Related
Recently after my SD card somehow killed itself after installing the ManualNooter thing for the 1.2 update (I really don't think it was their fault, by the way) I decided to just take the plunge and start using CM 7 on a regular basis (in other words, heck with dealing with the B and N updates). Very impressive by the way, it's much more stable for me than it was when I first tried it shortly after it was released.
Anyway, I was wondering if anyone had ever had a book that worked fine on the stock Nook Color software not work with the Nook for Android marketplace app? It's the weirdest thing. It downloads fine (as do all my books) but just won't load. All my other books work. If anyone has any ideas, please share them, it's driving me crazy. I've tried everything I can think of (reinstaling app, logging out and back in, deleting the book completely and redownloading...) short of trying another SD card, since I don't have spare at the moment.
It's a complete collection of Sherlock Holmes, by the way. Great stuff.
I found a solution! I'm going to share it here in case anyone else runs into this problem with a book. What I ended up doing was decrypting the book and then copying it to the My Documents folder within the Nook folder, it worked after that (although that begs the question "Why on earth didn't it work in the first place?"). I kind of think we aren't allowed to link to such things so I won't, but I did a quick search and found an absurdly easy to use suite of tools for decrypting eBooks one has purchased from various sellers.
Alright, not to bump my own topic, but this information is somewhat related. I keep seeing people say that Magazine Subscriptions don't work on the Market reader. While this is true in that you can't make them, or download the magazines, I've found that I can use the website to manage/download the magazines (well, that and subscribe to things), and they work perfectly fine if I then copy them into the documents folder within the Nook folder on my SD card. It's less convenient, but there you have it. Why they don't just add full magazine support in I'm not sure.
Just a tip. My next step after 'fixing' the previous book was to see if my magazines worked.
9thSage said:
Alright, not to bump my own topic, but this information is somewhat related. I keep seeing people say that Magazine Subscriptions don't work on the Market reader. While this is true in that you can't make them, or download the magazines, I've found that I can use the website to manage/download the magazines, and they work perfectly fine if I then copy them into the documents folder within the Nook folder on my SD card. It's less convenient, but there you have it. Why they don't just add full magazine support in I'm not sure.
Just a tip. My next step after 'fixing' the previous book was to see if my magazines worked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you saying that B&N Magazine Subscriptions can be used with the Android Nook app under CM7?
Can you link to where you download magazines? What file type does it download as?
Another problem with the B&N Android app is that you don't see the book cover for all the sideloaded books in the MY Documents folder. It shows up just fine on the stock reader.
Anyway, I've given up on the B&N market app. Started using Moon reader and Aldiko.
imjimmy said:
Another problem with the B&N Android app is that you don't see the book cover for all the sideloaded books in the MY Documents folder. It shows up just fine on the stock reader.
Anyway, I've given up on the B&N market app. Started using Moon reader and Aldiko.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Aye, same. I've purchased Moon+ for the Text-to-Speech capabilities but still looking for a way to get my GF's magazines working on her NC with minimal hassle.
Paul22000 said:
Are you saying that B&N Magazine Subscriptions can be used with the Android Nook app under CM7?
Can you link to where you download magazines? What file type does it download as?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, if you sign into your account on the Barnes and Noble website, you can go to the newsstand to subscribe/unsubscribe to magazines and what have you (since you can't on the app itself). If you go to your Library when logged in, you'll see all your books. You have to click on the Magazines heading on that bar on the left there to see them (This link should take you there). You should see a download button for the current issue as well as a recent issues thing you can click on to get past issues you've received.
As for your second question, it's an ePub, though as a sidenote the DRM is different than what's used on the regular books apparently (or at least SOMETHING is different). Still works when read in the Market B&N app though (it HAS to be in the My Documents folder. Won't show up otherwise, in my experience). It is true that you won't see the cover, but to me that's a minor annoyance compared to it not working at all.
9thSage said:
Well, if you sign into your account on the Barnes and Noble website, you can go to the newsstand to subscribe/unsubscribe to magazines and what have you (since you can't on the app itself). If you go to your Library when logged in, you'll see all your books. You have to click on the Magazines heading on that bar on the left there to see them (This link should take you there). You should see a download button for the current issue as well as a recent issues thing you can click on to get past issues you've received.
As for your second question, it's an ePub, though as a sidenote the DRM is different than what's used on the regular books apparently (or at least SOMETHING is different). Still works when read in the Market B&N app though (it HAS to be in the My Documents folder. Won't show up otherwise, in my experience). It is true that you won't see the cover, but to me that's a minor annoyance compared to it not working at all.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I must be missing something. I subscribed to a Nook magazine on the B&N website from my PC, but it won't let me download it to my PC. I don't see any link from the nook app to magazines. What am I doing wrong?
richard98 said:
I must be missing something. I subscribed to a Nook magazine on the B&N website from my PC, but it won't let me download it to my PC. I don't see any link from the nook app to magazines. What am I doing wrong?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's not in the magazine section of your Library on the Barnes and Noble website? Also, you won't see a link in the Nook app itself for magazines. After I got it from the website I had to copy it to the appropriate folder on the SD card (as said about "Nook/My Documents"). Also, make sure you refresh on the first screen of the Nook app in order to get it to see them. Sometimes it takes a second.
