite compressed.
Right now, as my original post indicates, I don't have space my entire library. That is why I want to do just a partial backup. And then when it's time to actually upload the data files into my Google cloud account. I plan to ”tar” one or two or three partitions at a time.

As for your last question, it's only if it's absolutely necessary. But right now it seems that there is a way for me to accomplish my goal without having to buy more hardware of any type

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

For what it matters, an external enclosure is very useful to have, especially since you can swap out drives.

I agree with that. I have a 500GB 3.5" internal drive that's doing nothing. It could be used to backup some data if I got an external enclosure.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by droopy

I would use .tar file format, because tar does not try to compress a file. Calibre's exported data files are already quite compressed.
Right now, as my original post indicates, I don't have space my entire library. That is why I want to do just a partial backup. And then when it's time to actually upload the data files into my Google cloud account. I plan to ”tar” one or two or three partitions at a time.

As for your last question, it's only if it's absolutely necessary. But right now it seems that there is a way for me to accomplish my goal without having to buy more hardware of any type

You are ding it all wrong. You do not export. You close Calibre and compress the library as is or you backup the library as is. Exporting is no really all that convenient.

You do need more storage to do what it is you want. So why not just give in and do it so it works?