Can’t scan books on app with new iPhone 16 update

I’ve been trying to scan books onto the app, but the scanner won’t scan the barcodes on the back of the books , even since I updated my iPhone to the new update 16.

Make sure the permissions to use the camera are still set properly - an update occasionally requires an additional approval.

If it is not that, can you define “won’t scan”? What exactly happens if you point it to a book? Also, make sure it is not book related (a book you added earlier via the app is the easiest test - you can always delete the second copy if/when it gets added.

This may or may not be relevant: A couple of days ago, the app wasn't recognizing bar codes, even though the ISBNs displayed were accurate. I kept getting a "bad data" error on a gold background (alas, I didn't note the exact wording). This happened sporadically the past few weeks, but it became constant after I updated the OS (iOS 15.7).

1. I shut the phone down and then started it up again: no change.
2. I deleted the app and then reinstalled it: everything seems to work fine now.

Jovenisse, does this sound like the problem you had?

>1 Jovenisse: Thanks for the report, I believe there is a scanner issue with the newest iOS (16) update. I was troubleshooting this with another member last week, we tried uninstalling/reinstalling, turning light on/off, etc. Nothing helped. Will pass this along to the developers so they can take a look as soon as they can, thanks for your patience!

Update: we found that if you place the barcode near the top of the scanning window—above the red line on your camera/scanner in the app, that is where the barcode is currently getting recognized. We're working on an update to the App to fix this, in the meantime, so thanks for your patience!

>5 kristilabrie: Not working for me with iPhone 14

>5 kristilabrie: This is exactly the little tip I needed. iPhone 12 on iOS 16.0.2

I have the same issue and positioning the barcode above the red line does indeed work. Bizarre.

>5 kristilabrie:

Thank you! I've been having the same issue and this workaround worked for me. (iPhone 14 Pro, iOS 16.02)

My iPhone 14 Pro, iOS 16.0.2 cannot focus the camera when adding a book by barcode. It may be using the wrong camera for such close-in scanning.
I have uninstalled and re-installed without success.

The Scan image is blurry on iPhone 13 Pro. Above and below the fabled red line.

>11 maromanphd: I realize this may be a dumb question, but can you double check that your LibraryThing App is updated to the most recent version? You may need to try uninstalling and reinstalling the app, just in case you're having trouble.

I've just changed from an iPhone 6S to a 13 pro max. I've had to jiggle the phone around for a while now (with the 6S), to get the barcode to register so it's been quite some time since it's scanned while the red line is centred on the barcode.

This week I scanned in 3 books on my new phone and I had to hold the books at arms length (rather like me trying to read a menu in a restaurant) for the barcode to register. It came up with the correct books although the barcode still looked blurry on the screen. I'm fairly sure that all software updates are current.

A possibly related issue: when taking cover photos on my new iPhone 13 pro max, I end up with more background in the areas to the top and right of the book than I see in the preview screen. I'm not sure if this is a bug or a camera setting.

>5 kristilabrie: I see that there was an update to the app 1 week ago but I still can not scan after updating the app. The camera will not focus at all.I deleted the app and reinstalled. I am using an iphone 14 pro using ios 16.0.3. It works fine with my ipad mini, 6th gen, running ios 15.7

>15 barbharris1: I am using an iphone 14 pro using ios 16.0.3.

This may not be entirely LibraryThing's fault. There are a LOT of problems with the camera software on the iPhone 14. This may be a case where you have to wait until Apple fixes it with a iOS update.

Update: Since we haven't posted in awhile. We're waiting on Apple to push out another update, very soon! Hopefully within the next few days. Thanks for your patience.

Updated LibraryThing app to version 1.2.3 on iPhone 8 Plus running iOS 16.1.1. The new LibraryThing locks up the app after the scanning function is opened. The app's controls no longer work. After a few minutes of being none responsive the app crashes. Tried uninstalling the app, rebooting and then reinstalling. That did not fix the problem. The previous version's scanning function worked. Manual input works, but, of course, lacking a functional scanner limits the app's usefulness when adding new titles to my library.

>18 cwbol: Updated LibraryThing app to version 1.2.3 on iPhone 8 Plus running iOS 16.1.1.

It's too bad you have to suffer, but it's probably better that LT not try to fix this at once.

As kristilabrie reported, they are waiting for Apple to update iOS 16. iOS 16 has real problems with the camera. This is singularly bad, but (as a programmer but not someone associated with LT), you do not want LT to try to work around something that is a system flaw -- because, when Apple fixes their bug, it would likely break the LT fix. We just have to wait for Apple to get its camera software together. If and when it does, if the scan still doesn't work, then LT will have to work on it.

>19 waltzmn: Considering the previous version worked OK, I doubt this is simply an Apple software issue.

>20 cwbol: Considering the previous version worked OK, I doubt this is simply an Apple software issue.

