PDF Support

TheLibrarian_ · 11-21-2013, 06:26 PM

Hi everyone. I searched this forum for posts about implementing PDF support into Marvin, though I didn't find anything. I would like to suggest this feature, as we know that converting PDF to EPUB often yields disastrous results. I currently use Marvin for all of my EPUB books, but I have to switch to iBooks if I want to read a PDF, of which I have many. It would be much simpler if I could contain my entire library within Marvin alone, and dispose of iBooks absolutely.

Along with this, I want to say that iBooks' PDF support is insufficient. There is no way to highlight passages, for instance. If Marvin supported PDFs and allowed for basic functions such as highlighting and defining words within the PDF, I'd gladly donate to the developers of this amazing app. My final request is probably inconceivable, but if possible, please allow us to use the word count function for PDFs just as we can with EPUBs.

Thank you for this amazing app, and if anyone has information about the possibility of implementing my requested feature, please reply.

Faterson · 11-21-2013, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheLibrarian_

Hi everyone. I searched this forum for posts about implementing PDF support into Marvin, though I didn't find anything.

See here:

https://github.com/kguil/Marvin-Roadmap/issues/158

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheLibrarian_

I want to say that iBooks' PDF support is insufficient.

Absolutely. iBooks is just as useless and lame for PDFs as it is for EPUBs.

I warmly recommend GoodReader to you -- the finest PDF software I've ever seen on any platform.

For example, I can't find anything as good as GoodReader on Android.

Just like you, I'd like to avoid PDF files for the rest of my life. But we know that's not gonna happen; reliable and time-efficient PDF to EPUB conversion simply does not exist at this point.

kguil · 11-22-2013, 02:16 AM

I suggest GoodReader too. I might do PDF eventually but I have no plans yet. It is incredibly complex to get right and at the moment I think I should handle "more important" features.

Quexos · 11-24-2013, 10:37 AM

Personally I use Comic Zeal for PDF documents. Comics and the likes of course. I don't think I can read a book of words in PDF.
Comic Zeal is perfectly suited for that, and Marvin is perfectly suited for e-book reading.

democrite · 12-17-2013, 05:41 PM

PDF support would be great. After years of trying more or less all the major apps, I'm not that happy with any of them. If someday you get around to it, please consider:

- Sort by author and title, I don't know of any PDF app that shows the metadata instead of file name.
- scrollbar - displays document section just like Marvin and iBooks does with ePubs. not a single app yet I've seen.
- Dropbox sync - All apps pretty much requiring syncing a folder. GoodReader lets you sync per document, though you have choose it and make two choices (I believe) after selecting it on on Dropbox. Marvin's Dropbox search would be helpful for those of us that have hundreds of thousands of PDF eBooks.
- vertical scroll - hardly any of them do it yet it's the default view in Preview.
- annotations, could be added later

tsolignani · 12-26-2013, 08:22 AM

I guess it's better to focus Marvin on ePub and use another app for PDFs. I use readdle pdf expert.

jojoba · 12-30-2013, 10:03 AM

GoodReader, iAnnotate and PDF Expert are all really good apps for iPad designed specifically for PDFs. Like others, I think it's better to have a designated iPad app and a designated epub app, and get the best of both worlds, rather than attempting to mix the two.

Quote:

Originally Posted by democrite

PDF support would be great. After years of trying more or less all the major apps, I'm not that happy with any of them. If someday you get around to it, please consider:

- Sort by author and title, I don't know of any PDF app that shows the metadata instead of file name.
- scrollbar - displays document section just like Marvin and iBooks does with ePubs. not a single app yet I've seen.
- Dropbox sync - All apps pretty much requiring syncing a folder. GoodReader lets you sync per document, though you have choose it and make two choices (I believe) after selecting it on on Dropbox. Marvin's Dropbox search would be helpful for those of us that have hundreds of thousands of PDF eBooks.
- vertical scroll - hardly any of them do it yet it's the default view in Preview.
- annotations, could be added later

Have you considered something like Bookends, Papers or Sente? They provide proper metadata fields and lots of organisation functions. Bookends has vertical scrolling (the others might have it, too, I just can't remember). All have annotation features, but not as sophisticated as iAnnotate, GoodReader of PDF Expert.

comox · 07-06-2014, 03:40 PM

Another vote for pdf support in Marvin.

