How to transfer PDF’s from iBooks to Goodreader?

[Aerofly]

Hi, hopefully someone can give me some advice here. I have been using iBooks for quite a while now to store PDF’s on my iPad Air2, such as receipts, software and hardware manuals and other general pdf files. I have been frustrated with it’s limitations on what can be done to the files when in iBooks. To this effect I’ve decided to give Goodreader a try as I’ve seen many good reviews.

My question is, what would be the easiest way to get my PDF’s from iBooks into Goodreader, considering there are almost 600 files!.
Obviously using email with such a large number is out of the question, so is there possible a way to use iTunes on my laptop to do the job?

Any help would be most grateful. Thanks

Steve

 

[giradman]

Hi, hopefully someone can give me some advice here. I have been using iBooks for quite a while now to store PDF’s on my iPad Air2, such as receipts, software and hardware manuals and other general pdf files. I have been frustrated with it’s limitations on what can be done to the files when in iBooks. To this effect I’ve decided to give Goodreader a try as I’ve seen many good reviews.

My question is, what would be the easiest way to get my PDF’s from iBooks into Goodreader, considering there are almost 600 files!.
Obviously using email with such a large number is out of the question, so is there possible a way to use iTunes on my laptop to do the job?

Hi Steve - well, I'm not sure if there is an 'easy' way to transfer hundreds of PDF files from iBooks to GoodReader (I use both) - looking in iBooks, the sharing options seem to be limited to mailing or printing. So, the potential choices are transfers that may involve wireless and/or cabled options - Dropbox, iCloud Drive, and others are some to be explored. But, I was just looking at some possibilities - first, cabling the iPad to a computer and opening iTunes allows 'File Sharing' for compatible apps - see first pic below - unfortunately, iBooks is not listed, so a 'no go.'

Next, I opened iExplorer on my MBPro (iPad cabled) and looked under the Apps tab - again iBooks is not listed (2nd pic). Finally, I opened iMazing on the laptop (3rd pic) and iBooks is there - clicked on the icon which listed the items in my iBooks app - selected the 4 shown and exported to my computer's Downloads folder (last 2 images) - then dragged into Dropbox - the files were sent wirelessly to my iPad's Dropbox app - NOW, how to get them into GoodReader easily and in a 'bulk' transfer?

Well, at the moment that is the end of my exploration - I've at least shown that PDFs can be extracted from iBooks and transferred to a computer and back to the iPad - there must be an easier way (if possible other than a 'one by one' process) - I have little experience in using Apple's cloud services - hopefully, others will 'chime in' w/ suggestions - may also want to tell us which iOS is installed on your device (iOS 11.x has introduced some new features that may be pertinent to your issue). Dave
.

 

[Aerofly]

Thanks Giradman for that very comprehensive and informative post.
I downloaded iMazing to my laptop (trial version), and found, as you did, that it did recognise iBooks. However it only recognises files downloaded via the app, and completely ignores the rest of my personally downloaded pdf files.
A help file in the iMazing faq’s indicated that it was possible that the program could not see my PDF’s because I had iBooks included in my iCloud Drive. Turning off iBooks in iCloud Drive made no difference and iMazing still couldn’t see my personal pdf’s.
I notice from your pictures that iMazing could see (I’m assuming) all of your PDF’s?
Is it possible I’m missing something here?

Steve

 

[twerppoet]

While I’ve lauded GoodReader in the past, it’s been more than a year (and two iOS versions) since they’ve updated the app. However, they have added a warning about iOS 11 support and older GoodReader versions, with instruciton on how to migrate or rescue your files if you were caught unawares.

This gives me hope that a major update is indeed on the way; as promised in a pevious blog post (also a year old).

GoodReader has never been my favorite PDF Reading/Annotationa app; but the number and felxibilty of their file managment tools made it a must-have utility for many years. I hope it reclaims it’s place on my iPad. I’ll even pay again.

