Kobo future firmware feature request thread - Page 4

pholy · 11-24-2010, 04:31 PM

Sorry to be late to this thread, but in my experience the Kobo does support embedded fonts in epub files. Jane Fancher and several of her elves (myself included) spent considerable time making sure they worked on several epub readers. I could post pictures - if I have to.

Part of the confusion may stem from the fact that Kobo's proprietary sqlite format supports neither embedded fonts not illustrations - a failure they have remedied in the new wifi Kobo format, apparently.

malcs · 11-24-2010, 08:46 PM

My biggest frustration is not being able to manage my books. Specifically I'd like to be able to nominate what appears in my 'I'm Reading' space. I would be happy to do this through the pc software as long as it copies to my kobo. At the moment, I read away happily on my kobo, then when I do sync with the kobo software, my 'I'm reading' shows what I was reading last time I sync'd. Frustrating! I want more control please. While your at it, how about a 'wish list' in the kobo software shop?

dmacmart · 11-24-2010, 09:24 PM

For a wish list, you can add a book to your library and it will be listed right there. You can watch for a price drop or when a coupon comes along just buy it now!

JSWolf · 11-24-2010, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pholy

Sorry to be late to this thread, but in my experience the Kobo does support embedded fonts in epub files. Jane Fancher and several of her elves (myself included) spent considerable time making sure they worked on several epub readers. I could post pictures - if I have to.

Part of the confusion may stem from the fact that Kobo's proprietary sqlite format supports neither embedded fonts not illustrations - a failure they have remedied in the new wifi Kobo format, apparently.

Can you post the CSS so I can take a look at your code? Someone in another thread says it only works if the fonts are in the root of the ePub. But that means that most ePub with embedded fonts won't work as they are in a fonts subdirectory.

If you still have access to a Kobo, please try Zelda's version of Three Men in a Boat and see that the embedded font(s) do not display.

I did try some ePub with embedded fonts that display fine on ADE for Windows and on Sony Readers but not on the Kobo or Kobo wifi. All I got was whatever font was set in the settings.

3d0g · 11-24-2010, 10:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Can you post the CSS so I can take a look at your code? Someone in another thread says it only works if the fonts are in the root of the ePub. But that means that most ePub with embedded fonts won't work as they are in a fonts subdirectory.

You're on quite the agenda, aren't you JSWolf? If you'd looked at the spec, you'd know that fonts can be ANYWHERE in the EPUB structure, as long as they're properly defined and referenced.

My experience mirrors pholy's. I personally own EPUBs with embedded fonts that display just fine on my kobo. I've also got some EPUBs that can't even pass a validator.

The e-reading world isn't as black and white as you want it to be.

P.S. I loaded Zelda's version of Three Men in a Boat on my kobo and it looks identical to ADE on my Mac. I will throw out the caveat that I'm running beta firmware so I can't confirm this books behavior on the current retail firmware.

pholy · 11-26-2010, 12:45 PM

Jon and 3d0g - I put "Three men" onto my Kobo and on my BeBook to compare them. I also opened up Three Men and looked at its css and its font files. The Fontin font is subtly different from the Kobo's serif font, so it was not easy to spot the differences.

It turns out that the Kobo will recognize embedded font requests as long as they are not in a 'body' declaration, which is the only place they occur in this css file. Other places they are recognized.

A lot of people like to be able to chose their body font - it's supposed to be one of the advantages of an ereader. Personally, I think it is unfortunate that Kobo does not allow font choice in a body declaration, but I can see where they might have been coming from. I would like to see them allow 'font-family' in body declarations.

BTW, I think BeBook (Hanlin/Jinke) got it mostly right. I can add a fonts directory with a selection of my favorites, then use a settings menu to select the default font, and it will honor the choice made in the css for an embedded font. I suppose a switch setting to allow the my default font to override the css would be desirable, as well.

zoran · 11-27-2010, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pholy

It turns out that the Kobo will recognize embedded font requests as long as they are not in a 'body' declaration, which is the only place they occur in this css file. Other places they are recognized.

I thought it was correct, after w3c specs.

