Homebrew an ebook reader

[rwn]

so, does anyone know of an e book reader besides DS reader. preferably one similar to the way the Flips "games" are done? because i honestly have to say that would be truly amazing. reading it on the side like a book, while using the touch screen to change the page. given i have no coding or programming experience so i have no idea how hard it would be... but it doesn't seem to hard to rotate the way it displays in the screen... and as for the touch screen... i have no clue how hard that could be...

 

[jesterscourt]

I wish someone could figure out a way to inject text into the Flips framework, that would be amazing.

 

[btags]

ds libris does that

 

[rwn]

I wish someone could figure out a way to inject text into the Flips framework, that would be amazing.

that would be really amazing. what would be really cool is if someone could make a pdf reader seriously lol

 

[zuron7]

There is already a pdf reader called ands-pdf google it

It can't read huge files though.

 

[rwn]

thats great if it was completed... or really released

 

[Gariscus]

ands-pdf has been released...

 

[linkmaster03]

DSLibris allows you to read sideways like a book and flip pages using the touch screen. It only accepts text and XHTML books though.

 

[djshok]

DSLibris is pretty good and lets you have the DS turned sideways. There's also another one called Dolphin Reader that I've heard is decent. Though I have no idea how to get it to run becasue the readme file is a bunch of garbled crap instead of text... so if you feel like experimenting you could give that one a try too.

 

[Retrievil]

I've checked out pretty much every option for ebook reading on the DS. I read a ton of books on it, in fact, I think I read on my DS way more than I play games.

DSLibris is the best reader by far. All the other ones have formatting issues, or can't display in 'book mode'.

The only drawback to DSLibris is that it only works well with the .epub format. This isn't really an issue though as you can just grab Calibre, which is a freeware convertor. It converts any format into epub in like 2 seconds.

http://calibre-ebook.com/

 

[djshok]

The only thing I really can't stand about DSlibris is how it makes you put all the files in root directory. I f-ing hate it when homebrew makes you do that. How hard is it to code these things to be able to use subfolders...

 

[cutterjohn]

As mentioned, above, DS Libris. I've tried just about every single e-book reader on the DS and it's the best that exists.

Now if you're serious about e-books, forget about the DS as color LCD screens are HORRIBLE for reading text. So go out and spend $150 or so on an e-Ink reader device. Trust me, you won't regret it. (Or if you want to go cheaper, try looking for the Fictionwise reader. It used to be the Rocket Book reader, then Gemwise reader(forget the model #), but it had a monochrome screen -> i.e. it's actually readable in sunlight unlike ANY color LCD, e-Ink is better, but these are c. $100. You could also look around e-bay for old monochrome Palms or one from one of the licensees.)

(I have the REB-1100(? I think that was the model #), but it died a while back so I got myself a Sony PRS-505 last year. Today I'd probably go the the B&N Nook or if I wanted to wait for shipping from someplace like Astak that sells a Hanlin reader under their own name for which a replacement open source firmware exists(Open Inkpot). Foxit is also trying to sell a re-badged e-Ink reader, but I've forgotten which Chinese OEM they're using offhand and Open Inkpot doesn't really support that yet(nor does it support Sony products or the Nook).

I also made do with a Palm IIIx(plus TRG's XTRA XTRA Pro memory expansion) and a Franklin eBookman for a while, but overall I like the e-Ink screen excepting price, better. (And I miss the added functionality of devices like the Palm and eBookman).

If you pick up one of the dedicate readers, go google up a program called Calibre. It'll be your very best friend...

