iBook on iPad2

[fak119]

I manually uploaded a book, purchased not from apple store from my PC to my iPad2 using iTunes. The book (actually "iPad, the Missing Manual"...) shows on the shelf but I cannot open (view) it like all other books on the shelf.

What do I do wrong or failed to implement?

 

[twerppoet]

iBooks will only read books from the iBook Store, non-DRM ePub books, and non-DRM PDF files.

If you bought the book from another source, chances are it has DRM. Very few ebook retailers sell DRM free ebooks, at least not books still in copyright.

Go back to the site where you bought the book and look for any indication that they support the iPad, either with DRM free ePubs, or with their own app. Just because they sell a book about the iPad is no guarantee that they support it, though not doing so is kind of ironic.

The book "Talking to Siri" came out first on Amazon, which is also slightly ironic.

 

[Peter416]

Have managed to transfer 2 free books from iTunes to my iBooks However I now want to delete the books on iTunes but when I go to delete a message comes up to say if I do delete from iTunes then they will be deleted from my iPad if it synchronises with iTunes. Does this mean I cannot delete them in iTunes or (if I do) will they still be in iBook ?

Thank you

 

[twerppoet]

It means that if you delete them in iTunes and sync the iPad, it iTunes will decide you wanted the removed, and do so. The same thing for turning off book syncing.

Once you start syncing with iTunes, it not easy to turn it back off. Matter of fact, I can't think of any way off the top of my head. I'd have to experiment, and I really don't want to have to load all my books again manually; so my suggestion is:

Unless you are really hard up for space on the computer, just leave them in iTunes. It makes a good backup incase you lose them off the iPad for some reason. It's not like they are going to add to the sync time, as long as you don't modify them.

I (almost) always add non-iBook Store books this way; because I want the backup. Adding them to he iPad first does not always sync them back to iTunes, and iBooks' content is not part of the backup.

If you absolutely have to delete them for some reason, then save them to the computer from iTunes first (drag and drop usually works). Go ahead and turn off Book syncing and let iTunes delete them. Then email them to yourself. You can tap and hold on the attachments in Mail to get an Open In.. option and copy them back to iBooks.

 

[fak119]

iBooks will only read books from the iBook Store, non-DRM ePub books, and non-DRM PDF files.

If you bought the book from another source, chances are it has DRM. Very few ebook retailers sell DRM free ebooks, at least not books still in copyright.

Go back to the site where you bought the book and look for any indication that they support the iPad, either with DRM free ePubs, or with their own app. Just because they sell a book about the iPad is no guarantee that they support it, though not doing so is kind of ironic.

The book "Talking to Siri" came out first on Amazon, which is also slightly ironic.

I thought I had settled the issue of DRM with Calibre... obviously not. Also: O'Reilly mentioned the book was non-DRM. I'll have to investigate more, it seems. Thank you for your answer.

 

[twerppoet]

Not sure what the problem is then. You may have to fiddle with Calibre's conversion settings a bit.

Not that I'll be able to help (I've spend almost no time playing with Calibre), but what was the original format? Just curious.

 

[Peter416]

Thank you for that, so by deleting them from iTunes will also delete them from my iBooks

When I go to "Books" (in iTunes) on my computer, all the book covers are shown. Question : is it possible to make a folder/library within "Books" to keep all the titles from the same author together (to try and tidy up the "Books" library ?

Thank you

 

[twerppoet]

When I go to "Books" (in iTunes) on my computer, all the book covers are shown. Question : is it possible to make a folder/library within "Books" to keep all the titles from the same author together (to try and tidy up the "Books" library ?

There are several views you can browser iTunes with. Check the top bar for them. Not all will be available for all library types, but these four can be used in the Books library. Try each out and change they way they sort by selecting the column headers or other options that may appear at the top of the browser.



If you want lists of specific authors, genre, or just about any category or combination of; go to the Files list and create a Smart List and play around. It's very powerful tool.

 

[Peter416]

There are several views you can browser iTunes with. Check the top bar for them. Not all will be available for all library types, but these four can be used in the Books library. Try each out and change they way they sort by selecting the column headers or other options that may appear at the top of the browser.

View attachment 7393

If you want lists of specific authors, genre, or just about any category or combination of; go to the Files list and create a Smart List and play around. It's very powerful tool.

Thank you for that, I now understand how limited the iTunes is. May I ask how I find the "Smart List" you mentioned ?

Thank you

 

[twerppoet]

It is under the File menu: New Smart List.

 

[Peter416]

It is under the File menu: New Smart List.

Ooops sorry, need to get my eyes tested - I put it down to old age !

 

[twerppoet]

No problem.