*edit*
Another way you can do it is to use the PC Nook program to download it (since it supports magazines). After you download the magazines in that case, you'll find them in your Documents folder, in "My Barnes & Noble eBooks\[email protected]"
9thSage said:
It's not in the magazine section of your Library on the Barnes and Noble website? Also, you won't see a link in the Nook app itself for magazines. After I got it from the website I had to copy it to the appropriate folder on the SD card (as said about "Nook/My Documents").
*edit*
Another way you can do it is to use the PC Nook program to download it (since it supports magazines). After you download the books in that case, you'll find them in your Documents folder, in "My Barnes & Noble eBooks\[email protected]"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How do I download it from the website to my PC? When I click on the download link from my PC from either Firefox or IE, I get "Technical DifficultyWe are sorry. This item is not yet supported on this device.". I also tried using the NOOK app on my PC. No go for me
richard98 said:
How do I download it from the website to my PC? When I click on the download link from my PC from either Firefox or IE, I get "Technical DifficultyWe are sorry. This item is not yet supported on this device.". I also tried using the NOOK app on my PC. No go for me
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Aaaaaah...apparently some subscriptions are Nook Color only, some aren't. I apologize, I only just now realized this. I tried a trial subscription of PC Gamer and it did what you described...on the page for that magazine it says Nook Color under the "Read exclusively on this..." blah blah line on the page. The only subscription I tried ("Asimov's Science Fiction") is available on PC and everything else.
I'd guess that if you downloaded it with the stock Nook software you could copy it off and then read it on the marketplace app, but that doesn't do a fat lot of good I suppose. Sadly it looks like a bunch of them ARE Nook Color exclusive. I guess I just lucked out...sorry to get everyone excited. It's too bad there's probably no way to spoof yourself as a Nook Color.
9thSage said:
Aaaaaah...apparently some subscriptions are Nook Color only, some aren't. I apologize, I only just now realized this. I tried a trial subscription of PC Gamer and it did what you described...on the page for that magazine it says Nook Color under the "Read exclusively on this..." blah blah line on the page. The only subscription I tried ("Asimov's Science Fiction") is available on PC and everything else.
I'd guess that if you downloaded it with the stock Nook software you could copy it off and then read it on the marketplace app, but that doesn't do a fat lot of good I suppose. Sadly it looks like a bunch of them ARE Nook Color exclusive. I guess I just lucked out...sorry to get everyone excited. It's too bad there's probably no way to spoof yourself as a Nook Color.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nice try though. Maybe I will try one of the regular b&n magazines
richard98 said:
Nice try though. Maybe I will try one of the regular b&n magazines
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
At the very least it seems all of the newspapers are enabled for everything (the 4 or 5 I checked anyway).
9thSage said:
At the very least it seems all of the newspapers are enabled for everything (the 4 or 5 I checked anyway).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tried the NYT and that one didn't work. I guess there is no way to tell which ones work until after you purchase them?
richard98 said:
I tried the NYT and that one didn't work. I guess there is no way to tell which ones work until after you purchase them?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, if you click on the name of the magazine/newspaper it will say part way down the page. When I said "tried" I should have said "looked at on the webpage". You might have to click on it, the thing that says something like "Read Exclusively on these apps and devices:" in the little informational section next to the picture.
This is unfortunate that only some newspapers work and others don't. Chicago Tribune is available on nook for android but my WSJ is not. Gonna have to keep my dual boot BN1.2 stock and CM7/2.3 and flip back and forth. Arghhh!
Hi,
I published a BETA of my new ebook reader, Bookviser. If you want to test it, please email me your Live ID associated with your Windows Phone 7 device, I will add you to the beta testers list and send you the Marketplace download link. My email is [email protected]
Bookviser can read EPUB, FB2 and TXT files. You can download books using incorporated Feedbook search or upload books from your computer.
Thank you.
Alex
Ebook readers without OPDS support are nonsense today. Also, you don't support hyphenation (especially for Russian), don't you?
New ebook reader app may have some sense, if you (at least!) implement all functionality of Jim Chapman's "Freda" ebook reader...
sensboston said:
Ebook readers without OPDS support are nonsense today. Also, you don't support hyphenation (especially for Russian), don't you?
New ebook reader app may have some sense, if you (at least!) implement all functionality of Jim Chapman's "Freda" ebook reader...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for your comment . Honestly I did not think about OPDS support, but will add it for sure.
