New "retrofit" iTunes version with ibooks

[Stu109]

For those who wish to continue using iTunes Apple have now released 12.6.3 which will continue to offer app store functionality and it includes iBooks

Users who have upgraded to 12.7 can apply this "retro" version

Apparently there will be no auto upgrades to this version so will suit many of us just fine

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT208079

[DuskyRose]

Originally Posted by Stu109

For those who wish to continue using iTunes Apple have now released 12.6.3 which will continue to offer app store functionality and it includes iBooks

Users who have upgraded to 12.7 can apply this "retro" version

Apparently there will be no auto upgrades to this version so will suit many of us just fine

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT208079

It won't install on my windows machine, 64-bit, over the old program. I don't want to delete the newer program and lose all my settings.

Any way to get it to overwrite?

[Stu109]

I did not have any issues.

Don't know if it makes any difference but I always download to the downloads folder and then install from there rather than part of the download process.

You could always uninstall iTunes and then install the new version and reconnect your iTunes folder if it is not automatically reconnected but if you are not happy doing that I suppose you could always "restore" to the previous version using windows backup and restore.

There appears to be separate but related issue in that Calibre 3.9 has removed support for iTunes sync. I have requested that this is reinstalled as we now have this new version of iTunes that will not auto update but I don't know what will happen

[Stu109]

Update, unfortunately the Calibre developer is not interested in in retrofitting the iTunes functionality moving forward.

So for me the best solution moving forward is Calibre 3.8 (with DeDRM plugin) and iTunes 12.6.3.6 with sync to my iPad/iPhone. This enables auto-removal of any *RM, auto-conversion to EPUB as required, ability to download/update meta data, add genre categorisation and books series (utilised in i Books) as required and sync with iTunes book files.

[DuskyRose]

Originally Posted by Stu109

I did not have any issues.

Don't know if it makes any difference but I always download to the downloads folder and then install from there rather than part of the download process.

That's where I'm trying to install from. I get the "A later version of iTunes is arleady installed on this computer."

And then... Errors occured during installation before iTunes could be configured. Your system has not been modified. To complete the installation, run the installer again. click Finish to exit the installer."

So I don't know what kind of error it's running into.

[MartyTX]

Originally Posted by DuskyRose

That's where I'm trying to install from. I get the "A later version of iTunes is arleady installed on this computer."

And then... Errors occured during installation before iTunes could be configured. Your system has not been modified. To complete the installation, run the installer again. click Finish to exit the installer."

So I don't know what kind of error it's running into.

My error message said:
The file "iTunes Library.itl" cannot be read because it was created with a newer version of iTunes.

I then Googled and found a fix that worked for me:

https://discussions.apple.com/message/20471231#20471231

It involves replacing the latest .itl file and replacing it with a backup. The Google instructions did the trick!

[PaulBeijer]

Stu109, you are a lifesaver !

I downloaded and installed the 'Retrofit' version of iTunes, backtracked to an older version of iLibrary, and presto, I have the traditional iTunes connection to iBooks (and Apps) !

But now comes the next problem: I can't connect Calibre to iTunes anymore. In my frustration over iTunes 12.7, I deleted the 'connect to iTunes' option under Connect/share. And now I can't find the 'Apple' plugin among current plugins.

Can someone share their saved plugin with me ? Are there problems using this plugin with iOS 11 ? In which case I am prepared to go out and buy a used, non-upgraded iPad just to maintain my traditional iBooks setup - or is there a retrofit also for this ?

[kyteflyer]

I downloaded and installed, but I do not have ibooks as part of the "old" itunes. I got no error messages. any ideas?

[Stu109]

have you tried re-installing Calibre?

[Stu109]

Actually you need to re-install a not later version of Calibre then 3.8

Later versions had the link to iTunes removed...

[PaulBeijer]

Many thanks once again, Stu109. I didn't know that available plugins were integrated into each setup package. iBooks once again connected. Thank goodness !

[PaulBeijer]

By the way, one last question for you Stu109 (or anyone else who might know).

I now have the appropriate versions of iTunes and Calibre to continue maintaining my iBooks library, and I'm happy to stay with these. How about the device (iPad) itself ? Clearly, the iBooks-Calibre link works with the current version of iOS, but that is not to say things will remain in this happy state forever. Is there any way of 'retrofittingn' an iPad with an earlier version of iOS if I have upgraded and found that the iBooks-Calibre link has once again been disrupted ?

[HarryT]

Have you considered using Calibre Companion on your iPad instead? It's a much better way to manage books, in my view.

The answer to your question is that no, you can't downgrade iOS except during a very brief window following the release of a new version.

[PaulBeijer]

Thanks HarryT. Useful to know that I need to be careful abt iOS updates as well.

To answer your question: I did try out Calibre Companion, and it worked, but for my purposes it has two drawbacks: (1) it does not appear to have the batch transfer facility that Calibre itself allows, and I sometimes need to transfer multiple books to iBooks. Doing one at a time is simply too slow. (2) Calibre Companion maintains a copy of the transferred book on the device. With several thousand items in iBooks i cannot spare the space for duplicate copies in Calibre Companion.

Best,

Paul Beijer

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by PaulBeijer

To answer your question: I did try out Calibre Companion, and it worked, but for my purposes it has two drawbacks: (1) it does not appear to have the batch transfer facility that Calibre itself allows, and I sometimes need to transfer multiple books to iBooks. Doing one at a time is simply too slow. (2) Calibre Companion maintains a copy of the transferred book on the device. With several thousand items in iBooks i cannot spare the space for duplicate copies in Calibre Companion.

The intended usage model for Calibre Companion is that CC maintains your book library, and you just use iBooks (or whatever your preferred reading app happens to be) to read the book you happen to be reading at the moment. You would not (normally) maintain copies of the book in both applications.