Mavericks iBook app

[Joey Numbaz]

I was able to get everything into iBooks, after migrating my library - I just bought a new 15" Retina. Pretty simple actually.

I think this would work even if I didn't migrate, but just in case, here is what I did.

Moved my iTunes library from the old Mac to a USB 3 drive. Then pointed the new MacBook Pro iTunes to it (hold option when opening iTunes). I didn't want to use half of my SSD for iTunes. The books directory does not move through the automated moving process (i.e. changing your iTunes Media folder location in preferences and then consolidating the library there), you have to copy that over manually. Just drop it into the same place where it was.

From here, I think anyone can pick it up, even if you aren't migrating . . .

Open the Books folder in your (new if you migrated) iTunes Media Folder (~user/Music/iTunes/iTunes Media/Books typically - for me /Volumes/USB drive/iTunes/iTunes Media/Books)

All of your pdfs are in there. Just drag them onto the open iBooks app and they appear, all returned to their proper collections.

They also appear in iTunes when you connect your iPhone (I assume they'll be there for my iPad too, though I haven't checked yet).

I just stumbled on to this, it isn't obvious, I was just trying to add them back new. It was nice that they returned to their proper places and show up in both iBooks and iTunes (for syncing only).

To me it beats trashing iBooks, which seems useful enough (I don't edit meta data, so YMMV).

Best Regards,

Joey Numbaz

 

[millerrh]

Is there away to reverse this "fix" sometime in the future assuming apple gets their act together and allows metadata editing within iBooks?

 

[sarakn]

And a final note, once you initialise iBooks, you can no longer use iTunes to manage your library, nor can you import books into it.

Stay far, far away if you don't use the iBookstore exclusively!



Update: Did some more digging. iBooks is unzipping, not parsing, the .epub files and creating folders out of each one. Hence the increase in space. However, the folder organisation was actually already present in the original .epub file. Still, it doesn't excuse moving, renaming or taking up more space....

I noticed that too and it's just ugly. If I want to edit an epub, I can use sigil and that parses the files. This format is horrendous and I can't figure out WTH apple did this. Talk about taking 1 step forward and 2 steps back.

Will need a better way to organize my books because this is butt-ugly. I meta tag my books in calibre and sometimes have to update in itunes - I was okay doing that. But iBooks is a mess.

 

[Partron22]

Beware Backup drives!

jaugust's method works for me with one major caveat.

I made a backup of my Mavericks boot drive before banishing iBooks, and could not get the Books category to show up in iTunes until I also unmounted the back up drive with its copy of iBooks.
Only then did the Books category show up in iTunes library.
When I remount my backup drive, the Books category disappears, and is replaced by Audiobooks. All books are then inaccessible.
Unmounting the drive brings the books category, and the books, back.

Apparently the new iTunes relinquishes control to iBooks, whenever and wherever it finds it.

 

[batts]

not able to delete PDFs !

Agreed. I can't even seem to delete Collections.

I am encountering the same issue, I have couple of PDFs on ibooks but delete option not working at all, tried all the options no luck

 

[Maecenasca]

Vive iBooks

I like the rest found iBooks to be a dog of an zoo from Apple. I found a fix that allows you to go back to the management of books under iTunes while still enjoying the Mavericks update minus iBooks. (Who really wants to read books on a screen)

I have done the following and now have iTunes looking after my books once again!

1.) Kill the bookstoreagent service using the Activity Monitor.

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

3.) Use AppCleaner to get rid of iBooks.

4.) Restart iTunes and you will find the Books tag return under library.

5.) Import your books again with all the metadata intact.

I have done it and it works, iBooks has been banished to the bit bucket never to be used ever again.

I used this in Maverick and wonder of wonder it did the trick!!!!!! The control freak in me was at peace again with the world.

Now, if someone could mix another of these recipes for Yosemite...

Because friends, your life will revert very fast and very soon: None of the files or tips mentionned below will exist anymore in the new version of your OS once you switch...... IT's right back to the 94 alphanumeric jumbled files and the evil of iBooks.

GGGGRRRRRRRR - Please give me back the control over MY books.

 

[azmodeman]

I used this in Maverick and wonder of wonder it did the trick!!!!!! The control freak in me was at peace again with the world.

Now, if someone could mix another of these recipes for Yosemite...

Because friends, your life will revert very fast and very soon: None of the files or tips mentionned below will exist anymore in the new version of your OS once you switch...... IT's right back to the 94 alphanumeric jumbled files and the evil of iBooks.

GGGGRRRRRRRR - Please give me back the control over MY books.

Found this on the apple site. Haven't tried it yet.
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5489558?start=15&tstart=0