Making FBReader and pdfviewer default viewers

[Marcy]

Originally Posted by mtravellerh

Our german user svenni found out this neat little trick to directly use FBReader as default viewer for ePub and pdfviewer as default viewer for PDF. Just paste extensions.cfg in to your sytem/config folder on your reader. It is only a txt file, so you may manipulate the config yourself.

Just uncompress and paste. Then your ePubs will be directly opened by FBReader. I don't know the names of the Adobe apps right now, so Adobe will be out till tomorrow!

Edit: This version is like the original, only ADE is second choice on both ePub and PDF. Please reinstall!

Thank you! I have a brand-new, just arrived today Pocketbook and couldn't believe how crappy all my epubs looked. No paragraphs, no indenting, and that horrid page number on the side. What a difference this made! Loads of karma (or at least the 10 I can bestow) upon you for sharing.

-Marcy

[GeoffC]

Is this cfg available as a .zip download, rather than a .rar ?

[Schnitzelbrain]

Originally Posted by GeoffC

Is this cfg available as a .zip download, rather than a .rar ?

Here ya go

[GeoffC]

Thank you ....

[J.C.]

What's weird is that before using this when i tried to open an epub file without drm it would fail unless I specifically chose fbreader giving an error message that perhaps the file is drm protected.
So the conclusion seem to be that the reader for drm protected files can't handle files without protection.

Can't help but wonder why this issue wasn't fixed in a firmware release yet, or in any way addressed by the support staff.

Thanks for your efforts mtravellerh.

[Tytonegro]

Hi, I downloaded/unpacked the cfg file OK.

I can't find a system/config directory. There is a config directory in the root though (that is empty)

When I try to copy or move the extensions.cfg there, the system responds with the message that it couldn't

Can someone help me out with this? It seems a very usefull option to set preferences like this.

Thanks from a newbie, Tom

[kacir]

Originally Posted by Tytonegro

Hi, I downloaded/unpacked the cfg file OK.

I can't find a system/config directory. There is a config directory in the root though (that is empty)

When I try to copy or move the extensions.cfg there, the system responds with the message that it couldn't

Can someone help me out with this? It seems a very usefull option to set preferences like this.

Thanks from a newbie, Tom

First, switch off the device and remove SD card, so it doesn't confuse things. We want to make sure that you are accessing memory of device and not a card.

Connect the device. If you use Windows you will see a new drive letter, that I will call X:\ here. Yours will be different, depending on number of harddisks, harddisk partitions, CDroms, DVDroms, external disks or other devices connected. If you use Linux, have a look at /media/ directory. There should be subdirectory called /media/Pocket101 (or something like that)

On the X: drive there should be following directory structure:

- games - here you install third-party programs

- notes - here you find notes that you create on your device

- screens - here you find screenshots created on device

- Photo - put your photos here, so they are accessible from main menu -> photos

- system - main directory for config

- system / bin - here you put binaries that will replace default applications installed on device. For example third-party version of FBReader

- system / cache - system puts here covers extracted from books if you view library in cover view

- system / calendar - system puts here calendar data. I do not how what exactly

- system / dictionaries . Put your dictionaries here. There are some interesting dictionaries for PocketBooks here and elsewhere on the net.

- system / fonts . Put ttf fonts here to install them on device. If you have fonts in *.otf or *.ttc format, rename them to *otf.ttf . I know it sounds stupid, but it works. There are many threads where people discuss their favorite (free and commercial) fonts for use with the device. My personal favorite is Gentium. Other people use Fontin, Droid, Lexia DaMa (looks almost identical to Kindle font Caecilia PMN) and many others

- system / language . If you want to install another language on device, put files here. You can download English file and translate it yourself to any language you desire (if your language isn't among the many supported ones). There is subdirectory keyboard here, with keyboard layouts.

- system / logo . You can put "screensaver" or startup pictures here. They have to be *.bmp files 600x800 pixels, shades of grey. Search this forum for detailde description of how to convert images or where to download images prepared by other people.

- system / share . This is directory that might be used by third-party apps, such as FBReader or Coolreader.