As to hyphenation, it was planned and will be added in new versions as well. This is only the beginning. I just decided to publish a version with basic features first and then add new one by one.
If there is dropbox support, that's enough for me.
UI looks way better than freda.
Also, single book pinning to start screen is a must.
Just used the app for some time. UI is smooth and beautiful. Page transition is smooth too.
Sent from my SGH-i917 using XDA Windows Phone 7 App
What about navigation and font sizes ?
help
I am trying to use bookviser and even downloaded the sync tool, there is no confirmation it is uploaded, can't view online library. And it appears to be available to download on my device but then it errors out am I doing something wrong, epub is about 170mb
sp_sheffield said:
What about navigation and font sizes ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The font sizes are going from 25 to 40, but I will add smaller sizes by the time of release.
What do you mean by navigation?
Loving this app, just what I needed.
The "goto page" is great, nice interface, smooth page flip. Once you get the skydrive support working (or do folders/management of Bookviser account storage) this thing will be top shelf!
Looking good! Serious alternative to Freda and Raccoon. But please add DropBox support! All my books are there.
I think there's a bug somewhere. When I try to open a book in epub, downloaded from net, 1.74 mb of space, the app crashes. And also, a dropbox support would be great. In rest, if dropbox will be added, I will uninstall FREDA and never even try other ebook reader. Cross my heart. Cheers and great work
shtresatu said:
... I will uninstall FREDA and never even try other ebook reader. Cross my heart. ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well I hope you'd at least take a look at the new Freda update (2.5) and send me feedback about how you'd like it to be improved
still needs settings for line spacing to be usable
Hi everyone
is there a way to get calibre to recognise the nexus 7 without having to root it?? I have read all the instructions on FAQ and Im having no luck!
HELP!
aussieangel84 said:
Hi everyone
is there a way to get calibre to recognise the nexus 7 without having to root it?? I have read all the instructions on FAQ and Im having no luck!
HELP!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What's calibre?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2
Its an ebook reader manager program
I use Mantano Reader (the only one I found that actually renders books properly - the rest are all trash) and setup its feed to read Calibre's OPDS catalog, then download epubs over Wifi. Simply go to 'My bookstores' and click the icon on the right under 'My feeds' to add a new feed. Give it a name, then type in
Code:
<ip address of PC on your LAN>:8080/opds
as the url. Go to Calibre's preferences and click 'Sharing over the net', then 'Start Server' and boom you can browse your entire Calibre catalog on your Nexus 7, ordered any way you like (Author, title, series, tags, etc) - no need to plug it in and sync.
Other ereader programs like Moon+ Reader, Aldiko and FBReader will also support opds.
I just output my epubs to disk (harddrive) and copy them to the Nexus 7. It'd be nice if calibre supported MTP or made it easier.
I have my calibre attach to my drop box, since books don't take up a lot of storage space. Epub format ONLY. I just download book i read with drop box. incase you didnt wanna load all your books.
mwalt2 said:
I just output my epubs to disk (harddrive) and copy them to the Nexus 7. It'd be nice if calibre supported MTP or made it easier.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is what I do. I had a mare trying to get Calibre to recognise my Nexi. Two days I tried for. If anyone manages it please post here. The next joy was trying to get Aldiko to display my book covers.
I just use the web interface (OPDS) with any relevant eReader (Moon+ and FBReader both work fine with it). That works just fine.
aussieangel84 said:
Hi everyone
is there a way to get calibre to recognise the nexus 7 without having to root it?? I have read all the instructions on FAQ and Im having no luck!
HELP!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've just changed my copy of Calibre from a Sony ereader to a smartphone and it works. Are you sure your USB drivers are installed and working? - If you open Windows Explorer you should see "Nexus" in the same section as your hard drives, cd etc.and if you click on Nexus you should see Internal Memory and clicking again shows the folders you can access.
For the official USB drivers go to http://support.asus.com/Download.aspx?SLanguage=en&m=Nexus%207&p=20&s=16
midnkight said:
I have my calibre attach to my drop box, since books don't take up a lot of storage space. Epub format ONLY. I just download book i read with drop box. incase you didnt wanna load all your books.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Me too! Works pretty well. No real time sync, if you change alot of info for each book. But for the most part I do not.
What not just get the calibre android app?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium HD app
charlesky said:
I use Mantano Reader (the only one I found that actually renders books properly - the rest are all trash) and setup its feed to read Calibre's OPDS catalog, then download epubs over Wifi. Simply go to 'My bookstores' and click the icon on the right under 'My feeds' to add a new feed. Give it a name, then type in
Code:
<ip address of PC on your LAN>:8080/opds
as the url. Go to Calibre's preferences and click 'Sharing over the net', then 'Start Server' and boom you can browse your entire Calibre catalog on your Nexus 7, ordered any way you like (Author, title, series, tags, etc) - no need to plug it in and sync.
