yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Windows Phone 7 Apps and Games] sensboston:
Jim, I have a feature request: could you please extend css support for epubs? At least for font size and kind (bold, italic).

For some books (for example, "iWoz" by Steve Wozniak) css styles are very important (Steve's book have some insertion texts inside main story)
[Windows Phone 7 Apps and Games] Jim Chapman:
Could you email me the ePub file you're using please, so I can look into this.

Freda does already support CSS styles, though incompletely; for details see the "Known Limitations (a.k.a. Development 'to do' list)" section in the manual. The problem may relate to the specific way that the book represents insertion text. Possibly it's using a different font size - in which case this will be a problem for Freda, as Freda only distinguishes two font sizes - 'regular' and 'large'. That is a design decision I made a while back - namely, that font size should generally be under the control of the reader not the author (because the reader knows more about the device they are reading on, and what font size makes sense for it).

I could add 'small' font size to Freda (and in fact, I might as well implement small/regular/large/huge sizes, since providing 4 options is no more memory-intensive than 3). But it would be useful to have some real world examples of book files using these different sizes - so please do send me the ePub you mentioned (and indeed anyone else who has a sample ePub where Freda is not displaying font sizes as you would like, please send it to me). My email is, as ever, jim@turnipsoft.co.uk .
[Windows Phone 7 Apps and Games] captobie:
I just updated Freda (the unfree version) in Marketplace and now there are ads in the app. What gives???
[Windows Phone 7 Apps and Games] 六十哥:
Support you
[Windows Phone 7 Apps and Games] Jim Chapman:
It's the result of a screw-up with the uploading of the XAP files for the Mango-compatible release of Freda. The unfree version of Freda certainly should not show advertisements, and Marketplace will shortly deliver an updated version of the program that doesn't show them. It will take a few days, because of the Marketplace XAP-certification process.

Sorry for the inconvenience.
[Windows Phone 7 Apps and Games] sensboston:
BTW, Jim, did you received test epub from me? Could you make a changes in CSS handling to get (at least :) ) that file displayed correctly?
[Windows Phone 7 Apps and Games] captobie:
Thanks for the update, I figured it was something along those lines. :o
[Windows Phone 7 Apps and Games] captobie:
I finally got the unfree version reinstalled on my phone, but now Dropbox doesn't work anymore. Whenever I try to connect it tells me to check my internet connection. I tried uninstalling and reinstalling, connecting over WiFi and 3G, but no luck. Any suggestions?
[Windows Phone 7 Apps and Games] Jim Chapman:
Sorry about that - it is yet another screw-up with the XAP file on Marketplace - namely a missing DLL. In my innocence I'd have thought that the Dev Studio wouldn't have let me create a package with a missing DLL. But you live and learn :-(

The problem is fixed now, and a correctly working version of the app is now going through Microsoft's certification process, which usually takes about four days.

So my suggestions are:

1) use the 'free' version of the program for now (that version connects fine with DropBox)

2) wait for the update (in about four days).

I realise neither of these are exactly brilliant suggestions, but I don't have anything better to offer.

Sorry for the inconvenience.
[Windows Phone 7 Apps and Games] captobie:
No problem. Thanks for the quick response!
[Windows Phone 7 Apps and Games] Jim Chapman:
Freda update v2.4

An update for Windows Phone 7 Freda has just been released. New in this update (v 2.4):

Book sources are shown as hub tiles

Book display uses high performance XNA graphics

Books can be pinned to the start screen

Paging behaviour for book sources is customisable

Numerous additional features and fixes for formatting, performance and stability issues.

Freda features:

Reads ePub (DRM-free), HTML and TXT format books

Customisable controls, fonts and colours

Bookmarks and annotations

Integrates with on-line catalogs - Feedbooks, Smashwords, Gutenberg ...

Connects to your DropBox account for downloading book files

Links to your Calibre book library

Can download books from any website (including the SkyDrive web interface) using an in-application browser

Share comments, likes and dislikes using twitter, facebook or email

I'd like to offer a big vote of thanks to all the Freda beta-testing team; thanks to your feedback and suggestions, this is the best Freda version yet. There are still some slots available for additional beta-testers, so anyone interested in joining the beta-test team and helping with future updates, please contact beta@turnipsoft.co.uk.

