FW 5.3.x - 5.7.x Fonts Hack

[cornishnick]

So I've done the Python/KFF/Screensaver/KUAL updates all fine.

How does this work with the paperwhite 5.4?

'With 5.4 there will be no new options in Aa menu, you have to select the font you've overriden. On PW2 that's Caecilia for Serif, Caecilia Condensed for Condensed and Helvetica for Sans. Also, after setting an override in KUAL menu, you need to restart the framework to see any changes.'

So there's still only the six fonts in the Aa menu, can they be changed. Or do they keep the same name but display a different font? I've got Scala/Sabon/Minion/Caslon/Garamond/Akzidenz/Bodoni in the font directory. They appear under font overrides menu and I can select one, a tick appears and it says its default. I go through the restart framework (f..hush), open up the book and Aa menu but its still the same default list.

What am I missing? Do I have to have all versions of the font in the folder (i.e caslon condensed/italic/regular) or change the freetype override, or are there just fonts which can't be used with this hack?

[NiLuJe]

The list of fonts in the Aa menu won't change, but the actual font they point to will obey the override.

And yes, you need all the styles a font family (the missing ones will be synthesized, which doesn't necessarily look good).

Which family were you trying to override?

[knc1]

Originally Posted by cornishnick

- - -
Or do they keep the same name but display a different font?
- - -

Yes, keeps the name, but changes the display'd font.

[cornishnick]

Thanks for the quick reply, was going mad restarting and trying to remember if the font was different last time!

I'm trying to replace..whatever I can I guess. Trying to get minion/sabon for the serif and frutiger/scala for sans serif, seeing what works and looks good but generally like for like.

I've moved the other font files into the folder now, i'm still seeing the same options as before. I've gone through the update and restart menus but still showing the same options as before.

so if i go

/fontoverrides/serif/custom the list is still the same

I think caecilla might be changing but it seems to be the only one at the moment.

[cornishnick]

Part of the problem I'm having is working out which is which. On the Aa menu I have

helvetica
palatino
futura
caecilia
caecilia condensed
baskerville

and on the fontoverride menu I have

serif
sans
mono
condensed

so presuming Caecillia=serif
Caecillia condensed=condensed
Helvetica=sans

What does mono pertain to? And of the 2 remaining after that, is there any way to change the (futura/palatino/baskerville) font setting?

[NiLuJe]

Mono pertains to whatever monospace font is used (a Kindle specific one if memory serves). You probably won't see anything using it except the txt/html renderer.

There's no UI to switch a familiy directly, instead of an alias, but it's easy enough to do manually, based on the basic override template (that came up a couple pages ago, IIRC).

[cornishnick]

Is the procedure;

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...9&postcount=63

I've gone through that and have managed to replace the sans/condensed etc. Can't seem to do alot more, yet its better already with the few new fonts on there.

Thanks for the help.

[NiLuJe]

@cornishnick: In general, yes.

For your specific query of tweaking a single family, I was referring to something like #92 .

Keep in mind that overriding sans (in particular Helvetica) is generally a fairly bad idea.

[cornishnick]

I looked at that, can't make head or tail of it lol. Think i'll stick with what i got! Thanks for the help

[knc1]

Originally Posted by cornishnick

I looked at that, can't make head or tail of it lol.
Think i'll stick with what i got!
Thanks for the help

Say what?
You don't want to fix what isn't broken?

Ah, come on now, that is most of what we do here: fix things that aren't broken.
("Aren't broken" == in the view of Amazon. )

[Stunatra]

Originally Posted by knc1

Say what?
You don't want to fix what isn't broken?

Ah, come on now, that is most of what we do here: fix things that aren't broken.
("Aren't broken" == in the view of Amazon. )

Amazon is just like Microsoft. They don't want you to have options...only what they want to give you. If you want more, you have to hack it.

Is there any particular reason why the new updates invalidated the old, simple, hack? Was it done on purpose? Or is there a legit reason?

It aggravates me.

