Test for Calibre open on another computer

chrisparker · 01-10-2012, 05:18 AM

I use Dropbox to store my Calibre library so it's available to all my machines.

Since it's a bad idea to run more than one copy of Calibre at a time, would it be possible for Calibre to check, at start-up, whether the metadata.db file is open and then warn the user that the library is already in use? Would this be useful?

kovidgoyal · 01-10-2012, 05:29 AM

That isn't possible to do reliably over a dropbox share.

itimpi · 01-10-2012, 05:32 AM

Because of the way that DropBox works this is not technically possible. There is no feature in DropBox that informs the local app that the file in question is open elsewhere.

You could probably write your own crude check mechanism if you wrote a script/batch file (depending on OS) to check if a marker file that you created during the Calibre launch existed. However you would have to handle issues like making sure that the file was removed when Calibre cleanly exited; having an over-ride capability for case where Calibre crashed and also making sure that wherever you started Calibre you had an active internet connection so that DropBox could replicate the required file changes. Therefore whether it is worth it might be something to consider.

chrisparker · 01-11-2012, 05:12 AM

OK, thanks, just an idea...

01-10-2012, 05:18 AM	#1
chrisparker Connoisseur Posts: 81 Karma: 48014 Join Date: May 2011 Location: London, UK Device: iPad Air 4, iPad mini 5, Kobo Forma, Kobo Aura One, Nook ST Glowlight	Test for Calibre open on another computer I use Dropbox to store my Calibre library so it's available to all my machines. Since it's a bad idea to run more than one copy of Calibre at a time, would it be possible for Calibre to check, at start-up, whether the metadata.db file is open and then warn the user that the library is already in use? Would this be useful?

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01-10-2012, 05:29 AM	#2
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,850 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	That isn't possible to do reliably over a dropbox share.

01-10-2012, 05:32 AM	#3
itimpi Wizard Posts: 4,552 Karma: 950151 Join Date: Nov 2008 Device: Sony PRS-950, iphone/ipad (Marvin/iBooks/QuickReader)	Because of the way that DropBox works this is not technically possible. There is no feature in DropBox that informs the local app that the file in question is open elsewhere. You could probably write your own crude check mechanism if you wrote a script/batch file (depending on OS) to check if a marker file that you created during the Calibre launch existed. However you would have to handle issues like making sure that the file was removed when Calibre cleanly exited; having an over-ride capability for case where Calibre crashed and also making sure that wherever you started Calibre you had an active internet connection so that DropBox could replicate the required file changes. Therefore whether it is worth it might be something to consider.

01-11-2012, 05:12 AM	#4
chrisparker Connoisseur Posts: 81 Karma: 48014 Join Date: May 2011 Location: London, UK Device: iPad Air 4, iPad mini 5, Kobo Forma, Kobo Aura One, Nook ST Glowlight	OK, thanks, just an idea...

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