The next update, 2.5, is expected in early 2012, and will include full integration with SkyDrive, and a new 'download manager' system, so you can leave books to download 'in the background' while you do something else.
[Windows Phone 7 Apps and Games] raiter75:
Good program. Can you add a fb2 support?
[Windows Phone 7 Apps and Games] Jim Chapman:
Freda ereader for Windows Phone – new version 2.5

Turnipsoft are pleased to announce the latest update to their free ebook reader program, Freda. As usual, a big vote of thanks to the Freda beta-testing team for all their help with this release.

Freda is a free program for reading electronic books (ebooks) on Windows Phone. It reads EPUB (DRM-free), HTML and TXT format books. The program offers customisable controls, fonts and colours, plus annotations and bookmarks, and the ability to look up dictionary definitions and translations. Freda understands EPUB formatting information (such as bold/italic text, margins and alignment) and can display images and diagrams in books.

You can download books from on-line catalogs like Feedbooks, Smashwords and the Gutenberg Project. Or if you have an existing book collection, you can use SkyDrive, DropBox or Calibre to share it with your phone. Freda can also download books from any website, using an in-application web-browser (which works even for sites – like O’Reilly – that require cookie-based authentication).

You can download books and keep them on your phone, so you can carry on reading when you don't have network connectivity, and you can pin your favourite books to the Start page.

Version 2.5 adds new features including:

Downloading books from SkyDrive

The ability to keep as many books as you want on your phone, and browse them by author, title etc.

Improved experience for browsing DropBox, and for downloading books

Assorted other UI and usability improvements

For more details, head over to the developer’s web-site at http://www.turnipsoft.co.uk/freda , and to download the app, visit the Marketplace .
[Windows Phone 7 Apps and Games] sensboston:
Jim, should we expect Freda-unfree version update too?
[Windows Phone 7 Apps and Games] Jim Chapman:
Yes - I submitted the updates at the same time - so the Freda-unfree update should be there soon.
[Windows Phone 7 Apps and Games] addicus:
Sounds great! Especially downloading from SkyDrive also. It's a shame getting ebooks on this OS is such a bear. I really hope Apollo does address using the phone as a mass storage device for easier transfer of ebooks, documents, audiobooks etc..

Also - have you thought of expanding the application to include audiobook support?
[Windows Phone 7 Apps and Games] sensboston:
Most of the WP7 popular ebook readers (including Freda, of course) have an OPDS catalog support. OPDS is the most modern (and easy) way to get ebooks ;) But of course you should know how use OPDS (check http://www.turnipsoft.co.uk/freda/calibre-how-to.htm first)
[Windows Phone 7 Apps and Games] Jim Chapman:
I'm expecting, some time (i.e. not necessarily soon) to work on EPUB3 compatilibilty. So for audiobooks that wrap up their audio content in an EPUB3 container, Freda will eventually be a good solution. I'd prefer not to implement any other audiobook formats (because the more formats I support, the more bugs and support questions I have).

I will, at some stage, be polling Freda users (and maybe others) on what feature(s) they'd like to see next. This should be on the list.
[Windows Phone 7 Apps and Games] Jim Chapman:
It is indeed. SkyDrive, OPDS and all that do help, but they don't really solve the problem.

The other difficulty (which I will have to face soon) is tha, now I have created a way for people to fill their phones up with ebooks, I am going to have to provide some kind of 'file manager' so they can see what books are using how much space, and can delete books if they need to free up space on the phone. The silly thing is that anyone developing an app that downloads files onto the phone is really going to have to build the same kind of functionality - and no doubt every dev will do it slightly differently. It would be better if there was one standard way to manage the files as a 'mass storage' device. Ho hum.
[Windows Phone 7 Apps and Games] dkp1977:
The bookshelf itself already is some sort of file manager, isn't it? Wouldn't it be possible to show the size of the files directly beneath their title? Like this:

<book title> by <author>

(<file size>)

Btw, thanks for all your effort. The last two updates brought loads of improvements. Especially when it comes to smoothnes and speed. Freda was my first choice on Windows Mobile and it's my first choice on Windows Phone. :)
[Windows Phone 7 Apps and Games] wineightt:
Does crash from time to time when viewing a large book
[Windows Phone 7 Apps and Games] Jim Chapman:
If you find it crashing on a particular book, please send me the logfile (by tapping the 'email for support' button). It might be an issue that I can fix, and I'd certainly like to try. And if you wouldn't mind emailing me the problematic book, that would help with debugging.

