Existing users, 
Store Word, Excel, PDF, and various graphics formats locally on the iPhone
Posted 25 July 2007 @ 9am in Applications, Guides/How-Tos
Filemark Maker is a new Mac OS X application that converts various file formats into data URLs, which can be stored locally as bookmarks on the iPhone (see our separate coverage on turning Web pages into locally stored bookmarks). Currently supported file formats include .doc, .xls, .rtf, .txt, .jpg, .jpeg, .png, .gif, .pdf, or .html.
The process works like this:
- Set Safari as your default Web browser (in Safari, go to Preferences > General > Default Web Browser)
- Download the Filemark Maker application
- Drag any .doc, .xls, .rtf, .txt, .jpg, .jpeg, .png, .gif, .pdf, or .html onto the application icon
- A Web browser window will open in Safari linking to the data: URL that stores the file information. Click on the link.
- Add the resulting URL as a bookmark in Safari.
- Synchronize your Safari bookmarks with your iPhone via iTunes
- Access the stored bookmark to view your file.
You’ll now have a locally stored, easily accessible version of the file that can be viewed while iPhone is in Airplane mode or has no access to a data network.
The authors of the application write, regarding file size restrictions:
“We haven’t found specific size limits, but the iPhone seems to dislike loading really big images … we crash consistently when we load a 4000 pixel wide image! We’ve had no problems reading pdf’s of books on the phone, though.”
Also, note that storing several large data: URLs in MobileSafari’s bookmark scheme can cause sluggish performance when navigating bookmarks.
Feedback? info@iphoneatlas.com.
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2 Comments
Posted by Rick Ahlgren
27 July 2007 @ 5am
I tried this using a PDF exported from InDesign. The document has Adobe Garamond and Gill Sans MT in it. The PDF looks fine in both Acrobat and Preview, but when I send it to the iPhone with Filemark Maker, only the text that’s in Gill Sans and the graphics show up — no Garamond.
Other than that, the PDF is stunning. Anyone have any ideas? I haven’t got a response yet from a post left on the developer’s site two days ago.
Rick A
Posted by MacInfoSys
5 August 2007 @ 10pm
I have found even though FileMark works to some extent, it is still limiting on the size and complexity of files you are trying to store as Safari Data URL’s.
I have personally started using not only this solution but also a web based storage solution for files that do not work with the FileMark. Go to http://www.box.net and open a free account which allows for a 1gb storage space. I personally like the fact I can get an email with a file attachment and then forward the email to upload@box.net and it is automatically uploaded to your web based storage account which you can then read it through iPhone Safari without the need to use a PC to transfer the file. They also do have fee based solutions with additional features.
These are good interm solutions till Apple gets us a real iPhone OS based file access to store and access such data on the road.
http://www.macinfosys.com