Previewing epubs on Mac

steveparry · 12-25-2022, 10:18 AM

I can't preview any epub or kepub files on my Mac... I'm running Big Sur on a MacBook Pro M1. Can anyone help? I installed MacFuse to expand the list of readable file types but no joy. Thanks.

chrisridd · 12-25-2022, 01:46 PM

Macs use a service called Quicklook to preview content, and there's a free epub quicklook plugin available from https://github.com/jaketmp/ePub-quicklook

NB: I contributed some of the code for it. Try the epub spotlight importer too.

steveparry · 12-25-2022, 02:30 PM

Thanks, was aware of QuickLook. The note above states: "NOTE: Not working in Mojave and later! ePub quicklook and spotlight plugins for Mac OS X." I'm running Big Sur... Should it still work?

JSWolf · 12-25-2022, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steveparry

I can't preview any epub or kepub files on my Mac... I'm running Big Sur on a MacBook Pro M1. Can anyone help? I installed MacFuse to expand the list of readable file types but no joy. Thanks.

Adobe Digital Editions will work on a Mac.

chrisridd · 12-26-2022, 03:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steveparry

Thanks, was aware of QuickLook. The note above states: "NOTE: Not working in Mojave and later! ePub quicklook and spotlight plugins for Mac OS X." I'm running Big Sur... Should it still work?

There are some comments in https://github.com/jaketmp/ePub-quicklook/issues/51 that might help. MacOS might be blocking the plugins because they're not signed - sadly because this is just a fun project neither of us wanted the expense or effort of signing the plugins.

JSWolf · 12-26-2022, 04:49 AM

Adobe Digital Editions is the top program for previewing ePub.

chrisridd · 12-26-2022, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Adobe Digital Editions is the top program for previewing ePub.

I'm not sure you're using preview in the same sense as the folks on this thread.

On a Mac, if you see a file in the file manager (called Finder) or open/save dialog, you can press the space bar and a preview will get displayed. This is intended to be fast and lightweight, and doesn't involve starting an app or showing the entire contents. The mechanism is pluggable so extra data types can be supported.

For instance the epub plugin just shows the cover, authors, selected metadata and the description/synopsis. Enough to (hopefully) be useful.

Quoth · 12-26-2022, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrisridd

I'm not sure you're using preview in the same sense as the folks on this thread.

On a Mac, if you see a file in the file manager (called Finder) or open/save dialog, you can press the space bar and a preview will get displayed. This is intended to be fast and lightweight, and doesn't involve starting an app or showing the entire contents. The mechanism is pluggable so extra data types can be supported..

Or I presume in Icon view a preview of front cover in a file manager window of a directory? I remember years ago on XP changing the PDF viewer or adding an Explorer plugin and it was wonderful for directories of 100s of PDFs just with serial number filenames to display large icons and see the covers, as if they were jpg or png files.

Maybe JSWolf thinks "viewer" is meant. Calibre works well for that on Mac, Windows and LInux for actual ebooks, PDFs are better with something else.

steveparry · 12-26-2022, 01:24 PM

I must confess I meant using Quicklook on the Mac not Preview. Preview is Apple's application designed for viewing/editing pdfs. So I'm still struggling to find anything to Quicklook epubs... Mac OS Big Sur seems to have dispensed with the Quicklook folder in the ~Library folder.

JSWolf · 12-26-2022, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steveparry

I must confess I meant using Quicklook on the Mac not Preview. Preview is Apple's application designed for viewing/editing pdfs. So I'm still struggling to find anything to Quicklook epubs... Mac OS Big Sur seems to have dispensed with the Quicklook folder in the ~Library folder.

I have no idea if this is any good.

https://github.com/jaketmp/ePub-quicklook

steveparry · 12-26-2022, 04:29 PM

There is no QuickLook folder to put the files in.

Valkrider · 12-27-2022, 02:36 AM

There is a Quicklook folder in Monterey so I would expect it to be in Big Sur are you sure you are looking in the right place for the folder?