This new hack doesn't even sound like it's worth all the trouble.

[knc1]

We think that it is being done on purpose.

There is a war being waged over who has control of the device's behavior after the sale.
Amazon: Control of the device's behavior remains with the manufacturer.
MR: Control of the device behavior belongs to the owner.

Amazon introduced their e-book reader with using it as a market research tool as part of its production and pricing plan.

A brick-and-mortar bookstore can't really tell what those people passing by on the sidewalk are reading (or would like to read, or how long they spend reading every day, or ...)
But if an electronic bookstore supplied (low cost) e-book readers that called home with that information they could learn those details and guide their retail operations accordingly.

That data gathering project has varied in its details over the years but it is still in operation.
The earliest machines (say DXG and prior) even said so in the "legal info" that shipped on the devices.
That tl;dr document rivaling War and Peace - but it is in there.

Now you have the chance to see a tl;dr reply post from one of the people who strongly believes that ownership of the device behavior belongs to the owner of the device (I.E: follows the ownership of the hardware).

[Stunatra]

Originally Posted by knc1

We think that it is being done on purpose.

There is a war being waged over who has control of the device's behavior after the sale.
Amazon: Control of the device's behavior remains with the manufacturer.
MR: Control of the device behavior belongs to the owner.

Amazon introduced their e-book reader with using it as a market research tool as part of its production and pricing plan.

A brick-and-mortar bookstore can't really tell what those people passing by on the sidewalk are reading (or would like to read, or how long they spend reading every day, or ...)
But if an electronic bookstore supplied (low cost) e-book readers that called home with that information they could learn those details and guide their retail operations accordingly.

That data gathering project has varied in its details over the years but it is still in operation.
The earliest machines (say DXG and prior) even said so in the "legal info" that shipped on the devices.
That tl;dr document rivaling War and Peace - but it is in there.

Now you have the chance to see a tl;dr reply post from one of the people who strongly believes that ownership of the device behavior belongs to the owner of the device (I.E: follows the ownership of the hardware).

I can't see what that has to do with a user adding his/her own fonts to the device. Why would they care about such a thing?

[mandy314]

As knc1 said - all your actions on your Kindle are logged with timestamp and all. Is this information uploaded to Amazon I don't know. I bought my PW1 at a retail shop, it isn't registered and won't see a wifi in his life for sure. For me all this EULA of "information and electronic" gadgets has gone too far - Amazon has the "right" to analyze your user logs. I wouldn't have an ereader if it wouldn't be possible to use the device without registering and sharing my personal and private reading habits. Add to this the "EULA" of digital content (DRM etc) and at least for me it isn't easy to enjoy this new media at all (successfull lobbying has made breach of EULA contract illegal concerning state's laws in some respect too).

Now for the "disableing" of USE_ALT_FONT. The mass market seems to be satisfied with simple user interfaces for their electronic gadgets - even with phones/tablets/readers more powerful than some PC not too many years ago most are happy with a restricted set of configuration options but these have to work faultlessly. As an example: Publisher's font (mostly Charis) don't work well so Amazon disables them in Kindle editions (the fonts are still in the file but the css references are canceled). Perhaps many Kindle owners (not necesarely MR-members) tried the USE_ALT_FONT hack, had a cluttered Font Menu, used a custom font which didn't looked good on an e-ink device - and they contacted Amazon support. Given a good number of complaints I can see Amazon being motivated to "fix" the USE_ALT_FONT issue - and it always be the "close" option.

With Calibre, some plugins (not-to-be-named and Hyphenate This!), various fonts-/margin-hacks (thanks again to all devs) and my PW1 with FW 5.3.9 I'm a daily and happy ereader and ebook user. BTW I fear the PW3 will be more "closed" still.

[knc1]

Originally Posted by Stunatra

I can't see what that has to do with a user adding his/her own fonts to the device. Why would they care about such a thing?

A maintenance cost.
Font files can be badly formed enough to "brick" a device.