Editing Calibre on ipad

harpangel36 · 07-28-2011, 08:43 PM

I would like to edit my Calibre library on my ipad. Is that possible? I didn't find and app and I tried to open it through dropbox but it only shows my library and the program won't open. Any suggestions.
Thanks, Roxanne

theducks · 07-28-2011, 09:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by harpangel36

I would like to edit my Calibre library on my ipad. Is that possible? I didn't find and app and I tried to open it through dropbox but it only shows my library and the program won't open. Any suggestions.
Thanks, Roxanne

Use VNC to remote control your Calibre PC

VNC client (the remote Terminal) is cross platform.

The Pro versions of Windows has Remote Desktop connection (HOST).
The controlling Terminal will even run on a lowly W98 machine, Linux has a compatible terminal.
I like VNC because you can watch (configurable) what the remote is doing and even interact. RDC locks the Host screen.

itimpi · 07-29-2011, 02:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by harpangel36

I would like to edit my Calibre library on my ipad. Is that possible? I didn't find and app and I tried to open it through dropbox but it only shows my library and the program won't open. Any suggestions.

Calibre will not run on an iPad. It runs under Windows, Linux or Mac OSX.

As was mentioned the closest you will get is to run software on the iPad that allows you to remotely connect to the machine running Calibre. I have tried this and it DOES work although I have found it a bit clumsy to use as Calibre is not optimised for a touch interface with limited screen resolution.

Manichean · 07-29-2011, 03:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by harpangel36

I tried to open it through dropbox but it only shows my library and the program won't open.

If your library is on Dropbox, don't go and change anything in there except through using Calibre. If you do, the library folder and the metadata database will get out of sync, and you'll have lots of problems.

DMee · 08-02-2011, 07:09 AM

How "simple" is the database structure of calibre?

Would it be possible to point and existing iPad database app at calibre's files and tweak the data within??

I have mine on Dropbox as well along with using Calibre2OPDS to access books via web - works brilliantly but I hate it if I spot errors and want to tweak Calibre data

e.g. Spot that Author if [LN, FN] when all rest are [FN LN]

I would love to jump into Calibre data and just tweak that one record.

I realise there's probably loads goes on in background (Author Sort etc etc) that I may break but I would even be happy running a rebuild on the databases once I got back to the computer if I could edit as I spotted errors :-)

I realise I could dial in from iPad but, as has been pointed out, the interface makes it hard work on the iPad.

mrmikel · 08-02-2011, 07:38 AM

From what I have read, altering the database is only advisable through calibre. Any other attempts lead to corruption of the database.

DMee · 08-02-2011, 08:18 AM

shame but I can see why

chaley · 08-02-2011, 08:20 AM

@DMee: calibre's database is (currently) a SQLite DB with lots of n-ary normalized tables to handle multiple items such as tags, authors, etc. I say "currently" because Kovid is changing the database back end.

There are many triggers and other data integrity operations that must be performed when touching certain fields. For example, if you change an author or a title, you must also change the file system structure. Changing almost anything requires placing an entry onto the metadata backup queue. You mentioned title and author sort (in the books table), but there is also the author sort in the authors table to deal with. If you change any item in one of the normalized tables, then you must do duplicate checks and reconstruct the connection table(s) appropriately. The list goes on.

Unless you alter the metadata.opf backup, there is no rebuild of the database available to you.

Also note that there is (currently) no concurrency control. It would be up to you to ensure that calibre and your DB application are not both running at the same time.

My conclusion: you could make this work, but the risk of nuking at least the book you are working on is quite high.

DMee · 08-02-2011, 08:27 AM

Yeah I know. Just dreaming ;-)

I'll just have to carry on making myself notes of "things to edit next time open calibre" ;-)

theducks · 08-02-2011, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DMee

How "simple" is the database structure of calibre?

Calibre: Simple DB?

do not let the Lite in the DB system name fool you.
This is SQL used with lots of the capabilities.

My DB has 36 Tables (includes some custom columns)

07-28-2011, 08:43 PM	#1
harpangel36 Connoisseur Posts: 75 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2011 Device: Kindle	Editing Calibre on ipad I would like to edit my Calibre library on my ipad. Is that possible? I didn't find and app and I tried to open it through dropbox but it only shows my library and the program won't open. Any suggestions. Thanks, Roxanne

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08-02-2011, 07:09 AM	#5
DMee Zealot Posts: 116 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Stockport, UK Device: ipad, iphone, kindle	How "simple" is the database structure of calibre? Would it be possible to point and existing iPad database app at calibre's files and tweak the data within?? I have mine on Dropbox as well along with using Calibre2OPDS to access books via web - works brilliantly but I hate it if I spot errors and want to tweak Calibre data e.g. Spot that Author if [LN, FN] when all rest are [FN LN] I would love to jump into Calibre data and just tweak that one record. I realise there's probably loads goes on in background (Author Sort etc etc) that I may break but I would even be happy running a rebuild on the databases once I got back to the computer if I could edit as I spotted errors :-) I realise I could dial in from iPad but, as has been pointed out, the interface makes it hard work on the iPad.

08-02-2011, 07:38 AM	#6
mrmikel Color me gone Posts: 2,089 Karma: 1445295 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Central Oregon Coast Device: PRS-300	From what I have read, altering the database is only advisable through calibre. Any other attempts lead to corruption of the database.

08-02-2011, 08:18 AM	#7
DMee Zealot Posts: 116 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Stockport, UK Device: ipad, iphone, kindle	shame but I can see why

08-02-2011, 08:20 AM	#8
chaley Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,738 Karma: 6997045 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Notts, England Device: Kobo Libra 2	@DMee: calibre's database is (currently) a SQLite DB with lots of n-ary normalized tables to handle multiple items such as tags, authors, etc. I say "currently" because Kovid is changing the database back end. There are many triggers and other data integrity operations that must be performed when touching certain fields. For example, if you change an author or a title, you must also change the file system structure. Changing almost anything requires placing an entry onto the metadata backup queue. You mentioned title and author sort (in the books table), but there is also the author sort in the authors table to deal with. If you change any item in one of the normalized tables, then you must do duplicate checks and reconstruct the connection table(s) appropriately. The list goes on. Unless you alter the metadata.opf backup, there is no rebuild of the database available to you. Also note that there is (currently) no concurrency control. It would be up to you to ensure that calibre and your DB application are not both running at the same time. My conclusion: you could make this work, but the risk of nuking at least the book you are working on is quite high.

08-02-2011, 08:27 AM	#9
DMee Zealot Posts: 116 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Stockport, UK Device: ipad, iphone, kindle	Yeah I know. Just dreaming ;-) I'll just have to carry on making myself notes of "things to edit next time open calibre" ;-)

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