Marvin 3 and iOS 13

[ilovejedd]

Originally Posted by peaceridge

I have more than 32gb in just academic papers (mostly pdf's). Maybe 20 gb in fiction. Dumb that I bought a 64gb ipad. It was better when I had a working Calibre Companion and could load up subsets, but it is unlikely that cc will ever get fixed, so I've been looking at work-arounds.

If you have your books organized via tags (or tag-like custom columns), you can do batch downloads from OPDS with Marvin as well.

You don't get a visual cue which books you've already downloaded and which ones you haven't but iirc Marvin just skips downloading books if they're already in your library (filename-based).

Personally, I load books into Marvin via Dropbox (subscribed to Dropbox Plus). I'm guessing that's the same method the developer uses because it's the one that's best supported in Marvin.

[Turtle91]

Yes, Marvin can batch download from both OPDS and Dropbox as you mention; a dropbox plus subscription is not necessary. I don't know that I would say that dropbox is the method Kris uses - it's probably just the method that hasn't changed as much since Marvin's last update. lol

[peaceridge]

Originally Posted by ilovejedd

If you have your books organized via tags (or tag-like custom columns), you can do batch downloads from OPDS with Marvin as well.

You don't get a visual cue which books you've already downloaded and which ones you haven't but iirc Marvin just skips downloading books if they're already in your library (filename-based).

Personally, I load books into Marvin via Dropbox (subscribed to Dropbox Plus). I'm guessing that's the same method the developer uses because it's the one that's best supported in Marvin.

Thanks, dropbox might be the best answer if I buy a larger option.

[ilovejedd]

Originally Posted by Turtle91

Yes, Marvin can batch download from both OPDS and Dropbox as you mention; a dropbox plus subscription is not necessary. I don't know that I would say that dropbox is the method Kris uses - it's probably just the method that hasn't changed as much since Marvin's last update. lol

The Dropbox Plus is for extra storage space. 5GB free just ain't enough.

Originally Posted by Turtle91

I don't know that I would say that dropbox is the method Kris uses - it's probably just the method that hasn't changed as much since Marvin's last update. lol

I submitted a request twice for a dialog box asking the user whether to overwrite or not for books downloaded from sources other than Dropbox (OPDS, internal web browser, iOS share sheet). This was back when Marvin was still in active development. It never was implemented despite how relatively simple the request is and considering it's already being done for books downloaded from Dropbox.

Meanwhile, when Dropbox changed something in the API, that was fixed almost immediately. Iirc, Marvin hadn't been updated in over a year prior to the Dropbox fix release.

In any case, Marvin's still better for me compared to other ereader apps I tried. Hence, I adapted my workflow to accommodate Marvin and switched to Dropbox instead of OPDS/web.

It's why I never got into Calibre Companion. It's a major hassle trying to overwrite in-progress fanfics (switch to CC, send to Marvin, import fails, search for book in Marvin, delete book, switch to CC, send to Marvin again).

[Turtle91]

Originally Posted by ilovejedd

I submitted a request twice for a dialog box asking the user whether to overwrite or not for books downloaded from sources other than Dropbox (OPDS, internal web browser, iOS share sheet). This was back when Marvin was still in active development. It never was implemented despite how relatively simple the request is and considering it's already being done for books downloaded from Dropbox.

...

Marvin does give you a warning when trying to download a book via OPDS with the same filename as one that already exists in your library. I remember the idea being bought up and everyone on the alpha test team (and most importantly Kris) thought it was a good idea.

             Oops

A book with the specified filename
   already exists in your library.

             <OK>

[ilovejedd]

Originally Posted by Turtle91

Marvin does give you a warning when trying to download a book via OPDS with the same filename as one that already exists in your library. I remember the idea being bought up and everyone on the alpha test team (and most importantly Kris) thought it was a good idea.

             Oops

A book with the specified filename
   already exists in your library.

             <OK>

Yeah, that's the error message that shows up when downloading from a non-Dropbox source.

Like I mentioned though, there's no option to overwrite. When you download from Dropbox and there's a collision, you're asked if you want to overwrite or not.

I read plenty of stuff that gets updated so the ability to overwrite ebooks is an absolute must for me.

[Turtle91]

Ah, sorry. I mis-read.

I do all my updating/managing in Calibre and then when I download via opds I know its the latest. It would be convenient to allow overwriting on download.

I do use dropbox on occasion, and it is convenient, but I was worried about the reports that the admins scanned your files and shutdown accounts that had copyrighted works. I don't know if that is an issue anymore, but at the time that is why I set up the opds so I don't ever have to worry about someone else making me lose books I had purchased.


edit: Apparently they have figured out their policy now, so they shouldn't shut down your account unless you have those items on shared folders.

[diremommy]

Is there still no quick and easy way to open book files in Marvin (or any book app)? I'm using my pro as a sort of guinea pig tester, recently updated to the latest ipad IOS version, and there still seems to be no way to get the books to open, other than to click download, close the page, go to Files, go to Downloads, click the file, and then click import (and that took me for freaking ever to figure out today!).

It used to be so easy! Click download, open in Marvin! This one thing is what's keeping me from updating my regular, reading ipad to ios for ipad, how much of a PitA it is to get books imported into a reading app. I know it seems silly, but those clicks add up!

[Turtle91]

Not that I know of. Marvin hasn't updated and iOS doesn't care...lol

I would highly recommend looking into OPDS or link to your dropbox. Both of those methods are super convenient, quick and easy for dropbox...OPDS takes a little setup know how in Calibre, but there is a good guide and lots of forum topics to help.

[ilovejedd]

Originally Posted by diremommy

Is there still no quick and easy way to open book files in Marvin (or any book app)? I'm using my pro as a sort of guinea pig tester, recently updated to the latest ipad IOS version, and there still seems to be no way to get the books to open, other than to click download, close the page, go to Files, go to Downloads, click the file, and then click import (and that took me for freaking ever to figure out today!).

It used to be so easy! Click download, open in Marvin! This one thing is what's keeping me from updating my regular, reading ipad to ios for ipad, how much of a PitA it is to get books imported into a reading app. I know it seems silly, but those clicks add up!

If Marvin is the last app used to open epub files (in Files app, long press on epub, Share, Copy to Marvin, thereafter the icon for EPUB will change to Marvin), you could skip the underlined steps: click download, close the page, go to Files, go to Downloads, click the file, and then click import

After downloading, tap on the download icon on the toolbar (right side - circle with arrow pointing down), tap on the file, Share, Copy to Marvin. Granted, still more steps than before.

That said, why not use Marvin's in-app web browser? The in-app browser downloads books directly to Marvin.

[Turtle91]

Holy Toledo Batman!! I totally forgot about the in-app browser! I had it turned off because I use OPDS and dropbox.
You can even set Favorite websites in the browser to take you to the best places...

Finding new features like this is almost as good as an update - lol

Thanks!

[diremommy]

Originally Posted by Turtle91

Not that I know of. Marvin hasn't updated and iOS doesn't care...lol

I would highly recommend looking into OPDS or link to your dropbox. Both of those methods are super convenient, quick and easy for dropbox...OPDS takes a little setup know how in Calibre, but there is a good guide and lots of forum topics to help.

Thanks. I've got it set up in calibre, but that requires my laptop always being up and on, and sometimes in the middle of the night, I'll want to just grab something quick, and loved it when I found out how easy it was.