MapleRead - eBook Reader and Server for iOS

[romad]

Have you read the Overview page at Maplepop's site? http://www.maplepop.com/web/mr/overview.php

They tout the SE/CE bundle for split view multitasking.

[Cootey]

Originally Posted by romad

Have you read the Overview page at Maplepop's site? http://www.maplepop.com/web/mr/overview.php

No, I compared the product descriptions in the Apple App Store. I was hoping somebody familiar with the differences could point out what I was missing, because it seemed to me (with my limited understanding of the product) to be a pointless bundle. I’ve read the overview page now, and the top part is just the same description as the App Store descriptions. Why would you need CE if you have SE which has “all features”?

Which version do you use, and why? Thanks.

They tout the SE/CE bundle for split view multitasking.

Is this to get around the limit of only one instance of an app running at a time? Could you tell me why I would need to utilize Split View? Thank you.

[romad]

Originally Posted by Cootey

Which version do you use, and why? Thanks.



Is this to get around the limit of only one instance of an app running at a time? Could you tell me why I would need to utilize Split View? Thank you.

I have the SE version on both iPads and on my iPhone. I wanted something that could handle both ePubs and PDFs as a replacement for that piece of junk iBooks.

Sorry, I can't help with the Split View as I don't understand why there would be a need, myself. My eReader usage is very basic: just reading the books; no notes, annotation, etc.

[Wiggo]

Originally Posted by Cootey

According to the descriptions, CE has everything that SE has except PDF support and the library server. What am I missing?

IMHO you are missing nothing.

Split View or Slide Over could perhaps be useful for „scientific“ reading - for cross-reading and so on.

[jrsforums]

I am using SE. I have a rather large library on Calibre, which I access/download using the ‘Exchange’ OPDS. I have noticed a few things that I am not sure if they are due to “user error”, or bugs…or, simply, requests for additions/improvements.

When I first look at a book in OPDS, I see the cover, tags, and (Calibre) description of the book. Once downloaded, there is the cover and the tags are in the index of tags, but I can find no way to see/read the Calibre description.

Second, if, by accident, I go to download a book already in my SE library, it downloads a second copy. There is no warning or indication of this.

Last, I often switch between my iPad and iPhone. If I forget to manually sync a book, I am out of luck when going to other device. Is there no way to have it sync automatically when closing.

[Wiggo]

MapleRead 5.5

Originally Posted by jrsforums

I am using SE. I have a rather large library on Calibre, which I access/download using the ‘Exchange’ OPDS. I have noticed a few things that I am not sure if they are due to “user error”, or bugs…or, simply, requests for additions/improvements.

When I first look at a book in OPDS, I see the cover, tags, and (Calibre) description of the book. Once downloaded, there is the cover and the tags are in the index of tags, but I can find no way to see/read the Calibre description.

For me it’s long tap and context menu Get Info

Second, if, by accident, I go to download a book already in my SE library, it downloads a second copy. There is no warning or indication of this.

The existing book is updated for me

Last, I often switch between my iPad and iPhone. If I forget to manually sync a book, I am out of luck when going to other device. Is there no way to have it sync automatically when closing.

No way

[cedhax]

Just found an interesting youtube link from MacBreak Weekly for those who are new to MapleRead.

MapleRead SE is their Pick of the Week.

[tekchic]

Originally Posted by jrsforums

Last, I often switch between my iPad and iPhone. If I forget to manually sync a book, I am out of luck when going to other device. Is there no way to have it sync automatically when closing.

I’ve been using MapleRead SE for a long time, and this is the one thing that drives me back to Books or Kindle app. I really wish it would just sync like the other apps do. I rarely remember to press “Sync” and I’m constantly flipping between an iPhone, an older 11” iPad Pro, and my M2 12.9” iPad Pro.

[Marcy]

Is there any change of MapleRead improving it's Dropbox implementation? I continue to use Marvin because getting books into MapleRead is so hard.The search function doesn't work -- there is 9 dots in a square next to the search and it is impossible to tap on search because you always wind up selecting the dots, no matter how far to the left or right you tap. I have over 7k books in my dropbox, so scrolling through to find the book I want takes forever.

Marvin also just listed all the books available and you searched and then tapped them. With MapleRead I have to open the folder the book is in, tap the book, then tap download. If I'm lucky I see the flash that means it downloaded. If not I wind up trying to do it a few times, until I remember to check the queue. It's just so clunky and time-consuming compared to Marvin.