JSWolf · 12-27-2022, 04:55 AM

It's actually spelled Quick Look.

chrisridd · 12-27-2022, 05:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quoth

Or I presume in Icon view a preview of front cover in a file manager window of a directory? I remember years ago on XP changing the PDF viewer or adding an Explorer plugin and it was wonderful for directories of 100s of PDFs just with serial number filenames to display large icons and see the covers, as if they were jpg or png files.

That's correct, the same plugins generate an icon preview. Coming from the good old days of 32x32 icons, it is quite something when you zoom into an icon preview on a retina screen and can actually make out the text!

steveparry · 12-27-2022, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Valkrider

There is a Quicklook folder in Monterey so I would expect it to be in Big Sur are you sure you are looking in the right place for the folder?

I cannot find any folder called Quick Look or Quicklook on my Mac. Where is yours located?

12-25-2022, 10:18 AM	#1
steveparry Connoisseur Posts: 83 Karma: 513524 Join Date: Dec 2019 Device: none	Previewing epubs on Mac I can't preview any epub or kepub files on my Mac... I'm running Big Sur on a MacBook Pro M1. Can anyone help? I installed MacFuse to expand the list of readable file types but no joy. Thanks.

12-25-2022, 02:30 PM	#3
steveparry Connoisseur Posts: 83 Karma: 513524 Join Date: Dec 2019 Device: none	Thanks, was aware of QuickLook. The note above states: "NOTE: Not working in Mojave and later! ePub quicklook and spotlight plugins for Mac OS X." I'm running Big Sur... Should it still work? Last edited by steveparry; 12-25-2022 at 02:32 PM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Previewing pub/kepub files on Mac	steveparry	ePub	0	12-25-2022 10:03 AM
Good way to convert pdfs to epubs on the mac?	MarjaE	PDF	22	05-20-2017 06:42 AM
Is there a speed reader application for ePubs on Mac?	truth1ness	Reading and Management	0	04-11-2015 04:20 PM
Corrupt epubs on Mac?	cmoney	Sony Reader	4	02-02-2010 12:48 AM
ePubs from BooksonBoard not d'loading on Mac?	troutqueen	ePub	7	08-16-2009 05:49 PM

12-25-2022, 01:46 PM	#2
chrisridd Guru Posts: 977 Karma: 2209358 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: London, UK Device: Kobo Aura, Kobo Aura ONE, PocketBook InkPad Color 3	Macs use a service called Quicklook to preview content, and there's a free epub quicklook plugin available from https://github.com/jaketmp/ePub-quicklook NB: I contributed some of the code for it. Try the epub spotlight importer too.

12-26-2022, 04:49 AM	#6
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,750 Karma: 145864619 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Adobe Digital Editions is the top program for previewing ePub.

12-26-2022, 01:24 PM	#9
steveparry Connoisseur Posts: 83 Karma: 513524 Join Date: Dec 2019 Device: none	I must confess I meant using Quicklook on the Mac not Preview. Preview is Apple's application designed for viewing/editing pdfs. So I'm still struggling to find anything to Quicklook epubs... Mac OS Big Sur seems to have dispensed with the Quicklook folder in the ~Library folder.

12-26-2022, 04:29 PM	#11
steveparry Connoisseur Posts: 83 Karma: 513524 Join Date: Dec 2019 Device: none	There is no QuickLook folder to put the files in.

12-27-2022, 02:36 AM	#12
Valkrider Addict Posts: 316 Karma: 1250000 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: UK Device: Kobo Libra, iPadAir2, PRS600, iPhone 6, iPod, Palm TX	There is a Quicklook folder in Monterey so I would expect it to be in Big Sur are you sure you are looking in the right place for the folder?

12-27-2022, 04:55 AM	#13
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,750 Karma: 145864619 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	It's actually spelled Quick Look.