[Output Format Plugin] Epub Metaguider (intellireading)

[0x6f677548]

These plugins allow you to generate metaguided versions of your ebooks, by implementing a streamlined version of the Intellireading algorithm. It extends the epub output format, allowing you to generate metaguided versions of your ebooks when converting to epub.

This plugin is for advanced users. If you are new to intellireading plugins, please install "Epub Metaguider GUI" plugin instead, which adds a toolbar button to your interface.



This plugin modifies the epub by injecting new html to it. Make sure to keep a backup of your book before using it. The "original_epub" file is kept for restoration, if needed. Make sure to back it up before deleting it

What is Epub Metaguiding?
Metaguiding is a technique that can be used to improve your reading focus and speed (sometimes called Bionic Reading). It is based on the idea that you can use a visual guide to help your eyes focus on the text you are reading. In this case, the visual guide is done by bolding a part of the text, creating visual anchors that your eyes can use to focus on the text. This is similar to the way a finger can be used to guide your eyes along a line of text, which has been shown to improve reading speed and focus.

However, unlike a finger, the visual guide is not distracting, and it can be used to guide your eyes along multiple lines of text at once. This allows you to read faster, and with less effort.

Metaguiding is particulary useful for people with dyslexia or ADHD, but it can be used by anyone who wants to improve their reading focus and speed. For more information, visit the Intellireading website.

Source code
https://github.com/0x6f677548/intell...alibre-plugins

[KindleAZWorKFX]

So I am trying to understand what it changes in the epub file, I tried it on a drm free project gutenberg file, also tried it on a standard ebooks file, does standard ebooks already have Metaguiding feature in them?

both are the public domain type of epub files, I noticed that google play books likes its epub 3 format better than the normal one if you upload an epub 3 with metaguiding to it, seems to process it better/

I noticed in the project gutenberg the font size and spacing seems a little different, also I am unsure how to convert these metaguiding epub to say kfx format for kindle paperwhite ereader using calibre and kindle previewer 3 software with kfx output plugin and if it will keep the changes to them or use azw3 with transferring USB method? I just don't recall it being called that it might of been.

if megaguiding epub works if you use Send to kindle app in windows or their website, there you can send an megaguided epub directly to the docs in your cloud library, which it takes longer to process them on amazon.com website it seems.

ok, on a standard ebook it seems to make the font darker and sharper but the spacing of the text seems almost the same, for example the first two lines are the almost the same seems to start changing on the second line of text with the spacing of words, is that all megaguiding does for it?

I never heard of the term metaguiding before now, but teachers did use to use color paper in school to help us read stuff per lines, sometimes because of that special ed classes they did try stuff like covering each line like back in middle school I think. but I don't recall it being called metaguiding at that time, its been more than a few years since then but it was not used in DESP classes in college.

[DNSB]

When I tested it, it seemed to implement the Bionic Reading algorithm where the first 1-5 characters of each word are bolded. To be honest, I found it to be as useless as Bionic Reading—this implementation does not add any improvements. In my tests, for me, reading speed is actually worse and test reading comprehension pages did not show any improvements with either algorithm.

[KindleAZWorKFX]

Originally Posted by DNSB

When I tested it, it seemed to implement the Bionic Reading algorithm where the first 1-5 characters of each word are bolded. To be honest, I found it to be as useless as Bionic Reading—this implementation does not add any improvements. In my tests, for me, reading speed is actually worse and test reading comprehension pages did not show any improvements with either algorithm.

thanks for that info, I never been good about speed reading in books, I have to read at my normal pace, otherwise I don't remember like a lot of what I read in ebooks. I can not myself do fast reading.

I was wondering if its even worth my time to convert all my public domain ebooks into this format, it does seem to help if you want epub 3 format for uploading it to google play books for android tablets, since when I converted normal epub 2 into epub 3 format then try to use google play books uploads would fail to process the epub 3 file.

this Epub metaguider does do something that the android's play books app likes, for cloud loading of our files, otherwise stuff like send to kindle might be slower to process them for whatever reason. and I am not sure if the changes are lost or not when you convert it to kfx format or kepub formats, I don't know if those plugins change or remove what Epub Metaguider (intellireading) adds into the formats, since its a new thing, and I have not found much online about it yet.

