Marvin 3.0

[Faterson]

OK. Then I have no idea whether VoiceOver will cooperate with Marvin 3's voice capabilities.

[chrisridd]

I'm interested in learning about the font support in M3 - what fonts are supported out of the box and how do you side-load extra fonts?

[kguil]

@chrisridd - M3 supports most stock iOS fonts, a selection of built-in fonts that span a wide range of tastes, and side-loading your own. Side-loading involves copying your TTF and OTF files to Marvin's documents directory, and registering them from the settings screen.

[adrian1944]

Kris

One of Alex's long messages suggested it was not possible to sort in M3 by author name, only by author first name. You did not answer this point, but surely you would not have removed something like this that was basic in M2. Looking forward to the new release.

adrian

[Turtle91]

Originally Posted by adrian1944

Kris

One of Alex's long messages suggested it was not possible to sort in M3 by author name, only by author first name. You did not answer this point, but surely you would not have removed something like this that was basic in M2. Looking forward to the new release.

adrian

Just wanted to let you know that you CAN sort books by Author's Last, First in M3.

If you go into Settings/General Settings/Behaviors there is a selection for "Author display and sort" where you can choose how you want to display the authors and how you want to sort the authors independently. Both selections allow you to choose to use either the "Book 'author' field" or "Book 'author sort' field".

I've seen Kris mention (sorry can't remember where) that if you select "Book 'author sort' field" and the Author Sort field is missing from the book's metadata then M3 will do it's best to convert the "Author" field appropriately.

Of course, if the metadata in your book is jacked and you have "First Last" in the 'Author Sort' field or "Last, First" in the 'Author Field', then the results may be skewed.

M3 is awesome, but there are some publisher shenanigans that it can't compensate for...

EDIT: Good news though...M3 allows you to easily edit that metadata, so you can correct any books you see that are mis-sorted.

[Faterson]

Adrian, unfortunately, you are correct, and Dion has not looked at this issue thoroughly, so Dion is incorrect in this regard.

Unfortunately, there still is this huge flaw in Marvin 3 Beta right now in that in the comprehensive authors listing, it's impossible to sort authors by their last names, no matter which setting you select. The settings only affect partial Library listings, but not the "all authors" listing where, of course, it's needed the most!

Like Adrian says, I would find it unacceptable for Marvin 3 to be released without enabling this essential and "smart" (if you will) authors listing. If you ask me, ladies and gents, I find sorting writers by their first names only to be... crude (to put it diplomatically). Marvin 2 could sort authors by their last names everywhere (optionally, of course), so, naturally, Marvin 3 should accomplish the same. Generally speaking, each and every Marvin 2 feature should be available in Marvin 3 (but right now it's not).

Also, Kris asked us not to discuss Beta matters in here, if possible. We have a Beta-testers-only mailing list at Google Groups, and I urge any and all current Marvin 3 Beta-testers to subscribe there, and we can discuss any still outstanding Beta-related issues there rather than in here. Just send an empty email message to marvinapp+subscribe@googlegroups.com to subscribe to the Beta discussion group. Note: Kris has indicated he would, in all likelihood, not be able to keep up with the discussions in that Google group (and I'm not surprised, given his workload), so the Google Beta group would mostly just be for Beta-testers to discuss Beta-related issues among themselves, to inspire one another, help one another with troubleshooting specific issues, making bug reports/feature requests more precise, etc. For talking to Kris, however, the dedicated email address he provided should be used instead, not the Google Beta group. I keep finding new issues in Marvin 3 every day – I have submitted 2 reports to Kris earlier today, and another one yesterday, so I believe that there are still things to improve before a public Marvin 3 release.

[Turtle91]

Originally Posted by Faterson

Adrian, unfortunately, you are correct, and Dion has not looked at this issue thoroughly, so Dion is incorrect in this regard.

Unfortunately, there still is this huge flaw in Marvin 3 Beta right now in that in the comprehensive authors listing, it's impossible to sort authors by their last names, no matter which setting you select. The settings only affect partial Library listings, but not the "all authors" listing where, of course, it's needed the most!

