extendedping | # 321 | 2010-11-19, 16:06 | Report

I hold it with my left hand and thus hit the screen with my right hand. As I am learning to play guitar the nails on my right hand (use for fretting as opposed to strumming) are non-existent (well really short). So the setting for finger as opposed to stylus touch help me quite a bit. If I was right handed I might just use the stylus for tapping stuff, but now I don't need it.

virtual | # 322 | 2010-11-19, 16:13 | Report

I know, but this button appears at every screen touch and disappears only after several seconds. Besides, latest version (18) does not have the button on the toolbar (seems replaced by globe). So, when you are full screen, you have to live with the button appearing, and with the button absence otherwise.
Currently I have disabled the button, set up full screen startup, and using keyboard when need toolbar/menu.

gsever | # 323 | 2010-11-19, 16:16 | Report

I do the exact opposite. Hold the device with my right hand and tap with my left hand (either using the stylus). Lets make a poll to define left/right handedness in mobile era

Rob1n | # 324 | 2010-11-19, 16:33 | Report

I'm not planning on adding these - the menus are already getting somewhat cramped. The menus are all defined via the XML files (in /usr/share/FBReader/default) so you can add/remove whatever items you like.

There seems to be a bit of an issue in the current upstream version with CSS. Sometimes the styles either don't get applied or don't get removed. It's a horrendously complicated bit of code though, and I haven't managed to figure out what's meant to be going on in there yet.

Damn - I hadn't realised that adding that had pushed off the fullscreen button. You can edit the /usr/share/FBReader/default/toolbar.xml file and take out the network library (or any other one you don't use) if you'd prefer to see the fullscreen button. If you're using the indicator bar (rather than OS scrollbars) then you can add a small fullscreen button to there (appears in the bottom-right corner) which I find a lot better than the overlay button.

I've just uploaded 0.12.10-19 now. This only adds support for using MStarDict or QStarDict as reference dictionaries. I've only pushed this release for Fremantle as I need to look at whether these are available for Diablo (or what alternatives there are).

For MStarDict you'll need to either download my patched version from here or download the patch and compile it yourself. I'll be sending the patch on to the current maintainer, so hopefully they'll upload a patched version.

For QStarDict, basic support will work with the current version. Unfortunately it doesn't provide any support for bringing the window to the foreground though, so for that you'll need my patched version from here (or compile it yourself with this patch). I'll also be sending this patch on to the current maintainer.

EDIT: Oh, you'll also need to launch it first with the current version, as it doesn't include a DBus service file to allow the system to auto-launch it when required. The patched version does though.

Finally, the source code changes can be downloaded from here.

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Last edited by Rob1n; 2010-11-19 at 16:36.

TinaHolmboe | # 325 | 2010-11-19, 16:33 | Report

You can turn the N900 to 'upside portrait', for lack of a better phrase, and set FBReader to turn its display the same way. Then you have the volume rockers with which to page up and down under your index and middle finger even when holding the device in your right hand.

For example. No other e-book reader on the N900 - or anywhere else - that I know of can do the same.

TinaHolmboe | # 326 | 2010-11-19, 16:38 | Report

Was afraid of that At the moment I'm experiencing the irony of a free Black Library book managing a very nice first-line indent and a 0.5em margin-top; while a book produced from XHTML by Calibre can't manage the exact same trick with the exact same properties.

Finding the source of that little connundrum is proving difficult.

Luckily, with your changes to the preferences section I can tell FBReader to render as I want it, regardless. It's just a smidgeon tricky when purchasing books.

... not that purchasing DRM-free epub is a huge past-time around here.

Rob1n | # 327 | 2010-11-19, 16:52 | Report

It's all I buy anyway - from baen & smashwords mostly, and I've bought one or two from fictionwise as well. Plus O'Reilly for technical books.

extendedping | # 328 | 2010-11-19, 16:54 | Report

So many optimizations made to enhance fbreader for the n900 that I am afraid users who have not been following all the progress would have quite a time figuring out the optimizations which (just in my opinion) are kind of scattered now across the different sections..how about a simple option to optimize for full screen....could be as simple as a tab that contains check boxes of all the full screen enhancing optimizations you have implemented, so a new fbreader user would not have to fish around.

For instance if you start with simply, full screen mode with no toolbar, no exit full screen button (the old one that pops up every time you touch the screen) and the menu in the bottom right, (which has exit full screen anyway) and left the other stuff to be checked at the users discretion, It might make for an easier transition for someone to start using fbreader optimized for the n900. Just a thought, I guess it would also probably need (I know you are not hot on adding to the menu) a link to open up preferences from the menu.

Just my one and a half cents, I do think the optimizations are kind of scattered throughout the preferences as it is, and a reasonable set of defaults for full screen optimization could help. after that If a user could not figure out using it after clicking on the menu icon, they probably would not be a n900 user anyway...along those lines, upon first installing it could even ask the question "optimize for full screen use?" and let the user click yes or no...

Basically what I am saying is I don't think fbreader is optimized in its default configuration for the n900 and simply having it open your book in full screen with a menu option that gives access to all important navigation plus the overall preferences might make it easier for a new user (now I am ducking as I am sure you are sick of all my suggestions)...

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Last edited by extendedping; 2010-11-19 at 17:23.

extendedping | # 329 | 2010-11-19, 17:28 | Report

I see every time you expand in network library (drill down) the books move further to the right, as it is now drilling down to a book in smashwords, you can't read the full book title...

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Last edited by extendedping; 2010-11-19 at 17:38.

gsever | # 330 | 2010-11-19, 17:30 | Report

With the latest update and patches applied, I can confirm that MStarDict is auto-started and auto-focused, however it lists the possible words in the dictionaries. It would be nice to get the word definition for the first listed word in the list. After switching into FBreader and tapping another word (I set single-click for dict setting) it focuses onto Mstartdict but showing the previous word. It requires one more back tap to get the updated word lists. This also would be nice to directly giving me the first possible word definition.

Unlike MStarDict, QStarDict doesn't auto-start if an instance isn't launched. Q doesn't auto-focus the window either, but shows the definition instantly instead of asking me to choose one. So my vote goes to MStarDict, unless you improve auto-focus and auto-start option for QStarDict.