I don't really know what it changes in the coding of epub files, I have yet to try the edit feature in calibre to see what it does to the files, I have not look at it yet, or checked to see if calibre editor shows errors in the epubs yet, talking about that bug check feature in its epub editor.

I sometimes reprocess my epubs with stuff like fonts of Open Dyslexic 2 format, and I try other fonts too with them but I am not really sure at times it seems like open dyslexic helps me read, other times I don't like the font, but it helps me remember stuff in the books at times, other times I am unsure if it really helps or if I just think it does, when it comes to eBooks vs my real paperback or hardback books vs the default fonts real books have, but yes I still read non-digital books at times at home.

other fonts, I tried are reading with are Bookerly, and amber amazon's fonts, I found Amazon_Typefaces_Complete_Font_Set_Mar2020.zip file online at amazon's website. here the links to where I get these fonts, I installed them on windows 11, and use them with my calibre ebooks if it helps anyone else, that might want to put fonts in their own ebooks, but they do increase the size of the ebook files, that's the only thing, I am not sure is good, also you can just put the fonts into the folder on your kindle for fonts, and not put them in each book, but if you want them as a publisher font for play books them it helps to put them in the epub file, when you go to upload them to play books website.

https://developer.amazon.com/en-US/a...nes/typography

https://opendyslexic.org/

-- note: it's been over 4 years ago is their last update for the fonts zip files, it looks like that project might of be dead, since it's been like 4 years with no updates to the fonts, I am pretty sure that was the official website for it. their beta is dated 2019, at that https://app.gumroad.com download site for the font files, main site has the link to that download site, and the files on it is dated 2019 for the beta, and the stable ones I think are older than that.

I know the kindle paperwhite has its own version of this font, I am not sure does amazon update the fonts on their own, since it seems that the OpenDyslexic more source for them is very out dated, I know our kindle devices have the font included but I am not sure if its updated or as old as 2019 version of it, I mean it still works for reading ebooks, its just a bit old, and their is no signs anyone is working on this font anymore.

I know its helpful for me when converting the epub to add one font as publisher fonts, on google play books when you upload the epub with the font included in it, like amazon font, or open dyslexic for example.

but then again between the 3 kinds of fonts, I am still not sure if any of them really help me read, but I do prefer opendyslexic over the amazon fonts, there are a few other fonts I have tried but not many help me when I am reading a ebook.

[0x6f677548]

Originally Posted by DNSB

When I tested it, it seemed to implement the Bionic Reading algorithm where the first 1-5 characters of each word are bolded. To be honest, I found it to be as useless as Bionic Reading—this implementation does not add any improvements. In my tests, for me, reading speed is actually worse and test reading comprehension pages did not show any improvements with either algorithm.

Yes, it implements a similar algorithm to BR, but is open source, open algorithm and integrated with Calibre. I also tested it heavily with hundreds of epubs, because I was having troubles with the BR submission, and sometimes the epub was corrupted.

I would say that the reading experience is individual. I regret to know that it doesn't work to you and that's probably great. I was having really challenges to focus before using it, and now I can't really read without it, but again, that's very personal.
thanks for your feedback!

[0x6f677548]

Originally Posted by KindleAZWorKFX

thanks for that info, I never been good about speed reading in books, I have to read at my normal pace, otherwise I don't remember like a lot of what I read in ebooks. I can not myself do fast reading.

I was wondering if its even worth my time to convert all my public domain ebooks into this format, it does seem to help if you want epub 3 format for uploading it to google play books for android tablets, since when I converted normal epub 2 into epub 3 format then try to use google play books uploads would fail to process the epub 3 file.

this Epub metaguider does do something that the android's play books app likes, for cloud loading of our files, otherwise stuff like send to kindle might be slower to process them for whatever reason. and I am not sure if the changes are lost or not when you convert it to kfx format or kepub formats, I don't know if those plugins change or remove what Epub Metaguider (intellireading) adds into the formats, since its a new thing, and I have not found much online about it yet.

I don't really know what it changes in the coding of epub files, I have yet to try the edit feature in calibre to see what it does to the files, I have not look at it yet, or checked to see if calibre editor shows errors in the epubs yet, talking about that bug check feature in its epub editor.

