iPad Calibre View - Free iOS app for browsing Calibre libraries (TestFlight beta)

[DandalfTheWhite]

Hi there! I've been working on Calibre View, a simple (free) iOS app for browsing Calibre libraries stored in Dropbox, Google Drive, or the Files app (with more planned), and I'd love some beta testers.

Most Calibre apps on iOS are great (I use CalibreSync a ton), but I wanted something more like the desktop library view: clean lists, easy sorting, quick filtering, and a simple way to grab a book in whatever format you already have with an iOS-native feel.

Here's a quick demo (from a few versions back, but covers most features): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osoQ-oFrpm0

What this app does:

• Connects to Calibre libraries in Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, WebDAV, or the Files app
• Handles big libraries (tested up to ~15,000 books; loads in ~20 seconds on iPad Pro)
• Lets you choose which columns to show, including custom ones
• Sort by any field on tap (title, tags, custom columns, etc.)
• Book detail view with cover, metadata, and download/share options
• Tap an author, series, or tag to instantly filter the whole library from the details page
• Great for FanFicFare users, tag filtering for characters/ships/tropes works really well
• Full-library search with near-instant results
• Supports multiple libraries across different cloud services
• Optional horizontal scrolling for small screens/orientations
• Offline browsing once metadata is downloaded (covers and books still require connection)
• Light and dark mode

Right now it's basically "browse → filter → download," and it won't make any changes to your Calibre library as it's read-only. To me, that simplicity is the point.

If you'd like to help test it, here's the TestFlight link: https://testflight.apple.com/join/A4bvtPMb

I've tested it with my own libraries on Drive and Dropbox and it's working well, but I'd appreciate feedback from different setups. Very large libraries may take longer to load or hit memory limits, but anything under 15k should be fine. (And maybe up to 50k, idk but feel free to test!)

Change Log

Spoiler:

Version 0.9.5
- Added WebDAV support
- Fixed tag filtering edge case (series)

Version 0.9.1
- Added OneDrive support
- Bug fixes

Version 0.9.0
- Originally posted version

Thanks to anyone willing to poke at it!

[Loosheesh]

I'd like to test but I use OneDrive, which doesn't seem to be an option yet.

[DandalfTheWhite]

Originally Posted by Loosheesh

I'd like to test but I use OneDrive, which doesn't seem to be an option yet.

OneDrive is what I am working on next! I have never dealt with MS like this before and it is a PIA. I hope within the next week or so to have it set up. (If not sooner.) My goal is this weekend to get a new version up for approval in app store connect.

[Wiggo]

Sound promising.

Will it support

• WebDav
• Columns built from other columns
• Filters with..how is it called...boolean operators, this and-or-not-thing, and several at the same time

I'm using CalibreSync too.

[Loosheesh]

Originally Posted by DandalfTheWhite

OneDrive is what I am working on next!

That's great! I looked at the video and I like the look of things. I use CalibreSync and like it a lot, but something that more closely emulates the look of Calibre is definitely appealing.

[DandalfTheWhite]

Originally Posted by Wiggo

Sound promising.

Will it support

• WebDav
• Columns built from other columns
• Filters with..how is it called...boolean operators, this and-or-not-thing, and several at the same time

I'm using CalibreSync too.

I have never used WebDav but I can try to set it up, I added it to my list.

I am not sure if the columns built from other columns will work, I didn't know you could do that in Calibre! (But now that I do know I am interested in trying some things.) So I have no idea if they do work or not. If they are comma separated, they might but no guarantees.

It does not currently use boolean operators but that's a great idea and I use them all the time in Calibre on the desktop so it makes sense to add them if I can.

[goolie]

Be happy to give feedback when it connects to CalibreWeb server.

Cheers

[DandalfTheWhite]

Originally Posted by goolie

Be happy to give feedback when it connects to CalibreWeb server.

Cheers

CalibreWeb Server may be possible but will be a bit of a different approach since with the cloud providers you can just download the metadata.db whereas the web server is more JSON based iirc.

I have uploaded a new version with OneDrive support though. (That was a pain to do, but most of the problem was coders error, of course.) Check it out if you use OneDrive!

[DandalfTheWhite]

New Version 0.9.5 on Test Flight
- Added WebDAV support
- Fixed tag filtering edge case (series)

Will likely go live before too long! Thanks for all the testing and ideas. If you have suggestions please feel free to let me know.

[fordan]

It looks like the Files support is only local files? I keep my Calibre library on my Synology NAS, and I had been hoping to use Synology's DS File app via their Files integration to access it. Unfortunately it shows 0 files when opening DS File even though I can see all the files when using the Files app.

[DandalfTheWhite]

Originally Posted by fordan

It looks like the Files support is only local files? I keep my Calibre library on my Synology NAS, and I had been hoping to use Synology's DS File app via their Files integration to access it. Unfortunately it shows 0 files when opening DS File even though I can see all the files when using the Files app.

Actually, the Files support isn't restricted to local files (it works with iCloud Drive, for example), but it does rely on the third-party app (in this case, DS File) properly supporting iOS's "Folder Selection" protocols. (This was the first one I added to the app because I was starting out and apple makes it easy to add in Swift.)

Unfortunately, many third-party File Provider apps (including DS File) don't fully support passing a readable Folder handle to other apps. They often present the folder as "empty" to the system picker even though the files are there, simply because they haven't downloaded the file metadata to the device yet or don't allow deep enumeration.

The Fix: Since you are using a Synology NAS, I'd recommend using the WebDAV option. Synology supports WebDAV natively. Using that connection type will allow the app to talk directly to your NAS. It bypasses the Files app entirely and seems like it will be much more reliable for remote libraries.

Hope this helps!