Can I Run Calibre on Two PCs and Somehow Sync Them?

[CrossReach]

Perhaps this has already been answered. My apologies.

[haertig]

"rsync" would be good for that, if you're running Linux.

I believe there is a Cygwin setup for Windows that will run rsync, but I've never tried it.

[rcrh]

I run Calibre on two computers but share a data location that is on a OneDrive folder. It stays in sync for both computers.

[CrossReach]

But do you have to add the files on both Calibres for them to recognize them? Just putting files in my current location does not add them to the interface. I have to actually add them for the program to recognize them.

[jdcarpe]

I copied my Calibre library to a new folder on my Dropbox (let Calibre copy the library when pointing it to the Dropbox folder). As long as I don’t have Calibre open on more than one computer at a time, it works great that way. I can use Calibre from any computer, and my library stays intact and up to date with any changes I make.


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[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by jdcarpe

I copied my Calibre library to a new folder on my Dropbox (let Calibre copy the library when pointing it to the Dropbox folder). As long as I don’t have Calibre open on more than one computer at a time, it works great that way. I can use Calibre from any computer, and my library stays intact and up to date with any changes I make.

You will have to take into account that calibre is not a multi-user program, so you will have to make sure only one instance of calibre is accessing this library. So, don't forget to close the program when you're done with it, or you might find some files are locked when you're working on another computer. This could damage your database (make it inconsistent with the actual files in the calibre library).

[FizzyWater]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

You will have to take into account that calibre is not a multi-user program, so you will have to make sure only one instance of calibre is accessing this library. So, don't forget to close the program when you're done with it, or you might find some files are locked when you're working on another computer. This could damage your database (make it inconsistent with the actual files in the calibre library).

I'd also suggest to make sure you sync after each and every usage, whichever the computer. I personally don't run Dropbox all the time (you shouldn't have Calibre open and running while your Dropbox is syncing, for example). So if I were doing this, I'd need to make sure I synced my Dropbox before switching to the other computer.

Back in the PDA days, I remember when you could actively sync independent actions on the PDA, but you could end up with "expected results". I don't even know if Dropbox offers that option.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by FizzyWater

I'd also suggest to make sure you sync after each and every usage, whichever the computer. I personally don't run Dropbox all the time (you shouldn't have Calibre open and running while your Dropbox is syncing, for example). So if I were doing this, I'd need to make sure I synced my Dropbox before switching to the other computer.

Back in the PDA days, I remember when you could actively sync independent actions on the PDA, but you could end up with "expected results". I don't even know if Dropbox offers that option.

Absolutely. or you will end up with a snarled Library.
{ID} for one.
If the laptop user adds a book, the next (local) ID is assigned
If the desktop user adds a book BEFORE SYNC, the same ID will be assigned to a totally different book.
THEN
when a sync happens ONE of the Libraries metadata.db gets copied over.
Both (author/)title folders get exchanged.
The problem, is the DB now only knows about one of those (sync sequence rules prevail) you have orphaned one of the books folders.

Change an Author or Title on one computer and do something else on the other, and again, the DB gets snarled.

only ever change/add stuff on 1 computer (a 1 way sync to the slave)

[CrossReach]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

You will have to take into account that calibre is not a multi-user program, so you will have to make sure only one instance of calibre is accessing this library. So, don't forget to close the program when you're done with it, or you might find some files are locked when you're working on another computer. This could damage your database (make it inconsistent with the actual files in the calibre library).

That's my problem right now. There's two of us working side by side on a project and we'll both be updating and converting Word files to epub, as Calibre is the best program out there for converting epubs that we have found. But maybe my plan will not work then.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by CrossReach

That's my problem right now. There's two of us working side by side on a project and we'll both be updating and converting Word files to epub, as Calibre is the best program out there for converting epubs that we have found. But maybe my plan will not work then.

You just need to use a different Work flow (and possibly 3 PC's. Work 1, work 2 and Master )
Start with a 'work Library. the one that holds those to be processed.

A completed document is transferred to the Master PC, ( drop A COPY into the AutoAdd folder) then added to the Master Library.

As books get done, just tag them Done on both Work PC's
No sync required.

[dwig]

Originally Posted by CrossReach

That's my problem right now. There's two of us working side by side on a project and we'll both be updating and converting Word files to epub, as Calibre is the best program out there for converting epubs that we have found. But maybe my plan will not work then.

Sounds like theDucks' proposed 3 machine workflow is the only functional answer. Each user has their own calibre and maintains their own library for the work they're doing. When they finish a book, they export it, using calibre's Save to Disk function, targeting a network shared folder on the third machine.

The 3rd machine run's its own calibre 24/7 and has the shared network folder as a watch folder (set in Prefs>Adding Books). This copy of calibre will then automatically move the books from the watch folder to its library. Since importing is not processor/memory intensive to any great degree and since this machine has no other "chore" other than to offer the network shared folder, it doesn't need to be a particularly powerful machine. Even if imports are somewhat slow it doesn't matter since no user is waiting for it to fininsh.

This way, each user's calibre is isolated from the "master" calibre. Each worker has their own library or libraries; perhaps one for "waiting in the queue", one for "in progress" and one for "done at exported to the master".

[Katsunami]

With that setup, each worker computer has to sync its library with the master on occasion of course, so calibre needs to be closed there from time to time. (Obviously only if the worker computers need the complete library; if they are only used to edit and upload books, then no sync needs to be done.)

[haertig]

Sounds like you might need a "source code control" system. Those are designed to either 1) only allow one user to edit something at a time, or 2) allow concurrent editing and then intelligently merge the two edits. Each user could have their local copy of Calibre to assist in the editing process. But the actual "database" is the source code control system. You could even have a "master Calibre" drawing the most recent committed version of a file to display in its library. You could even get by with the ancient, but simple, RCS or SCCS system, if you don't need concurrent editing.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by CrossReach

. . . two of us working side by side on a project and we'll both be updating and converting Word files to epub . . .

When we had up to three of us doing similar, we used shared folders to implement in/out baskets. I'd allocate the work by sending inputs to my colleagues' 'in basket' folders.

We each had a local working calibre library in which we converted, edited etc. When an editor finished a book he/she put a copy of the book folder into an editor specific shared folder (e.g. fromJohn) on my machine, and then they updated #bookstatus from 'WIP' to 'Finished' on their machine.

At the end of the day, I would add the books in the editors' finished book folders (fromJohn, fromSatya) to a 'master' library, empty the editors' finished book folders and back it the 'master' library.

If anything needed exceptional treatment then that's what it got it.

BR