Other ereader programs like Moon+ Reader, Aldiko and FBReader will also support opds.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have been having the same problem with my Nexus 7. My solution was to export my epub ebooks from Dropbox to the B&N Nook android app.
It works one book at a time but is kind of cludgy plus it requires the extra step of putting epubs in Dropbox. Your solution is much slicker. I tried it with the free version of Mantano. I plan to upgrade to the premium version. Thanks for providing a nice solution. :victory:
aussieangel84 said:
Hi everyone
is there a way to get calibre to recognise the nexus 7 without having to root it?? I have read all the instructions on FAQ and Im having no luck!
HELP!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Calibre does not support MTP and will only sync to devces that mount as 'usb storage' - i.e., not Nexus devices...from what i've read the developer doesn't plan on changing this
if you have a large library copy all your books to a folder on your N7, then use your N7's ereader app to import the books...after the initial set up new books would need to be added one by one...if you rely on tags and don't want your tags messed with, do NOT use Aldiko...i tested most ereader apps some time ago and Mantano and Moon+ were the only ones which read calibre tags properly and did not add anything...i stuck with Moon+ as it can sync my reading status across multiple books (syncs to Dropbox) so no matter which device i open a book with i can go to the last page read
also, as an alternative to the previously mentioned opds setup which is only accessible if you are on your home wifi, if you want to view your library from any browser and download to your device wherever you have an internet connection (or just share your library with your mates), you can set up a No-IP account...with that, the No-IP DUC client, your Calibre library located within a public folder in Dropox, you can host your own books as a 'net library' directly accessible from within Moon+ as well as via a standard url (eg, http://name.no-ip.org:1234)...this setup is simply PERFECTION!
http://www.no-ip.com/
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/combine-dropbox-calibre-universal-access-ebooks/
n7of9 said:
you can host your own books as a 'net library'
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Something to be careful about: Looks like Dropbox is getting pissy about publicly-accessible libraries. So if you do this, don't go telling people about it.
charlesky said:
Something to be careful about: Looks like Dropbox is getting pissy about publicly-accessible libraries. So if you do this, don't go telling people about it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i don't use calibre2opds, but besides that it's not dropbox getting pissy, it's the user getting busted
n7of9 said:
if you want to view your library from any browser and download to your device wherever you have an internet connection (or just share your library with your mates)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
n7of9 said:
i don't use calibre2opds, but besides that it's not dropbox getting pissy, it's the user getting busted
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Chances of that depend on how many mates you have, I suppose... Calibre2opds's html layer does increase the visibility, but it's pretty trivial these days to do a blind scan for open opds catalogs. You just need to be aware of the dangers.
Thanks For the tips everyone. Will give it another go tonight. I have moon+pro
peterk-1 said:
I've just changed my copy of Calibre from a Sony ereader to a smartphone and it works. Are you sure your USB drivers are installed and working? - If you open Windows Explorer you should see "Nexus" in the same section as your hard drives, cd etc.and if you click on Nexus you should see Internal Memory and clicking again shows the folders you can access.
For the official USB drivers go to http://support.asus.com/Download.aspx?SLanguage=en&m=Nexus%207&p=20&s=16
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Tried this, no go for me. USB stuff def working
charlesky said:
Something to be careful about: Looks like Dropbox is getting pissy about publicly-accessible libraries. So if you do this, don't go telling people about it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I noticed in this article, he says to use a NAS....we have this...what do I need to do to use this option?
FYI all
http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=185620
Two apps that I use on my NST (glowlight) are AlReader and RelaunchX, for which there are still relatively recent apk's to be found. I haven't seen them mentioned here a lot, so here's the link to the latest Alreader that still works on Android 2.1 (hard to find if you don't speak Russian):
http://4pda.ru/pages/go/?u=http://a...340035&usg=ALkJrhhH03h-JtOUNtSq7Dy0YRE5zt-deQ
And here's ReLaunchX, a fork of ReLaunch:
https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.gacode.relaunchx/
I just fixed my Nook after it stopped working with the 1.2.2 update that I hadn't installed yet, so I'm updating it with some recent apps that still work on it.
Sent from my BLA-L09 using Tapatalk
STEELBAS said:
Two apps that I use on my NST (glowlight) are AlReader and RelaunchX, for which there are still relatively recent apk's to be found. I haven't seen them mentioned here a lot, so here's the link to the latest Alreader that still works on Android 2.1 (hard to find if you don't speak Russian):
http://4pda.ru/pages/go/?u=http://a...340035&usg=ALkJrhhH03h-JtOUNtSq7Dy0YRE5zt-deQ
And here's ReLaunchX, a fork of ReLaunch:
https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.gacode.relaunchx/
I just fixed my Nook after it stopped working with the 1.2.2 update that I hadn't installed yet, so I'm updating it with some recent apps that still work on it.
