BookSmart
BookSmart 2.5 patch now availableIf you’ve downloaded BookSmart 2.5 (released on September 24), we’ve just issued a patch. This patch should take care of a majority of iPhoto issues that some of you were experiencing. For those who have super large iPhoto libraries and have experienced slower than normal BookSmart performance, this patch may help. If it doesn’t, please know that we’re hoping to get that fixed in a release next year. 
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I started my first book a few days after BookSmart 2.5 became available and it’s been fab. Three weeks in and maybe a day or two away from uploading to have it printed – then last night I noticed some discrepencies, then some more. Tonight I realised my book has reverted to the point it was at about four days ago. Old photos I’d deleted and replaced are back in place, the newer versions gone. Double page spreads have gone, along with the split images that I’d made them from, just tons of little decisions from the last few days vanished. Apart from the shock I’m also quite impressed that Booksmart could actually turn back the clock so comprehensively considering I’d thought I had scrupulously deleted so many (lower res) images completely (from both page layouts and from My Photos and the computer’s bin). Wow. So, it must be a bit like Windows with Restore Points? After three or four hours straight slog re-importing etc tonight I’m most of the way back to where I was (or where I think I was) from yesterday. I’m really nervous about the programme now and won’t be risking adding the patch, thanks very much. Illogical, perhaps! If it goes awry again then I’m admitting defeat. What does kind of bug me (pardon the pun), though is that if I’d uploaded and paid for my book to go to print earlier tonight and only then noticed what had happened in BookSmart/Stupid 2.5 it’d be really annoyed. Previously on here I recall reading other forum posts about weird stuff going on in earlier versions of Booksmart – to tell the truth I’d been a bit sceptical if people had just goofed and that it was really down to human error – now it’s happened to me, big time, my confidence in this programme has been badly dented, too – and I half expect it to fail again. I’m unsure what caused it to go into melt-down (I have a couple of guesses – I’d duplicated my book from within the File drop down menu and I had brought in a couple of pages of text for the first time). Imagine if you were a novelist and had finished polishing your 100,000 word final manuscript to submit to a publisher then found afterwards it had reverted to an earlier, rough draft hours before you mailed it – well I would definitely be less confident about using that word processor application again in a hurry. Ok, moan over.
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Where do we find this new patch to download? I’ve searched all over and can’t find it. Or do we download 2.5 again? |
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Hi camack. My fault. I forgot to include the link in the post above. Sorry about that. I’ve fixed it now, and yes, you just download 2.5 again. Thanks for pointing this out! – Kathy |
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I just downloaded the 2.5.1 patch and i STILL can’t remove the iphoto images from my library. whats the trick? or does it still not work? |
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If you click on the Filter button above the photo thumbnails in the left panel, then move your mouse into the iPhoto submenu and unselect ‘All Photos’, your iphoto images should no longer be visible. Hope this helps, |
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I downloaded the patch yesterday and this doesn’t even solve part of my “BLURB-Problem” Biggest problem: I don’t have access to a 1.1 Gb almost finished book. When I try to open this book I only get a toolbar that says “booksmart” and then the program is frozen. The only way to quit is through Imac’s “force quit” option. Before the 2.5 download I was very happy with blurb and customer support as I always got quick responses on my few questions. So that’s why I’m really disappointed now as I have been asking for help since 3-4 weeks and so far only got the advice to update my software (which I always do but wish hadn’t done with blurb) and to reinstall 2.5 through a third party. Did that over 10 days ago and responded it didn’t work but no answer since. -Is there any chance I get access to my “lost” book? (as it still appears in my account I still have hope it is existing somewhere) or do I just have to give up and start all over again with another bookmaker? |
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Corine, I don’t know the details of your problem or the incident you’ve opened with Customer Service (since I work on the BookSmart team and not in CS) but here’s something to try: (note that these instructions are for Mac only) 1.find your /Users/yourname/Library/Application Support/BookSmartData folder and rename it, ie. to BookSmartData.old If things go wrong in this last step and the book won’t open, something may have gotten corrupted inside your book, and you may need to continue working with Customer Service. In many cases they can help you repair broken books. |
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I just downloaded this version and continued working on my book that I have been working on for months. Previously when I downloaded 2.5 I was so upset because my work came to a hault because that version was impossible to use. This newest version allowed me to finish my book, I am extremely happy. I did find the library a little more confusing than previous versions as others have commented on, but comparred to 2.5 when it first came out, overall it was so much better. I was so releived. |
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I downloaded the new version but now I can’t acces iphoto from the book I was working on. if I start a new book, iphoto shows up under the filter, but in the book i’m working on, I don’t have the option to choose iphoto anywhere (not under ‘get photos’ or filter). All the photos in the book are from iphoto and are showing up…I just can’t add more or see any in the photo panel. |
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I’m sorry, but this version (2.5.x) is really a step backwards!! Thanks, Guy |
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Same problem with iphoto here (I have big iphoto library 140GB, Mac os 1.5.8 ) Current 12″×12″ book – no iphoto option, no iphoto photos. I love 2.5.1! Thanks!! |
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Agree that this new version is a step backwards for Blurb. I’m currently waiting for BookSmart to even up on my desktop. Not to mention the iPhoto issues and ALL pictures in your library show. It used to be so easy to click on an iPhoto album or folder and just those pictures would show but now…I find myself spending more time scrolling through the photos then working on my book. I’m waiting and hoping for the next patch to 2.5.1 |
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@Peter. Thanks for your suggestions. I worked the past couple of weeks with CS on the file, even took my computer to apple’s genius desk but nothing seems to work. File seems really corrupted. So today I decided to give up start all over again, redo the 120 pages in a new book. But what a mess. 3 crashes within the first 10 pages, the photo pre-viewer doesn’t work consistently. I don’t seem to be able to have both booksmart and iphoto open at the same time. Either or both will crash. actually don’t seem to be able to run any other program when booksmart is running; even safari crashes |
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thanks |
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I see that lots of people are experiencing my problems.. Well, I hope a new booksmart version will fix all these Osx-only issues! |
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I was counting on booksmart to work on my project, but it’s IMPOSSIBLE to work with it on Mac OS X, I have 10.4 and a powerfull computer. It always jag, not responding for a couple of seconds… I mean it looks like you did not even test it on mac OS X. No one would normaly release something like that if it was tested properly. Where can we get older WORKING versions of booksmart.. please? |
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I found my problem happen (hang for 30 seconds after every action) to do with my iphoto (which is 140G on an external harddrive) Once I eject the harddrive, everything is working fine again. (using on Mac OS X 1.5.8) |
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Last month I downloaded 2.5 and used it for the first time for a small project for my daughter. I’m a technical writer and used to publishing applications. Booksmart is sort of a low-end solution but it seemed appropriate and expeditious (BTW, I think Blurb has a great business model and I endorse it enthusiastically). However, I spent twice as long getting the book set up as necessary. Some issues I had (I run OSX 10.4 on a PPC iMac with one drive) have been:
On the other hand, I was impressed with how BS uploads content for publishing. Nice Web integration. I did not experience any issues accessing pictures such as others have noted, but then our book has only 10 modest low-res illustrations. So, if I download this patch, will it fix any of the formatting problems I have? Also, is there a way to export my text so if BS ever corrupts my file I will still have it in some archival format? |
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