I sometimes reprocess my epubs with stuff like fonts of Open Dyslexic 2 format, and I try other fonts too with them but I am not really sure at times it seems like open dyslexic helps me read, other times I don't like the font, but it helps me remember stuff in the books at times, other times I am unsure if it really helps or if I just think it does, when it comes to eBooks vs my real paperback or hardback books vs the default fonts real books have, but yes I still read non-digital books at times at home.

other fonts, I tried are reading with are Bookerly, and amber amazon's fonts, I found Amazon_Typefaces_Complete_Font_Set_Mar2020.zip file online at amazon's website. here the links to where I get these fonts, I installed them on windows 11, and use them with my calibre ebooks if it helps anyone else, that might want to put fonts in their own ebooks, but they do increase the size of the ebook files, that's the only thing, I am not sure is good, also you can just put the fonts into the folder on your kindle for fonts, and not put them in each book, but if you want them as a publisher font for play books them it helps to put them in the epub file, when you go to upload them to play books website.

https://developer.amazon.com/en-US/a...nes/typography

https://opendyslexic.org/

-- note: it's been over 4 years ago is their last update for the fonts zip files, it looks like that project might of be dead, since it's been like 4 years with no updates to the fonts, I am pretty sure that was the official website for it. their beta is dated 2019, at that https://app.gumroad.com download site for the font files, main site has the link to that download site, and the files on it is dated 2019 for the beta, and the stable ones I think are older than that.

I know the kindle paperwhite has its own version of this font, I am not sure does amazon update the fonts on their own, since it seems that the OpenDyslexic more source for them is very out dated, I know our kindle devices have the font included but I am not sure if its updated or as old as 2019 version of it, I mean it still works for reading ebooks, its just a bit old, and their is no signs anyone is working on this font anymore.

I know its helpful for me when converting the epub to add one font as publisher fonts, on google play books when you upload the epub with the font included in it, like amazon font, or open dyslexic for example.

but then again between the 3 kinds of fonts, I am still not sure if any of them really help me read, but I do prefer opendyslexic over the amazon fonts, there are a few other fonts I have tried but not many help me when I am reading an ebook.

The plugin basically parses all the book's content, and it bolds half of each word. For that to happen, a lot of html is injected into the content (spolier: a epub is basically a zip with xhtml inside). Unfortunately, that means that slower parsers can eventually get slow down when parsing metaguided files.

Hope it helps clarifying.

[KindleAZWorKFX]

Originally Posted by 0x6f677548

The plugin basically parses all the book's content, and it bolds half of each word. For that to happen, a lot of html is injected into the content (spolier: a epub is basically a zip with xhtml inside). Unfortunately, that means that slower parsers can eventually get slow down when parsing metaguided files.

Hope it helps clarifying.

thanks, a bit, I noticed if you combine it with fonts like amazon amber, bookly or OpenDylexic font, it seems make all the text look a bit too bold not just half a word on my kindle paperwhite device. should I use Remove embedded fonts in modify ePub plugin before using the Metaguide epub or when converting an epub to epub feature in calibre, so it's less bold, also I noticed some fonts cause the spacing to be tight vs more spacing in other eBooks,

I have both an Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition device, and a older Kindle paperwhite 6 gen. device, the display screen on it looks a bit different than the newer kindle like fonts are a bit different on the older screen, and also an android tablet that I use with google play books.

I think this Epub Metaguider affects each eBook a bit differently when it comes to spacing, since I noticed that fonts in some eBooks seem to cause the spacing to look different,

sometimes I also make my own ebook covers in calibre, I been trying images like oil painting prompts in bing image creator for my public domain ebooks which I didn't like the covers that came with them for my own personal ebooks, I see it as no different than using the ebook cover downloading features in calibre, I just used Canva app to add text over the bing AI images again just for my own collection of drm free public domain ebooks at home. So I don't mind redownloading the standard ebooks or project gutenberg ebooks if I need to, as I keep the images I create as covers back up to my external hard drive at this time. plus when updates come out new covers may be changed with each methods I guess, its no different than downloading metadata covers from calibre, just I like some of the images I made, and I might of messed up a few ebooks fonts or spacing in the process of doing this to them, I played with calibre features a bit.

also I might of messed up a few of my ebooks so the problem of spacing of the public domain ebooks might be my own fault. like change the normal spacing in converting it, I am not sure what I did to some of them since I have a big library of free public domain eBooks in my calibre collection.

