Alternative to CC

[vikarti]

Calibre Sync can't do (yet):
- sync back read status/read time (and this is important for me)
- show any kind of progress if initial of sync of 4000+ books happens via Smart Device plugin. Even if it's not initial sync - my regular syncs in CC sometimes take 10+ minutes (like if I add large series in PDF).
- it also can't complete said initial sync - it just times out.

[Loosheesh]

Originally Posted by bazookajoe

Thanks @Loosheesh I might look into that as a setup I guess that's to help prevent corruption of the .db due to sync conflicts?

Something like that; I'm not entirely sure. I have my own reasons; I'm very paranoid about my Calibre library and I would never trust the main copy inside a cloud service. I keep it on my hard drive, though I have it copied/backed up in several locations.

[allanahk]

Originally Posted by stumped

same here, except that I use dropbox not one drive.

I also use Dropbox to store both of my calibre libraries (split into Fiction and Nonfiction) and sync them with Calibre Sync, it works flawlessly. It's a great way to browse my books and download them onto my phone if wanted (I generally read nonfic on my phone and fic on my kindle)

[bazookajoe]

Originally Posted by Loosheesh

I'm very paranoid about my Calibre library and I would never trust the main copy inside a cloud service. I keep it on my hard drive, though I have it copied/backed up in several locations.

I routinely backup to external HDD's, though I do keep my main library databases in the cloud...I'll think about getting around that now, your way probably is even safer. Then I can just mess around with InSync on Win to get local HDD to cloud as backups plus then for just for Android app access.

I have over 10K files in non-fiction alone. I'd have a nervous breakdown if I had to re-do the whole library.

[peaceridge]

I keep my Calibre library on my hard drive, back it up to my sd card weekly and sync to Dropbox weekly. Move to external hard drives (2) monthly. Like bazookajoe, I'd have a nervous breakdown if I ever lost it.

[PeterT]

Originally Posted by peaceridge

I keep my Calibre library on my hard drive, back it up to my sd card weekly and sync to Dropbox weekly. Move to external hard drives (2) monthly. Like bazookajoe, I'd have a nervous breakdown if I ever lost it.

Remember if your intention is a full backup of calibre, do include the calibre preferences directory as well

Sent from my Pixel 4a using Tapatalk

[peaceridge]

Originally Posted by PeterT

Remember if your intention is a full backup of calibre, do include the calibre preferences directory as well

Sent from my Pixel 4a using Tapatalk

I do that, and it is a good point for everyone to remember.

[SoccerDad91016]

I am definitely looking for an alternative to Calibre Connect to use with my Chromebook. I have a comic library of over 1,500 comics that I like to sync to my reading devices. Given the size of the library I need the ability to have the comic book files on a SD Card.

This worked great on my older android tablet. However, Calibre Connect does not properly support SD cards on Chrome OS.

I am giving Calibre Sync a try and while initial tests with a handful of files seem to sync just fine, it seems to have a few limitations that are going to prevent me from using Calibre Sync as a replacement:

1. No grouping at all. Calibre Companion lets me keep my Calibre groupings like series, read/unread. Calibre Sync is just a giant list.

2. Does not sync read/unread status. If I mark a book read on Calibre Sync it does not update Calibre library

[stumped]

"No grouping at all. Calibre Companion lets me keep my Calibre groupings like series, read/unread. Calibre Sync is just a giant list."

look at the various filter options built into C-S- its a different approach to that used by the defunct C-C, but its quite powerful once you adapt

[bazookajoe]

Originally Posted by SoccerDad91016

I am giving Calibre Sync a try and while initial tests with a handful of files seem to sync just fine

Did you get them to open in a reader though? I'm interested in seeing how Chrome O/S handles the SD card in this app as opposed to Calibre Companion.

It does have all the same filters as CC. It's in the option called "Filter" It's a bit annoying that there's no text labels but the icons are all the different filter options. I have 10,500 books. I obviously need tags and series and I can access them fine.

You can also change the view in "Layout", it doesn't have to be a list. Grid will make it look like Calibre Companion (or at least how I have my CC on other devices).

[bazookajoe]

Anyone hit issues since upgrading firmware to 3.2.1 (Onyx I should say Onyx duh I forgot I wasn't in the Onyx thread haha)? You might be lucky and have it all set up already so it hasn't impacted you but I've been messing about this whole time so I lost my initial library so had to reselect download folder after upgrade.

As if the OTG situation w/my Leaf wasn't already infuriating enough for me, now, I can't seem to select any folders for download destination other than "Downloads". REAAAAAALLY trying my patience.

If I can't use CC or have my full library down on SD in first place, at least let me put it on internal storage straight in my MoonReader folder. I can't even do that anymore. SIGH.

I'm gonna reset to 3.2 and check then upgrade to 3.2.1 and keep stock without rooting or doing anything incase it's something to do with me and what I've been doing, but I don't have my hopes up. Will update on progress.

[SoccerDad91016]

Originally Posted by stumped

"No grouping at all. Calibre Companion lets me keep my Calibre groupings like series, read/unread. Calibre Sync is just a giant list."

look at the various filter options built into C-S- its a different approach to that used by the defunct C-C, but its quite powerful once you adapt

The filter option certainly help, but I have gotten very used to the ability to group by series, then select a series to see all the issues in that series. Rather than search and filter to show only a certain series.

Searching and filtering is great when I know what I'm looking for, but if I'm just browsing my library to see if anything jumps out at me, the grouping helps.

It's a personal preference.

[Insalata]

Thanks for mentioning this. I’ve just bought it. It seems to do what I need, and I find the interface more appealing than CC. I’m not sure why it can’t get all the covers, but I can probably live with that.

[Loosheesh]

Originally Posted by Insalata

I’m not sure why it can’t get all the covers, but I can probably live with that.

It took me a while to get all my covers because the app would sometimes stop downloading covers when it went idle, and I kept having to refresh to get it going again. Eventually, I resorted to temporarily removing the auto-lock in the display settings (for iPhone/iPad); that speeded things up and I got all my covers in the end.

That issue only happened with the initial sync; there have been no problems with ongoing library updates.

[bazookajoe]

Same, I have huge library it takes time and has needs several refreshes. Flagship devices are much faster with minimal issue, my Tab A's and Onyx were really slow and I had to refresh a whole bunch of times. Took hours.

My Tab S6 came down in one go, but even then you can get a few "failed" messages and you need to do a refresh anyway to get the stragglers.

Another thing I noticed on my S20+ when I had to do my one and only refresh, I couldn't it was kinda stuck with the "updating library" (or similar) notification as well, so I had to go into settings and toggle off "Keep libraries up to date" temporarily. Maybe it was a coincidence but that did stop that bug.

Just press the circle/refresh button.

RE: Onyx restricting me to only being able to access Downloads folder, yes it's still doing it and it's annoying to me because I'm lazy and it's the principle of the matter. I worked out how to use FolderSync to work with local files to automatically trigger a move over into my Moon+ Reader folder where I like it out of years of habit lol.

I also like being able to see my fiction library too. CC has kept me to Academic as it's the priority but the multiple libraries function is cool even if I don't read a lot of fiction.

Edit: On devices where I do have large storage space I do still run CC with all files on local storage for Academic just out of sheer habit and CS for fiction and a backup of main non-fiction just in-case. As @SoccerDad91016 I'm a bit set in my ways too lol.