One file source, multiple libraries.

How best to handle one file source (NAS, for example), but more than one yac library install?

I have a NUC13 connected to my TV that does Plex, Launchbox/Bigbox, Steam controller supported games, etc. I also have a 4TB SATA SSD connected that has my yac library files so that it can serve my comics remotely (including LAN devices like my tablet since that is faster than a local microsd actually).

The problem comes when I want to also install yac library on my laptop but use the same source files. When I do that and then create a library, the .yacreaderlibrary gets overwritten by the laptop and breaks the NUC and it starts saying that it cant find/open any comics.

My workaround is to have a primary install (the 4tb drive on the nuc) and a backup/secondary install on a NAS. Then I can create a library on my laptop and not worry about messing up the .yacreaderlibrary that the nuc relies upon.

Is there, perhaps, a way to avoid doubling up on the network attached disk requirements here? I have several portable SSD that I prefer to use for backing up my yac library, so having to dedicate over 1TB of space just to have two libraries feels kind of heavy handed.

The app doesn’t override the .yacreaderlibrary folder if there is one, it just adds it as an existing library.

Can you describe your process step by step?

Ok, thank you for that clarification. Perhaps it was when I did a FreeFileSync and maybe forgot to apply my **/.yacreaderlibrary/ filter. Usually I sync my backup copy from the primary source using FreeFileSync. So in that case, the yacreaderlibrary folder gets synced but the information is for a different install, or something like that?

I removed my backup library from my laptop install and have now added the source folder on the nuc. It's creating the library now. I will let you know how it goes after it finishes.

Ok, so now the import is done, and I can view and open comics on laptop install, but now the nuc install is showing error unable to open comic when I try there. I can still see all the covers, but I can't open anything.

I tried this again this morning, but this time I matched the volume labels.

So, we have one PC (the NUC) with a local SSD (F:) that has the library files. I create a new library there, and it works fine. I then share that folder to my LAN. Hop over to my laptop and map that shared folder as F: and install yacreader and create a library using that shared folder on the nuc. After importing is done, it works fine. But now on the nuc I cannot open any comics and get a "Comic not found" error.

If I have to guess I think the second installation updates the DB with different paths for your contents, that’s why it fails to open them.

Instead of using your full library, create a new folder with a couple of folders, and some comics inside then (you need just a few), then go to .yacreaderlibrary and save a copy of the library.ydb file. Then mount that folder in your laptop and add that library, once it’s done do another copy of library.ydb. The paths inside both databases should be the same. They are sqlite3 databases, you can use sqlitebrowser.org/ to take a look (or send me both files so I can check it myself)

Thank you for the suggestion. I may end up trying that, but for now I ordered a 1TB usb 3.2 flash drive. It's the size of a typical peripheral dongle--very tiny. I can just plug it in and leave it there and it will hold my comics folder and I will build a local library from that.

Is there any plan to make a Windows yacreader that can use the remote library function like Android does? That's the only reason I have two servers--one to share to my Android devices and one on my laptop. I don't want my laptop to be the LAN server for this, so that is why I have two servers, one file source. The usb flashdrive will help with that issue.

The alternative is just what you were trying to do, have a disk shared on your network and use YACReaderLibray and YACReader as the client. That’s why I haven’t implemented the client side that the iOS and Android apps use.

I understand that, but in this case it would have been handy for me to use it on my laptop without conflicting with the existing server that also uses that source folder.