So Marvin’s Gone!

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by SyntheticXsin

So I’m new and I just got Calibre setup and was excited to instal Marvin on my iPad. Only to discover that I can’t.
Since I don’t have a prior device with the app, does this mean I’m outta luck with Marvin?

Yes, you are out of luck.

[Turtle91]

Originally Posted by SyntheticXsin

So I’m new and I just got Calibre setup and was excited to instal Marvin on my iPad. Only to discover that I can’t.
Since I don’t have a prior device with the app, does this mean I’m outta luck with Marvin?

Welcome to MR!!

In most cases, yes, you're outa luck. Unless one of your family/friends has it installed. In that case it's just a matter of using iMazing to copy the install file (.ipa) from their device which you can then use to install onto your device.

[peaceridge]

Originally Posted by Turtle91

Nope.... as per the instructions in the video I linked...you use the trial version of iMazing to perform the copy....totally free!

However, the software seems to have much more functionality and I may end up purchasing it anyway. $60 for a lifetime license on 3 computers seems a really good deal. Didn't you mention you had purchased every version of some reader apps to show your appreciation and to support the creator???

I can download the pc version, but it does not show up on my ipad in the apple store. Has Apple already closed the loophole?

Never Mind, just realized I can use the PC to transfer, doesn't have to be on the ipad to transfer.

[SyntheticXsin]

Thanks for taking time to respond to a newbie.

Being in between moves, space for book-books is a premium I don’t have. So I’m making a foray into ebooks. My early resistance has been the organization in iBook et al, (why can’t you stick book series together, in the right order??) until someone suggested Calibre.

Is there a free reading app I could read with? Being new to this landscape, I don’t even know what features I need. A suggestion for an easy way to sync, browse my Calibre collection and read (on my iPad) would be greatly appreciated.

[skillachie]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

@skillachie Why is it that Bookfusion does not allow user installed custom fonts? The custom font system used now is broken. I don't care that BF can get some fonts from some apps. I want to be able to use the font of my choice.

Also, there is no hyphenation. Basically, BF is not ready to be released until these features are added.

We used the recommended way by Apple to install custom fonts. Custom fonts are allowed and are used by many users. Once you install the font via system it will show up in the BookFusion app.

You can install a custom font using iFont or many other free font applications that allows you to install a custom font even if you already have the font file. https://apps.apple.com/sa/app/ifont-...t/id1173222289

https://support.apple.com/guide/ipho...%20tap%20Fonts.

Even Marvin displays App fonts and then System fonts where once the font is installed via System it displays it.

Hyphenation will be added. However, we will release the app as all features are not required for all readers. And as you said in a earlier post because an app does not have a feature does not mean we should not implement it. The same applies as well, just because an app has a feature does not mean it should be immediately implemented. We work with our readers to determine what features they want to see.

Previously we did not have much feedback from Marvin power users but we did have feedback from other Marvin users that did not require hyphenation. This is one of many for examples, https://www.reddit.com/r/BookFusion/...rvin_3_for_me/ . We also have positive reviews on the App Store that mention Marvin.

From reading past posts, it was stated that the community on mobile read discouraged the Marvin developer. The only thing we are trying to do here is build an app that has the features you want and is sustainable, yes it might not immediately have all the items on your list but give us the constructive feedback and let us try to hit them.

If the MobileRead community would prefer for us to make no effort then let us know and we will stop posting here.

[skillachie]

Originally Posted by Faterson

skillachie, I apologize again I'm so busy these months I haven't had, myself, the time to visit those BookFusion threads since last summer. I purposely don't open them, because they would suck me in and devour me.

Thanks for the feedback and your approach. No worries you already gave us ton of feedback that we have been slowly crossing items from the list.

Originally Posted by Faterson

However, I must agree with everyone else who said that adjusting brightness via a vertical swipe is extremely useful, so I hope you'll be adding it to the app, on iOS and Android. (I think I must have sent you this request, among others, in my list of BookFusion missing features/wishes last summer.)

Moon+ Reader, too, offers a vertical swipe to change brightness – along the left edge of the screen. Swiping along the right edge of the screen in Moon changes font size. Very clever!

So, you might perhaps go the Moon route as well: allowing us to configure two separate vertical swipes (horizontal swipes as well, now that we're at it) in BookFusion.

Got it. This has been requested multiple times and will be added.

[skillachie]

Originally Posted by SyntheticXsin

Thanks for taking time to respond to a newbie.

Being in between moves, space for book-books is a premium I don’t have. So I’m making a foray into ebooks. My early resistance has been the organization in iBook et al, (why can’t you stick book series together, in the right order??) until someone suggested Calibre.

