Where is this mysterious "Apple device interface" plug-in

[gamcall]

Hi,

I'm following the connect to iDevice instructions in this (Devices) forum & one of the first things it says to do is:

"Preferences|Plugins|Device Interface plugins|Apple device interface - click Enable/Disable plugin so that driver is enabled (not grayed out)"

Thing is - there is no "Apple Device interface" plug-in. There is an "Apple iTunes interface" plug-in (which is enabled). "Aha", I think. "I don't have the plug-in installed". So I click on "Get new plug-ins". Maybe it's there....Nope. So - where is this mysterious plug-in I have to enable?

GAM

[theducks]

Originally Posted by gamcall

Hi,

I'm following the connect to iDevice instructions in this (Devices) forum & one of the first things it says to do is:

"Preferences|Plugins|Device Interface plugins|Apple device interface - click Enable/Disable plugin so that driver is enabled (not grayed out)"

Thing is - there is no "Apple Device interface" plug-in. There is an "Apple iTunes interface" plug-in (which is enabled). "Aha", I think. "I don't have the plug-in installed". So I click on "Get new plug-ins". Maybe it's there....Nope. So - where is this mysterious plug-in I have to enable?

GAM

Not owning a Apple device:
What was the DATE of those instructions?
Calibre moves F.A.S.T.
Those instructions may have become obsolete (MR Mods do not automatically delete/edit older posts. There are folk that a stuck running severely down rev Calibre due to OS or hardware Limits and those instructions may still apply to their version.)

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by gamcall

So - where is this mysterious plug-in I have to enable? GAM

A search of Mobileread forums for Apple Device interface has an item for [Device Plugin] Apple iDevice interface

Maybe that's what your looking for - I don't know why its not in the Preferences->Plugins list

Moral - if you can't find something, then search for it. A Google search for calibre Apple Device interface shows the link i have provided for you as its very first item! <sigh>

I don't own any Apple iGadgets so I will not be able to help you any more than I have already.

BR

[theducks]

The Preferences (Menu): Get plugins is for active USER CONTRIBUTED plugins. (The menu is dynamically built from the Index of Plugins at the top of the Calibre Plugins section here at MR)

Calibre (Kovid and Crew) system plugins are part of the distribution and do not appear on the preferences MENU list

The link you supplied is probably still valid for those running a revision that does not support the replacement PI.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by theducks

The Preferences (Menu): Get plugins is for active USER CONTRIBUTED plugins. (The menu is dynamically built from the Index of Plugins at the top of the Calibre Plugins section here at MR)

Calibre (Kovid and Crew) system plugins are part of the distribution and do not appear on the preferences MENU list

The link you supplied is probably still valid for those running a revision that does not support the replacement PI.

The OP asked "Where is this mysterious "Apple device interface" plug-in", my post gave them the direct answer.

I assumed the OP would read the Moderator message at the very top of that link - which would hopefully take them to want they actually need and 'explain' why there's no "Apple device interface" in the preferences->new plugins list.

@gamcall - "Apple device interface" plugin has been replaced by the iOS reader applications plugin

Which you should find in Preferences->Plugins->Get new plugins

Sorry to deprive you of discovering this for yourself, but theducks did rather let the cat out of the bag [? box]

BR

[theducks]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

Sorry to deprive you of discovering this for yourself, but theducks did rather let the cat out of the bag [? box]

BR

To Cats, a Bag IN a Box is the all time best

[gamcall]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

Sorry to deprive you of discovering this for yourself, but theducks did rather let the cat out of the bag [? box]

I did speculate that the only one it could possibly be in the list would have been the "iOS Reader applications" plug-in. But it was late & I was following instructions &, in my book, instructions should be definitive, especially for the latest/current version of the software (which I have). There should be no need to Google - with instructions. I know that presents difficulties with software as it's (constantly) changing, but if you're going to put instructions for a certain functionality front and centre at the top of a support forum, then there should at least be a note in the instructions that the plug-in on which the functionality depends just happens to be known as something else now. Or am I being unreasonable?

Anyway - thanks for the heads-up.

[GRiker]

Originally Posted by gamcall

I did speculate that the only one it could possibly be in the list would have been the "iOS Reader applications" plug-in. But it was late & I was following instructions &, in my book, instructions should be definitive, especially for the latest/current version of the software (which I have). There should be no need to Google - with instructions. I know that presents difficulties with software as it's (constantly) changing, but if you're going to put instructions for a certain functionality front and centre at the top of a support forum, then there should at least be a note in the instructions that the plug-in on which the functionality depends just happens to be known as something else now. Or am I being unreasonable?

Anyway - thanks for the heads-up.

Which "front and centre" thread are your referring to? I will revise the instructions.

G

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by GRiker

Which "front and centre" thread are your referring to? I will revise the instructions.

I don't know the thread he is referring to, but this Sticky thread is a good place to start.

[GRiker]

Updated the sticky, including a link to the iOS reader applications plugin.

G

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by gamcall

Or am I being unreasonable?

IMO yes

If you had clicked on Apple iDevice plugin link in the Calibre + Apple iDevices: Start here sticky thread which is I assume is the place from where you were taking your instructions, then you would have seen the moderator notice redirecting you to the iOS reader applications plugin

So you didn't actually need to do a search - you just had to follow the links in the instructions.

Calibre and and its plugins are provided for free and the software development is done by unpaid volunteers working in their own time, often after hours from their day jobs or studies

The help that's available on this forum is provided for free, also by volunteers.

You could argue that the sticky needs updating. However, the notices advising of the replacement of the original plugin appear to have been posted on 24th July 2013 - so I think its quite reasonable that the unpaid volunteer known as GRiker might have a few loose ends to tidy up - don't you?

BR

addenda : Good Grief, GRiker's done it already, he must have been reading my mind

[gamcall]

Originally Posted by GRiker

Which "front and centre" thread are your referring to? I will revise the instructions.

G

it was https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=118559 Sticky - Calibre & Apple iDevices - Start Here. Then I looked at "'Connect to iDevice' mode (unsupported)". It was here I saw (& still see) reference to the "Apple Device Interface" plug-in. Looking at it again, I also see an error in the instruction:

Preferences|Conversion|Page Setup|Output profile to your iDevice.

Which should be (for v 0.9.40):

Preferences|Conversion|Common Options|Page Setup|Output profile to your iDevice.

But it seems that was the wrong place to look. I don't know why I looked there initially. It seemed that was the only set of instructions for sending content to an iPad not via iTunes. I don't look to make things difficult for myself, but I completely missed that 2nd paragraph which BetterRed pointed out had the reference to the correct plug-in. Apologies...but is that content I looked at relevant now? Should it be deleted given there is a supported method of sending content directly to an iDevice?