Using Safari offline in iPad Pro

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Using Safari offline in iPad Pro

On my MacBook Pro I have a program called BBedit where I create and store my personal website. I can also store these files (html, jpg, mp3 and mp4) on a thumb drive, and thus carry my website around with me without the computer. I would like to upload these files on an iPad Pro, but apparently Apple blocks this. However, if I plug my thumb drive with the website files into an iPad Pro where there is no internet connection or only a slow one, will I be able to go into Safari on the iPadPro and open a file from the thumb drive, or will Apple still block me from accessing these files? (I was about to ask this at my Apple Store when they all closed)

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iPad Pro 12.9-inch, 2nd Gen, Wi-Fi

Posted on Jul 3, 2020 4:11 AM

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Answer 1

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LotusPilot

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Jul 3, 2020 6:04 AM in response to silkqin

Have you considered adding specific pages from your website, whilst online, to your local Reading List?

To add a page to your reading list from Safari, long-touch the “book” icon to the left of the Address Bar; from the options list, tap Add to Reading List.

Once added to your Reading List, you can access any saved webpages whilst offline.

An alternative approach, to read files directly from a local filesystem, would be to use a suitable App. GoodReader comes immediately to mind - as this includes reading of html files:

https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/goodreader-pdf-editor-viewer/id777310222

I hope this insight proves to be helpful - and hopefully resolves your immediate need.

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Answer 2

silkqin Author

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Jul 3, 2020 8:21 AM in response to LotusPilot

Thanks, though from your answer it seems you are saying iPad does not have the capability of using Safari or a similar browser to call up html files I have stored on a thumb drive. My initial reading suggests Reading List and Goodreader would have the same problem.

My eponymous website has over 85 GB in over 1000 files, To navigate it I need to use the website's own links. I already have been told Apple does not have the capability of storying such files on the iPad itself, but that they "think" if I have them on a thumb drive it might work. Having them on the Cloud does not help, since I may need them when there is no internet access., and my understanding of Reading List and Goodreader (which apparently does not do mp3 or mp4 files) is they also require iCloud tp access such files.

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Answer 3

Jul 3, 2020 8:34 AM in response to silkqin

Your Reading List is stored locally on the device without direct dependency on iCloud. However, should you choose to do so, your Reading List may be synchronised along with your Favourites, via iCloud, to any other devices you may have that are signed-in with the same AppleID.

If you are seeking to replicate full website functionality on your iPad, short of running a web-server, I suggest that your intended use of iPad for this purpose is perhaps fundamentally flawed.

Despite Apple’s optimistic marketing collateral that suggests that “your next computer is an iPad”, or message to that effect, iPad cannot yet replicate many features and capabilities of a PC or Mac. As such, I recommend that you keep your MacBook Pro - and use the iPad for those tasks for which it is better suited.

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Answer 4

silkqin Author

Level 1

9 points

Jul 3, 2020 9:41 AM in response to LotusPilot

Thanks again. I take it this means the related Reading List files are stored locally, not just the list itself. And that if a Reading List file happens to be an html file from my website, when I open it in iPad the links in that version will be able to connect to parts of the online website I have have stored on the iCloud (assuming I have internet access), but will not connect to the website itself or to files stored on any connected thumb drive.

In fact, I am guessing that there is no way the new iPad Pro can even tell me what is on any thumb drive I happen to plug into it.

One more question, if I may. A two-hour 4.4 GB documentary has been made about my work. What is the best way to store that on my computer without putting it into iTunes, so that it is available any time, not just if there is an internet connection?

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Answer 5

Jul 3, 2020 9:54 AM in response to silkqin

To clarify - the Reading List saves a full copy of the rendered page content locally within the local iPad filesystem.

If your iPad is running iPadOS13.x - and is using a Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter to connect your USB storage - you can simply use the native Files App to view files stored on the external device.

As to your saved documentary, iPad is reported to natively support many of the common video formats, including H.264, MP4, M4V, MOV, MPEG-4 and M-JPEG.

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Using Safari offline in iPad Pro

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