The Game Manuals on Ipad/Iphone

[Jevin H]

So awhile back i was looking at a pdf file on my ipad and accidentally downloaded it onto my iphone into ibooks and i just started to do that with the manuals onto my ipad so i dont have a giant book or a stack of books for the manual and i was wondering if anyone else has thought about this tried to but has had problems or if anyone is currently doing this?

[SteveGPage]

Originally Posted by Jevin H

So awhile back i was looking at a pdf file on my ipad and accidentally downloaded it onto my iphone into ibooks and i just started to do that with the manuals onto my ipad so i dont have a giant book or a stack of books for the manual and i was wondering if anyone else has thought about this tried to but has had problems or if anyone is currently doing this?

I don't have an iPhone, but I put all my pdf files on my iPad and use it exclusively for reading those kind of files. The FTC game manual and the non-encrypted FRC files are on my iPad now, as well as the encrypted FRC manual - just waiting for the password on Saturday!

Steve

[Alan Anderson]

One of the first things I did when I got my iPod Touch a couple of years ago was to email myself each section of the Game Manual (and move those emails to their own folder so they wouldn't expire as more came in). Last year I used a "wireless Flash drive" program called Discovery to transfer copies of the PDFs directly. This year Dropbox is my tool of choice.

(My iPod is a first generation model and apparently doesn't support password-protected PDF documents. I'll be able to use the unprotected files for reference during the season, but at Kickoff it'll be my laptop I'm reading from.)

[thefro526]

Alan, it seems that iOS is unable to handle encrypted PDF files. I just tried opening the decryption test on my iPhone 4 without using iBooks and it didn't even give me an option to input a password - just a blank screen.

Personally, I like to keep the game manuals on my iPhone just so that I know I always have a copy with me should I need to reference them during build or some other time. When we go to a competition I always bring a paper copy in a binder because I've found that Referees aren't big fans of reading rules from a 3.5" screen.

[Trent B]

While it isn't a iOS device I downloaded the decryption test to my Epic 4G and it decrypted fine. I will likely have all the manuals decrypted on my phone during build season for quick reference.

[dag0620]

I currently use and app of Good Reader to handle all my Game Manuals. It's 3 bucks but worth the money.

It saves all my PDF's, and can tackle the encryption on them. I'm planning on using that at my Kick-Off to immediatly get reading, and then will transfer to finishing it up on my laptop when I get home.

The GoodReader App here.

[Chris is me]

Originally Posted by thefro526

Alan, it seems that iOS is unable to handle encrypted PDF files. I just tried opening the decryption test on my iPhone 4 without using iBooks and it didn't even give me an option to input a password - just a blank screen.

I literally just tried it on my iPhone 3GS and it worked perfectly. Try redownloading the PDF.

Also make sure you open it in iBooks.

[Alan Anderson]

Originally Posted by Chris is me

I literally just tried it on my iPhone 3GS and it worked perfectly. Try redownloading the PDF.

Also make sure you open it in iBooks.

That's my problem. iBooks won't run on a first generation iPod Touch.

[Radical Pi]

Originally Posted by Alan Anderson

That's my problem. iBooks won't run on a first generation iPod Touch.

There are a couple of apps that may be able to handle it (not sure if they work on 1st gen). I have PDF Reader Pro. It handled the decryption test fine, although it failed the first time I tried to download the file from dropbox (it has a dropbox interface). It's also more responsive for me than iBooks (2nd Gen iPod Touch)

[thefro526]

Originally Posted by Chris is me

I literally just tried it on my iPhone 3GS and it worked perfectly. Try redownloading the PDF.

Also make sure you open it in iBooks.

I've already gotten it to work in iBooks. I was trying to see if I could duplicate Alan's problem with trying to open it outside out iBooks and I had the same issues.

Wasn't I the one who told you about using iBooks to open them in some other thread...?

Originally Posted by Alan Anderson

That's my problem. iBooks won't run on a first generation iPod Touch.

That Stinks.

I'm not well versed enough with Apple products, but I thought once you updated the OS to the current version you could use any app as long as you had the Hardware for it... Guess not.

[Dkt01]

My 4th generation iPod handles the decryption of the test PDF fine. I loaded the full manual, but I can't open it until the password is revealed. iOS seems to only decrypt PDFs in iBooks, so if you can't install it, you'll have to wait until the non-password-protected version is released.
I don't mind the small screen for quick reference purposes, but if you plan on reading entire sections, an iPad, computer, or a print copy's probably easier to navigate and read.

[gotgreen]

CRyptonite Robotics (team 624) has build an app with all the game rules. The app has an update feature to capture changes to the manuals. The app will be free and was submitted to Apple for approval on kick off. Watch this space... the app is called FRC Logomotion.

Team 624

[Sunshine]

yes,

I also stored all manuals in my iBooks using my iPad. Works great. No issues.

[Hallry]

I currently have the Logomotion Manual on my Droid 2 and it works fine with Adobe Reader

[Billfred]

I brought my iPad with the encrypted manuals to the Kickoff down at The Citadel, and it was great to be able to dive in immediately over lunch. I just copied the key down in Notes, then copied it to allow me to enter it repeatedly easily.