Calibre Content Server Problems

[Woodland]

After moving from a 14” Macbook Pro with an earlier version of MacOS to another Macbook Pro running the latest version of the MacOS, I began having trouble with the Calibre content server. Previously, I was able to access my Calibre (7.12.0) library (“Master 3 Calibre”) using the last version of Marvin running on an iPad client. The library was stored on a 4 TB external SSD connected directly to my Macbook Pro via a USB 3.0 port. The iPad and the 14” Macbook were both connected to my home Wifi.

After cracking the screen of the 14” Macbook Pro I used Apple’s Migration Assistant to move into a new 16” Macbook Pro running MacOS Sonoma 14.5 (Apple upgraded the older 14” Macbook Pro OS to Sonoma during the repair). The Calibre library is still on the same 4 TB external SSD connected directly to the (new 16” Macbook Pro via a USB 3.0 port. I can access the library and its contents from within Calibre. But now I can no longer access the library via Marvin using the same iPad client with the same configuration as in paragraph 1. There have been no changes to the home Wifi during this period.

When I try to access http://127.0.0.1:8080 from the 16” Macbook Pro using either Firefox or Chrome I get one of two messages (#1 is most common):

1) Failed to communicate with "/interface-data/init?1718818376536", with status: [404 (error)] Not Found
Library 'Master_Calibre' not found (note: my library on the SSD is called: “Master 3 Calibre”)
2) Failed to communicate with "/interface-data/init?1718821160179", with status: [500 (error)] Internal Server Error

I’ve tried the following:
1) I’ve toggled stop/start content server in the “Connect/share” menu several times. No change.
2) Doing the above after restarting the 16” MacbookPro in safe mode. No change.
3) Doing the above after reverting to a 6.x version of Calibre. No change.
4) Doing the above after switching to an older version of my library located on the 16” MacbookPro’s internal hard drive. No change.
5) The 16” MacbookPro’s firewall is configured to allow incoming connections to Calibre. Even so, I’ve tried turning off the firewall of the 16” MacbookPro. No change.
6) I’ve switched from auto to basic authentication in the server settings under advanced and restarted Calibre. No change.

I’d welcome suggestions.

(this is my first time posting to a user forum so please excuse any lapses)

[Quoth]

Firewall doesn't affect 127.0.0.1:8080 as that is only the same computer. No remote can access that, only programs on the same computer as Calibre.
You need the LAN (WiFi or Ethernet) IP address, which is often something like 192.168.0.73 (could be anything NOT 127.0.0.1, which is internal loop back).

Or the network name of the computer may work.

To find your Mac's current internal IP address, run: ifconfig -l | xargs -n1 ipconfig getifaddr This is basically equivalent to ipconfig getifaddr en0 , but more reliable!

apple stack exchange

see also
https://www.howtouselinux.com/post/c...address-on-mac

[theducks]

Click the Network share Icon, It will tell you what IP is in use for the content server.
This still, only applies to THE local NETWORK.

[Woodland]

Thanks, Quoth. I know my computer's IP address and that's what I used to configure Marvin's OPDS function on the client (my iPad). Using your example IP address (instead of my real IP address) I would have configured OPDS as 192.168.0.73:8080/opds. But I still couldn't connect to Calibre's server with that iPad. Calibre trouble shooting documentation (https://manual.calibre-ebook.com/ser...r-home-network) suggested as a test to try accessing 127.0.0.1:8080 with a web browser on the computer running the Calibre server. The fact that this doesn't work suggests to me that the problem is on the server side, not the client side. But I don't know how to proceed from there.

Or am I misunderstanding your point?

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Woodland

Thanks, Quoth. I know my computer's IP address and that's what I used to configure Marvin's OPDS function on the client (my iPad). Using your example IP address (instead of my real IP address) I would have configured OPDS as 192.168.0.73:8080/opds. But I still couldn't connect to Calibre's server with that iPad. Calibre trouble shooting documentation suggested as a test to try accessing 127.0.0.1:8080 with a web browser on the computer running the Calibre server. The fact that this doesn't work suggests to me that the problem is on the server side, not the client side. But I don't know how to proceed from there.

Or am I misunderstanding your point?

Check the Server status by clicking on the Share icon.
The color of the 3 balls is Green if it is running

[Woodland]

Originally Posted by theducks

Check the Server status by clicking on the Share icon.
The color of the 3 balls is Green if it is running

thanks, theducks. they are green now and turn grey when I turn off the content server.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by Woodland

Calibre trouble shooting documentation (https://manual.calibre-ebook.com/ser...r-home-network) suggested as a test to try accessing 127.0.0.1:8080 with a web browser on the computer running the Calibre server. The fact that this doesn't work suggests to me that the problem is on the server side, not the client side. But I don't know how to proceed from there.

Or am I misunderstanding your point?

Sorry, I thought you were trying the browser on a different computer etc to the one running Calibre.

So you have a strange issue.

And in fact my advice was pointless, because I see the content server shows the IP address anyway when I go back to the setting. I'm running Linux Mint 21.3 and Calibre 7.12 and it just works. Sorry for making a stupid advice.

[Woodland]

Originally Posted by Quoth

Sorry, I thought you were trying the browser on a different computer etc to the one running Calibre.

So you have a strange issue.

And in fact my advice was pointless, because I see the content server shows the IP address anyway when I go back to the setting. I'm running Linux Mint 21.3 and Calibre 7.12 and it just works. Sorry for making a stupid advice.

Quoth, I appreciate your intentions. It is strange; everything worked just fine before I moved into a new computer w/ an upgraded MacOS. Now I'm stuck.

[Quoth]

Search for people installing ordinary websevers (port 80) on your version Mac and OS? Maybe there is some mad new security setting.

[Woodland]

Problem Resolved: I quit Calibre, then deleted the library/preferences/calibre folder (actually I moved it to the desktop just in case I needed it later). Next, I opened Calibre again and went through its very basic setup steps. I had to switch the library from the default to my library on the external SSD, quit Calibre again but then after restarting Calibre one last time everything worked just as it had in the past. I suspect the Apple Migration Assistant failed in some manner. In any case I'm good again. Thanks to all who offered advice, including an off-line colleague who suggested this solution.

[Quoth]

I use Calibre Export & Import feature to move a Calibre install to a different OS. I make sure source and destination have same Calibre version before Export and Import.

Glad you sorted.