GoodReader is an excellent reader for pdf's however there are big disadvantages to having a separate reader for pdf's and epub's. When I want to find a book with a specific author or topic I must search 2 different applications. I must maintain 2 separate reading lists. GoodReader does not offer the excellent Calibre integration that Marvin provides.

I understand pdf support is complex. However even basic pdf support in Marvin might be enough to capture a good chunk of the GoodReader user base. I know I would drop GoodReader and would pay for pdf support in Marvin.

11-21-2013, 06:26 PM	#1
TheLibrarian_ Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 13406 Join Date: Nov 2013 Device: iPad	PDF Support Hi everyone. I searched this forum for posts about implementing PDF support into Marvin, though I didn't find anything. I would like to suggest this feature, as we know that converting PDF to EPUB often yields disastrous results. I currently use Marvin for all of my EPUB books, but I have to switch to iBooks if I want to read a PDF, of which I have many. It would be much simpler if I could contain my entire library within Marvin alone, and dispose of iBooks absolutely. Along with this, I want to say that iBooks' PDF support is insufficient. There is no way to highlight passages, for instance. If Marvin supported PDFs and allowed for basic functions such as highlighting and defining words within the PDF, I'd gladly donate to the developers of this amazing app. My final request is probably inconceivable, but if possible, please allow us to use the word count function for PDFs just as we can with EPUBs. Thank you for this amazing app, and if anyone has information about the possibility of implementing my requested feature, please reply.

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11-22-2013, 02:16 AM	#3
kguil Addict Posts: 1,215 Karma: 1836966 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Malta, Europe Device: Marvin for iOS	I suggest GoodReader too. I might do PDF eventually but I have no plans yet. It is incredibly complex to get right and at the moment I think I should handle "more important" features.

11-24-2013, 10:37 AM	#4
Quexos Member Retired Posts: 1,999 Karma: 11348924 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Limbo Device: none	Personally I use Comic Zeal for PDF documents. Comics and the likes of course. I don't think I can read a book of words in PDF. Comic Zeal is perfectly suited for that, and Marvin is perfectly suited for e-book reading.

12-17-2013, 05:41 PM	#5
democrite Evangelist Posts: 425 Karma: 77256 Join Date: Sep 2011 Device: none	PDF support would be great. After years of trying more or less all the major apps, I'm not that happy with any of them. If someday you get around to it, please consider: - Sort by author and title, I don't know of any PDF app that shows the metadata instead of file name. - scrollbar - displays document section just like Marvin and iBooks does with ePubs. not a single app yet I've seen. - Dropbox sync - All apps pretty much requiring syncing a folder. GoodReader lets you sync per document, though you have choose it and make two choices (I believe) after selecting it on on Dropbox. Marvin's Dropbox search would be helpful for those of us that have hundreds of thousands of PDF eBooks. - vertical scroll - hardly any of them do it yet it's the default view in Preview. - annotations, could be added later

12-26-2013, 08:22 AM	#6
tsolignani Zealot Posts: 117 Karma: 38608 Join Date: May 2012 Location: Vignola, Modena, Italy Device: iPad	I guess it's better to focus Marvin on ePub and use another app for PDFs. I use readdle pdf expert.

07-06-2014, 03:40 PM	#8
comox Enthusiast Posts: 38 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: none	Another vote for pdf support in Marvin. GoodReader is an excellent reader for pdf's however there are big disadvantages to having a separate reader for pdf's and epub's. When I want to find a book with a specific author or topic I must search 2 different applications. I must maintain 2 separate reading lists. GoodReader does not offer the excellent Calibre integration that Marvin provides. I understand pdf support is complex. However even basic pdf support in Marvin might be enough to capture a good chunk of the GoodReader user base. I know I would drop GoodReader and would pay for pdf support in Marvin.