To make clear my position on this: I am not a LibraryThing staff person; I don't benefit from defending LT, except that I don't want them wasting time fixing something that isn't their fault.

That said, your statement does not follow. LT, like all other good software, will access the camera through an Apple API. This is how the LT software can work on many different iPhones, with many different cameras and many different versions of the OS: As long as the API still works, LibraryThing doesn't need to know what camera is on the phone, or even what phone model it's using; the API is the LT app's window on the world -- a viewscreen, in a way.

To try to explain in very layperson's terms, the LT app "calls" the API just as you might "call" another person. The app in effect says, "Hey, camera API, give me a picture!" and the camera API hands back a picture. The LT app doesn't need to know what is "inside" the camera API; all it cares about is getting a picture back.

When Apple changes the OS, the APIs will reference different code. (This is like, for instance, a new employee working in the inventory department of a store. The store looks the same when you visit it, but the work that goes on in the back room is done by different people. Or, in this case, different code.) If that code is broken, then LT has to live with whatever Apple has done. And the iOS 16 camera software has a lot of problems. This is the first link I found:

https://piunikaweb.com/2022/10/11/ios-16-camera-app-reportedly-lagging-freezing-...

But I have been reading about these problems on a lot of sites. The camera software in iOS 16 is really messed up. And that messes up everything dependent on it -- which will include the scan feature (and maybe other features) of the LT app.

To fix the LT app when iOS is broken is likely to be a waste of effort, because LibraryThing needs to wait for Apple to get rid of that dimwit clerk in the back room who is returning the wrong pictures.

Experience with a previous version of iOS is not relevant, because iOS has changed -- for the worse.

Apologies for how long this is. But I hope it makes the problem clearer. I don't know what is going on with the LT app. But we've seen kristilabrie's statement that they're waiting for an iOS update. Knowing that iOS 16 has a camera bug, I really don't think this is LibraryThing's fault.

>19 waltzmn: Sorry for the confusion, I meant that we're waiting on Apple to approve our app update. So this, for now, is in our court. Incidentally, I've been having the same issues that >18 cwbol: reports, but no one else on our end has been able to reproduce. I'm somewhat glad someone is seeing the same as me, but not happy for them! Sorry for your trouble, cwbol!

ETA, just read your post at >21 waltzmn: but it seems you have a better understanding of the API issues Apple has been having on other apps. Hopefully this is dealt with!

>18 cwbol: I also have an iPhone 8 and am seeing this issue, developers tested an iPhone 7 and couldn't reproduce... so maybe our device is extra special! I'll be curious to see if others have the same trouble/s with the scanner.

>22 kristilabrie: Sorry for the confusion, I meant that we're waiting on Apple to approve our app update.

Oops. OK, everyone, ignore my messages. Although the idea is right even if the facts are mostly wrong. :-)

>23 kristilabrie: I also have an iPhone 8 and am seeing this issue, developers tested an iPhone 7 and couldn't reproduce...

I can't make it happen on my iPhone 7. But even though you weren't blaming the OS, an iPhone 7 will not upgrade to iOS 16. So the OS might play a role.

And I'll stop talking now. :-)

>25 waltzmn: Possibly, yes, a lucky combination of some sort!

Is there any update on this? Apple is now on iOS 16.3 but my barcode scanner still doesn't really work. Sometimes it will scan a barcode, but it no longer beeps when it has and the screen freezes such that I have to reboot the app to see if it scanned. It's a pain to reboot the app after scanning each book, never sure if it actually scanned the last book.

>27 tnilsson: What model of iPhone do you have? Sounds like this problem: https://www.librarything.com/topic/346916#8020380, no? Everyone I've seen with this issue has an iPhone 8, so I'm curious if you're in the same unlucky boat...

Going to close this as a duplicate of the more active bug thread here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/346916

>23 kristilabrie: I have an iPhone 8 also and the whole screen where you can add books via scan doesn’t allow me to touch anything (trying to edit collections nothing happens, and trying to go back to another screen with the buttons at the bottom also doesn’t do anything) but I can still scan books, and sometimes if I just keep pressing then the edit collections screen comes up but then same thing on that screen, it doesn’t respond to me touching and I have to close the app and reopen.

>4 kristilabrie: I also have an issue when I to add to my collection via the scanner, it adds the book then locks up, none of the controls work and will not add another book until I shut down the app and restart it, I am using an Iphone, IOS 16.5 on an Iphone 8. also getting multiple entries of the same book. so long as I do not try to add a book via the scanner/camera all controls work. I see that I am not alone with this problem, any idea when this will be fixed?

>31 Stephenjt12tx: It's been pretty hard to nail down, but it's still on our list. You can follow along for updates here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/346916. We have a couple of larger projects that are taking priority, but we'll circle back on this when we can. Thanks for your patience in the meantime.