[EDIT]
heh. I had forgotten that DS Libris decided to be avant-garde and add support for epub. (It's what every dedicated reader uses excepting the Kindle. They also can read PDFs, but because of screen size and speed it tends to be kind of useless and conversion of PDF->anything else just plain sucks if the PDF is even mildly formatted. Most of the readers will zoom PDFs, but they lose most of the formatting when they do that, much like stand-alone PDFconverters do, and then there are those oh so tricky PDFs that are nothing more than a bunched of scanned page images... I really hate those...)
[/EDIT]

[EDIT2]
A drawback on the e-Ink devices is that the VAST majority of them have no inbuilt lighting capability, so you either need to provide a clip light or have some other light source to read after dark by. The fictionwise reader has a backlight, as would old Palms and some of the eBookman models, but I'd stay away from the eBookmans as they were some of the electronics devices hit by the wave of faulty Taiwanese/Chinese capacitors. i.e. they(eBookman) lose memory when the batteries are removed which is bad since the eBookman kept the operating system in RAM which means the entire thing has to be re-setup unless you have the obscure memory card that they supported.
[/EDIT2]

 

[rwn]

As mentioned, above, DS Libris. I've tried just about every single e-book reader on the DS and it's the best that exists.

Now if you're serious about e-books, forget about the DS as color LCD screens are HORRIBLE for reading text. So go out and spend $150 or so on an e-Ink reader device. Trust me, you won't regret it. (Or if you want to go cheaper, try looking for the Fictionwise reader. It used to be the Rocket Book reader, then Gemwise reader(forget the model #), but it had a monochrome screen -> i.e. it's actually readable in sunlight unlike ANY color LCD, e-Ink is better, but these are c. $100. You could also look around e-bay for old monochrome Palms or one from one of the licensees.)

(I have the REB-1100(? I think that was the model #), but it died a while back so I got myself a Sony PRS-505 last year. Today I'd probably go the the B&N Nook or if I wanted to wait for shipping from someplace like Astak that sells a Hanlin reader under their own name for which a replacement open source firmware exists(Open Inkpot). Foxit is also trying to sell a re-badged e-Ink reader, but I've forgotten which Chinese OEM they're using offhand and Open Inkpot doesn't really support that yet(nor does it support Sony products or the Nook).

I also made do with a Palm IIIx(plus TRG's XTRA XTRA Pro memory expansion) and a Franklin eBookman for a while, but overall I like the e-Ink screen excepting price, better. (And I miss the added functionality of devices like the Palm and eBookman).

If you pick up one of the dedicate readers, go google up a program called Calibre. It'll be your very best friend...

[EDIT]
heh. I had forgotten that DS Libris decided to be avant-garde and add support for epub. (It's what every dedicated reader uses excepting the Kindle. They also can read PDFs, but because of screen size and speed it tends to be kind of useless and conversion of PDF->anything else just plain sucks if the PDF is even mildly formatted. Most of the readers will zoom PDFs, but they lose most of the formatting when they do that, much like stand-alone PDFconverters do, and then there are those oh so tricky PDFs that are nothing more than a bunched of scanned page images... I really hate those...)
[/EDIT]

[EDIT2]
A drawback on the e-Ink devices is that the VAST majority of them have no inbuilt lighting capability, so you either need to provide a clip light or have some other light source to read after dark by. The fictionwise reader has a backlight, as would old Palms and some of the eBookman models, but I'd stay away from the eBookmans as they were some of the electronics devices hit by the wave of faulty Taiwanese/Chinese capacitors. i.e. they(eBookman) lose memory when the batteries are removed which is bad since the eBookman kept the operating system in RAM which means the entire thing has to be re-setup unless you have the obscure memory card that they supported.
[/EDIT2]

while i do agree that spending the money of an E-reader is great. for the time being (basically until i am able to spend the money on it) i am stuck using the DS or laptop. (but want something more portable than the laptop)

and as for reading Ebooks on the DS it really isn't that bad at all. specially not with the way that the Flips "game" was formatted. rather smooth... basically just a finished version of DSlibris.

and as for reading in the sun... meh if i am outside when the sun is out i am busy doing other things than reading.

and if i do spend the money on an E reader i will try to find a good touchscreen one. i like touchscreen lol XD


and thank you for all of the information =]

 

[stonypebbles]

so does this DSLibris support txt fines xhtml and epub or something....

could someone guide me through what is DSLibris and what it does like how to run it

 

[twiztidsinz]

The only thing I really can't stand about DSlibris is how it makes you put all the files in root directory. I f-ing hate it when homebrew makes you do that. How hard is it to code these things to be able to use subfolders...You can set the folder that it looks for books -- default it is the "Book" folder.
The NDS file can go anywhere you want it to be, I have mine in a "Homebrew" folder.
The XML file must be on the root. Since most firmware won't pick up on XML files, there's no bother... plus have it set to hidden.
The "Font" folder must also be on the root of the card, this is also set to hidden so it doesn't show up in firmware.

