Multiple computers and Calibre

starrigger · 03-17-2009, 01:55 AM

I've been trying to figure out the best way to sync books across Calibre libraries on multiple computers, and every way I try to do it seems to have a gotcha. I must be missing something.

Never mind a full sync for now. Say I've got a few books on my desktop PC that I want to get into my laptop's Calibre library. I can't just drag and drop the Calibre library folders, right? Because that'll mess up the database--or at least not update the laptop's db?

So if I drag and drop the original files into the laptop's Calibre library, I get the books, but lose any fixing I've done to the metadata--tags, etc. I thought I could "Save" the books in the desktop Calibre to update the metadata in the files, then drop those saved files into the laptop's library. But that didn't work, either. The metadata still comes through messed up.

What am I missing? Seems like this should be easy.

kovidgoyal · 03-17-2009, 02:07 AM

If you doa save to disk, you then need to do a recursive import (click the arrow next to the add button) and selct the one book per directory option. THat should preserve your metadata

starrigger · 03-17-2009, 02:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

If you doa save to disk, you then need to do a recursive import (click the arrow next to the add button) and selct the one book per directory option. THat should preserve your metadata

Do you mean that Calibre reads the metadata from the file differently if you use that command, from the way it does if you drag and drop the file onto the library?

kovidgoyal · 03-17-2009, 02:59 AM

yes, when you use that command it reads metadata from the OPF file that is stored in the directory alongwith the various file formats

starrigger · 03-17-2009, 03:39 AM

Huh. So...does that new metadata ever get incorporated into the book file itself? I'm trying to tweak things for a new book release, and I thought I could edit the metadata in Calibre, then Save it to a new file and use that file for download purposes. It sounds as if that isn't the case.

If I reimport using the method you just described, does the metadata get written into the new file Calibre creates, or just put it into the library db?

kovidgoyal · 03-17-2009, 04:03 AM

depends on the file, different file formats support different kinds of metadata.

starrigger · 03-17-2009, 05:57 PM

Well, suppose I want to finalize the metadata in:

mobi
lrf
epub
lit

What do I have to do to have my changes to metadata actually incorporated into those files? Can Calibre do it by saving and then reimporting, or do I need to look to other tools? Or do I need to use the command-line interface?

kovidgoyal · 03-17-2009, 06:12 PM

The problem is that most file formats dont support much metadata, so you can't "finalize" the metadata to be all the metadata in the calibre database since the file format does not support the metadata at all.

calibre supports writing metadata to MOBI, EPUB and LRF files. So when you save to disk, the metadata in those files is updated to reflect the metadata in calibre *to the extent supported by the file*.

Which is why saving a file and re-importing it is not going to give you correct metadata beyong title and author and maybe publisher.

starrigger · 03-17-2009, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

The problem is that most file formats dont support much metadata, so you can't "finalize" the metadata to be all the metadata in the calibre database since the file format does not support the metadata at all.

calibre supports writing metadata to MOBI, EPUB and LRF files. So when you save to disk, the metadata in those files is updated to reflect the metadata in calibre *to the extent supported by the file*.

Which is why saving a file and re-importing it is not going to give you correct metadata beyong title and author and maybe publisher.

Ah. I get it. (Finally.)

asktheeightball · 03-18-2009, 11:07 PM

Correct me if I'm wrong but what if you use a program like Dropbox?

I've been using that to keep my library synced between a macbook and a pc and it seems to save all my metadata changes

starrigger · 03-19-2009, 02:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by asktheeightball

Correct me if I'm wrong but what if you use a program like Dropbox?

I've been using that to keep my library synced between a macbook and a pc and it seems to save all my metadata changes

I'm not familiar with Dropbox. Do you use it in conjunction with Calibre? Or as an alternative?

pilotbob · 03-19-2009, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by starrigger

I'm not familiar with Dropbox. Do you use it in conjunction with Calibre? Or as an alternative?

Dropbox is software and service that syncs files between multiple computers and the "cloud" backup.

It is free and awesome. http://getdropbox.com

BOb

03-17-2009, 01:55 AM	#1
starrigger Jeffrey A. Carver Posts: 1,355 Karma: 1107383 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Massachusetts, USA Device: Lenovo Yoga Tab Plus, Droid phone, Nook HD+	Multiple computers and Calibre I've been trying to figure out the best way to sync books across Calibre libraries on multiple computers, and every way I try to do it seems to have a gotcha. I must be missing something. Never mind a full sync for now. Say I've got a few books on my desktop PC that I want to get into my laptop's Calibre library. I can't just drag and drop the Calibre library folders, right? Because that'll mess up the database--or at least not update the laptop's db? So if I drag and drop the original files into the laptop's Calibre library, I get the books, but lose any fixing I've done to the metadata--tags, etc. I thought I could "Save" the books in the desktop Calibre to update the metadata in the files, then drop those saved files into the laptop's library. But that didn't work, either. The metadata still comes through messed up. What am I missing? Seems like this should be easy.

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03-17-2009, 02:07 AM	#2
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 44,551 Karma: 24495948 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	If you doa save to disk, you then need to do a recursive import (click the arrow next to the add button) and selct the one book per directory option. THat should preserve your metadata

03-17-2009, 02:59 AM	#4
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 44,551 Karma: 24495948 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	yes, when you use that command it reads metadata from the OPF file that is stored in the directory alongwith the various file formats

03-17-2009, 03:39 AM	#5
starrigger Jeffrey A. Carver Posts: 1,355 Karma: 1107383 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Massachusetts, USA Device: Lenovo Yoga Tab Plus, Droid phone, Nook HD+	Huh. So...does that new metadata ever get incorporated into the book file itself? I'm trying to tweak things for a new book release, and I thought I could edit the metadata in Calibre, then Save it to a new file and use that file for download purposes. It sounds as if that isn't the case. If I reimport using the method you just described, does the metadata get written into the new file Calibre creates, or just put it into the library db?

03-17-2009, 04:03 AM	#6
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 44,551 Karma: 24495948 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	depends on the file, different file formats support different kinds of metadata.

03-17-2009, 05:57 PM	#7
starrigger Jeffrey A. Carver Posts: 1,355 Karma: 1107383 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Massachusetts, USA Device: Lenovo Yoga Tab Plus, Droid phone, Nook HD+	Well, suppose I want to finalize the metadata in: mobi lrf epub lit What do I have to do to have my changes to metadata actually incorporated into those files? Can Calibre do it by saving and then reimporting, or do I need to look to other tools? Or do I need to use the command-line interface?

03-17-2009, 06:12 PM	#8
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 44,551 Karma: 24495948 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	The problem is that most file formats dont support much metadata, so you can't "finalize" the metadata to be all the metadata in the calibre database since the file format does not support the metadata at all. calibre supports writing metadata to MOBI, EPUB and LRF files. So when you save to disk, the metadata in those files is updated to reflect the metadata in calibre to the extent supported by the file. Which is why saving a file and re-importing it is not going to give you correct metadata beyong title and author and maybe publisher.

03-18-2009, 11:07 PM	#10
asktheeightball Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Montreal, QC Device: Sony PRS-505	Correct me if I'm wrong but what if you use a program like Dropbox? I've been using that to keep my library synced between a macbook and a pc and it seems to save all my metadata changes

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