Getting files off Stanza

[AtariBaby]

Hi

I'm trying to help a friend who is so attached to old ebooks in her Stanza app, she is terrified of upgrading her phone or even updating iOS. She has Stanza running on iOS 10, on an iPhone 6.

I want to help her get the books off the phone so that she can upgrade in one of the ways. Most of the google search results on performing this task are from this site, but go back years. So I'm hoping someone here can give me an updated answer.

The most salient post I could find seems to indicate that the only way to get these files is through a tricky process of randomly named files and no extensions. https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=165792

Does that method still work? Is there an easier or better way? We'll buy software if needed. Thanks for reading.

[pwalker8]

For the most part, it's pretty hard to extract files from an app that doesn't support cloud storage. How did she get the files into Stanza in the first place? Stanza isn't associated with a specific store, so she should be able to re-download the books from where she originally got the books shouldn't she?

[HarryT]

Precisely. She presumably makes backups of the files that are important to her. This is why we make backups!

[ilovejedd]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

For the most part, it's pretty hard to extract files from an app that doesn't support cloud storage. How did she get the files into Stanza in the first place? Stanza isn't associated with a specific store, so she should be able to re-download the books from where she originally got the books shouldn't she?

Not necessarily.

I have a number of fics downloaded directly to Stanza (used it from original iPhone/iOS 2? to iPhone 4S/iOS 6) via FLAG PHP that have since been deleted from the original server. Unfortunately, no iCloud, Dropbox or share sheets support back then. I had to run my own XAMPP server for FLAG and write some PHP scripts to save epub copies on my computer.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by ilovejedd

Not necessarily.

I have a number of fics downloaded directly to Stanza (used it from original iPhone/iOS 2? to iPhone 4S/iOS 6) via FLAG PHP that have since been deleted from the original server. Unfortunately, no iCloud, Dropbox or share sheets support back then. I had to run my own XAMPP server for FLAG and write some PHP scripts to save epub copies on my computer.

That's a good point, one can download and save directly into Stanza. If we are talking fanfic, or some such book, yea I see your point.

Still it is a lesson learned situation. It's always better to have a backup of the original source material. That's why I always download to my computer then copy to my iDevices via calibre. That's also why I make multiple copies of my calibre directory, the one in use, a backup to my raid disk and a copy to drop box. It cost a bit to have a large drop box account, but I consider it worthwhile.

[ilovejedd]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

That's a good point, one can download and save directly into Stanza. If we are talking fanfic, or some such book, yea I see your point.

Still it is a lesson learned situation. It's always better to have a backup of the original source material. That's why I always download to my computer then copy to my iDevices via calibre. That's also why I make multiple copies of my calibre directory, the one in use, a backup to my raid disk and a copy to drop box. It cost a bit to have a large drop box account, but I consider it worthwhile.

True, it's always best to have backups.

Personally, ever since I got a smartphone I'm never in front of my PC long enough to do manual backups/downloads. Hence why I made the effort to learn some PHP and write my own scripts for ff.net. Unfortunately, not everyone is technically inclined. Thankfully, Dropbox is an option now and I always save fics there first (both for backup purposes and to make fics available on all my iDevices).

[ilovejedd]

Originally Posted by AtariBaby

I'm trying to help a friend who is so attached to old ebooks in her Stanza app, she is terrified of upgrading her phone or even updating iOS. She has Stanza running on iOS 10, on an iPhone 6.

The most salient post I could find seems to indicate that the only way to get these files is through a tricky process of randomly named files and no extensions. https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=165792

Does that method still work? Is there an easier or better way? We'll buy software if needed. Thanks for reading.

@AtariBaby
All you can do is try. Unfortunately, most of us jump shipped years ago.

I'm actually surprised Stanza still works on iOS 10. When Amazon acquired Lexcycle, I knew the writing was on the wall and started looking for alternatives. Yeah, definitely don't upgrade that iPhone until you get your epub backups. I wouldn't even upgrade iTunes since Stanza has been removed from the App Store for quite a while and new versions of iTunes don't support apps.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by ilovejedd

...new versions of iTunes don't support apps.

What do you mean "new versions of iTunes don't support apps"? I use iTunes constantly to transfer books to and from the PDF reader I use, GoodReader. Connect the device, click on the device when it connects to iTunes, and select "File Sharing". You get a list of all the apps to which you can drag and drop files.

Eg:



I can either drag new files onto GoodReader or copy files from it onto my PC.

[ilovejedd]

Originally Posted by HarryT

What do you mean "new versions of iTunes don't support apps"?

I was referring to actual app backups (ipa files). On newer versions, there's no support for download/backup of ipa files anymore and Stanza has been long gone from the App Store.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by ilovejedd

I was referring to actual app backups (ipa files). On newer versions, there's no support for download/backup of ipa files anymore and Stanza has been long gone from the App Store.

True, but you can certainly still use it to copy files to and from apps (for those apps which support that functionality, of course). That would seem to be what the OP's looking for.

[ilovejedd]

Originally Posted by HarryT

True, but you can certainly still use it to copy files to and from apps (for those apps which support that functionality, of course). That would seem to be what the OP's looking for.

Iirc, that functionality has always been quite limited with Stanza. Iirc, it only allows recovery of ebooks transferred using iTunes, not ones that were downloaded directly to Stanza.

My comment regarding not upgrading iTunes until everything is squared away was made so they have a path for recovery just in case (via iTunes backup and restore).

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by ilovejedd

Iirc, that functionality has always been quite limited with Stanza. Iirc, it only allows recovery of ebooks transferred using iTunes, not ones that were downloaded directly to Stanza.

That does sound quite restrictive! I download a lot of PDF files to GoodReader on my iPad, and I can then use iTunes to copy those PDFs to my PC and back them up safely.

[ilovejedd]

Originally Posted by HarryT

That does sound quite restrictive! I download a lot of PDF files to GoodReader on my iPad, and I can then use iTunes to copy those PDFs to my PC and back them up safely.

Thing is Stanza was one of the first apps released for iPhone OS (yeah, it wasn't even called iOS back then). Early roadmap even includes adding support for ADEPT.

I believe the File Sharing feature may have been added post-Amazon acquisition and sadly, Stanza was already on steady decline by then.

[AtariBaby]

Sorry I thought i replied already.

I was surprised also, ilovejedd. I have a strong feeling updating to iOS 12 is going to break it, but who knows.

Harry, she got the phone when she was ten years old lol. She did have it synchronized with a laptop that has since died. I might be able to work with the hard drive in it, but who knows.

I'll recommend she get a new iPhone without trading in the old one, and I'll use the guide on this site for digging the files out of there at some point in the future.

Thanks for responses.

[ilovejedd]

Originally Posted by AtariBaby

I was surprised also, ilovejedd. I have a strong feeling updating to iOS 12 is going to break it, but who knows.

Stanza is 32-bit only so iOS 11/12 will break it (probably with no hope for recovery).