Cannot Download eBooks to iPad 2 from Calibre Server

[Frank Lowney]

My recent (3/5/12) experience with iBooks and Calibre server (0.8.41) has been very unsuccessful. I was going to use this functionality in an ePublishing workshop I'll be doing next Monday (3/12/12). My server is at: http://grumpy.gcsu.edu:8080. I'm using an iPad 2 with the latest OS (5.0.1) and latest version of iBooks (2.0). Here's what I am experiencing:
1) Using the address http://grumpy.gcsu.edu:8080/ I get the same web UI as on the desktop. Tapping on Newest, I see a listing of 47 eBooks, however, there is no way to initiate a download and thereby invoke the "Open in iBooks" dialog. There is no auto-redirect to the mobile UI.
2) Using the address http://grumpy.gcsu.edu:8080/mobile, I get the mobile UI with the epub buttons as described. However, when I tap any of those buttons, I get a "404 Not Found" and the error message: "book: 360 does not have format: EPUB." Looking at the same book in Calibre, I confirm that it is, in fact, an EPUB file and that there are no other versions of the book in another format. There is only one.
3) Using the address http://grumpy.gcsu.edu:8080/opds, I am redirected to reader.mac.com/mobile/v1/http%3A%2F%2Fgrumpy.gcsu.edu%3A808052opds. Tapping on Newest, I get a .Mac Reader Error as follows: Server Not Responding. Thus, I am completely shut out from remotely accessing my Calibre server with an iPad.

With Stanza at EOL and the Lexcycle web site unavailable (can't download desktop version for Mac and Win anymore), this is becoming a more important issue. Can anyone else reproduce my experience or, better yet, figure out what I am doing wrong on my end?

[tedpeer]

What do you get when you point a desktop browser at it? I did not check all the books, but it looks like only the TESTFILE has an epub version (using ie8). It looks like most of the others have no books at all.

TEd

[theducks]

Do you have a (Server) restriction set up that may be blocking access to books with the formats desired

[Frank Lowney]

I believe that I have it fixed. I selected a bunch of ePub files and did a drag/drop on the Calibre window. This apparently creates an alias of the file in Calibre Library (not a copy) so if you delete the originals Calibre gets understandably confused. I should have noticed the difference in the cursor between doing a simple drag/drop (alias) and holding the Option key down during the drag/drop (copy file).

However, OPDS doesn't work anywhere I tried it (Safari, Firefox and Chrome browsers on the desktop and mobileSafari on iPad 2). Looks like Stanza is the only eReader that still understands OPDS.

[paulfiera]

Originally Posted by Frank Lowney

I believe that I have it fixed. I selected a bunch of ePub files and did a drag/drop on the Calibre window. This apparently creates an alias of the file in Calibre Library (not a copy)...

I sometimes add books to calibre with drag & drop and they are created the same way if I use "Add books", at least in WinXP. Maybe it's diferent in Linux/*nix?

[itimpi]

Originally Posted by Frank Lowney

However, OPDS doesn't work anywhere I tried it (Safari, Firefox and Chrome browsers on the desktop and mobileSafari on iPad 2). Looks like Stanza is the only eReader that still understands OPDS.

I would not expect the OPDS option to work from a browser. OPDS is an XML based standard for use directly from applications.

Under iOS apps that I know support OPDS are Stanza, MegaReader, QuickReader, eBook Search, iReader. There may well be others.