Stanza in iOS5... dead...

[Clytie]

Originally Posted by kjk

*highfives* Pascal was the first language I "learned" as well! And by learned I mean slogged through dreadfully.

Pascal is a beautiful language IMHO: complex, but it has beautiful patterns.

The agony was working with punch-card machines and dumb terminals. No error messages. Progress was only achieved after much cursing and torn-out hair.

[Clytie]

Sorry about the above post being out of sequence: I was reading through the thread from the beginning and wanted to reply to that slightly OT post.

However, I'm here because I have thousands of books in Stanza, and naively upgraded to iOS5 without wondering if my favourite ereader would be murdered by the update.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll try them out and see what works best for me. Hate losing what already works best. Any news on whether Amazon is updating Stanza? I always wondered if they grabbed it, not only to squash their strongest competitor and devs calling vociferously for licensing of the Mobi DRM, but also to acquire good code for ePub support.

[kyteflyer]

OK, I've got access to my calibre library now, but for the life of me can NOT work out how to get it to talk to either i2Reader (which I bought earlier) or Megareader. I'm defeated once more. I can get books into iTunes books for iBooks, but not for anything else. I'm back to using drag and drop into listings under Apps for sharing. It works, if not as elegantly as calibre.

BTW anyone using i2Librarian to get books to their i2Reader? Haven't been able to get that to work, either.

Right now, I am down to Kobo which has slipped from first place, Bluefire and i2Reader. Both of these last seem acceptable in terms of how they can be set up. Kobo is OK too but more limited. Megareader has completely got me bamboozled, in terms of use of calibre. It simply does not see it.

[Philantrop]

Originally Posted by kyteflyer

Megareader has completely got me bamboozled, in terms of use of calibre. It simply does not see it.

I'm not sure if MegaReader supports auto-discovery via Bonjour/Zeroconf but adding the server URL manually works, e. g. http://<server-or-IP>:<Port>/stanza/

Like that, MegaReader connects to my Calibre server and is even faster than Stanza ever was. :)

[kyteflyer]

Originally Posted by Philantrop

I'm not sure if MegaReader supports auto-discovery via Bonjour/Zeroconf but adding the server URL manually works, e. g. http://<server-or-IP>:<Port>/stanza/

Like that, MegaReader connects to my Calibre server and is even faster than Stanza ever was.

Its supposed to discover the server but they do suggest using the IP as a backup, seems to me thats whats needed. Thanks

[foosion]

Originally Posted by Philantrop

I'm not sure if MegaReader supports auto-discovery via Bonjour/Zeroconf but adding the server URL manually works, e. g. http://<server-or-IP>:<Port>/stanza/

Like that, MegaReader connects to my Calibre server and is even faster than Stanza ever was.

After a few unsuccessful tries, MegaReader auto-discovered my Calibre server with an address of that form. The developer suggested trying
http://<server-or-IP>:<Port>/opds

You could also browse the Calibre catalog in Safari using http://<server-or-IP>:<Port>. If you find a book you want to download, click to get it. Safari will then give you the choice to open it or to use ibooks. Click open it and choose MegaReader.

[DuskyRose]

If this helps anyone, it was suggested on one of the forums here that I use an iTunes app called "FileBrowser". Decided that with the problem I'm having loading epubs through the iTunes app page, and the way the eReaders all load differently, that maybe using a different way to store the book on the device, then opening them as needed, would work better.

But yesterday managed to copy over 34,000 epub files onto my iPad. I can then go into the epub files in "FileBrowser", (set up and sorted by Calibre "Save to Disk" sorted into files by tag description) and click on the right arrow shown on every file. Then I can click "Open In" and it'll show the App that should open the files.

(Although it does show Pages, which won't really open an epub file.) On mine is listed Pages, ReadMe, ExLibris, BAM Reader, Bluefire, i2Reader, EbookMobi, Kobo, iCabmobile.

So far Pages won't load the epub, but Exlibris, BAM, Kobo and Megareader will open the DRMless epubs. Pages and ReadMe won't. Checking the rest as time allows today.

[gwynevans]

Originally Posted by DuskyRose

(Although it does show Pages, which won't really open an epub file.) On mine is listed Pages, ReadMe, ExLibris, BAM Reader, Bluefire, i2Reader, EbookMobi, Kobo, iCabmobile.

As I understand it, the list of apps shown are the ones that iOS reports as handling that file type/extension, rather than anything coded into the app - I wonder what Pages is expecting...?

[1611mac]

Originally Posted by kyteflyer

OK, I've got access to my calibre library now, but for the life of me can NOT work out how to get it to talk to either i2Reader (which I bought earlier) or Megareader.

If you are on a Mac check your "System Prefs" > "Privacy" > and "Firewall" If Firewall is "on" click advanced tab and make sure Calibre is checked to allow connections. (Or just try it with Firewall OFF)

MegaReader connects for me first time and every time and I had to do nothing in MegaReader. Calibre server shows under "Cook Catalogs" > "Other Catalogs"

[kyteflyer]

Originally Posted by 1611mac

If you are on a Mac check your "System Prefs" > "Privacy" > and "Firewall" If Firewall is "on" click advanced tab and make sure Calibre is checked to allow connections. (Or just try it with Firewall OFF)

MegaReader connects for me first time and every time and I had to do nothing in MegaReader. Calibre server shows under "Cook Catalogs" > "Other Catalogs"

Thanks. I turned off the firewall, no change. Told megareader my computer's IP.. no joy.

I reasd the docs that said it ought to just fine the calibre catalogue but you know what? I think it will only find it if its on the main drive, not an external one as mine is. I'm going to move it over to see if that makes a difference. Running out of space though, thats why books etc have been put on an externa. sighhh.