Sent from my BLA-L09 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is also an English version of the Alreader website with app downloads: http://www.alreader.com/?lang=en
nmyshkin said:
There is also an English version of the Alreader website with app downloads: http://www.alreader.com/?lang=en
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's true, but despite what it says there, the version up for download there is not actually compatible with Android 2.1. I had to use Google translate on their support forum to find the above version.
Sent from my BLA-L09 using Tapatalk
STEELBAS said:
That's true, but despite what it says there, the version up for download there is not actually compatible with Android 2.1. I had to use Google translate on their support forum to find the above version.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, you are correct. I've been trying out v. 1.7.7, which is that same as in your link.
I like it a lot except for two minor issues: the TTS does not work (a very minor issue) on the NST, although if you install the app on another device with native audio support it does work properly, and (more significantly for me), there is no way to address the Library directly. Unlike the author of FBReader, this author has made all of the various activities private so there is no way of accessing them from outside the app. I've been looking at the Android Manifest in the decompiled app, trying to decide if this can be "fixed". I've seen references to dealing with this issue before but now when I want then I can't locate them
nmyshkin said:
Yes, you are correct. I've been trying out v. 1.7.7, which is that same as in your link.
I like it a lot except for two minor issues: the TTS does not work (a very minor issue) on the NST, although if you install the app on another device with native audio support it does work properly, and (more significantly for me), there is no way to address the Library directly. Unlike the author of FBReader, this author has made all of the various activities private so there is no way of accessing them from outside the app. I've been looking at the Android Manifest in the decompiled app, trying to decide if this can be "fixed". I've seen references to dealing with this issue before but now when I want then I can't locate them
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah, yes... Well, I would never use the NST for TTS, so that's no problem for me. As for the library... I take it you mean in the underlying code? Out of interest: what would you use it for? I basically use ReLaunchX to locate the book I want (in my own directory-based library) and open it with Alreader.
The one thing I wish Alreader would provide, myself, is a cover image of the current book to use as a screensaver on the Nook. But that's a minor issue.
STEELBAS said:
Ah, yes... Well, I would never use the NST for TTS, so that's no problem for me. As for the library... I take it you mean in the underlying code? Out of interest: what would you use it for? I basically use ReLaunchX to locate the book I want (in my own directory-based library) and open it with Alreader.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have to confess that I hate Relaunch. I use a more traditional Android structure, including ES File Explorer, but that's not a nice way to browse for books. On two devices I have the B&N system and on one for experimentation I have removed all that and am trying out different readers. I miss the Library.
The one thing I wish Alreader would provide, myself, is a cover image of the current book to use as a screensaver on the Nook. But that's a minor issue.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah, but it does! Take a look in /media/screensavers and you will discover that it has created a new folder and there is a cover image there for the book you are currently reading. All you need to do is select that folder from the NST Settings app.
nmyshkin said:
I have to confess that I hate Relaunch. I use a more traditional Android structure, including ES File Explorer, but that's not a nice way to browse for books. On two devices I have the B&N system and on one for experimentation I have removed all that and am trying out different readers. I miss the Library.
Ah, but it does! Take a look in /media/screensavers and you will discover that it has created a new folder and there is a cover image there for the book you are currently reading. All you need to do is select that folder from the NST Settings app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Aaaaah. Here I was looking all over for that folder, but for the place where you'd expect it. Well. Great, then.
I never really used the B&N Library app in the first place, I always immediately rooted my Nook and browsed for books in the directory structure, so that helps... Also my meta-data is always a mess so using a real library app wouldn't really work well for me, anyway.
STEELBAS said:
Two apps that I use on my NST (glowlight) are AlReader and RelaunchX.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You probably have more experience with AlReader than I do so I thought I'd pose a question which I have not been able to answer.
Is there a way to center the page number in the status bar? I don't have any of the other stuff showing in the status bar but I do want to see the page number, even in full screen. What I don't like is to see it floating at some small indentation from the left margin. You can center the title/author in the Header (which I do not have visible in full screen), but why not the page number? I think the answer is perhaps that the developer wanted to cram in all the other possibilities in the status bar and so each has a certain space allotted to it. I hope not.
I've pored through the settings xml file for AlReader but I can't make sense of much of it. Too many obscure abbreviations. I can't even find the line for centering the title/author in the Header.
Any ideas?
Edit: I made a tiny bit of headway, identifying variables in the xml file that control some aspects of the header and footer. However, as sometimes happens with these files, when you make a change and save the file, the values have reverted back if you return for another look. I'm assuming that the master data must be held in a database so I'll look at that tomorrow.
Edit-Edit: Nope, nope and nope. The databases are all about books. So the values are hidden in the app itself (library files or jars perhaps, who knows?). I spent way too much time squinting at the smali files from the decompiled app but it's just all so much mush to me. Not even a hint that resembles English as to how items are positioned. It's a pity that one of the choices in the Header was not "page". If that were true I'd switch the Header with the Status bar and the problem would be solved. The "page number/chapter" I find useless. Oh well....nothing is perfect.
