In search of a PDF-viewing app for my wife...

[KeepCalmPeople]

So my wife is into quilting, and she frequently finds pdf quilt patterns on the Internet that she downloads into iBooks and categorizes into Collections. My understanding is that even encrypted iTunes backups do not include pdfs in iBooks from 3rd parties. She is looking to get a new iPad in the fall, so somehow those pdfs need to be transferred...

Currently my only option is to either email each pdf to myself from iBooks, or use a tool such as iExplorer to save each pdf to my Macbook.

Her specific requrement is that she can see a preview of each pdf while browsing them, as the file names don't help her much.

Is there an app such as Goodreader that can read pdfs from iBooks and shows pdf previews? Can I then save those pdfs in the app to the cloud somehow?

She has 100+ pdf files downloaded...

Thanks.

 

[brilliantthings]

Not sure what you mean. Goodreader shows PDF previews when browsing. They are small though. The best option is probably to sort into folders.

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Goodreader also has a powerful cloud sync function.

 

[chabig]

My understanding is that even encrypted iTunes backups do not include pdfs in iBooks from 3rd parties.

I think you might be mistaken. PDFs from iBooks are backed up when you sync with iTunes. I'm not sure whether they are synced with iCloud.

 

[KeepCalmPeople]

Thanks for the replies. I did back up her iPad to iTunes and the PDFs were indeed backed up to my Macbook. I don't think they're synced in iCloud - just (optionally) the names of the collections.
Using the iTunes backup and iExplorer I have copied all her PDFs into her Dropbox account, sorted into subfolders, and installed Goodreader on her iPad to sync and view them. She's keeping all the PDFs in iBooks for redundancy for now.
The changes to iCloud with iOS8 may make all this unnecessary...

 

[matrix07]

So my wife is into quilting, and she frequently finds pdf quilt patterns on the Internet that she downloads into iBooks and categorizes into Collections. My understanding is that even encrypted iTunes backups do not include pdfs in iBooks from 3rd parties.

You understood it wrong. It's included in iCloud backup alright. Why shouldn't it be? ebooks purchased from Apple will be in iTunes in the Cloud (which will NOT be backup but be restored to your new device nonetheless). ebooks from other places will be app data which will automatically backup to iCloud and include in free 5 GB. limit. Of course it also will be restored to your new device automatically.
All of these sounds very complicated. All you need to remember is this: whatever state your old device was, your new device will be exactly the same (apps, data, settings, desktop photo etc.) when you restore from iCloud, if you don't messed with the iCloud backup preference in your old device of course.

 

[Dags]

So many options

You have a lot of options

I personally prefer iBooks. iBooks will back up your PDF to your computer or the iCloud, whichever you have selected to store your iPad/iPhone backup. The only issue I have had with iBooks is that I had not backed up everything recently when a new system update came along, and I lost all the PDF files that had not synced. It was a rough day, but we were able to sort it out in the end. However, with so many PDF files you may find Goodreader or Dropbox to be more useful. The big benefit with Dropbox or even Google OneDrive is that you can access the same file from your computer and your iPad/iPhone.