How to sync library after exported library

[chantw0968]

Hello Everyone,
I just backed up my Calibre library following these steps:
I went to Calibre
selected library
selected export/import all Calibre data
located Calibre on my computer
selected my external drive and all the data went to a folder on the drive

so my question is:
1. Is my Calibre library backed up?
2. Can I use a software like Microsoft SyncToy to keep updating my library on my external drive?
3. How can I keep backing up my library to ensure that my books don't get lost in the event my hard drive goes.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by chantw0968

Hello Everyone,
I just backed up my Calibre library following these steps:
I went to Calibre
selected library
selected export/import all Calibre data
located Calibre on my computer
selected my external drive and all the data went to a folder on the drive

so my question is:
1. Is my Calibre library backed up?

Yes, but in my opinion inadequately.

Calibre's export/import was implemented to facilitate moving calibre libraries and configuration between computers - normally an old one to a new one.

It's an all or nothing tool, you cannot restore individual books, and you cannot update it incrementally.

2. Can I use a software like Microsoft SyncToy to keep updating my library on my external drive?

No, afaik Synctoy, or anything similar such as rsync or Free File Sync, cannot update a calibre export archive.

3. How can I keep backing up my library to ensure that my books don't get lost in the event my hard drive goes.

Create and maintain a backup on an external drive with a file synchronisation backup tool. See ==>> How do I backup calibre?

• if your internal data drive fails you can point calibre at the backup and carry on regardless;
• because it's incremental, second and subsequent backups are quick to do;
• individual books and files can be restored;
• make sure you include calibre's configuration folder in the backup regime;

FWIW I use the GoodSync and Windows 10 Backup tools.

More on this by me here ==>> https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...4&postcount=13

BR

[chantw0968]

I still don't understand how to back up my library and have it automatically sync.
I looked at the "How do I backup Calibre" and it only says this:
How do I backup calibre?
The most important thing to backup is the calibre library folder, that contains all your books and metadata. This is the folder you chose for your calibre library when you ran calibre for the first time. You can get the path to the library folder by clicking the calibre icon on the main toolbar. You must backup this complete folder with all its files and sub-folders.

You can switch calibre to using a backed up library folder by simply clicking the calibre icon on the toolbar and choosing your backup library folder. A backed up library folder backs up your custom columns and saved searches as well as all your books and metadata.

If you want to backup the calibre configuration/plugins, you have to backup the config directory. You can find this config directory via Preferences → Miscellaneous. Note that restoring configuration directories is not officially supported, but should work in most cases. Just copy the contents of the backup directory into the current configuration directory to restore.

Is there a video or something with step by step?

Thank you.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by chantw0968

I still don't understand how to back up my library and have it automatically sync.
I looked at the "How do I backup Calibre" and it only says this:
How do I backup calibre?
The most important thing to backup is the calibre library folder, that contains all your books and metadata. This is the folder you chose for your calibre library when you ran calibre for the first time. You can get the path to the library folder by clicking the calibre icon on the main toolbar. You must backup this complete folder with all its files and sub-folders.

You can switch calibre to using a backed up library folder by simply clicking the calibre icon on the toolbar and choosing your backup library folder. A backed up library folder backs up your custom columns and saved searches as well as all your books and metadata.

If you want to backup the calibre configuration/plugins, you have to backup the config directory. You can find this config directory via Preferences → Miscellaneous. Note that restoring configuration directories is not officially supported, but should work in most cases. Just copy the contents of the backup directory into the current configuration directory to restore.

Is there a video or something with step by step?

Thank you.

Calibre does not have a specific backup tool. A calibre library is a regular folder -- albeit with a specific structure (author and book sub-folders) and it will always have a metadata.db file. It can be backed up just like a folder of receipts or photos.

Here is a description of file synchronisation ==>> File synchronization. I would use the "mirror" technique. And here is a list of file sync software ==>> Comparison of file synchronization software

Free File Synch is popular, there's a bunch of tutorial videos for it on Youtube. Watch out for the unwanted extras if you install it.

BR