Q: Can't edit epub info in iBooks on OS X 10.9 Mavericks

Thanks for this. This gets us back to where we were before iBooks on the Mac. I gather that if we want to keep the books in iTunes, then we can't re-install iBooks on the Mac.

I can't remember whether moving the library into iBooks was optional. I know there was a popup, but I can't remember whether there was any real choice if you wanted to use iBooks at all.

There are actually very few books I've purchased directly from the iBooks store. I prefer iBooks on the iPad as a book reader. It's one of those personal preference things. Also, I can de-DRM books from other places, but I can't de-DRM books purchsed from the iBookstore.

There are other epub and pdf readers for the Mac. Are there any alternatives for reading iBooks?

Bob

Yes, you not reinstall iBooks. Just use another Mac ereader app, like adobe digital editions. There's others too, just look around. If you can find a pirated copy of clearview, that's the best one. However, it cost $7 in the App Store. Still worth it if you ask me.

I recently released a tool to easily edit ePub and PDF metadata for books you want to import into iBooks. iBookplate costs $3.99 from the Mac App Store. I wrote it so I could make all my "generic" books a bit more fancy. iBooks doesn't display much metadata to begin with, but that fact make iBookplate pretty easy to use.

iBookplate will not work with any encrypted books that hopefully already have good cover images and metadata. For that you would have to hack up the ePub file itself.

Disclaimer: I am blatantly posting a link to my site that could give me some form of compensation, financial or otherwise.

I'm having trouble with this.....I deleted everything but can't get books to appear in iTunes.  I used appzapper for the removal of ibooks.  Could this be where I went wrong?

You need to restart iTunes. You will have a book tab on the left where the other options like music, movies are. You're going to have to reload the books back into iTunes.

I think app zapper should work. As long as you no longer see iBooks in your applications folder you're good.

So if you don't see the books option on the left hand side (need to make sidebar visible using the view settings at the top), then I would quit and reopen it. If you do see it, you just have to reload your books into iTunes again.

One other thing. If you dont see books, go to File > add to library. Then pick a book and add it to your library. If you still dont see the books option (when you have the sidebar view enabled), then just restart iTunes again and you will see the books tab. Just cant see it now because when you upgraded to Mavericks, iBooks removed all the books from iTunes and there will be no tab there until you add a book.

Personnaly, condering the poor qulaity of both OS X & iOS app, i decided to use Calibre (OS X) and Marvin (iOS).

There is a extension for Marvin in Calibre, Marvin XD.

2. Delete the file for that service:/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/CommerceKit.framework/Versions/A/Resources/boo kstoreagent

beleive it or not, when I take this out, iTunes store hangs

Well, I haven't read all 5 pages of this thread, so apologies if this has already been mentioned. 

I've been totally fristrated with iBooks, having come from an Android environment where I had complete control over my books.  iBooks is a good reader, but the file management is nonexistent.

Here is what works for me:

• You will need to install Calibre on the Mac, and Files on the iPad.
• On the Mac, put the books into Calibre.  Edit the metadata to your heart's content.
• If not done already, convert them to EPUB format.
• Save to disk.  Make a note of the location.
• On the iPad open Files and create/navigate to the folder where you want to put the files.
• Using USB or WIFI, add the book(s) to the iPad.
• in the Files app on the iPad, select the book and choose "Open in..." and select iBooks.
• Note that you still only have the Titles, Author, Categories to organize in the iBooks library.  Series in Calibre seems to translate to Category in iBooks.

HTH

Walt

I like calibre (always wondered why the small c) and you can add books to your "device" directly from there.  Plus you can change formats and edit metadata.  I would have preferred to use iBooks, liking to use what comes with the OS rather than 3rd party stuff.  However when iBooks is basically Finder for your reading library so why even bother to put it into the OS.

Thanks for the affirmation!  I have finally decided to back up my entire collection and re-organize it wiht calibre, then transfer it to the iPad with FilesApp.  BTW, the folks that make the FilesApp tell me thate once you open a book in iBooks on the iPad, it creates a second copy, so you can delete the version that's in FilesApp.  The original is still on your Mac, so you have a backup.

Walt

Without getting away from the original post....... with calibre you can see where the library is, usually off your user name in Finder.  That is the only copy I keep of the book.  You seem to like FilesApp, but to reiterate, you can transfer your books to your iPad via calibre.

I had been trying to use the Wireless device connection which says it only works for Android.  I just realized that the Content Server has a method of opening a book in iReader using Safari.  Since I've never been able to download a file from a website with the iPad version of Safari, I never looked into it.  Thanks for the info!

Walt

You guys probably noticed but one of the many collateral damages of this moronic iBooks management is that since it converts an epub to many html/xhtml files, a spotlight search can end up with tons of additional useless results.

You think we can realisticaly hope for an iTunes-like behavior one day? It's so different that I don't see Apple changing it 180°.

TO:  etresoft and ibookplate app in the Mac app store

Thank you thank you thank you for posting this app (ibookplate)!  I bought the app because I was pulling my hair out and I left you a 5-star review! 

As with one of the previous reviewers, I had to duplicate the book elsewhere, delete the book out of iBooks, and copy it back in, but the #1 reason you are getting all the thank-yous is because I can see my book covers in the Library\\\\Books folder!!!  That is worth the money right there!  I've been "opening in..." ibookplate and fixing everything I need to.  Now that all of my covers are fixed and 1/2 of my categories are fixed, I'm going to download the rest of my ebooks and get them into iBooks.  I have 1000+ books and this just saved me a TON of time!

Keep it up and thanks again!!!