Configuring for Marvin Reader, Calibre 2.2

[John Odell]

Below is a message that I left at the Calibre Bug Report site. I am a new user at this forum, and am doubling up asking for help here. Thanks you!

* * * * *

Calibre tech:

I downloaded the latest Calibre 2.2 today (Sept. 8, 2014). My Calibre is installed on an iMac, running OSX 10.9.4. I tried to move some books to my iPad Mini Retina using the Marvin ereader app and the command there, "Get Books". Calibre didn't recognize my iPad device (wireless connection). Previously, I have not had problems with this command sequence with Calibre before 2.0.

I reasoned that I might have to do an update/reload of the IOS/Marvin plugins because of the new 2.2 Calibre version. I followed the directions at the Marvin help sites for this, and it appears to me that I was able to successfully download and install a new IOS Reader Application, updated on Sept. 2nd, for compatibility with Calibre 2.0 and beyond.

I then tried to configure for the Marvin application via: Calibre Preferences > Advanced > Plugins > Device Interface Plugins > IOS Reader Application (higlighted) > and then clicked the Customize Plugin button. This didn't work. I ran back through everything and did some restarts, etc. I got a couple of different error messages in this process: "cannot import ConfigWidget" and "No module named PyQt4".

I am only moderately computer tech savvy, but was able to successfully set up and use Marvin some months ago. I have attempted to follow the instructions closely. I'm stuck. Maybe this is a bug.

I would appreciate an assist, or fix to this if it is a bug. Also, please send me an email in response to this message to jwodell6@mac.com.

Thank you,

John Odell

PS. I love Calibre and make a donation about once a year.

[eschwartz]

See the Marvin XD support thread (and the iOS reader applications thread linked there) for more details. The long and short of it is that unexpected problems hit and they have not yet been worked out. You will certainly need to clean out some stale files from the calibre appdata. Again, more at the source.

[John Odell]

Thanks, eschwartz!

[John Odell]

Hello eschwartz,

I've been watching the forum thread you referenced to me earlier. (thanks again) It seems to not have had an update for a while. Do you have a pulse on the Calibre 2.2 and iOS updates for the Marvin reader? Maybe there is something more at another thread?

Thankie,

John

[eschwartz]

The story as per the plugin threads seems to be that it will work fine on a Mac.

This should fi the problem: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...26#post2940126

(Do this for both iOSRA and Marvin XD.)

[John Odell]

Thanks for the second assist, eschwartz. I did look at the link you sent me, but also the following messages in the thread. It seems that the problem is not completely licked yet. I'll hit the pause button and then look at these threads again in a couple of weeks, hoping for good news.

Cheers,

John

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by John Odell

Thanks for the second assist, eschwartz. I did look at the link you sent me, but also the following messages in the thread. It seems that the problem is not completely licked yet. I'll hit the pause button and then look at these threads again in a couple of weeks, hoping for good news.

Cheers,

John

I suggest you read the thread now, and then do as recommended. It worked for some people, but not all people. The issue seems to be restricted to Windows, and a problem with libimobiledevice (the version bundled in Win/Linux builds of calibre needs to be updated for iOS 8??? Macs don't have that problem as it relies on Apple's builds).

If nothing else, you might as well do the first step now, as it will definitely be necessary even if/when the other problem gets fixed.

[John Odell]

Hello eschwarz,

Thanks again for your continuing help. I followed the instructions at the posting 165 that you linked to above. This didn't work for me. Now I'm wondering if this may be because I only have the basic Marvin / iOS installed, and not the Marvin XD. (I preferred to do my Calibre management on my desktop Mac and not complicate my iPad with the XD option.)

Do you think this may be part of my continued blockage? I tried to smoke out how to access and install the Marvin XD app, but I'm not figuring out how to do this.

I don't want to be a burden to you, but can you assist again? Maybe that's a possibility with an irrational optimist??

Thanks!

John

[John Odell]

Well, I found the overlooked XD app, but got a "Safari can't download" message when trying to download it to my iPad. I'm going to tackle everything again tomorrow and see if I missed something.

[eschwartz]

What error message are you getting?
Post the error message in the iOSRA thread, and Philantrop will no doubt be able to come up with something. (I am low on suggestions, as I don't actually own an Apple device to use the plugin with.)

I do know that you do not need to install Marvin XD. (Maybe you should, as I hear it has many cool options, but that is a different story...)

P.S. You can install and update plugins from the builtin plugin manager, see Preferences ==> Plugins ==> Get new plugins

[John Odell]

Mr. E,

I tried something different, a work-around. I figured out how to sideload books into Marvin via use of DropBox rather than a calibre plug-in. A bit more work, but at least it solved the immediate need. Someday I'll go back through and attempt to get the calibre/Marvin connection working.....maybe after all of the simultaneous iOS 8 stuff settles down, too.

Thanks again for the help that you have extended to me, I appreciate it.

John

[eschwartz]

A resolution, more or less. See (and subscribe):

Originally Posted by Philantrop

The Windows / iOS >= 8.0.0 issue is now being tracked on github as https://github.com/Philantrop/calibr...ons/issues/136

The Mac OS X "malformed database" issue is now being tracked on github as https://github.com/Philantrop/calibr...ons/issues/130

Please subscribe to these bugs if you want to be notified of any progress. At the moment, there's no need for further debug logs on either bug.

[John Odell]

Just seeing this message now. Thanks!

J