Thanks, Jim
[Windows Phone 7 Apps and Games] irfanindian:
How do I create ebooks using a text file ?
[Windows Phone 7 Apps and Games] Jim Chapman:
Freda can open text files directly, so you can just create the file, put it on your SkyDrive (or some other cloud location that Freda understands), navigate to it in Freda and tap on the file name to open it. As long as the book has a file name ending ".txt", Freda will understand that it is a text file.

If you need to create an ebook file (EPUB format) from a text file, use Calibre .
[Windows Phone 7 Apps and Games] irfanindian:
Thanks Jim. Will try!
[Windows Phone 7 Apps and Games] the-wrangler:
Just thought I'd chime in that this is in fact a dynamite eBook app. Use it daily, so bought the unfree edition to support your work. Thanks mate.
[Windows Phone 7 Apps and Games] newabv:
Is there any chance to support fb2 also?
[Windows Phone 7 Apps and Games] henry084:
Hope can support top to bottom then right to left layout for asian languages in later versions, esp. (Traditional) Chinese and Japanese.:)
[Windows Phone 7 Apps and Games] Jim Chapman:
It is on the list for future development (and if anyone can find me a good clear spec - or even some sample code - for unpacking FB2, it will happen all the sooner.

This is also on the list for future work, though some issues around Asian languages won't be fixable until Microsoft improve their APIs in the operating system (which is to say, it might have to wait until Windows Phone 8).
[Windows Phone 7 Apps and Games] Jim Chapman:
Glad you like it :)
[Windows Phone 7 Apps and Games] dialupboy:
Hi,

could you add "log-in with password" feature for next update.

thanks
[Windows Phone 7 Apps and Games] Jim Chapman:
Do you mean 'log in for a particular book source'? Because if so, that is already provided (when viewing a book source, tap the 'login' button - the one that shows a person's head in profile).

Or do you mean a 'front screen' which, whenever Freda starts up, will ask you to enter a pass-code (and won't let you run the app unless you enter the passcode)?

I have been thinking about doing this (indeed, it is already on my development TO DO list). It is implementable, but it needs a bit of design thinking (and some apps with pass-code screens show signs that this thinking doesn't always happen ;) ). There are several cases in which you might potentially want to show the pass-code screen:

1) Right after the app is launched from the start page or programs menu, before showing the bookshelf

2) Right after the app is launched from the start page by tapping a book tile, before showing the book

3) Whenever the user navigates back to Freda when Freda is already running (either using the back key or the background-program-switch UI)

(1) and (2) are reasonably easy to do - and they also have an obvious behaviour for what to do if the user gets the code wrong or doesn't know it (the app stays stuck on the pass-code screen until they hit the back button; the back button closes the app).

(3) Is more complex - because Freda could be on any screen at all when running in the background (and the right behaviour for 'user doesn't know the passcode' is a bit more difficult to implement). But logically you need to cover this case, if you really want to protect your library and current reading activity from prying eyes.

So the question really is "is a pass-code lock useful, if it only covers cases 1 & 2 (the 'app launching' cases)?" Any thoughts on this question?
[Windows Phone 7 Apps and Games] wpxbox:
Hey Jim,

I had been trying the 2.5 version last 2-3 days and wanted to share my thought :

1. Skydrive Integration is not smooth. After I exit from Skydrive, and go back, it just doesnt work and I have to login again which is not desrable. Is it possible that connection can be remembered ? May be a option to remember password ?

2. When browsing Skydrive it displays all the files. Instead if you can filter to show only supported format it will be nice.

3. Many a times after Skydrive Opens up, I see all the files messed up lying one over the other and just becomes unbrowsable. Only option is to exit and relogin.

4. Seems there is nothing cached for the ebooks. Like it loads up everything again when I open the same ebook. Loading of pages take lot of time.

5. No way to Bookmark Pages and Search is missing. Infact a universal search is missing.

6. Book Info is not readable. Bit of formatting required

7. Dropbox doesnt work for me. Says cannot download from dropbox://

8 Books marked favorite does not have dedicated section which means if I have loads of them I cannot seee them seperately.