- system / themes . If you do not know what Themes are you are missing a lot. Themes define new graphics (and to some degree even new FUNCTIONALITY) for user interface. Look for thread about themes. You have to try them! Do not miss cleanlook, sheeps, sherlock and others. Put *.pbt files here.

-------------------------------------
Case A:
You haven't used Profiles on device yet.
you see directories:

- system / config . This is your desired config directory. There are files such as fbreader.cfg, global.cfg, handlers.cfg here. Put extensions.cfg here

- system / favorite . Here you find *.flk files. Those files are simple text tile describing entries in Favorites selections on your reader. When you hold OK button in library, you get menu, where you can put a book or directory(!) into Favorites. This is equivalent of Collections on other readers (such as Sony or Kindle). One book or direcotry can be in many Favorites. subdirectories.

- system / lastopen Here your reader saves info about books you are currently reading, so when you open a book again it is opened by the same application(*) and on the same page.


-------------------------------------
Case B:
You have used Profiles on device.
you see strange files:
- system / config.lnk
- system / favorite.lnk
- system /state.lnk

Those are symlinks. Symlinks point to the directories in:
- system / profiles / [profile name]

So, for example you have
- system / profiles / default / config directory where config files for the default profile are placed.

-------------------------------------

You can delete all directories and the system will work. It will just use default configurations and if you create a note or mark a book as Favorite, for example, the necessary directory and file to store settings is created automatically.
If you haven't done so yet, MAKE A BACKUP IMMEDIATELY.
If you delete contents of the system/dictionary, for example, it will be gone and the only thing you can do is to ask somebody who did make a backup to send you the file ;-)


(*) - you can open some filetypes in several applications. For example *.epub file can be opened in epubreder, fbreader (and if you have installed third-party applications also in FBReader180 or Coolreader). Just hold OK button in Library.

[paola]

Originally Posted by kacir

If you have fonts in *.otf or *.ttc format, rename them to *otf.ttf . I know it sounds stupid, but it works.

this is a super tip for me - so I can now put the Stix fonts in! Many thanks

[kacir]

Originally Posted by paola

this is a super tip for me - so I can now put the Stix fonts in! Many thanks

This was the very first tip here
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=69185

Plus, I think, one of third party fbreaders has configuration option to add .ttf suffix to otf fonts.

[paola]

Originally Posted by kacir

This was the very first tip here
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=69185

oops, haven't done my homework properly

[Billi]

kacir, Tytonegro has a Pocketbook IQ. Do you think that it works the same way as the PB360 and the Pro devices? (For all us others your explanation was great! Thanks).

[kacir]

Originally Posted by Billi

kacir, Tytonegro has a Pocketbook IQ. Do you think that it works the same way as the PB360 and the Pro devices? (For all us others your explanation was great! Thanks).

Ooops

[preempalver]

Speaking of truetype, I used ARIALUNI.TTF, microsoft windows Arial Unicode (around 22mb) with fbreader. No more problems with latin, cyrillic, greek, arab, phonetic and japanese alphabets.
it's a pity I prefer serif fonts when I read...

[J.C.]

Originally Posted by preempalver

Speaking of truetype, I used ARIALUNI.TTF, microsoft windows Arial Unicode (around 22mb) with fbreader. No more problems with latin, cyrillic, greek, arab, phonetic and japanese alphabets.
it's a pity I prefer serif fonts when I read...

You could try this list List of typefaces

In the Unicode section there are a few fonts mentioned that are also serif/sans.

[Tytonegro]

Hi Kacir et al,

Yes indeed I have a PB IQ and not a 360, only after reading again all the replies I realised it was about the 360. The first thread item doesn't mention it either.

Sorry for the confusion caused. I think you are a extremely helpful person Kacir, Thanks anyway for your extensive explanation.

On the IQ you can often choose wich prog opens the specific document and choose to use that app by default in the future; that works. But since I could not find how, for example, FBreader can be used to open txt files I thought this extension.cfg would hve been the answer....

Sorry once again for the confusion, Tom