Is Google Drive OK for Calibre libraries now?

[Cris B]

Searches have revealed a bunch of threads related to the official warning not to use Google Drive for Calibre libraries. They're all pretty old and it looks to me like the advice might be out of date.

As far as I understand it, the issues related to GDrive mangling filenames with parentheses. I've created several dummy files in my GDrive, with parentheses in the main part of the filename, in the extension, with and without containing spaces etc. So far they've survived syncs and file edits intact.

Does anyone know if the official advice not to use Google Drive is out of date, or are there edge cases that simple testing doesn't reveal?

[gbm]

Originally Posted by Cris B

Searches have revealed a bunch of threads related to the official warning not to use Google Drive for Calibre libraries. They're all pretty old and it looks to me like the advice might be out of date.

As far as I understand it, the issues related to GDrive mangling filenames with parentheses. I've created several dummy files in my GDrive, with parentheses in the main part of the filename, in the extension, with and without containing spaces etc. So far they've survived syncs and file edits intact.

Does anyone know if the official advice not to use Google Drive is out of date, or are there edge cases that simple testing doesn't reveal?

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

Use of calibre with a NAS or cloud drive is not recommended use google at your own risk.

bernie

[BetterRed]

@Cris B - if GD changes the folder and file names in any way then I suggest you don't use it. The problem arises when you want to use the GD copy, either to restore to a local HDD or via a content server.

I assume you're familiar with this thread ==>> WARNING - Google Drive Incompatible with Calibre!, and the threads it references. They may give some clues about when GD corrupts the folder names.

Before I would use it, I'd want to see something official from Google that admitted they did change folder names, and that they have ceased doing so from such-and-such date.

BR

[Cris B]

Originally Posted by gbm

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

Use of calibre with a NAS or cloud drive is not recommended use google at your own risk.

bernie

Yep, that's the link I supplied in the OP. My question relates to the fact that everything I can find out about this dates back several years. My own tests so far haven't shown Google Drive changing any filenames. I was wondering if anyone had any more recent information.

Originally Posted by BetterRed

@Cris B - if GD changes the folder and file names in any way then I suggest you don't use it. The problem arises when you want to use the GD copy, either to restore to a local HDD or via a content server.

I assume you're familiar with this thread ==>> WARNING - Google Drive Incompatible with Calibre!, and the threads it references. They may give some clues about when GD corrupts the folder names.

Before I would use it, I'd want to see something official from Google that admitted they did change folder names, and that they have ceased doing so from such-and-such date.

BR

Thanks for the pointer. Again that's a really old thread. Getting a direct statement from Google on anything but their annual profits is vanishingly unlikely.

I'm new to Calibre, but based on behaviour I've seen in Google Drive over a few years of use, I suspect this issue to be a furphy.

I think I'll just try it after making a local backup of my Calibre library.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by Cris B

I suspect this issue to be a furphy.

I saying that you're calling into question the integrity, and good faith of the two people who wrote and shared the programs they wrote to recover GD corrupted libraries.

BR

[Cris B]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

I saying that you're calling into question the integrity, and good faith of the two people who wrote and shared the programs they wrote to recover GD corrupted libraries.

BR

I'm really not, and if clumsy word use suggested it and caused offence I apologise. I'm suggesting that info on the web quickly gets out of date, and asking if anyone has any more recent knowledge.

The threads I've come across go back to 2012/13, the python script repo hasn't been updated in 3 years, and my google drive has literally hundreds of files and folders with parentheses that have never seen this problem. Prima facie it seems to me that the issue might have been fixed, and anyone correcting this would be doing me a service by saving me experimentation time.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by Cris B

I'm really not, and if clumsy word use suggested it and caused offence I apologise. I'm suggesting that info on the web quickly gets out of date, and asking if anyone has any more recent knowledge.

The threads I've come across go back to 2012/13, the python script repo hasn't been updated in 3 years, and my google drive has literally hundreds of files and folders with parentheses that have never seen this problem. Prima facie it seems to me that the issue might have been fixed, and anyone correcting this would be doing me a service by saving me experimentation time.

The issue was definitely not a "furphy". But, maybe Google Drive has changed so that it no longer happens or matter. Until someone comes along with proof of the change, then the warning has to remain. If you can supply that proof, then good. I can't, but then I have no interest in running calibre on a library in any sort of cloud, so I won't be doing the experiments

[BetterRed]

In one of the threads (mattes one, I think) someone (itimpi, I think) describes one scenario where the problem occurs.

Its simple - no one is saying you can't use GD, all that the authors of calibre, and support volunteers, are saying is "GD is has been known to cause problems with calibre", so if you use it and you run into problems you won't get a very sympathetic ear.

If you read the calibre FAQ you'll see a number of 'warnings' about products that have been known to create problems - SpiderOak, Watcom, Roboform, Spybot etc, etc. No doubt there are people who are using them without any -ve impact, but ...

The GD problem is the major reason why Charles Haley the developer of Calibre Companion (and significant chunks of calibre itself) has this in his FAQ, see ==>> Why does CC warn against using Google Drive?.

At one stage CC didn't support GD at all, although it does now - but with a caveat emptor warning.

BR

[stumped]

a different google drive issue:
I placed a backup copy of calibre library into my google drive. Now, all my book covers are also showing up as "photos" in google photos. which is both silly and annoying. Is there any easy way to stop google doing that ? it seems to use the cover.jpg creation dates i.e. date each book was added to calibre or cover was amended? so they are all over the place

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Cris B

Does anyone know if the official advice not to use Google Drive is out of date, or are there edge cases that simple testing doesn't reveal?

The answer is no. Google drive is NOT OK for your active Calibre library.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by stumped

a different google drive issue:
I placed a backup copy of calibre library into my google drive. Now, all my book covers are also showing up as "photos" in google photos. which is both silly and annoying. Is there any easy way to stop google doing that ? it seems to use the cover.jpg creation dates i.e. date each book was added to calibre or cover was amended? so they are all over the place

Just don't use Google Drive for your Calibre library. Problem solved.

[itimpi]

If I remember the details correctly then the issue with Google Drive only manifested itself if you were updating the Calibre library on two different computers and relying on Google Drive to handle the syncing correctly. I do not think you encounter problems if all changes are made in Calibre on the same computer are all you are relying on Google Drive to do is maintain a backup copy of the Calibre library on the single computer that updates the Calibre library.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by itimpi

If I remember the details correctly then the issue with Google Drive only manifested itself if you were updating the Calibre library on two different computers and relying on Google Drive to handle the syncing correctly. I do not think you encounter problems if all changes are made in Calibre on the same computer are all you are relying on Google Drive to do is maintain a backup copy of the Calibre library on the single computer that updates the Calibre library.

Forget all of this. Just don't do it.

[Cris B]

Originally Posted by itimpi

If I remember the details correctly then the issue with Google Drive only manifested itself if you were updating the Calibre library on two different computers and relying on Google Drive to handle the syncing correctly. I do not think you encounter problems if all changes are made in Calibre on the same computer are all you are relying on Google Drive to do is maintain a backup copy of the Calibre library on the single computer that updates the Calibre library.

Thanks @itimpi that's helpful. I do use Google Drive on a couple of different machines, but haven't moved my Calibre library to it yet. I'm thinking of doing some automated testing before doing that but that plan may like so many fall foul of lack of time ..

[theducks]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Forget all of this. Just don't do it.

Jon, Jon

You can't just tell him not to do it.

Some folk NEED to shoot themselves in the foot
before they believe