Let me know your thoughts.

Ashish

---------- Post added at 04:04 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:02 PM ----------

I am on a speedy internet, using over wifi and Samsung Focus Mango 8107 update.
[Windows Phone 7 Apps and Games] Jim Chapman:
Thanks for the feedback. See below for some responses:

I'm depending on the Microsoft tools for SkyDrive integration - my program can't control whether SkyDrive asks you to repeat the login, or whether it keeps you logged in. Did you put a 'X' in the option 'keep me signed in' on the Windows Live sign-in screen?

I wondered about doing that (but then I'd get support emails from people asking "why can't I see all my files?"). Maybe I can control this via an optional setting.

This behaviour did not show up in beta-testing, but I have had some reports about it. I suspect it may be caused by a low-memory condition - how much RAM does your phone have? (and please send me a log file so I can check memory utilisation)

Freda should be caching a lot of info (so the first time you open a book, you might not see text for 30 seconds, but on subsequent opening you will see text in 5 seconds or less). In the next release, cache-loading should be quicker, but even in this release you ought to see better performance on the second and subsequent openings of a book. If you aren't, it could be because of a problem with the cache file space; please send me a log file so I can check that.

When on the book page, long-tap in the centre of the screen. A control panel will appear. To bookmark a page tap the 'bookmark' button (third from the left). To search in the book, tap the '...' menu indicator and select the 'find' option. If you want to make either of these options accessible by a single tap, or to make the control panel come up with a single short tap, use the 'settings' screen (advanced tab, Controls section). If none of those options does what you want, let me know and I'll work on it.

The trouble is that books contain their metadata in all sorts of formats (sometimes in plain text, sometime as HTML, sometimes as XML following one schema or another, and even in one bizarre case I found, Wiki-markup). Coming up with a nice display style for all of these is difficult (though it is on my TO DO list).

Things to check: (1) do you definitely have a network connection (2) have you entered the right email and password into Freda's dropbox login screen. If you still can't access dropbox through Freda, please send me your logfile and I will see if I can work out what is happening.

On the bookshelf, tap the 'filter by' area, and select 'sort by favourite'. Now all your favourites will appear at the top of the list. I have considered adding an additional 'filter by' option for filter by favourite/not favourite/all ... but I wasn't convinced that it was worth it; what do you think?

I noted a couple of places where I'd like you to send me a log file to help investigate some issue - to do that, please go through the steps to recreate the issue, then on the support screen tap the 'email for support' button.

More generally, if you'd like to be involved in suggesting future features for Freda, would you like to join the beta-testing group? If so, please drop me an email at beta@turnipsoft.co.uk

Thanks,

Jim
[Windows Phone 7 Apps and Games] dialupboy:
yes, this one.

absolutely.

case 1 is good

case 1 + 3 = Better.
[Windows Phone 7 Apps and Games] sensboston:
I have suggestion not for this question but for possible implementation. Instead password input box, add a gesture recognizer like an Android lock screen ;)
[Windows Phone 7 Apps and Games] MaksMod:
good software
[Windows Phone 7 Apps and Games] wpxbox:
I have started sending you the logs and will keep doing so when I get error.

For the Favorites its only required when you have 100s of books though I am sure I will pin.

Also I will suggest you to rebamp the UI a Bit specially the settings page which looks like 8 Bit Dos to be frank. Is there a plan for it ?

Dropbox Integration : is it using oAuth ?
[Windows Phone 7 Apps and Games] Jim Chapman:
Got them thanks - I will reply by email with suggestions

Yes I will be improving the settings screen - my first priority was to produce a setup that let me quickly add new settings to the program. Which means that Freda can have many, many settings (and so give you a *lot* of control over how your book looks). But the result is that the settings screen is cumbersome. I intend to add:

- a special screen for customising control gestures

- easier editing of settings (using drop-down lists, for example).

Yes. As far as I know, there is no way to do it without using oAuth.

Thanks for using Freda.
[Windows Phone 7 Apps and Games] Jim Chapman:
Like it!! I only hope that some kind soul will add such a control to the Windows Phone Toolkit (because I think that developing it myself might be a bit of a distraction from Freda-development, and indeed my day job!)
[Windows Phone 7 Apps and Games] myself11:
Freda has been a companion of my HTC HD2. Had it on WM6.5, tryed one of the first versions for WP7 and now - after a long absense (Android cof cof) -, I've installed v2.5.