However, one big negative I have is, all the books must be in one folder.
That makes naming files very bothersome as if you want to keep a series of books together, they must be named properly (or have the order number added to the start), which can increase the name beyond the readable length.

so does this DSLibris support txt fines xhtml and epub or something....

could someone guide me through what is DSLibris and what it does like how to run itI do not believe that DSLibris supports plain-text files. If there is a way, I do not know how.
That has been my biggest complaint/problem with DSLibris.

Setting up the XHTML isn't hard, it's just time consuming.
If you already have the file in a minimal HTML format (text only surrounded in tags) I believe you can just add the header and footer, but for plain-text, you need to wrap all the lines in the paragraph code. I suppose you could be lazy and just wrap the whole of the text into one block.


XHTML code:

Spoiler

Header:CODE

ÂÂÂÂ@page { size: 8.5inch 11inch; margin-top: 0.7874inch; margin-bottom: 0.7874inch; margin-left: 0.7874inch; margin-right: 0.7874inch }
ÂÂÂÂtable { border-collapse:collapse; border-spacing:0; empty-cells:show }
ÂÂÂÂtd, th { vertical-align:top; }
ÂÂÂÂh1, h2, h3, h4, h5, h6 { clear:both }
ÂÂÂÂol, ul { padding:0; }
ÂÂÂÂ* { margin:0; }
ÂÂÂÂ*.Caption { font-family:'Times New Roman'; font-size:12pt; margin-top:0.0835in; margin-bottom:0.0835in; font-style:italic; }
ÂÂÂÂ*.Heading { font-family:Arial; font-size:14pt; margin-top:0.1665in; margin-bottom:0.0835in; }
ÂÂÂÂ*.Index { font-family:'Times New Roman'; font-size:12pt; }
ÂÂÂÂ*.List { font-family:'Times New Roman'; font-size:12pt; margin-top:0in; margin-bottom:0.0835in; }
ÂÂÂÂ*.PreformattedText { font-family:'Courier New'; font-size:10pt; margin-top:0in; margin-bottom:0in; }
ÂÂÂÂ*.Standard { font-family:'Times New Roman'; font-size:12pt; }
ÂÂÂÂ*.Textbody { font-family:'Times New Roman'; font-size:12pt; margin-top:0in; margin-bottom:0.0835in; }
ÂÂÂÂ
Line/Paragraph:CODE
[/p]
Footer:CODE

QUOTE(rwn @ Jan 10 2010, 08:01 AM)

thats great if it was completed... or really released

http://ands-pdf.blogspot.com/2009/03/ands-...release-14.html

 

[Mr.Mysterio]

I found a small app to convert text to xhtml.
http://sourceforge.net/users/popoffka/
Its made by gbatemp member popoffka.
Havent tested it though!

 

[twiztidsinz]

I found a small app to convert text to xhtml.
http://sourceforge.net/users/popoffka/
Its made by gbatemp member popoffka.
Havent tested it though!

Do you happen to have it yourself?
If so, could you upload it to something like MediaFire?

The download link 404's for me.

 

[Mr.Mysterio]

I think I have it somewhere.
I will upload it to Filetrip.
Be warned though!
I have not tested it.
(It comes clean on nod32)

EDIT
Download Link

 

[twiztidsinz]

Be warned though!
I have not tested it.
(It comes clean on nod32)

Looks clean to me...

http://www.virustotal.com/analisis/7992667...4abf-1265303237
It comes back with 1 'hit', and that's a "behaves like...". It's also only on 1 of 3 McAfee's tested.

 

[Mr.Mysterio]

So, have you tried it?
Does it convert txt to xhtml correctly?