Marvin 3 Not Syncing iPad Pro & iPhone XR

[LUEBECKER]

In Marvin 3 sync mode my iPhone XR doesn't see my iPad Pro and vice versa. This started with iOS 13.2.1 and I've just updated to iOS 13.2.2 with no change. I've been using Marvin 3 for quite a while and never saw this before. The iPhone only sees itself in Sync and the same for the iPad. I'm signed in to iCloud and iCloud sees Marvin. Don't know what else to do. Anyone have any suggestions?

[Turtle91]

I haven't seen this issue. Although Marvin hasn't changed and iOS has, I'd suspect iOS broke something. Perhaps someone on the iOS forum could explain what has changed?? If you do figure it out, please let us know.

[ilovejedd]

Have you double checked to make sure iCloud is enabled for Marvin (not the Cloud Picker but via Settings -> iCloud Account -> iCloud)?

Just tried on mine and all devices show when I do a manual sync:

• iPad 5 on iOS 12.4.1
• iPad Pro 12.9 on iOS 13.1.3
• iPad 6 on iOS 13.2.2

[LUEBECKER]

Yes, Marvin is enabled in my iCloud settings, and if I go to iCloud settings on my Windows Desktop, under storage iCloud tells me that i have 3.6 MB of Marvin data stored there. When I click Sync on my iPhone, I'm only seeing my iPhone and not my iPad as well. And the same thing happens on my iPad, only the iPad is shown in Sync mode. I have no idea what's going on. Marvin is working well otherwise.

[skillachie]

Originally Posted by LUEBECKER

Yes, Marvin is enabled in my iCloud settings, and if I go to iCloud settings on my Windows Desktop, under storage iCloud tells me that i have 3.6 MB of Marvin data stored there. When I click Sync on my iPhone, I'm only seeing my iPhone and not my iPad as well. And the same thing happens on my iPad, only the iPad is shown in Sync mode. I have no idea what's going on. Marvin is working well otherwise.

Hey LUEBECKER,

Not Marvin but BookFusion has been updated to support iOS 13. BookFusion is a cross platform eBook app that allows you to upload, organize and read your eBooks across all devices. BookFusion supports all eBook formats including epub, mobi, PDF, and comic (cbr/cbz) formats. Reading HTML, txt, or rtf/doc (Uploads via the web interface).

All your bookmarks, highlights, comments and reading progress will always be synced across all devices. We also have a Calibre plugin that makes sending your eBooks from Calibre as seamless as possible.

iOS App: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bookfusion/id1141834096

Please take us for a spin and let me know if you have any feedback.

[Turtle91]

Thanks for the info skillachie - but this is the Marvin thread....and it is pretty bad form to advertise for yourself or your company here...if not outright breaking the MR rules.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by LUEBECKER

Yes, Marvin is enabled in my iCloud settings, and if I go to iCloud settings on my Windows Desktop, under storage iCloud tells me that i have 3.6 MB of Marvin data stored there. When I click Sync on my iPhone, I'm only seeing my iPhone and not my iPad as well. And the same thing happens on my iPad, only the iPad is shown in Sync mode. I have no idea what's going on. Marvin is working well otherwise.

Hum, that's odd. I have an iPad Pro and iPad mini with Marvin, both with the latest and greatest iOS. No problems syncing. One possibility is how you get the book in to Marvin on the two devices. I had a similar problem several years ago (2016 when Marvin 3.0 came out) and basically, if I recall correctly (it has been a while) the way Marvin creates the hash values that it uses to sync can differ if the book is imported into Marvin differently. You might try as an experiment, load a book into marvin on one device, scroll a few pages and then sync. Then load the exact same book into marvin on the other device in exactly the same way, sync it and see if you see the other device. I typically only see one device unless I've synced the same book on both devices.

The "are you sure it's plugged in" question (anyone who has done tech support has had to ask that question at least once), is are you really sure you are using the exact same iCloud account on both devices? It's not as straight forward as you might think.

[ilovejedd]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

Hum, that's odd. I have an iPad Pro and iPad mini with Marvin, both with the latest and greatest iOS. No problems syncing. One possibility is how you get the book in to Marvin on the two devices. I had a similar problem several years ago (2016 when Marvin 3.0 came out) and basically, if I recall correctly (it has been a while) the way Marvin creates the hash values that it uses to sync can differ if the book is imported into Marvin differently. You might try as an experiment, load a book into marvin on one device, scroll a few pages and then sync. Then load the exact same book into marvin on the other device in exactly the same way, sync it and see if you see the other device. I typically only see one device unless I've synced the same book on both devices.

Hash value is just md5 checksum (I investigated the m3backup file that Marvin 3 generates for backup/restore).

If the files are binary identical (e.g. copied via Dropbox), then they should be recognized as the same book.