Quote:

A lot of people like to be able to chose their body font - it's supposed to be one of the advantages of an ereader.

Maybe manufacturer has a fear of proprietary fonts, used on device.

Quote:

I can add a fonts directory with a selection of my favorites, then use a settings menu to select the default font, and it will honor the choice made in the css for an embedded font. I suppose a switch setting to allow the my default font to override the css would be desirable, as well.

And probably different css at all. I suppose it is easier to use another
css than change part of it on the flight. Head style is prevailed by body
style, as far as I know. If the font is available and tag set correctly, the
reader will show it on the screen. Than, it should be called "feature", not
bug.

bookerz · 11-27-2010, 12:06 PM

My main vote is faster response time.
Next I vote for the series information being displayed along with author.
And a already read note.

Bookerz

JSWolf · 11-27-2010, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pholy

Jon and 3d0g - I put "Three men" onto my Kobo and on my BeBook to compare them. I also opened up Three Men and looked at its css and its font files. The Fontin font is subtly different from the Kobo's serif font, so it was not easy to spot the differences.

It turns out that the Kobo will recognize embedded font requests as long as they are not in a 'body' declaration, which is the only place they occur in this css file. Other places they are recognized.

A lot of people like to be able to chose their body font - it's supposed to be one of the advantages of an ereader. Personally, I think it is unfortunate that Kobo does not allow font choice in a body declaration, but I can see where they might have been coming from. I would like to see them allow 'font-family' in body declarations.

BTW, I think BeBook (Hanlin/Jinke) got it mostly right. I can add a fonts directory with a selection of my favorites, then use a settings menu to select the default font, and it will honor the choice made in the css for an embedded font. I suppose a switch setting to allow the my default font to override the css would be desirable, as well.

To be honest, a lot of ePub put the font-family declaration in the body declaration of the CSS. The Kobo firmware not recognizing this is a serious bug. It means most ePub with embedded fonts will not work as they should. ADE and other implementations of mobile ADE work fine this way. I'm still waiting to see Kobo on MR acknowledge this as a bug and tell everyone it's on the list to be fixed.

taming · 11-28-2010, 07:50 AM

Kobo folks are not hanging on our very word on MR right now--did you PM JC? He would know where it is on their list--or if it needs to be added. Is there a reason this discussion is happening in two different threads?

zoran · 11-29-2010, 01:40 AM

As JSWolf wants to know if this is reader worth buying, it is.
I'm not sure what I'd do with wireless adapter on it, so ori-
ginal device would be my choice. After price going down, it
is not an investment anymore. How low it should go to get
it finally?
@Taming, do you notice any screen quality difference bet-
ween two readers?

taming · 11-29-2010, 08:46 AM

Yes, Z--I did notice a difference. Initially I thought it would only be in illustrations, but I was wrong--the text contrast is much better--enough of a difference that I really do not like reading on my husband's original. It's not pearl, but it is improved enough to make a difference to my old eyes.

zoran · 11-30-2010, 11:42 AM

In a room with clear sun light first kobo behaves like the best
reader on mother earth. I have problem with new kind of light
bulbs, with low wattage. Recall old bulbs, up to 75/100?

dmacmart · 11-30-2010, 11:45 AM

I often use my clip-on LED, sometimes in a totally dark room, sometimes in addition to regular lamps.

zoran · 11-30-2010, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmacmart

I often use my clip-on LED, sometimes in a totally dark room, sometimes in addition to regular lamps.

I have one, got it as a present years ago. Cannot find it however I
try. Someone on the forum knows where I put it?

11-24-2010, 08:46 PM	#47
malcs Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: New Zealand Device: Kobo	Support software upgrade My biggest frustration is not being able to manage my books. Specifically I'd like to be able to nominate what appears in my 'I'm Reading' space. I would be happy to do this through the pc software as long as it copies to my kobo. At the moment, I read away happily on my kobo, then when I do sync with the kobo software, my 'I'm reading' shows what I was reading last time I sync'd. Frustrating! I want more control please. While your at it, how about a 'wish list' in the kobo software shop?