It's by far better, faster and better looking than previous versions. It's sad that ebook/dict WP7 apps receive so less love than similar Android apps.

I've read the 12 pages of the topic and I have 2 requests to make, that I think no one adressed yet:

- text: regardless of the font, I find the text to have a bold look, as if bold was always on. Is it possible to add an option to change this?

- in Advanced Settings - tap word is it possible Jim to add the action "copy" or WP7 clipboard restriction doesn't allow it?

Thanks and keep up the good work!
[Windows Phone 7 Apps and Games] Jim Chapman:
That is strange. Are you seeing this with every book, or only some books?

What localisation (language etc.) is your phone set up with?

I'm looking for ways to add a 'select text' or 'copy/paste' function to Freda at the moment. Maybe I can do this in the next update.

Thanks,

Jim
[Windows Phone 7 Apps and Games] myself11:
That would be great, thanks. Another suggestion I have is the possibility to share with Evernote, besides the possibilities Freda already offers (email, facebook and twitter).

Regarding the "bold" issue, I've been experimenting with different sizes and realized it's probably just a matter of personal taste, I find SegoeWP-Semilight more pleasant to read than SegoeWP.
[Windows Phone 7 Apps and Games] Nikolo33:
YEs thanks you!
[Windows Phone 7 Apps and Games] sensboston:
Jim, I have a feature request to you (probably strange and not too functional): could you please add more "fancy" page turn animation to Freda? Something with "real" page curl... I understand the technique, it's not so easy (probably you'll need to dig XNA+3D stuff) but that the only one feature I really miss in Freda :o All (or most) famous Android/iPhone e-readers has that feature and will be great to have the same "fancy stuff" on WP7 :)

P.S. That technique, IMHO, can be easily converted to SL. It's 2D (not a true 3D) but with some optimization and tweaks (such as pre-calculated tangents, from Dictionary, and gradient brush for the shadow emulation) it will work good for WP7...
[Windows Phone 7 Apps and Games] MadGaffler:
Live tiles

Hey Jim, I love this app and wanted to tell you I use it daily and I really appreciate all the hard work you put into it. I was looking at my stat screen and I realized I had 6 different books pinned. I was wondering if it would be possible to add some things to both the app live tiles.The general app tile maybe the covers of the books currently on your bookshelf can cycle when the tile flips or may the most recently opened book. When the individual books are pinned, the tile flips and it could show the percentage of the book that is completed or the page number like page 15/100. Just something I was thinking about, anyway, any news on the next update?
[Windows Phone 7 Apps and Games] Jim Chapman:
Yes that does look interesting (actually, it looks like Petzold has done something similar to this in the page-turn effect for his 'Phree ebook reader' program).

I probably won't get to implementing this in Windows Phone 7 - but when I do the port to Windows 8 Metro and Windows Phone 8, I will certainly take a look at it.

Thanks for the link.
[Windows Phone 7 Apps and Games] Jim Chapman:
I have been trying out various ideas for what I could do with the live tiles, and I'll certainly add your thoughts to the mix.

Development is continuing. Three major areas:

1) translation of UI into German, French and Russian (and if anyone wants to help with other languages, please tell me)

2) memory usage - I need to get the app memory footprint to be below 60MB (with a hard stop at 90MB) so it will (a) work more smoothly on all phones (b) be accepted into the Marketplace for the new Tango/low-spec devices. This has involved a major re-work of the program's cacheing logic.

3) tidying up the UI for bookshelf/library management (which now has better performance, and a more metro-like look, along the lines of the 'app list' start screen)

Those developments are now mainly finished, but still have I a few more weeks of assorted minor fixes before I'll be ready to put out another Freda beta-test.
[Windows Phone 7 Apps and Games] Uracil:
Your current goals sounds good. Freda works really well, but more polish and streamlining is always welcome.

Please resist the urge to add a live tile; it drives me crazy when apps do that without a good reason. A case in point is Microsoft's own Minesweeper: a live tile indicating "no game in progress" is distracting and foolish.
[Windows Phone 7 Apps and Games] kyozanuro:
I love this app :)