 

[giradman]

Thanks Giradman for that very comprehensive and informative post.
I downloaded iMazing to my laptop (trial version), and found, as you did, that it did recognise iBooks. However it only recognises files downloaded via the app, and completely ignores the rest of my personally downloaded pdf files.
A help file in the iMazing faq’s indicated that it was possible that the program could not see my PDF’s because I had iBooks included in my iCloud Drive. Turning off iBooks in iCloud Drive made no difference and iMazing still couldn’t see my personal pdf’s.
I notice from your pictures that iMazing could see (I’m assuming) all of your PDF’s?
Is it possible I’m missing something here?

Hi again Steve - cabled my iPad again and opened iMazing - the app is seeing 63 items in iBooks (see pic) - these are PDFs (about half of the files), books, and other (text, I assume). I then opened iBooks on the iPad and the same number of items are shown there; now, my PDFs are mostly those found in a browser window and then saved to iBooks, so not sure 'how else' you may have gotten these types of files into iBooks? Also, I have the 'paid' version of iMazing - not positive if some of the features of the app have been disabled in the trial offering - you'll have to check their website?

As mentioned by TP in his post on GoodReader (GR), the app seems to need some CPR at the moment - Like him, I've not used it in a while, so did not explore getting those PDFs that I extracted from iBooks into GR - assume I can easily do one at a time but whether a 'batch' transfer is possible is uncertain (BUT of course what you would want w/ hundreds of PDFs). SO, not of much help - finally, I've not recently explored the App Store for 'other' PDF apps; maybe some 'new ones' compatible w/ the most recent iOS versions are available? Dave
.

 

[Aerofly]

Well I've downloaded a the full iMazing program now, and that's made no difference. The program steadfastly refuses to see any of my 'self made' pdf files, mainly downloaded via a browser as yours, and only recognises files downloaded via the app store.
I notice that the thumbnails are 'greyed out' on these files as well. I'll try to post the screenshot.

 

[Aerofly]

One thing I notice Giradman is that you are using a Mac and I'm using a PC.

Would that make a difference?

 

[giradman]

One thing I notice Giradman is that you are using a Mac and I'm using a PC.

Would that make a difference?

Hi Steve - yep, all Apple in my retirement - have not seen a PC since 2013, sorry - looked @ your screen shot and noticed the 'text-like' icon for all of your files, a definite difference from my images - not sure why the PC version of iMazing would not make the same distinctions? You probably need to visit iMazing's website again and look more at the FAQs and the Blog - hopefully those using the PC version can help.

Also, if not already done, RESET the iPad - probably will not help but may clear out some 'cobwebs' (if not familiar w/ the process, just hold down both the ON-OFF & HOME buttons until the Apple logo appears - may take 10+ secs - release and let the device reboot) - Dave

 

[Aerofly]

Thanks Dave, I think I’ve resigned myself to keep using iBooks for my PDF’s.
However I have come across a way of copying an iBooks pdf straight into GoodReader.
This involves the use of the ‘print’ function, which I’ve found now in iOS11 has the possibility to ‘print to a pdf’, in a roundabout sort of way.
When viewing an iBooks pdf, select the ‘print’ option:


Then when the print screen opens, ‘swipe out’ with two fingers on the first page:



This produces an instant pdf of the document:



Which can the be opened in the program of choice e.g Goodreader:



The added bonus of this method means that using the ‘print’ option on an email means that at long last you can print a whole email directly to pdf

Steve

 

[giradman]

Thanks Dave, I think I’ve resigned myself to keep using iBooks for my PDF’s.
However I have come across a way of copying an iBooks pdf straight into GoodReader.
This involves the use of the ‘print’ function, which I’ve found now in iOS11 has the possibility to ‘print to a pdf’, in a roundabout sort of way.
When viewing an iBooks pdf, select the ‘print’ option:

View attachment 79842
Then when the print screen opens, ‘swipe out’ with two fingers on the first page:

View attachment 79843

This produces an instant pdf of the document:

View attachment 79844

Which can the be opened in the program of choice e.g Goodreader:

View attachment 79845

The added bonus of this method means that using the ‘print’ option on an email means that at long last you can print a whole email directly to pdf

Steve

Great Steve! I did look at the 'Mail' & 'Print' options in iBooks, including the 'More' options which gave me little if any other selections - glad that you found a way, but still seems to be a multi-step process handling just one file at a time. One would think that 'batch processing' should have come to iOS a while ago, but the 'sandboxing approach' is highly protective. Dave