what to install on kobo glo + illustration&css sideload + color A4 e-ink

Doonge · 11-16-2013, 05:21 AM

Hello and sorry in advance for my poor english.

There are a lot of things I want to ask, and I did not know where would be the best place to post in.

I discovered last year only the e-ink technology, and as I was very interested in the potential of it- especially the low needs in battery (I hate to have to plug my smartphone all the time)- I bought a Kobo Glo.

I then played a bit with it, learned about the epub format and encoded some with worse results than I'd have expected (poor css support).

I don't think I've upgraded the firmware yet.

I would like to know what I should install on my Kobo to improve it. I don't know if any firmware or regular software might better the responsiveness, the browsing of my books (5 books by 5 currently???), and broaden the css support of epub (epub3 support?? ^^ but my main problem is the absence of the pseudo elements :after and :before, and the custom fonts?).

Also, I bought a book that I liked very much when I was a kid: Charmed Life of Diana Wynnes Jones. However, my best paper version of it has illustrations of a specific artist, which of course are not included in the ebook (it would have costed more to them). Due to that, I want to scan my paper book, and include the illustrations. But I don't really want to edit the "official" ebook, and I would like to be able to sideload them, a bit like one can sideload subtitles files in a movie.

Since I've read it is possible to sideload css, I've thought about a program that would load side files which contain elements to inject in the DOM (epub).

For instance, if a file named "customElements.txt" with the lines "document[2].body.section[2].p[8].word[3].after = img('illustration.png');" can be sideloaded and interpreted, I could be able to edit a book (add comments, illustrations, custom css, whatever) without directly editing it. Does any program let you do that, or should it be coded? And if it's to be programmed, is there a Kobo API somewhere?

Finally, I'm seeing "color e-ink" videos on youtube, but I don't see any in the market yet where I live. I'd like to buy one of these in the future, in the A4 format (bigger than pocket book) so it will be nice with european comic books (A4).
Since not everything is best viewed in A4 format, is it possible to slice the screen into 2 A5 parts with big current e-ink devices (and rotate the device)? The same way we see 2 pages when we open a regular book?

Thank you for your time.

Ken Maltby · 11-16-2013, 12:54 PM

I can't comment on the capabilities of an unknown device that you may buy, in the future.

You might want to look into "Sigil" epub editor. There is a forum for it here at Mobileread. The Glo is supposed to handle GIF; JPEG; PNG; TIFF images, so you can add images. You can use Sigil to add them to an epub.

You might try the alternative reading software. https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=226456

Luck;
Ken

Doonge · 11-16-2013, 06:38 PM

Thank you for your input.

I already know how to encode epub, and have a satisfactory rendering. I'm just disappointed in how the current e-reader software interprets some peculiar css properties (for instance, the pseudo elements :after and :before).
Some software do not have this problem, for instance the epubreader plugin for firefox. So, I'm wondering whether there exists a reading software able to interpret the best the epub format.

As for the images, I already know how to edit an epub, and insert them in a epub (with the help of Sigil, for instance). But it annoys me a little having to edit an "official" publication. I'd rather be able to "overload" illustrations. Example might convey what I say better: let's say there has been a lot of illustrators who illustrated Alice in Wonderland. I do not want to scan them all manually AND insert them in different copies of Alice in Wonderland, I just want to sideload them and choose which one I want to sideload. This requires onload DOM element injection.

Anyway, thanks for the link, I suppose I'll have to check everything then, I see no documentation =(

Best regards.

davidfor · 11-16-2013, 08:13 PM

I doubt if there is an e-ink ereader that does what you want. In fact, I doubt if anything other than a web browser would. And even then I'm not sure. What you describe is normally done on the server side of the web-page.

To do this, you would need someone to write software for you. The ereader producers are unlikely to be interested as I don't think it would many more books or devices.

Ken Maltby · 11-16-2013, 08:40 PM

I have made most use of Koreader and I can describe a little of what you can do, as related to style sheets. Once you have selected a book, you will have menus at the top and bottom of the page. The menus have tabs that change the areas being addressed and normally have a number of selections that lead to option settings.

