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Best way to read MR on an iPad?

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  • Member since
    January 2022
  • 6 posts
Best way to read MR on an iPad?
Posted by kroger42 on Monday, August 22, 2022 9:45 PM

I've searched a half dozen times and found nothing on how to best read MR on an iPad.   I switched from print to digital subscription via Trains unlimited a few months ago but can't seem to find a good way to read MR digital or how to save in Pages or similar app.   I can open the link when I get the new issue email but it's a small image that is impossible to fill the screen one Vertical page at a time.   Any help would be much appreciated!

  • Member since
    January 2022
  • 6 posts
Posted by kroger42 on Tuesday, August 23, 2022 12:49 PM

Update - a bit of a run-around but I figured out this morning that I can save an MR issue as a PDF in books on my desktop Mac and then open it on my iPad After it has gone to iCloud.   Goes right to full screen iPad viewing which is nice for reading anywhere, any time.

if anyone has a way to save directly to books on iPad, do let me know though.   

  • Member since
    November 2006
  • From: NW Pa Snow-belt.
  • 2,216 posts
Posted by ricktrains4824 on Wednesday, August 24, 2022 9:28 AM

Well....

Used to be if you opened the issue, you could hit the "share" button, and download directly into iBooks, and other apps, as a PDF.

Now however, that is not working...

Anyone know of a new procedure to download for offline reading on iOS?

Ricky W.

HO scale Proto-freelancer.

My Railroad rules:

1: It's my railroad, my rules.

2: It's for having fun and enjoyment.

3: Any objections, consult above rules.

  • Member since
    November 2006
  • From: NW Pa Snow-belt.
  • 2,216 posts
Posted by ricktrains4824 on Thursday, August 25, 2022 10:48 PM

Further update:

I had actually sent an email to Kalmbach, I heard back today.

There is now an issue with downloading the PDF magazines via iPad's iOS system that was not an issue before. The tech team is aware there's a problem, and is working on a resolution. They currently do not have a timeline however....

I would speculate things changed with the latest iOS update, as that is when mine stopped allowing the magazine download. If it's Kalmbach's PDF host or creation service is incompatible with the newest iOS, or it's a website incompatibility, or whatever else I can't answer.

I do know it does not matter what web browser is used, as I tried using both Safari and Chrome. Neither would allow downloading. 

I also know for a fact that other websites I get PDF's from, including both major competitor's PDF magazines, all still download just fine. So the issue is somewhere on Kalmbach's end, as it is only affecting Kalmbach PDF magazines.

So, once the issue is found and rectified, the "share" button (page with up arrow icon) to download as PDF directly into iBooks, sidebooks, PDF readers, etc..."should" work. (At least once the issue is resolved.)

But man, the online web veiwer magazine version stinks..... Hopefully the tech team gets it fixed quickly!

Ricky W.

HO scale Proto-freelancer.

My Railroad rules:

1: It's my railroad, my rules.

2: It's for having fun and enjoyment.

3: Any objections, consult above rules.

  • Member since
    November 2002
  • From: AU
  • 33 posts
Posted by rventura on Tuesday, September 20, 2022 2:34 AM

I use a free app called Sidebooks to read MR. I've also heard that the Goodreader app (paid but not much) is also very good. However the ability to download on the iPad, which used to work, is now broken.

A workaround I've discovered is to:

  • Download the PDF on your PC (or Mac)
  • Email the PDF to yourself as an attachment (use an email address you can access from your iPad)
  • Open the email and download the PDF from there. This should give youe the "Open In..." option.

It's a bit of a faff, but works. I always download the issues to both my PC and iPad anyway, so the only extra step is the email.

Ron Ventura

Tags: Download , iPad
Ron Ventura
Melbourne, Australia
  • Member since
    November 2006
  • From: NW Pa Snow-belt.
  • 2,216 posts
Posted by ricktrains4824 on Saturday, September 24, 2022 10:51 AM

I also use sidebooks, for both MR and a competitor's version.

Currently, you work around as stated for MR still. 

Hopefully the tech team finds the issue so there is no longer a need to work around it.

Ricky W.

HO scale Proto-freelancer.

My Railroad rules:

1: It's my railroad, my rules.

2: It's for having fun and enjoyment.

3: Any objections, consult above rules.

  • Member since
    February 2001
  • From: Wyoming, where men are men, and sheep are nervous!
  • 3,392 posts
Posted by Pruitt on Tuesday, September 27, 2022 3:18 PM

If you lay the magazine flat on the ipad, it will fall open and you can easily flip the pages as your read. Or is that not what you meant?
Stick out tongueStick out tongue

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