[Android] using CC to access existing database

[barlowrm]

Dear all,

I mirrored my main calibre library to my tablet's SD card. I would now like to use CC to read the database and display its contents.

I tried to set the main CC folder to the root of the calibre library I just copied, but nothing happens.

I know I could connect to the main calibre library as a device, or use a cloud service, but that is not what I need to do: I would like the whole library to be available on the device independently on any internet connection, and copying it directly to an SD card is much faster than going through a massive wifi copy-to-device.

Is there a way to achieve this?

Thanks for your help,

Andrea.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by barlowrm

I mirrored my main calibre library to my tablet's SD card. I would now like to use CC to read the database and display its contents.

I tried to set the main CC folder to the root of the calibre library I just copied, but nothing happens.

I know I could connect to the main calibre library as a device, or use a cloud service, but that is not what I need to do: I would like the whole library to be available on the device independently on any internet connection, and copying it directly to an SD card is much faster than going through a massive wifi copy-to-device.

In order to do what you want the option is under cloud providers. Read this FAQ.

[barlowrm]

Hi DoctorOhh,

Thanks for your reply. This behaves, however, like a remote connection. The books are not in my local cc library. If I want to read one of them, apparently I have to copy it to the local library, presumably creating a second copy of it, which with large comics means wasting lots of resources.

Can't cc and calibre just share the same db and root folder? If the db needs to be different, can't cc at least bootstrap its one from the existing calibre db, and use the same local copies of all the files?

Thanks for your help,

Andrea.

[chaley]

Originally Posted by barlowrm

Can't cc and calibre just share the same db and root folder? If the db needs to be different, can't cc at least bootstrap its one from the existing calibre db, and use the same local copies of all the files?

No to both questions. The first would require a total rewrite of CC's data access and filtering systems so won't happen. The second is more feasible, but it requires a great deal of work (time) that would never be compensated by sales.

[barlowrm]

Dear chaley,

Thanks for your reply. May point out, then, that the app description "your calibre library on your tablet" is highly misleading? Not to mention the name of the app itself. I fail to see how this is better integrated with calibre than, say, the software on my kindle. It just creates its own library, with nothing in common with calibre, and I transfer stuff to and from the device like I would with any other ebook reader. Or am I missing anything?

Thanks for your help,

Andrea.

[chaley]

Originally Posted by barlowrm

Thanks for your reply. May point out, then, that the app description "your calibre library on your tablet" is highly misleading? Not to mention the name of the app itself. I fail to see how this is better integrated with calibre than, say, the software on my kindle. It just creates its own library, with nothing in common with calibre, and I transfer stuff to and from the device like I would with any other ebook reader. Or am I missing anything?

CC understands all calibre metadata including custom columns. If you connect via the wireless device then the metadata in CC is automatically updated with changes made in calibre without resending books. Is-read and read-date information can be synced back to calibre via the wireless device. CC can support calibre virtual libraries via a custom column. Changed book files can be automatically synced down to CC. CC supports calibre's On-device and In-library indicators and can be integrated with calibre's Reading-List plugin. CC's content server connection (OPDS) understands and transfers all calibre metadata. CC understands calibre's "news" system and can fetch/manage news automatically. I am not aware of an Android reader app that supports this level of integration. Kindles certainly do not.

It is also worth noting that many devices do not have an SD card slot and do not have sufficient "main" memory to store their entire library, making a separate database necessary. In addition, many people don't want their entire library on their device, instead maintaining a subset of current interest.

[barlowrm]

Hi chaley,

yes, I agree that the list of features is impressive, sorry if it sounded like I didn't And the cloud connection is a **very cool** feature, definitely worth the price of the app by itself.

Having said that, it is still true from what I understand that CC builds its own library, it does not use calibre's. I still find the app description misleading, but YMMV of course.

Apart from linguistic opinions, could you maybe suggest the most efficient way to keep a relatively large calibre library (~5000 books, 10GB) always sync-ed between a computer and a tablet? One-way sync (from pc to tablet) is really all I need: I don't expect to be ever editing the library from the tablet.

Thanks for your help,

Andrea.

[chaley]

Originally Posted by barlowrm

Apart from linguistic opinions, could you maybe suggest the most efficient way to keep a relatively large calibre library (~5000 books, 10GB) always sync-ed between a computer and a tablet? One-way sync (from pc to tablet) is really all I need: I don't expect to be ever editing the library from the tablet.

It really depends on how you use calibre and what the "one-way sync" is expected to do.

First: 5000 books isn't particularly large. The biggest CC library I know of is around 35,000 books. Around 6% of CC users have libraries larger than 5,000 books.

If you never change metadata (where "metadata" includes the cover) for a book in calibre then any of the connection types will do the job. Once the library is in CC then it is easy to add new books. For example, in the cloud connection you could go to "Newest" and then "Download all". CC will download any book not already in its library. The same option exists in the content server. However, neither of these connection types will update metadata for books already in CC's library. The wireless device (WD) supports calibre's On-Device, so sending new books is easy.

If you change metadata (updating tags or what-have-you) and want to see those changes in CC, then you should use the WD. The WD automatically updates all metadata for books on every connection. The update process is highly optimized to ensure that the check is fast and only changes are sent to CC. It doesn't matter which connection was the original source for a book in CC. You can use the cloud or content server on an as-needed basis, then use the WD connection to check and update metadata. CC users use the WD much more frequently than the other 2 connection types.

If you frequently edit books in the library, something that seems to happen frequently with fanfic, then from time to time you could use the WD connection variant that syncs changed book files from calibre to CC. You might not want to do this check every time because it is relatively slow. Calibre must check the mod-time of every book to see if it is newer than the one in CC's library.

In all cases you will need to get the original library into CC. Assuming you have a reasonable WiFi connection, I suspect that transferring using WD connection will take around a second per book. You will definitely want to look at this FAQ: I have added a lot of books and now adding books takes forever. What do I do? before doing the transfer.

If you use the WD connection then you might also want to use either the Reading List plugin or the Smart Eject plugin to help manage sending new books to CC. Reading List can be set up to detect books not on the device and send them automatically. By using that feature and CC's auto-connect feature you can set things up so that new books and new metadata is sent to the device at some chosen time every day.

There are lots of users who can help with specific usage questions, etc. If this answer isn't enough then I suggest you start a new thread with a title that helps people know what information you are looking for.

[ekbell]

I keep my CC and Calibre libraries synced (5000+ books, 19+gigs, stored on an SDcard) by using the wireless (don't sync books) connection to keep the metadata synced with occasional use of the 'sync books' when warranted.

The initial download and setup was a bit of a pain (particularly setting up the grouping drawer with it's associated database upgrades) but since then it's been quite satisfactory. and

[Dopedangel]

Originally Posted by barlowrm

Hi chaley,

yes, I agree that the list of features is impressive, sorry if it sounded like I didn't And the cloud connection is a **very cool** feature, definitely worth the price of the app by itself.

Having said that, it is still true from what I understand that CC builds its own library, it does not use calibre's. I still find the app description misleading, but YMMV of course.

Apart from linguistic opinions, could you maybe suggest the most efficient way to keep a relatively large calibre library (~5000 books, 10GB) always sync-ed between a computer and a tablet? One-way sync (from pc to tablet) is really all I need: I don't expect to be ever editing the library from the tablet.

Thanks for your help,

Andrea.

Use the copied calibre database that you have to sync your calibre library one time. After that you can connect to the pc and get any changes you make its just the first 5000 books that is the problem after that you won't be adding a few thousand books just 5-10 at a time.