For style options, the second tab, in the top menu, has "Change font", "Set render style" and "Hyphenation". The "Set render style" selection gives you two pages of .css selections (as well as "clear all external styles" and "Auto") [You swipe the list to change pages.] There is a folder (.kobo\koreader\data) that has the style sheet files. You can add your own and it will appear on the list.

The bottom menu includes a number of things that you might have used a style sheet to implement, as well as the ability to turn "Embedded style" on or off.

There is no pdb.css provided, for instance, and I could make one to use with the many .pdb ebooks that I have, but I like the way it is handled when I select "Auto". I like Auto for .epub sometimes too.

Luck;
Ken

Doonge · 11-17-2013, 07:20 AM

Okay then, I'll start having a look at Koreader ^^

I'll see if I can add some custom code before compiling, and I hope there's an API. If KoReader is able to inject custom css from a predefined folder, it should be feasible to inject custom css from the same folder than the epub opened, or inject "other things".

Many thanks.

hawhill · 11-19-2013, 04:44 AM

Be warned: Koreader's CSS features are not that sophisticated.

davidfor already said it: There just aren't many ebook readers out there with support for all the finer details. Even the newest EPUB rendering software out there doesn't claim to support every last specified feature...

If you think of a detailed image of what you want to see, then why don't pre-render it as a PDF?

Kobo just uses Adobe software (proprietary) to render EPUBs. Not much of an API to speak of.

As for "color e-ink": That's not just where you live. I don't think there were ever devices hitting any market in larger quantities. Personally, I have some hopes for the success of Mirasol displays, but am still skeptical. LCDs are at a point where they are usable enough, and maybe in this case it's the other way around: Good is also the enemy of perfect. The margin for a new market might be just a bit too small. Let's see.

11-16-2013, 05:21 AM	#1
Doonge Connoisseur Posts: 80 Karma: 1184732 Join Date: Nov 2013 Device: Kobo Glo	what to install on kobo glo + illustration&css sideload + color A4 e-ink Hello and sorry in advance for my poor english. There are a lot of things I want to ask, and I did not know where would be the best place to post in. I discovered last year only the e-ink technology, and as I was very interested in the potential of it- especially the low needs in battery (I hate to have to plug my smartphone all the time)- I bought a Kobo Glo. I then played a bit with it, learned about the epub format and encoded some with worse results than I'd have expected (poor css support). I don't think I've upgraded the firmware yet. I would like to know what I should install on my Kobo to improve it. I don't know if any firmware or regular software might better the responsiveness, the browsing of my books (5 books by 5 currently???), and broaden the css support of epub (epub3 support?? ^^ but my main problem is the absence of the pseudo elements :after and :before, and the custom fonts?). Also, I bought a book that I liked very much when I was a kid: Charmed Life of Diana Wynnes Jones. However, my best paper version of it has illustrations of a specific artist, which of course are not included in the ebook (it would have costed more to them). Due to that, I want to scan my paper book, and include the illustrations. But I don't really want to edit the "official" ebook, and I would like to be able to sideload them, a bit like one can sideload subtitles files in a movie. Since I've read it is possible to sideload css, I've thought about a program that would load side files which contain elements to inject in the DOM (epub). For instance, if a file named "customElements.txt" with the lines "document[2].body.section[2].p[8].word[3].after = img('illustration.png');" can be sideloaded and interpreted, I could be able to edit a book (add comments, illustrations, custom css, whatever) without directly editing it. Does any program let you do that, or should it be coded? And if it's to be programmed, is there a Kobo API somewhere? Finally, I'm seeing "color e-ink" videos on youtube, but I don't see any in the market yet where I live. I'd like to buy one of these in the future, in the A4 format (bigger than pocket book) so it will be nice with european comic books (A4). Since not everything is best viewed in A4 format, is it possible to slice the screen into 2 A5 parts with big current e-ink devices (and rotate the device)? The same way we see 2 pages when we open a regular book? Thank you for your time. Last edited by Doonge; 11-16-2013 at 05:26 AM. Reason: A4

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11-16-2013, 12:54 PM	#2
Ken Maltby Wizard Posts: 4,465 Karma: 6900052 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: The Heart of Texas Device: Boox Note2, AuraHD, PDA,	I can't comment on the capabilities of an unknown device that you may buy, in the future. You might want to look into "Sigil" epub editor. There is a forum for it here at Mobileread. The Glo is supposed to handle GIF; JPEG; PNG; TIFF images, so you can add images. You can use Sigil to add them to an epub. You might try the alternative reading software. https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=226456 Luck; Ken

