QUESTION: Adding Books from a MAC to Library Maintained on a PC (File Length Conflict

cgrapski · Yesterday, 09:20 AM

Hi, I raised this issue years ago and a lot of versions ago - so I don't know if this would still pose a problem.

But many years ago I added books to my main library either from a LINUX machine or a Mac - which don't have the same filenaming limitations (length) as Windows - and I "lost" a number of books (at least then I thought they were lost - now I know they were only lost to Calibre on Windows but were still on the drive). Meaning all of a sudden a book entry that had been there showed no file when I looked at it again at a later date. I panicked back then.

But now that I understand that the problem was the issue of how the Mac or Linux named the file - exceeding the Windows maximum filename length - I am not worried about "losing" the book any longer. But I still want to be able to edit my Calibre library - accessing it via another computer than it is hosted on via my network - and so depending on what room I am in - often on a mac (for example - especially now that I have a separate special library for music books, sheet music, music lessons etc - when I am in my Music Studio/Guitar Lounge (my "man" cave) where I primarily want to use this library - and have that room exclusively using macs.

If I enter a new file into the library from my Mac - is there a danger/possiblity that Calibre on the Mac will save it as a file that Windows can't see and use (file length too long) - and thus screw up my library (again hosted on and mostly edited with a WINDOWS computer)?

If so - and I once asked if the program could be set to only use windows file name standards even if on Linux or a Mac version - but got negative feedback from some Linux people over the idea (not sure why - it wouldn't actually limit the program - which is all that needs to see the filename when using a Calibre Library - but knowing some people of that nature, I "get" it that they would have a negative reaction to the idea - even though I think it would be good if all versions of the program had one standard naming procedure - and these problems couldn't occur (not everyone who is a Calbre user is also a know-it-all or know-alot about computer programming - and so could easily get into a situation like I did) ... but ...

IF this would still pose a problem (editing the same library on different computers that may be different kinds of computers) - and if this is not something desirable (if it is not already the case in the latest updates) to include in the main program - IS there a fix for me to employ that would prevent this.

SO what I mean is - is there a tweak I could/should make via the preferences to my Mac (don't currently have a machine running Linus - but not for much longer - but its the Macs that are most likely to give me this issue) copy - that will FORCE it to use the Windows naming standard (Calibre already renames the file and names the folder - so I imagine it would be possible to set this naming standard in the program - I'm just not sure if this is something that could be edited via Preferences.

If it could be - if someone could tell me what to do - I would appreciate it. Since I'd like to be able to add entries when using my Mac as well as my primary use of a PC.

Sirtel · Yesterday, 09:28 AM

Accessing the same library on multiple computers over a network or a cloud is a very, very bad idea, even on the same OS, let alone different OSes. It will corrupt your database, if it has not already done so.

https://manual.calibre-ebook.com/faq...rked-drive-nas

You can use the content server to access your library on different computers. It's there for just such a purpose.

Yesterday, 09:20 AM	#1
cgrapski Enthusiast Posts: 40 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2016 Device: Kindle	QUESTION: Adding Books from a MAC to Library Maintained on a PC (File Length Conflict Hi, I raised this issue years ago and a lot of versions ago - so I don't know if this would still pose a problem. But many years ago I added books to my main library either from a LINUX machine or a Mac - which don't have the same filenaming limitations (length) as Windows - and I "lost" a number of books (at least then I thought they were lost - now I know they were only lost to Calibre on Windows but were still on the drive). Meaning all of a sudden a book entry that had been there showed no file when I looked at it again at a later date. I panicked back then. But now that I understand that the problem was the issue of how the Mac or Linux named the file - exceeding the Windows maximum filename length - I am not worried about "losing" the book any longer. But I still want to be able to edit my Calibre library - accessing it via another computer than it is hosted on via my network - and so depending on what room I am in - often on a mac (for example - especially now that I have a separate special library for music books, sheet music, music lessons etc - when I am in my Music Studio/Guitar Lounge (my "man" cave) where I primarily want to use this library - and have that room exclusively using macs. If I enter a new file into the library from my Mac - is there a danger/possiblity that Calibre on the Mac will save it as a file that Windows can't see and use (file length too long) - and thus screw up my library (again hosted on and mostly edited with a WINDOWS computer)? If so - and I once asked if the program could be set to only use windows file name standards even if on Linux or a Mac version - but got negative feedback from some Linux people over the idea (not sure why - it wouldn't actually limit the program - which is all that needs to see the filename when using a Calibre Library - but knowing some people of that nature, I "get" it that they would have a negative reaction to the idea - even though I think it would be good if all versions of the program had one standard naming procedure - and these problems couldn't occur (not everyone who is a Calbre user is also a know-it-all or know-alot about computer programming - and so could easily get into a situation like I did) ... but ... IF this would still pose a problem (editing the same library on different computers that may be different kinds of computers) - and if this is not something desirable (if it is not already the case in the latest updates) to include in the main program - IS there a fix for me to employ that would prevent this. SO what I mean is - is there a tweak I could/should make via the preferences to my Mac (don't currently have a machine running Linus - but not for much longer - but its the Macs that are most likely to give me this issue) copy - that will FORCE it to use the Windows naming standard (Calibre already renames the file and names the folder - so I imagine it would be possible to set this naming standard in the program - I'm just not sure if this is something that could be edited via Preferences. If it could be - if someone could tell me what to do - I would appreciate it. Since I'd like to be able to add entries when using my Mac as well as my primary use of a PC.

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Yesterday, 09:28 AM	#2
Sirtel Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,617 Karma: 241126341 Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Estonia Device: Kobo Sage & Libra 2	Accessing the same library on multiple computers over a network or a cloud is a very, very bad idea, even on the same OS, let alone different OSes. It will corrupt your database, if it has not already done so. https://manual.calibre-ebook.com/faq...rked-drive-nas You can use the content server to access your library on different computers. It's there for just such a purpose.

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