I also tried that pixart-alpha.github.io page to create some images, but the prompts don't work the same as the Bing image creator, it has more options, and so far less of a censored on it, does not need censored prompts like image creator by designer has built into it, but it doesn't do prompts with real people so you don't have to worry about making look like anyone real even with characters like Frankenstein for example. also, you can do 1792x1024 vs Bing's 1024x1024 images, the higher resolution works great for desktop background images, or lockscreen images, for example treasure island oil painting can make good desktop or lockscreen images in windows 11 or linux depends on your desktop you might use, I use a kubuntu on my older pc at home .

an idea it would be cool if you could use PixArt-Alpha 1024px, and create random cover arts for free eBooks just an idea, or a plugin that can take the title name and authors name into a oil paint prompt or other styles of images for cover art for calibre and image a AI cover in the style of that book with this as working AI cover images plugin, I noticed it has different type of art too like anime and other things it does well from there example on its website. like oil paintings in prompts or acrylic painting of covers for prompts. it takes practice to get your prompts correct and each image creator is a bit different, so it's a learning process to use them.

https://pixart-alpha.github.io/

I like this website for its prompt feature that can be helpful for covers or desktop images its a great website for art.

[0x6f677548]

Originally Posted by KindleAZWorKFX

thanks, a bit, I noticed if you combine it with fonts like amazon amber, bookly or OpenDylexic font, it seems make all the text look a bit too bold not just half a word on my kindle paperwhite device. should I use Remove embedded fonts in modify ePub plugin before using the Metaguide epub or when converting an epub to epub feature in calibre, so it's less bold, also I noticed some fonts cause the spacing to be tight vs more spacing in other eBooks,

I have both an Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition device, and a older Kindle paperwhite 6 gen. device, the display screen on it looks a bit different than the newer kindle like fonts are a bit different on the older screen, and also an android tablet that I use with google play books.

I think this Epub Metaguider affects each eBook a bit differently when it comes to spacing, since I noticed that fonts in some eBooks seem to cause the spacing to look different,
.

spacing should have nothing to do with the Epub Metaguider plugin. It is not supposed to change spacing.
Using the plugin with typeface modification fonts like OpenDyslexic is redundant. I suggest each reader decides what works best : the fonts or the bold metaguiding. To me, OpenDyslexic was not enough, hence why I developed the plugin. To others, it might be enough.
Although, a book converted with the plugin should be read with a normal font, IMHO.

About the random art images, that's a very good idea. I would suggest to share it in the Plugin Ideas forum and someone might pick it. It is definitely a good one!

hope it helps.
thanks for using the plugin!

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by KindleAZWorKFX

So I am trying to understand what it changes in the epub file, I tried it on a drm free project gutenberg file, also tried it on a standard ebooks file, does standard ebooks already have Metaguiding feature in them?

both are the public domain type of epub files, I noticed that google play books likes its epub 3 format better than the normal one if you upload an epub 3 with metaguiding to it, seems to process it better/

I noticed in the project gutenberg the font size and spacing seems a little different, also I am unsure how to convert these metaguiding epub to say kfx format for kindle paperwhite ereader using calibre and kindle previewer 3 software with kfx output plugin and if it will keep the changes to them or use azw3 with transferring USB method? I just don't recall it being called that it might of been.

if megaguiding epub works if you use Send to kindle app in windows or their website, there you can send an megaguided epub directly to the docs in your cloud library, which it takes longer to process them on amazon.com website it seems.

ok, on a standard ebook it seems to make the font darker and sharper but the spacing of the text seems almost the same, for example the first two lines are the almost the same seems to start changing on the second line of text with the spacing of words, is that all megaguiding does for it?

I never heard of the term metaguiding before now, but teachers did use to use color paper in school to help us read stuff per lines, sometimes because of that special ed classes they did try stuff like covering each line like back in middle school I think. but I don't recall it being called metaguiding at that time, its been more than a few years since then but it was not used in DESP classes in college.

Standard Ebooks has code that's just overly complicated just plain awful. Those eBooks should never be used to test any plugin.