8.3 is out

[FlorenceArt]

Originally Posted by svenlind

I suppose all apps are working. Marvin also works, I can transfer books using Dropbox, same way as in Bluefire.

It is only the very convenient link to Calibre that doesn't work.

I prefer Marvin for these reasons:

You can arrange to have a translation dictionary, very convenient.
I have found a font and background that really pleases me.
You can transfer Calibre Metadata to Marvin together with the book.

What is not working exactly? I upload books from Calibre to Marvin using Get books > OPDS > Search local network > Calibre library. Is this no longer working?

[nobodaddy]

Originally Posted by ShellShock

The last time this happened, when IOS 8 came out, it took several months for a fix, and that was eventually done by......me. At the time there did not seemed to be anyone else able or willing. And this time I have not got the time to investigate and try to fix the comms (again). So, I would not assume a fix will ever be made, and the window for downgrading to 8.2 will be closed by Apple soon.

Thanks for the idea to downgrade the iOS to 8.2. I just did that and the Marvin XD plugin is now functional. I think that's more valuable to me than the upgrade, and I appreciate all the work that went into the fix for 8.2

[Jessica Lares]

Apparently 8.3 broke whatever third-party manager tools are using. Give it time for developers to update for it. It's happened before, and it's most likely because the SDK keeps changing and not that Apple is just plugging stuff.

[Dopedangel]

Originally Posted by Jessica Lares

Apparently 8.3 broke whatever third-party manager tools are using. Give it time for developers to update for it. It's happened before, and it's most likely because the SDK keeps changing and not that Apple is just plugging stuff.

Apple has cut off access to app file directories will be hard to work around that.

http://www.macrumors.com/2015/04/13/...ox-app-access/

Chaley was thinking about a calibre companion app for iOS but he does not have the resources currently to go about it. I think that would be the best way to go forward for iOS devices. Maybe with these plugins becoming obsolete someone will build a calibre companion app for iOS.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by MartyTX

I bought my iPad Mini back in 2013 to replace my wonky Nook ST. Its primary purpose is to be an eReader, not an all-purpose tablet.

I have resisted the urge to upgrade, and am running older versions of several applications:

iOS 7.1
iTunes 11.1
calibre 1.4
Marvin 2.75
iOS Reader Applications 1.4.1
Marvin XD 1.2.2

Very happy to say that ALL the apps work well together with functionally that meets my needs.

I plan to stick to the adage: if it ain't broke don't fix it!

Except calibre -- that is trustworthy...

[YRead]

Argggh. Got new iPhone 6 and iPad Air 2 with iOS 8.3 and lost my beloved Marvin / Calibre Connector!

Apparently iOS 8.3 breaks file transfer utilities: http://www.macrumors.com/2015/04/13/...ox-app-access/
(as DopedAngel pointed out)

I'm guessing that is the problem. I also have a problem with the music manager MediaMonkey on iOS 8.3.

Have downgraded my devices to 8.2 while I still can and can confirm that the Marvin / Calibre Connector works again.

[kyteflyer]

Originally Posted by FlorenceArt

What is not working exactly? I upload books from Calibre to Marvin using Get books > OPDS > Search local network > Calibre library. Is this no longer working?

Same. I dropped that Marvin XD thing the first time it broke. What a crock that is. I don't know why people don't use the built in tool. do the search, get the Calibre OPDS catalog bookmarked and theres no problem, usually. I prefer this method to having to connect via the dodgy calibre connector.

Also, I am still using Stanza, and it still works.

[svenlind]

Originally Posted by FlorenceArt

What is not working exactly? I upload books from Calibre to Marvin using Get books > OPDS > Search local network > Calibre library. Is this no longer working?

Yes it does work. Didn't know the feature.

The capabilities of Calibre are simply incredible.

[pwalker8]

The only thing that I use the Marvin XD plug in for is to sync the what I will call meta data between devices and calibre. By that I mean syncing the category, read and reading percent data. I use the OPDS to download books onto my iPad. The Marvin XD plugin is also nice to make sure that I have all the books in Calibre downloaded. From my point of view, it's more a convenience than anything else. I can still sync where I am in a book between devices via dropbox. It's just a case of remembering to make books as read on all three devices (mac, iPad and iPad mini) and manually syncing my reading list.

So Marvin is not being maintained anymore? If so, that is bad since it is a paid app. Too bad there are no rules against dropping support of software without a timed interval from last sale to when support can be dropped. When I worked at Computer Associates back in the 1990s we had to legally maintain software applications for a set number of years after they were discontinued. But it is a different world now with cheap tablet apps that often tend to be low quality and are often developed by a non-professional. I know $5 isn't much, but if the developer sells it s/he should maintain it for a reasonable period. Free apps are different, but paid apps should come with at least a one year period of support.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by jswinden

So Marvin is not being maintained anymore? If so, that is bad since it is a paid app. Too bad there are no rules against dropping support of software without a timed interval from last sale to when support can be dropped. When I worked at Computer Associates back in the 1990s we had to legally maintain software applications for a set number of years after they were discontinued. But it is a different world now with cheap tablet apps that often tend to be low quality and are often developed by a non-professional. I know $5 isn't much, but if the developer sells it s/he should maintain it for a reasonable period. Free apps are different, but paid apps should come with at least a one year period of support.

We are talking about the Marvin XD plugin, which is free, rather than the Marvin app.

[ShellShock]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

We are talking about the Marvin XD plugin, which is free, rather than the Marvin app.

More specifically, the libimobiledevice library (also free) that the plugin uses, which is where the enhancements are required to work with IOS 8.3; this might not be even feasible, if there is no way round the security blocks Apple has implemented in 8.3.

[ShellShock]

Originally Posted by kyteflyer

Same. I dropped that Marvin XD thing the first time it broke. What a crock that is. I don't know why people don't use the built in tool. do the search, get the Calibre OPDS catalog bookmarked and theres no problem, usually. I prefer this method to having to connect via the dodgy calibre connector.

Doesn't the OPDS catalog require Calibre to be up and running somewhere?

[YRead]

I've used the Marvin XD plugin and the OPDS method. I much prefer the Marvin XD plugin. It keeps you in the rich Calibre interface. I use custom checkboxes to queue up my next books - the Marvin XD plugin lets me see exactly which books are already in my iPad and which ones that I've checked to bring over.

I hope there will be a way to re-enable Marvin XD in iOS 8.3 and forward.

[kyteflyer]

Originally Posted by ShellShock

Doesn't the OPDS catalog require Calibre to be up and running somewhere?

Of course it does. But I just prefer to download to Marvin (when I use it) from the OPDS catalog, which I can access inside Marvin. I could use the built in connector, but its limited in its use, or I can plug my phone in to my computer for the XD use. My preference is to do it over wifi with no limitations except those imposed by my internal network.