Unicode Font support without flashing

[obelix]

Originally Posted by alanine

1. connect 505 to PC, create a directory called FONT (note all upper case) under its root directory...
......
......
......

Congratulations, alanine! Finally, it's done!
Now all of us, who are using foreign fonts, or just want to replace existing fonts can do it without any modification of the firmware!

[soilwork]

Thanks, alanine

Using your method, Korean users succeeded in using Korean fonts on their PRS 505. It is excellent that users do not have to worry about bricking their PRS 505

Thanks again for sharing such valuable information.

[vrf]

And idea why some LRF files freeze my Reader up after this trick?

[alanine]

Originally Posted by vrf

And idea why some LRF files freeze my Reader up after this trick?

Did you transfer the LRF to the reader after enabling this hack?

If so, it's probably not "freeze" but the LRF is being re-formated when first open, which usually takes quite a while. Subsequent open is no problem. Usually the connect software will do the formatting of LRFs on the PC side, and only need to update the cache on the reader so that the reader won't do the formatting again.

So this is a problem. I've already mentioned it in the first post. The bottom line is: DONT use connect software to transfer LRFs to the reader's internal memory AFTER enabling this hack! Do it before you enable the fonts (after a reset), or only transfer to SD/MS card.

[vrf]

Thanks for the reply. Actually, the LRFs were on the Reader before I applied the hack. I haven't tried loading things on after the hack yet.

[vrf]

Spent some time, got it working, for me at least.
You have to put your customized font in the Program Files/Sony/Reader/Data/Fonts folder as well. (Similiar to PRS-500 font changing discussed elsewhere.) This then handles the formatting when dumping books on the reader. (The font "wrapping" only works for rendering new font characters... the page layout is still set up for the old font, so you'll be missing some lines of text or will have white space if you only use the wrapper script.)

So...

1. Backup reader books to PC.
2. Format reader memory.
3. Make a backup copy of the fonts in the Sony folder.
4. Copy modified fonts to Sony folder
5. Copy modified fonts to "FONT" folder in Reader memory.
6. Connect Reader to Sony software... upload books... disconnect
7. Unzip Font Wrapping script to SD card.
8. Run script

New fonts now work on books on Reader and books that you add to reader. You'll need those modified fonts on whatever computer you use the Sony software on.

EDIT: BUT You need to reset the device after loading new books on, and then run the script again. This will change once we can flash the Reader with modified fonts.
I'm now running the very lovely Caecilia as my main reading text. Beautifully clear, and just as fast as the native fonts.

I think sturdy slab-serif fonts are the best choice for eink displays. Amazon uses Caecilia for the Kindle, although there are other good ones like Serifa and Calvert.

[pitolee]

Thank you Alanine - I also used it with no problems to change the default typefaces to some I prefer. Excellent, simple hack.

[rbrt222]

2. put your customized Unicode font files in FONT directory (three files tt0003m_.ttf,tt0011m_.ttf,tt0419m_.ttf, with the font family name "Swis721 BT", "Dutch801 Rm BT", and "Courier10 BT" respectively, basically the same as you would do with a prs-500).

hi, i just got my 505 yesterday and i'm having trouble with Unicode characters.
Can someone tell me where i can get those fonts(tt0003m_.ttf,tt0011m_.ttf,tt0419m_.ttf)?
and do i make a FONT directory same level as folder "database"?

thank you

[alanine]

Originally Posted by rbrt222

Can someone tell me where i can get those fonts(tt0003m_.ttf,tt0011m_.ttf,tt0419m_.ttf)?

You can try the Chinese Unicode font here, from which you can extract the first 2 ttf fonts. The third one you can use the original Sony font from your Connect software installation directory Connect\Reader\Data\fonts

and do i make a FONT directory same level as folder "database"?

Yes, and on the reader's internal memory.

[Clemenseken]

Hi alanine,

I understand that your non-flashing solution "mounts /Data/FONT over existing /opt/sony/ebook/FONT."

Do you think it possible by principle to get "applications" like obelix' SUDOKU (consisting of an autorun.xml and autorun.js) running *NOT* from an SD card but somehow start it from internal memory (like: /Data/...) ?

Everytime I start Sudoku this draws quite on akku power . Also I'd love a way to use a key like MARK (that I hardly ever use) to start a "menu" with some "home-made" options... (... I'm about to finish a game building on obelix' code. I'd like to run that "internal" somehow. As you may already suspect I'm not a pro-programmer.)

I'd be glad for any hints how to go about it!
Thanks in advance (also to every other person with good ideas ) !!!

[alanine]

Clemenseken, I understand what you are coming from. But AFAIK, the way to start a 3rd party application is by inserting a SD card that has the autorun.xml. Whether it's the only way, I don't know.

I can't think of a way to hijack some button from the default tinyhttp application so as to launch your own stuff. But again, I no longer have a 505 with me (the one I used to develop this app was a gift to my mom and is now somewhere half way around this planet).

[cIIIz]

hi
I'm new to the eReaders world so forgive my newbie question, does this allow u to read books let's say written in Arabic for example (which is a right to left language ) ? or it only changes the interface font ?

thanks

[igorsk]

No, RTL languages do not work even with proper fonts. The only way to read RTL on Reader is PDF with embedded fonts.

[electristan]

worked great thanks alot
i had some issues with converting from .otf to .ttf and changing Font Family, but i found a piece of software called FontCreator. It has a free trial and does it all so i'm a happy guy. thanks again

[electristan]

Just noticed that when you turn off your reader (Shut Down) and boot it back up again the fonts are back to the defaults and i have to reinsert the SD card and run the script again. is there any way around this? not a bit deal but i thought id ask.

Thanks again for the great tool!