Files vs. Books (to manage pdf)

[GerritV]

I have a number of PDF documents (books, manuals, music scores, essays...) that I want to collect, catagorise, read and annotate.
They should be available on my Mac, iPad and iPhone - preferably without using a 3rd party app like PDF Expert etc.

My guess is that both Files and Books could work.

- Files allows me to set up a folder/subfolder structure, while Books allows me to create collections
- Books links to the Book Store, for which I have no use at all

I would appreciate more pro's and cons from other users before making the choice.

Thanks anticipated !

 

[sracer]

I've been working on something similar. I finally received my CZUR Shine Ultra scanner and so I can continue on my next stage of digitizing my media collection. (the plan is to have everything in digital format for easy access and downsized physical space with the originals put away in storage)

I don't want to be locked into anything that will require me to stick with a single software/hardware vendor. I've been using technology for more years than most MR users have been alive, and I know that whatever I use now for archiving and cataloging will change in 10 years or less.

I know that not everyone has requirements like that so my approach may not be a good fit.

It's a bit of a gamble, but I've tried to pick formats that have the greatest likelihood of still existing in a viable form for the long haul. I don't want to find myself having to keep antique hardware on life-support simply to continue to have access to my collection.

ok, I'm starting to ramble so I'll stick to the question at hand.... 😆

I've chosen and recommend using the native file system to do the "heavy lifting" of organizing files. You can even create "collections" by creating a folder for a collection that contain alias/shortcuts/etc. of files that are physically stored in different folders. This allows one to have a single physical file appear in different contexts. If you decide to restructure or reorganize the physical files, those collections will remain intact.

 

[GerritV]

I've chosen and recommend using the native file system to do the "heavy lifting" of organizing files. You can even create "collections" by creating a folder for a collection that contain alias/shortcuts/etc. of files that are physically stored in different folders. This allows one to have a single physical file appear in different contexts. If you decide to restructure or reorganize the physical files, those collections will remain intact.

Sounds interesting, I do like the alias concept.
If I understand correctly, you refer to the macOS Finder. How can this be mirrored in iOS ?

 

[sracer]

Sounds interesting, I do like the alias concept.
If I understand correctly, you refer to the macOS Finder. How can this be mirrored in iOS ?

Very little can be mirrored natively in iOS because: (A) iOS doesn't provide a universally accessible filesystem. Per-application sandboxed storage is ingrained in the DNA of iOS. Apple's Files app is a "hack" of sorts that uses the inter-application sharing function to mimic that universally accessible filesystem. Files.app is basically Apple's version of Documents by Readdle.

(B) iOS is primarily app-centric, not data-centric. This is related to (A) but the primary method of interacting with an iOS device is by launching an app and then selecting a data file that the app can access. On MacOS (and other traditional desktop OSes) you have the choice of doing that (launching the app and then selecting a data file from within the app) or by interacting directly with data files and allowing the file associations to launch the appropriate app (or select an alternative app).

I'm not a heavy iCloud user, but it might be possible to set up folders to organize files (including the use of aliases to create "collections") and then use the Files.app to access that file structure. But that requires having the document library on iCloud. I also don't know what aliases would look like in Files.app.

 

[GerritV]

Thanks for commenting, sracer.
And I agree with the Files app being sort of a workaround to sandboxing.
Perhaps the only way to access my PDF files from both macOS and iOS, is to upload them in the Books app.

 

[Ritsuka]

iOS file management is not app-centric anymore. You can arrange the files in the Files app either on the local disk, or a file provider (iCloud, DropBox, etc…) or a SMB share and open them in apps (and not copying them again) or decide which app to open the file which.

I would use Files to organise PDFs. Either organise them in iCloud so keep them in sync, or on the local iPad disk.
P.S.: Books uses a hidden folder on iCloud to store the files anyway.

 

[GerritV]

iOS file management is not app-centric anymore. You can arrange the files in the Files app either on the local disk, or a file provider (iCloud, DropBox, etc…) or a SMB share and open them in apps (and not copying them again) or decide which app to open the file which.

I would use Files to organise PDFs. Either organise them in iCloud so keep them in sync, or on the local iPad disk.
P.S.: Books uses a hidden folder on iCloud to store the files anyway.

Thanks for sharing these ideas