Noob question: How to back up?

[Ramo]

I have conflicting informations about how to back up my Calibre Library.

Two courses seem to be suggested 1) Export/import all calibre data. 2) Just Copy the calibre library folder.

As Calibre writes small metadata files on each book folder I guess there will be a lote of information there, but I want to understand the difference in each method.

Is there some metadata of the whole collection that is not stored in the Calibre Library folder and is stored instead on the application folder that I would be loosin if I just copy the library folder? Do I lose something, anything, by just copying the Library folder?

Is there a storage size space advantage on using the export/import method? Is it compressed in any meaningful way in which it would surpress the disadvantage of having a back-up file that only calibre could read should anything happen to the software, or has it another advantage that I'm not beeing able to imagine?

Obs: I am shure that this type of question was alred asqued an answered a million times, but I honestely haven't found it. Sorry.

[jhowell]

One thing you lose by just copying the library is any settings you have changed since you installed calibre, including those for optional plugins. Those are kept in a separate folder.

[theducks]

I suggest #1, It will back up everything (includes multiple libraries) that Calibre is aware of

Restore allows pick and choose of what Library or (full) settings

[BetterRed]

@Ramo - I backup my calibre data (libraries, configuration and associated data) using an incremental backup regime, which is what I do for all my data -- documents, audio, photos, ebooks, video, playlists, scripts, etc. The advantages include:

• its fast because it only copies the data that changed since the last backup, which means you're more likely to do it more often - e.g daily.
• individual items can be restored, e.g a specific book, or even a particular format, rather than an entire library;
• because it is a mirror copy of the originals it can be used in exactly the same way as the original, i.e. calibre can process the backup libraries and the configuration data as if they were the originals - like when a disk drive fails;
• the regime is not specific to one program and its data, so if I were to take up gaming, I would backup my games in progress in exactly the same way.

I use a program called GoodSynch to do the backups (since 2006), other people do it with other programs - such Free File Synch and rsynch.

BR

[Ramo]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

I use a program called GoodSynch to do the backups (since 2006), other people do it with other programs - such Free File Synch and rsynch.

Thanks, I will take a look on those applications. I'm looking for something like it anyways but I am interested in one that is cross plataform.

Suggestions?

[BetterRed]

Plenty to choose from, see ==>> Comparison of file synchronization software - Wikipedia

BR