Praise: PDF "open in" feature

[DerangedChef]

I just discovered that since version 3.3.8, one can now open PDFs from Bookends in another app, in addition to the former "Copy To" share function.
This is a HUGE game changer! Thanks for that.

I was hesitant before to use Bookends on iOS a lot, because I usually annotate PDFs in "PDF Expert". Before 3.3.8, working on a new instance of a PDF and then somehow adding it back into Bookends was just a cumbersome workflow. I ended up avoiding it. Now, this is so much better and will push me to use iCloud sync. Any PDF editing now will work on only one original instance of a PDF file, regardless if on macOS or iOS, and regardless if I use Bookends PDF editor itself, or PDF Expert out of Bookends.

To my amazement, when having the same PDF file open in Bookends and PDF Expert, any annotation update in either app is reflected timely in the other app when switching back and forth. Awesome. This also should overcomes the PDF Expert limitation, that shared PDF editing between their running macOS and iOS apps can only happen when using the same WiFI network. You can be completely flexible now via iCloud.

I don't like Apple to have all my research references on a cloud server, but that is a different topic. Maybe one day we can have Bookends macOS/iOS sync also with other cloud servers, e.g. our own Nextcloud – that would be a big Plus.

I am posting this in case others have not noticed this game changer yet, like me.

Thx

[Serge]

Thanks! We’re glad you like it.
We decided to go with iCloud only for now as any new cloud service requires a lot of work and support, which would delay other nice features we are working on.

[doclrb]

This sounds great. Would you pls provide a bit more detail as to the workflow or commands utilized.

TY

Les

doclrb

[DerangedChef]

This sounds great. Would you pls provide a bit more detail as to the workflow or commands utilized.
TY
Les
doclrb

- setup Bookends to use iCloud for attachments (there are instructions for this on sonnysoftware's web page and in the user manual)
- on Bookends iOS, open the detail view of a reference that has a PDF attachment
- then touch the PDF thumbnail or the little paper-clip icon -> The PDF opens in Bookends' editor
- touch the "share" icon, and in the popup dialog choose "Share", then "open in PDF Expert (or your fave PDF editor app)" (iOS 12 / 13)
- happily annotate in the other app

Hope this helps.
-S

[Jeff698]

This is exactly the functionality I'm looking for but it doesn't seem to be working for me.

I can open the PDF and annotate it in Notability (my PDF editor of choice) but I can't get that changed document back into Bookends iOS.

Perhaps I misunderstood your message but I thought you were saying this could work as a two-way process.

Thanks.

Take care,
Jeff

[doclrb]

Tried it with PDF Expert. Seems to work well.

doclrb

[Jeff698]

Tried it with PDF Expert. Seems to work well.

doclrb

What did you do to complete the two way trip? In other words, how did you get your annotated PDF back into BE?

Thanks!

Take care,
Jeff

[doclrb]

Closed the document in PDF Expert and returned to Bookends. In fact I’m willing to bet that if you Bookends and your second app of choice side-by-side, you should be able to watch the annotations emerge in Bookends as you annotate in the other.

doclrb

[Jeff698]

I’ll give it a try with Notability and see how it works. If not, I’ll take a look at PDF Expert.

Thanks!

Take care,
Jeff

[Jeff698]

I don’t think Notability has this 2-way feature.

I downloaded PDF Expert. Wow. That is just like magic!

Thanks, y’all!

Take care,
Jeff

[doclrb]

[feuizl]

Does anyone know if this would work with Goodreader?

[doclrb]

Though I’m not a Goodreader user, I had installed it on my phone. I shared from Bookends to Goodreader. GR asked if I wanted to read the file in or outside of the app. I guessed and chose outside. File then opened, I was able to highlight and highlights were visible in Bookends. So, lots of words, but yes on my iPhone 11 Pro Max. As always, your mileage may vary. (:

doclrb AKA Les

[Lyriel]

I’d love it if this worked with GoodNotes or Notability - when Apple started allowing the edit-in-place stuff Bookends was my first thought about how I’d like to use it. So far I haven’t been able to edit pdfs in my Bookends library (in iCloud) in place with Goodnotes or Notability, it always requires duplicates and a round trip import/export.

I think the behaviour is something to do with document provider status, but I don’t know if it’s something the destination apps have to implement or if it’s something Bookends For iOS can enable for more apps?

[Serge]

Please try to Share any PDF from Files.app to GoodNotes or Notability, will iOS show "Open In" or "Copy To" option?
We do not limit this feature just to some of apps, but other apps should implement their part called "Supports opening documents in place". Bookends for iOS works fine with PDF Expert from Readdle and PDF Viewer from PSPDFKit.