[edit] nope, that didnt work either. Sorry guys, I am giving up on megareader. I dont mind bluefire and i2reader so will make do with those for now.

I still keep hoping that there will be an update for Stanza.

[kyteflyer]

I outsmarted myself this morning. I decided I could not live without Stanza, and got my old iphone2G out of mothballs, installed stanza, opened calibre and there ya go... no stanza connection (and of course no drag and drop or "add" from itunes because its only a 3x OS).

I'm now thinking there is some other reason that megareader and calibre can't talk to each other on this computer either. Its not a firewall but perhaps I need to do something in the router. Never needed to before, but I was fiddling in there a couple of weeks ago, and you never know. I've not even attempted to use stanza with this computer (MBP) since switching from my iMac, so I really have NO idea whether it was working prior to iOS5 or not.

[ilovejedd]

Originally Posted by kyteflyer

I outsmarted myself this morning. I decided I could not live without Stanza, and got my old iphone2G out of mothballs, installed stanza, opened calibre and there ya go... no stanza connection (and of course no drag and drop or "add" from itunes because its only a 3x OS).

Ouch. After I got my iPhone 4 with retina display, I couldn't bring myself to use the original iPhone anymore. I was using it previously as back-up reader to my 3GS. Got myself an iPod Touch 4G for when my iPhone is charging overnight.

[seajewel]

Originally Posted by exador

atleast for me, it looks like shubook is the new ebook reader choice for me...
the controls are pretty similar to stanza, and i've been able to import every single last epub book on my hard drive no problem....

let me know what you folks think..give it a shot and let me know if you like it...

(to be clear, it's not as good as stanza, but it appears -to me anyhow- better than the others i've tried today)

-ps, i'm using this on my iphone...

I've tried just about everything recommended in this thread, except i2reader, only because i2reader costs $5. I even paid for MegaReader, but I'm not sold on MegaReader just yet.

I didn't like Shu book because it does really, really strange things to the epubs I read. For example, I have an epub that has a Foreword when I open it on any other reader. But Shubook only starts at Chapter 1, the entire foreword, cover and everything, is simply missing. It did somethign funny to another book I was looking at but I don't remember the problem any more, and I've deleted the app from my phone.

I want an app that has A) Multiple font options, B) can show the phone Clock while reading, c) has options for justifying/linespacing/margins/indentation. Bluefire or Mega Reader, one of them, shows one of my ebooks shifted to the right. I don't even remember which app it was because I've tried like 7 different ones in the past week. and I swear, nothing does the simple 3 options I want like Stanza did.

ETA: it's Bluefire that shifts several of my ebooks to the right side. I don't know why, the margin is greater on the left side. It bothers me.

[kyteflyer]

Originally Posted by seajewel

...

I want an app that has A) Multiple font options, B) can show the phone Clock while reading, c) has options for justifying/linespacing/margins/indentation. Bluefire or Mega Reader, one of them, shows one of my ebooks shifted to the right. I don't even remember which app it was because I've tried like 7 different ones in the past week. and I swear, nothing does the simple 3 options I want like Stanza did.

I think I have probably tried every decent reader app in the appstore, and quite a few which are complete rubbish for our population of readers.

I like Megareader, but have failed to find the reason for its refusal to connect with calibre. It also needs to have that drag and drop (or "add") via itunes which many other readers have. Sometimes I want to use a different reader, or read stuff on the computer. I've added a new repository, but cannot get those books out of the app... no save option. What it does have that I do like is the capacity to add your own repositories in addition to the builtin ones. Its presentation is very easy on the eye, and it appeals to me greatly. I don't mind having paid for this, and hope that Patrick will add the add/save option for itunes use, and that he will add that extremely handy swipe to reduce brightness. I've changed the font to suit myself and all is almost well with the world.

I paid for i2Reader based on some other people's opinions. Wasted my money, IMO. Yes, it can be adjusted for brightness. But, it can only talk to calibre or its own proprietary library, neither of which work for me, and the UI is unnecessarily complex. No other repository can be added (at least I can't find a way of doing it), and although it does have add/save capacity, I've been disappointed in how it presents books. VERY disappointed after spending $6AUD on this, it ought to be a free application, its not worth the money spent. I've used previous apps from this mob when jailbroken (I dont do it anymore) and they were pretty good. I think they are maybe just resting on laurels and raking in the cash. Not impressed.

Tomes: its OK, but its expensive for what it is. As stated before the shelf server is unreliable (and I have never been able to get it to work successfully) but at least you can drag and drop stuff into the add/save area of itunes. I actually much preferred the original "Books" app which was not coded by Zachary Bedell. He took over from the original coder and has made it too complex now, and has changed its name a couple of times, too. I think if you had never stopped using it you might not have issues, but I do... and no longer (especially after Stanza) find it intuitive. Can't add your own repository.

Ouiivo: an interesting app: can add repository, and can save out books you have downloaded. I don't like it for reading but for actually getting books from Stanza-type repositories, saving, and then dropping into your app of choice, its good. I'm using it as a halfway point for book acquisition, because I do want to save the books I download so I dont have to download them ever again.

Ex-Libris, MyLibra, Shubooks, eBooksReader and many others have simply failed on most points which are important to me.

For my money, at the moment, Megareader is the very best option as a Stanza replacement. I just wish I could get it and calibre to play nice, and that it had add/save via iTunes, and swipe for brightness control. The rest is pretty good.

[frozennorth]

@ kyteflyer I would appreciate it very much if you or anyone else with megreader or quickreader could test the app with the attached file. I would like to see if they support bold and italic.

Thank You to jackie_w for posting this file earlier.