Check an iBook I'm making on a Mac?

[RichardRi]

Hi,

I'm making a book with iBooks Author, for the iBookstore.

It's a simple picture book; each page an image. No video. No sound.

I don't have an iPad or an iPhone.

Is there a way to check how the book is working, without using an iPad? – just on my Mac.

(I'm running OSX 10.8.5. on a MacBook Air.)

 

[Kubaton]

Hi,

I'm making a book with iBooks Author, for the iBookstore.

It's a simple picture book; each page an image. No video. No sound.

I don't have an iPad or an iPhone.

Is there a way to check how the book is working, without using an iPad? – just on my Mac.

(I'm running OSX 10.8.5. on a MacBook Air.)

I haven't used iBooks Author but I'm assuming it exports the project as an .epub file? There is a Firefox plugin to read an .epub book within the browser. Also, although overkill for your needs, the freeware application calibre will allow you to read .epub files.

 

[stiligFox]

If you were running the Mavericks beta you could test it there, but sadly without an iPad right now, you're stuck. :/

 

[MacCruiskeen]

I haven't used iBooks Author but I'm assuming it exports the project as an .epub file? There is a Firefox plugin to read an .epub book within the browser. Also, although overkill for your needs, the freeware application calibre will allow you to read .epub files.

That might work as long as the OP hasn't used any proprietary Apple code. part of the deal with iBooks Author is that it will make use of non-standard code to optimize for iBooks. Which means that it could fail epubcheck. I haven't played with iBA too much myself (that and the limitation of the books being limited to sale on iBookstore are reasons to avoid it), but I do work with epub files every day.

 

[onekerato]

Hi,

I'm making a book with iBooks Author, for the iBookstore.

It's a simple picture book; each page an image. No video. No sound.

I don't have an iPad or an iPhone.

Is there a way to check how the book is working, without using an iPad? – just on my Mac.

(I'm running OSX 10.8.5. on a MacBook Air.)

Alternatively - and this is a long shot - share your book with someone who has an iPad and they can use the Reflector or AirServer app on their Mac to create a screencast of the book displaying on their iPad. May tide you over till iBooks for Mac and OS X Mavericks is released.

 

[960design]

Could you download a copy of X-Code and run the iPad emulator to view it? I'm really trying to thing outside the box here!

 

[onekerato]

Could you download a copy of X-Code and run the iPad emulator to view it? I'm really trying to thing outside the box here!

Nope, .ibooks only opens in the iBooks app. The iPad simulator included with Xcode has only a minimal set of apps such as Contacts & Safari and is meant to runs the apps you install on it.... Good thinking though!

And no, you can't "pull out" the iBooks app from a real iPad and run it on the iPad simulator. Different architectures, code signing, recompiling needed etc.