External library app
I have a ton of bookmarks for NST/G stuff that I was reorganizing this morning and in the process came across this app: https://forum.xda-developers.com/nook-touch/themes-apps/library-app-t2823169
I haven't put it through the wringer yet, so to speak, but it looks reasonably good and books open in whatever the default reader is. If it's reliably functional it may serve as a general library app for whatever reader one chooses. Perhaps worth a look.
I'm trying to install v1.77 on NSTG 1.2.2 but I got error: Parse Error
try the
mrhamed said:
I'm trying to install v1.77 on NSTG 1.2.2 but I got error: Parse Error
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try the attached. It works for me.
Edit 1-8-23: I've updated the Mantano apk file. Seems there were still some issues with the aspect ratio of the default.png (book cover) image. Fixed now at 1.5!
I keep my NSTG on FW 1.2.1 because there are issues with Tasker and plugins on FW 1.2.2. The resulting apps are OK, but development is a problem unless I do it on FW 1.2.1. So that one device has B&N apps removed. AlReader has been my go-to reader app. Until now.
While working on some thorny issues with a Tasker app update I came across a book I wanted to read. Unfortunately it was only available in PDF format and AlReader can't handle that. I soon found that something like EBookDroid really couldn't deal well with a PDF file that begged for text reflow (problematic as that is). I wanted something that was at least as good as the stock reader. I could have just picked up one of my other NSTs and read the book that way, but when you abandon the B&N system you should at least break even, not lose. So I went searching through the forum for some ideas.
Mantano Reader caught my interest. Not only can it reflow PDF text (pretty much like the stock reader-don't get too excited), it can also display PDFs as a continuous scroll, with zoom. It can handle Adobe DRM books! And the TTS works (not a big deal). So I looked around and started with version 2.2.12 from Apkpure. This is the last version for Android 2.1. I found that full-screen reading was broken in this version and I couldn't see why, so I worked my way back until it wasn't broken. That was version 2.2.3.
Not for everyone
Those are some of Mantano's virtues, but it's not for everyone. I think it's chief drawback is the absence of full font support. There is only the default (admittedly not bad) and although there is provision for user fonts, there are issues. More on that later. Then there is the really tiny user interface. The colors render somewhat muddy on the NST also. Those are really tough issues to address, certainly beyond my pay grade. Also, none of the syncing, cloud, downloading of dictionaries, OPDS books, fulfilling of .acsm files, additional fonts, user manuals, etc., works. Can't be fixed. I looked. Finally, the reader options are pretty simple, about what is available for the stock reader (except for fonts). So if you like the hundreds of setting combinations in something like AlReader or FB Reader, this app is not for you. If you want something straightforward so you can just read a book without all the B&N hoopla, Mantano may be worth a look.
Mods
When I started getting serious about this I decided to try to learn by doing. My goal was to remove (or at least hide/disable) stuff that did not work. Almost all of my modifications were in the resources folder of the apk file. There was also one annoying issue with the aspect ratio of book covers that required a minor change in two smali files (thanks to @Renate). Here's a short list:
1. Removed Bookstore (OPDS) tab on home screen (formerly "My Catalogs" as described in User Guide)
2. Removed menu icons for sync and cloud
3. Disabled sections in Settings that don't work (Login, Sync, Dictionary download, Fonts, User Manual download)
4. Corrected font colors in some local dialogs so text is visible
5. Made the page number black, smaller, and with a transparent background for less visual distraction
Also, there were a few dialogs with invisible text that used the system framework to generate the window. The only way to fix this was to make a few very minor changes in framework-res.apk. This worked well and even helped with a few other apps that formerly had invisible text. A win-win. You can update your framework-res.apk using the CWM zip provided below. Despite its filename, it is not an "update" zip. You'll just be installing a zip file with CWM.
Making do
Overdrive Library epubs: No app will be able to fulfill .acsm files on the NST/G. The SSL is just not up to it. So there's no point in registering the device with Adobe. That just wastes one of your allowed devices and so I disabled that first Settings selection. However, the app can read Adobe DRM books, understands due-dates, etc. You just need to introduce your device to ADE running on your PC (ver. 3.0 works well for me on Windows) and transfer fulfilled books from there, just as you would with the stock reader.
Fonts: You can, in theory, supply your own TrueType fonts and place them in /sdcard/Mantano/fonts. When a book is opened, the lower menu options include "Themes". This odd term is for adjusting the appearance of the book (fonts, margins, justification, line spacing, colors). You can make a new theme or edit the default one. Either way, you will get to select a font. You will see the font you added in the folder (you can copy any font you like from /system/fonts or from anywhere else). The problem is that Mantano has no way to deal with font families. For example, I prefer Malabar. Of course, there is the base font, the bold instance, italic, bold italic. Mantano makes you choose one of these. Clearly you choose the base font (no need to copy over the others). If there are italics or bold type in a book, the reader uses the default font. This would not be such an issue for small sections of emphasized text, but the font scales are not the same. Malabar is larger than the default font. So any italics is obviously smaller. I tried a software package for scaling the font but it just turned it into rubbish. I am learning to like the default font. This issue was fixed in version 2.4.6, based on what I've read. But that won't run on the NST, of course.