11-16-2013, 06:38 PM	#3
Doonge Connoisseur Posts: 80 Karma: 1184732 Join Date: Nov 2013 Device: Kobo Glo	Thank you for your input. I already know how to encode epub, and have a satisfactory rendering. I'm just disappointed in how the current e-reader software interprets some peculiar css properties (for instance, the pseudo elements :after and :before). Some software do not have this problem, for instance the epubreader plugin for firefox. So, I'm wondering whether there exists a reading software able to interpret the best the epub format. As for the images, I already know how to edit an epub, and insert them in a epub (with the help of Sigil, for instance). But it annoys me a little having to edit an "official" publication. I'd rather be able to "overload" illustrations. Example might convey what I say better: let's say there has been a lot of illustrators who illustrated Alice in Wonderland. I do not want to scan them all manually AND insert them in different copies of Alice in Wonderland, I just want to sideload them and choose which one I want to sideload. This requires onload DOM element injection. Anyway, thanks for the link, I suppose I'll have to check everything then, I see no documentation =( Best regards.

11-16-2013, 08:13 PM	#4
davidfor Grand Sorcerer Posts: 24,906 Karma: 47303822 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Sydney, Australia Device: Kobo:Touch,Glo, AuraH2O, GloHD,AuraONE, ClaraHD, Libra H2O; tolinoepos	I doubt if there is an e-ink ereader that does what you want. In fact, I doubt if anything other than a web browser would. And even then I'm not sure. What you describe is normally done on the server side of the web-page. To do this, you would need someone to write software for you. The ereader producers are unlikely to be interested as I don't think it would many more books or devices.

11-16-2013, 08:40 PM	#5
Ken Maltby Wizard Posts: 4,465 Karma: 6900052 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: The Heart of Texas Device: Boox Note2, AuraHD, PDA,	I have made most use of Koreader and I can describe a little of what you can do, as related to style sheets. Once you have selected a book, you will have menus at the top and bottom of the page. The menus have tabs that change the areas being addressed and normally have a number of selections that lead to option settings. For style options, the second tab, in the top menu, has "Change font", "Set render style" and "Hyphenation". The "Set render style" selection gives you two pages of .css selections (as well as "clear all external styles" and "Auto") [You swipe the list to change pages.] There is a folder (.kobo\koreader\data) that has the style sheet files. You can add your own and it will appear on the list. The bottom menu includes a number of things that you might have used a style sheet to implement, as well as the ability to turn "Embedded style" on or off. There is no pdb.css provided, for instance, and I could make one to use with the many .pdb ebooks that I have, but I like the way it is handled when I select "Auto". I like Auto for .epub sometimes too. Luck; Ken

11-17-2013, 07:20 AM	#6
Doonge Connoisseur Posts: 80 Karma: 1184732 Join Date: Nov 2013 Device: Kobo Glo	Okay then, I'll start having a look at Koreader ^^ I'll see if I can add some custom code before compiling, and I hope there's an API. If KoReader is able to inject custom css from a predefined folder, it should be feasible to inject custom css from the same folder than the epub opened, or inject "other things". Many thanks.

11-19-2013, 04:44 AM	#7
hawhill Wizard Posts: 1,379 Karma: 2155307 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Goettingen, Germany Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Kobo Mini	Be warned: Koreader's CSS features are not that sophisticated. davidfor already said it: There just aren't many ebook readers out there with support for all the finer details. Even the newest EPUB rendering software out there doesn't claim to support every last specified feature... If you think of a detailed image of what you want to see, then why don't pre-render it as a PDF? Kobo just uses Adobe software (proprietary) to render EPUBs. Not much of an API to speak of. As for "color e-ink": That's not just where you live. I don't think there were ever devices hitting any market in larger quantities. Personally, I have some hopes for the success of Mirasol displays, but am still skeptical. LCDs are at a point where they are usable enough, and maybe in this case it's the other way around: Good is also the enemy of perfect. The margin for a new market might be just a bit too small. Let's see.

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