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11-24-2010, 04:31 PM	#46
pholy Booklegger Posts: 1,801 Karma: 7999816 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Device: BeBook(1 & 2010), PEZ, PRS-505, Kobo BT, PRS-T1, Playbook, Kobo Touch	Sorry to be late to this thread, but in my experience the Kobo does support embedded fonts in epub files. Jane Fancher and several of her elves (myself included) spent considerable time making sure they worked on several epub readers. I could post pictures - if I have to. Part of the confusion may stem from the fact that Kobo's proprietary sqlite format supports neither embedded fonts not illustrations - a failure they have remedied in the new wifi Kobo format, apparently.

11-24-2010, 09:24 PM	#48
dmacmart Fanatic Posts: 534 Karma: 696908 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Ottawa Canada Device: Kobo Mini, Glo, Arc, H2O, iPhone, iPad 2, (husband)Touch	For a wish list, you can add a book to your library and it will be listed right there. You can watch for a price drop or when a coupon comes along just buy it now!

11-26-2010, 12:45 PM	#51
pholy Booklegger Posts: 1,801 Karma: 7999816 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Device: BeBook(1 & 2010), PEZ, PRS-505, Kobo BT, PRS-T1, Playbook, Kobo Touch	Jon and 3d0g - I put "Three men" onto my Kobo and on my BeBook to compare them. I also opened up Three Men and looked at its css and its font files. The Fontin font is subtly different from the Kobo's serif font, so it was not easy to spot the differences. It turns out that the Kobo will recognize embedded font requests as long as they are not in a 'body' declaration, which is the only place they occur in this css file. Other places they are recognized. A lot of people like to be able to chose their body font - it's supposed to be one of the advantages of an ereader. Personally, I think it is unfortunate that Kobo does not allow font choice in a body declaration, but I can see where they might have been coming from. I would like to see them allow 'font-family' in body declarations. BTW, I think BeBook (Hanlin/Jinke) got it mostly right. I can add a fonts directory with a selection of my favorites, then use a settings menu to select the default font, and it will honor the choice made in the css for an embedded font. I suppose a switch setting to allow the my default font to override the css would be desirable, as well.

11-27-2010, 12:06 PM	#53
bookerz Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: kobo reader	My main vote is faster response time. Next I vote for the series information being displayed along with author. And a already read note. Bookerz

11-28-2010, 07:50 AM	#55
taming Trying for calm & polite Posts: 4,012 Karma: 9455193 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mostly in Canada Device: kobo original, WiFI, Touch, Glo, and Aura	Kobo folks are not hanging on our very word on MR right now--did you PM JC? He would know where it is on their list--or if it needs to be added. Is there a reason this discussion is happening in two different threads?

11-29-2010, 01:40 AM	#56
zoran himself Posts: 576 Karma: 11226 Join Date: May 2010 Device: Kobo	As JSWolf wants to know if this is reader worth buying, it is. I'm not sure what I'd do with wireless adapter on it, so ori- ginal device would be my choice. After price going down, it is not an investment anymore. How low it should go to get it finally? @Taming, do you notice any screen quality difference bet- ween two readers?

11-29-2010, 08:46 AM	#57
taming Trying for calm & polite Posts: 4,012 Karma: 9455193 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mostly in Canada Device: kobo original, WiFI, Touch, Glo, and Aura	Yes, Z--I did notice a difference. Initially I thought it would only be in illustrations, but I was wrong--the text contrast is much better--enough of a difference that I really do not like reading on my husband's original. It's not pearl, but it is improved enough to make a difference to my old eyes.

11-30-2010, 11:42 AM	#58
zoran himself Posts: 576 Karma: 11226 Join Date: May 2010 Device: Kobo	In a room with clear sun light first kobo behaves like the best reader on mother earth. I have problem with new kind of light bulbs, with low wattage. Recall old bulbs, up to 75/100?

11-30-2010, 11:45 AM	#59
dmacmart Fanatic Posts: 534 Karma: 696908 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Ottawa Canada Device: Kobo Mini, Glo, Arc, H2O, iPhone, iPad 2, (husband)Touch	I often use my clip-on LED, sometimes in a totally dark room, sometimes in addition to regular lamps.

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