Dictionaries: The reader has the ability to go out to find definitions on the WWW. Big pain. Although you can't download any dictionaries from within the app, Mantano does play nicely with ColorDict and there are plenty of dictionary options for that. Easy fix.
User Guide: I poked around and found a guide labeled "Version 2.1". That was the best I could do. It seems pretty close, although what was the "Bookstore" tab in this version (which I have removed) is referred to as "My Catalogs" in the manual. Either way, it's non-functional and gone. The same goes for references to cloud, accounts and sync. None of it works and all of it has either been removed from view or disabled in this mod.
Extras
Unlike AlReader and FB Reader, Mantano's main activity is the library view. That means there is no simple way to use the "reading now" status bar button to go directly to your current book.
I also like to be able to use the current book cover as a screensaver. AlReader and CoolReader both have this capability. Mantano does not, but it does create thumbnails for each book (if you let it) and one of those is screensaver size (default.png). For some unknown reason, all the thumbnails of various sizes for display in the library have the correct aspect ratio except for default.png. I fixed this in the app with a view to using it as a screensaver image.
To address these issues, I have used Tasker to create two small apps. Mantano_Extras1 enables a listener for when the reader is closed (either by two presses of the back button or simply by pressing the "n" button). When that happens, the Mantano database is queried for the last reading point/book. This is stored in a variable. Accessing Mantano_Extras1 after setup sends a command to open that file. If Mantano is your default app for epubs and/or pdfs, the book will open automatically to the right place without passing through the library. Thus assigning Mantano_Extras1 to the "reading now" button with NookTouch ModManager restores the function of that button.
Mantano_Extras2 does everything described above. During setup it also creates the folder /media/screensavers/CurrentBookCover. When the reader is exited and the database information stored in a variable, it copies the default.png for the current book to that folder. If you select that folder in your NST Settings app for the screensaver, the current cover will be displayed during sleep.
I should add that both apps check to see if the current book has changed before they do anything. If there is no change, they simply stop.
As these are Tasker-generated apps (but don't require Tasker to run), they have a dependency on two small library files. If you don't have one of my other Tasker apps already, you need to copy the two files in the zip as below:
/system/etc/permissions/com.google.android.maps.xml
/system/framework/com.google.android.maps.jar
Set permissions for both files to rw-r--r-- and reboot. Without these files resident, the app will not install.
The apps also use sqlite3 and busybox. If you rooted with NookManager you already have busybox. A few other special packages probably include it. If you have it, you will find it in /system/xbin. If it's not there, copy the file from the zip to that location and set permissions to rwx-rwx-rwx.
If you don't already have sqlite3, move the file from the zip to /system/bin and set the permissions to rwx r-x r-x.
When you have prepared the way, reboot and then install whichever of the two "Extras" apps you want. When you first tap on the app icon there will be a pause while things are set up and then a request for root access. Once that's done they are good to go. Use NTMM to assign the app to the "reading now" status bar button and set your screensaver directory to "CurrentBookCover" (if you installed Mantano_Extras2).
This is nice work. I have heard good thing about Mantano reader before. I believe it still exists although under new name I think. Its sad that you had to remove app options to make it work on NST. Still I am glad that you make some improvement that could if exploited properly make this device better than before. I believe that solving invisible text message is best of what you did and if understood properly can make number of apps that had this problem before usable again for this device. I would not dismiss even TTS working as I remember that someone tried to implement that on NST before yet I do not remember it was solved. So if it work out of box with Mantano reader it might be prudent to see what makes it work if it is fine TTS not some hardly intelligible sound generator. This options you removed how did you confirmed that they are not working? For cloud I believe it was NST lockout and now enforced TLS1.2 it can not reach that gives you hard time. Yet for syncing it is little harder to understand. For the rest like OPDS and such I guess my knowledge is not sufficient to guess how that even work so if you know more than me I am more than ready to listen.
SJT75 said:
I believe it still exists although under new name I think.
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Now Bookari.
SJT75 said:
Its sad that you had to remove app options to make it work on NST.
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I didn't so much remove options to make it work. It worked as-is, but not the login/download components, and they are not necessary for the reading functions.
SJT75 said:
I believe that solving invisible text message is best of what you did and if understood properly can make number of apps that had this problem before usable again for this device
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It's possible. I noticed improvement in dialog boxes for ES File Explorer. But there are other types of dialog boxes and I only dealt with what was needed for this app. Spillover is a gift.