Addendum: For example, in Marvin, if I want to download my entire Rex Stout collection, I type "Rex Stout" in the search and all the books pop up. I tap each one and I'm done. In MapleRead I first have to navigate to the Rex Stout folder. Since "R" is sort of a central letter I have to scroll through a ton of stuff just to get there. Then I have to individually open each folder to get to the book, tap the book, tap download, exit out, go to the next folder, etc. What takes <1 minute in Marvin, will take >10 minutes in MapleRead.

[romad]

I don't understand. There aren't any 9 dots in a square near the search bar on MapleRead SE 5.6.2. I don't have any problem adding books to MR SE via my web browser, and my ENTIRE library is loaded in it on my iPad Minis 5 & 6.

[Marcy]

Originally Posted by romad

I don't understand. There aren't any 9 dots in a square near the search bar on MapleRead SE 5.6.2. I don't have any problem adding books to MR SE via my web browser, and my ENTIRE library is loaded in it on my iPad Minis 5 & 6.

Here is what happens whenever I try and use search. Note the box around the magnifying glass. That is because search is theoretically tapped.



Even allowing for search to work, there is still the issue that you have to dive into each folder to download a book. Marvin just pulls up all the downloadable epubs in a long list. And for my 7000 books it only takes a few seconds to pull it up.

In contrast here is Marvin's interface. I just type what I want in the search box and tap the files to have them quickly and instantly download.



Addendum: Hmm. Images didn't show up. I'll have to try a different way.

Addendum 2: Links to images --

#1 https://imgur.com/a/no-dropbox-search-J8ILeoE
#2 https://imgur.com/a/marvin-dropbox-zd1c5Ao

[romad]

Ah, you are searching in Dropbox, not MR. It sounds like you need to contact a Dropbox forum, as while you are storing your ebooks there, the search is a function of Dropbox.

I would suggest just putting all your ebooks into either Marvin, MapleRead (or both) on your iDevice. Then arrange them to your preference, and eliminate the Dropbox search problem. You can use MapleRead CX for free with some limitations. Here is a link to organizing/searching in the three MapleRead versions:

http://www.maplepop.com/web/mr/overview.php#organize

[Marcy]

Originally Posted by romad

Ah, you are searching in Dropbox, not MR. It sounds like you need to contact a Dropbox forum, as while you are storing your ebooks there, the search is a function of Dropbox.

I would suggest just putting all your ebooks into either Marvin, MapleRead (or both) on your iDevice. Then arrange them to your preference, and eliminate the Dropbox search problem. You can use MapleRead CX for free with some limitations. Here is a link to organizing/searching in the three MapleRead versions:

http://www.maplepop.com/web/mr/overview.php#organize

I have paid for all the MapleReads. However the beauty of the dropbox system is I don't have to clog up my phone with thousands of books I'm not reading. I keep my calibre library in my dropbox so whenever I add a new book it is immediately available to me on any dropbox connected device.

With Marvin, if I feel like revisiting all the Saint books, I type Charteris in the dropbox search, tap all the results and in <1 minute I've downloaded 50 books. Even eliminating the search problem with MapleRead, just starting at the Leslie Charteris folder, I have to enter 50 separate folders to access the files, make sure they're in the queue, then exit and go to the next folder to access the next book. I also have to pick the right file as all the folders have the epub, the cover .jpg and many have the .azw file if I've put them on a kindle in the past.

And this is why I'm still using Marvin even though it's been abandoned forever. I've tried MapleRead several times but I can't get past what a pain it is to get my books into it.

[romad]

Well, I have ALL my books in MapleRead SE on my iPad Minis (I don't use my iPhone to read ebooks) and I only have to get them in there once, so no problem. Perhaps you should get your next iPhone with more storage? My iPads (& my iPhone) just have 256 GB yet my entire MapleRead Library only uses 7% of it, a meager amount, so I haven't felt the need to go up to 512 GB or 1 TB.

However, if you want to continue to use Dropbox, you should see if a Dropbox forum can help you with its search function. There may be a trick you're missing. I don't use Dropbox much anymore as they have been continually depreciating its functions/features over the past several years.

[DJUNGELSKOG]

Is there a way to export my dictionary lookup history to a text file?