Alas, if these were transferred via Calibre OPDS server or Calibre Companion for example, they could differ since Calibre updates metadata when sending books to devices (ergo modifying the EPUB and checksum). It's possible that the same book downloaded at two different times (say 2 months apart) from the Calibre content server would have different checksums.

[skillachie]

Originally Posted by Turtle91

Thanks for the info skillachie - but this is the Marvin thread....and it is pretty bad form to advertise for yourself or your company here...if not outright breaking the MR rules.

Hey Turtle91,

The reason is because the last time Marvin was updated was in 2017. The only reason I made the comment was to make the user aware of a potential alternative as Marvin appears to be abandoned. Other users have also made comments about other alternative apps due to the status of Marvin in Marvin related threads.

If it is a forum rule, I will gladly obey it but not sure if it is since even today there are comments inside Marvin threads talking about alternatives. Is it simply because I am apart of BookFusion?

[ilovejedd]

A mod would be the one to decide on a ruling but I think the numerous posts fall into #6, relevant but ubiquitous.

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/fa...ing_guidelines

5. Advertising and Promotion

Please post in our Flea Market section if you want to buy or sell a reading device (or other item relevant to mobile reading) for your personal use only.

If you have something to promote – e.g. a new book, a new reading device, or other item relevant to mobile reading, then you may announce it, and respond to questions, in the Self-Promotions forum. Please read and follow the additional Promotion Posting Guidelines. Members who abuse these guidelines may be treated as spammers.

6. Spam

Spam is defined as unsolicited advertising: either unrelated to the content of our forum, or relevant but ubiquitous. Spammers will be banned.

[skillachie]

Would love some input from a mod.

#6 Spam - Would not apply as the post was not unrelated nor was it ubiquitous.

#5 Advertising and Promotion - I have only every posted on posts that are relevant where I know we could add value. My history can be reviewed. I could have posted on each and every Marvin 3 thread but they are not all relevant.


As mentioned I was only making him aware of an alternative with no ill-will. But if it comes off as advertising then i won't. I will keep my responses to posts that ask for alternatives.

[pwalker8]

I'm not a mod, nor do I play one on TV, nor did I stay in a Holiday Inn last night, but I've never allowed that to get in the way of me putting my two cents worth in.

I agree that Marvin hasn't been updated in a long time and may qualify as abandon ware. On the other hand, the poster wasn't asking for alternatives to Marvin, he was looking to solve a problem in Marvin and your post very much did read like you promoting your product to me. It might have been more suitable in the Status of Marvin thread than in a troubleshooting thread. Just my personal opinion.

(Actually, is there a current moderator in this forum? )

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by skillachie

Would love some input from a mod.

#6 Spam - Would not apply as the post was not unrelated nor was it ubiquitous.

You sort of glossed right over the "unsolicited" part of #6. There's a pretty good argument for your post being unsolicited advertising. The post you replied to was asking for help WITH Marvin and not, in fact, alternatives TO Marvin. The fact that others may have mentioned alternative apps would only be relevant if those others had some sort of connection to the alternative apps that they mention (as you clearly do with Book Fusion). Your connection to Book Fusion also means that rules against self-promotion are applicable. I would say it would be best if you waited for requests for alternative app suggestions in the future.

[skillachie]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

You sort of glossed right over the "unsolicited" part of #6. There's a pretty good argument for your post being unsolicited advertising. The post you replied to was asking for help WITH Marvin and not, in fact, alternatives TO Marvin. The fact that others may have mentioned alternative apps would only be relevant if those others had some sort of connection to the alternative apps that they mention (as you clearly are with Book Fusion). Your connection to Book Fusion also means that rules against self-promotion might be applicable.

Thanks for the input DiapDealer. As mentioned, I agree that he did not ask for an alternative in this case and I can see it from your point of view and the other members as well. I looked at Marvin as abandonware and glossed over that point. However, I will ensure to stay on topic and only post when relevant going forward.

Apologies to the poster and the other forum members for the off topic post.

[LUEBECKER]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

Hum, that's odd. I have an iPad Pro and iPad mini with Marvin, both with the latest and greatest iOS. No problems syncing. One possibility is how you get the book in to Marvin on the two devices. I had a similar problem several years ago (2016 when Marvin 3.0 came out) and basically, if I recall correctly (it has been a while) the way Marvin creates the hash values that it uses to sync can differ if the book is imported into Marvin differently. You might try as an experiment, load a book into marvin on one device, scroll a few pages and then sync. Then load the exact same book into marvin on the other device in exactly the same way, sync it and see if you see the other device. I typically only see one device unless I've synced the same book on both devices.

You know, I tried this with a different book and it worked, but when I went back to the original book it still didn't. I've got to believe the problem is book specific, and I appreciate your input, because it helped me retain some sanity.