SJT75 said:
I would not dismiss even TTS working as I remember that someone tried to implement that on NST before yet I do not remember it was solved. So if it work out of box with Mantano reader it might be prudent to see what makes it work if it is fine TTS not some hardly intelligible sound generator.
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Well, that could have been me. Pico TTS (if not removed) always worked on the NST if you downloaded some voices. I have a post about this somewhere with links. But the quality is really wretched. I looked at this further awhile back and found that Google TTS began with Android 2.2 (of course). There is a "bridge" system involving a custom settings app but each application must include this custom code to work. I did a MOD for AlReader to enable this, but it's not easy and would be (nearly) impossible for Mantano as very few of the smali files have descriptive names. Most are just "a.smali, b.smali", etc. So it's really difficult to track down what you want.
SJT75 said:
This options you removed how did you confirmed that they are not working? For cloud I believe it was NST lockout and now enforced TLS1.2 it can not reach that gives you hard time. Yet for syncing it is little harder to understand. For the rest like OPDS and such I guess my knowledge is not sufficient to guess how that even work so if you know more than me I am more than ready to listen.
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It's not all SSL. Or it may be that also. The URLs in the apk file don't go anywhere, even on my PC browser. So far I've gotten up to version 4.5 and still no working URLs. Perhaps when Bookari emerged as the name the old URLs were abandoned and the old Mantano apps became crippled in this way.
Thanks nmyshkin you clarified some things. I agree that change to new platform and abandoning the URL domain for cloud use could be cause for that option not functioning anymore. Yet unless the syncing have not be performed through a same route (login account on the same domain) sync should function fine from one device to another for example. About the rest you are correct I have come to a same conclusion that even slight upgrade of Android on this device would make vast improvement in options available to exploit. Sadly B&N did not go that way. I will look upon PicoTTS to see if something about the way it actually work can be understood to evaluate if it is worth the effort or it maybe can be discarded as irrelevant for this device.
Just crossed my mind... nmyshkin did you tried to hunt down inside apk file exact spot where that URL is written/coded and change it to something else like IP address of your computer/drive/*/*/sync folder ?
SJT75 said:
Just crossed my mind... nmyshkin did you tried to hunt down inside apk file exact spot where that URL is written/coded and change it to something else like IP address of your computer/drive/*/*/sync folder ?
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No, it didn't occur to me. I only read on one device so that's not the kind of thing that interests me. Also, I just transfer books over from my PC to the Nook when I get them, usually via FTP.
I did see cloud, sync, etc., URLs but I suspect that just changing them would not produce the capability you seem to be hinting at. It's likely a lot more complicated than that. It seems to me that syncing implies active communications from both ends. Teaching your PC to respond to the overtures of the Nook would be a whole other rats nest.
You are correct. Using URLs to connect to PC is not safe. Therefore some home workgroup network or SFTP access are more reasonable way. Maybe if you change cloud sink URL to Dropbox folder you get something?
SJT75 said:
You are correct. Using URLs to connect to PC is not safe. Therefore some home workgroup network or SFTP access are more reasonable way. Maybe if you change cloud sink URL to Dropbox folder you get something?
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I don't think so. The app innards were designed for negotiating with certain remote servers and expect a certain dialog. Just changing the URL doesn't address these issues. Using Dropbox as an example, there are login credentials to be supplied and other issues to be addressed before files can be freely moved in either direction.
Well yes unless dropbox folder is public shared one what I wrote will not work. What if you link sync/cloud to internal folders on device inside Dropbox application that also initiate script written to execute Dropbox synchronization? Then login credentials would come from Dropbox app I think.
SJT75 said:
Well yes unless dropbox folder is public shared one what I wrote will not work. What if you link sync/cloud to internal folders on device inside Dropbox application that also initiate script written to execute Dropbox synchronization? Then login credentials would come from Dropbox app I think.
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1. I am not a Java programmer. What you are suggesting is going to require significant changes in the app. It's not in the same league as the modifications I made.
2. I have no interest in the feature. People who must have synchronization with myriad other devices would be better served by selecting an app that currently has this feature working (like FB Reader).
3. If someone who is a Java programmer and is interested in this feature wants to take a crack at it, more power to them. I personally think it's a dead end. Just about the time you get it figured out, Dropbox will no longer work on the NST. Any modification that relies on exchange with an external commercial server has a built-in self-destruct timer, just waiting for tightening external server access rules. It's over for Android 2.1.
nmyshkin said:
Just about the time you get it figured out, Dropbox will no longer work on the NST. Any modification that relies on exchange with an external commercial server has a built-in self-destruct timer, just waiting for tightening external server access rules. It's over for Android 2.1.
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Amen to that. Making NST more cooperative with Calibre is much better option anyway. Commercial server could be also a trap. There was an outcry when Remarkable for example started charging access to their services out of blue and without warning.