Is there a free reading app I could read with? Being new to this landscape, I don’t even know what features I need. A suggestion for an easy way to sync, browse my Calibre collection and read (on my iPad) would be greatly appreciated.

To be honest BookFusion handles organization into Series automatically or manually and this can be synced from Calibre with the plugin. https://www.bookfusion.com/reading/calibre


The only thing is we are not a free app as we do not want to share the same faith as Marvin and others.

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bookfusion/id1141834096

[JSWolf]

delete post

[Wiggo]

Originally Posted by SyntheticXsin

Thanks for taking time to respond to a newbie.

Being in between moves, space for book-books is a premium I don’t have. So I’m making a foray into ebooks. My early resistance has been the organization in iBook et al, (why can’t you stick book series together, in the right order??) until someone suggested Calibre.

Is there a free reading app I could read with? Being new to this landscape, I don’t even know what features I need. A suggestion for an easy way to sync, browse my Calibre collection and read (on my iPad) would be greatly appreciated.

Currently the best ebook app available is MapleRead, but not for free.

[peaceridge]

Originally Posted by skillachie

To be honest BookFusion handles organization into Series automatically or manually and this can be synced from Calibre with the plugin. https://www.bookfusion.com/reading/calibre

I didn't realize it has the capacity to sync Calibre. Can it sync a "read" column as well as metadata? If so, I'll rethink using it, I really miss that capacity from the defunct Calibre Companion.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by skillachie

To be honest BookFusion handles organization into Series automatically or manually and this can be synced from Calibre with the plugin. https://www.bookfusion.com/reading/calibre


The only thing is we are not a free app as we do not want to share the same faith as Marvin and others.

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bookfusion/id1141834096

IMHO, it's best to link to the plugin thread. That lets others know that the plugin does not have to be downloaded and then installed. That it can be installed via calibre. Also, it's where a discussion on the thread can be had.

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=299911

[skillachie]

Originally Posted by peaceridge

I didn't realize it has the capacity to sync Calibre. Can it sync a "read" column as well as metadata? If so, I'll rethink using it, I really miss that capacity from the defunct Calibre Companion.

Yes we do have a plugin for Calibre that syncs eBooks, metadata and updated fanfic (where you add a new chapter to the ebook):

• Installing & Using the BookFusion Plugin for Calibre - https://support.bookfusion.com/hc/en...in-for-Calibre
  
  
• Configuring Custom Columns to Sync Bookshelves and Series Info - https://support.bookfusion.com/hc/en...nd-Series-Info
  
• Syncing eBook Updates to BookFusion - https://support.bookfusion.com/hc/en...-to-BookFusion
  
  
• Using a Custom Column to Indicate a Book's Sync Status - https://support.bookfusion.com/hc/en...-s-Sync-Status.

With regards to a READ column this was not implemented but can be. Do you mean you simply want to track the books you have finished reading? Some readers use a custom bookshelf for that where a bookshelf is created and all books READ are inside that bookshelf.

However, we can improve this by mapping the READ column to the COMPLETED section on your bookshelf in Bookfusion. You can let me know and we will listen to the feedback

[skillachie]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

IMHO, it's best to link to the plugin thread. That lets others know that the plugin does not have to be downloaded and then installed. That it can be installed via calibre. Also, it's where a discussion on the thread can be had.

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=299911

That is a good point. Will post the plugin thread instead going forward.

[peaceridge]

Originally Posted by skillachie

Yes we do have a plugin for Calibre that syncs eBooks, metadata and updated fanfic (where you add a new chapter to the ebook):

With regards to a READ column this was not implemented but can be. Do you mean you simply want to track the books you have finished reading? Some readers use a custom bookshelf for that where a bookshelf is created and all books READ are inside that bookshelf.

However, we can improve this by mapping the READ column to the COMPLETED section on your bookshelf in Bookfusion. You can let me know and we will listen to the feedback

Yes, I would like to mark a book read in Bookfusion and have it synced to my Calibre Library as read.

[Libertie]

Originally Posted by Turtle91

If you have a backup you can restore your device. Just because it isn’t on the store doesn’t mean you can’t use it. It hasn’t been updated in a while but it still works. I’m actually using it now…

But it does mean you can,t use it, if the app has been removed. I backed up my ipad as I was having a replacement. When I restored my content to my new ipad the Marvin icon was there but when I clicked on it it said it wasn't available in the App Store anymore. I still have workable Marvin on my iphone
but that's only for reading emergencies. I now have a Marvin.m3 backup file which doesn't appear to be opened by anything but Marvin.

I am looking at Kybook 3 as a replacement but would dearly love to be able to get my stuff from Marvin onto there, or even Calibre.