Sorry to disappoint you Alex, but I did look at it thoroughly and it works fine. I have several hundred books in the M3 library (356 imported from the old Marvin) and have tested all possible combinations of display vs sort, and with partial or comprehensive lists. Works like a dream.

Perhaps you just need to refresh your settings? Reselect them so they will take effect?? Perhaps update to the latest beta??? Perhaps select the "all your books" listing (since there isn't an "all authors" listing) ???? Who knows.

I am not the one bringing up Beta test matters here. I was answering a poster's concern over a matter that you brought up - incorrectly it appears. As it also appears you brought up even more Beta matters - again lol

[Faterson]

Yes, Dion, I know you just love rolling your eyes, especially in my direction. Thank you for reprimanding me whenever the slightest opportunity arises – my life really wouldn't be the same without it.

So, now that you've chosen to dissect the minutia of Beta versions here (instead of sending your message to the Beta group of which both of us are members), please instruct me. First, do you really believe I'm on an old Beta version while Beta-testing?

Second, and to the point: when I select "Authors" in the "Collections and Lists" menu (that's what I'm talking about), I get presented with the comprehensive authors listing, yet they are all sorted in the "crude" way, by their first names. There is no option to get rid of that, as far as I can see. The only 2 available sorting options there are "Name" (that's what's selected) and "Book count". In Marvin preferences, I have enabled sorting by authors' last names.

So, what am I missing, Dion? Please show me. I believe the answer is: nothing. But it's you who is apparently missing that Kris himself admitted (in one of the Beta release notes) that in this comprehensive authors listing, sorting by authors' last names does not work in Marvin 3, unlike in Marvin 2. And like Adrian, I'm saying that this is not acceptable. Everything that Marvin 2 can accomplish, should also be accomplished by Marvin 3.

PS: Feel free to reply to the Beta mailing list, Dion, instead of here, to oblige Kris's request.

[Turtle91]

Originally Posted by Faterson

Yes, Dion, I know you just love rolling your eyes, especially in my direction. Thank you for reprimanding me whenever the slightest opportunity arises – my life really wouldn't be the same without it.

Nope, don't love it, but thank you for giving me so many opportunities!! lol

And again, nope, I didn't reprimand you at all. I was answering adrian1944's post because he/she was concerned that he/she wouldn't be able to sort by Author

it was not possible to sort in M3 by author name, only by author first name. You did not answer this point, but surely you would not have removed something like this that was basic in M2. Looking forward to the new release.

I simply was letting them know that that functionality is alive and kicking in that they have the ability to sort BOOKS by author's Last. Here's my quote again, since you didn't take the time to actually read what I said the first time (emphasis added):

Just wanted to let you know that you CAN sort books by Author's Last, First in M3.

Nowhere did I mention your name or say you did anything wrong. Just alleviating adrian's concern over the basic functionality of sorting by last name.
I do notice, however, that your very next post came out and started impugning my thoroughness, and ability to test software... so who was reprimanding whom??

Originally Posted by Faterson

Second, and to the point: when I select "Authors" in the "Collections and Lists" menu (that's what I'm talking about), I get presented with the comprehensive authors listing, yet they are all sorted in the "crude" way, by their first names.

It's a good thing you think it's "crude" - and you just insulted everyone who thinks that is a "good" way to sort... lol ... you need to learn that not everyone agrees with your opinions. And describing things you don't like in such a manner is very off-putting.

In any case, your problem is with the "author's list" and not the "book list" of which I was speaking... so why are you arguing with me??

Originally Posted by Faterson

So, what am I missing, Dion? Please show me.

The fact that the 'authors' list has a sort-by option of "Name" or "Book Count" is not a bug - it is a feature - it is how Kris designed the app. That feature works perfectly. You just don't like how it works. It also certainly does not mean you can't sort by author's last name at all - as you imply - and as adrian questioned. You CAN sort your BOOKS by authors last name - which is what I was referring to. As you mentioned, Kris has agreed that functionality should be added to the author list - which is a good thing. So it most certainly is not a huge flaw - or some other such over exaggeration that you like to throw around. It is a feature that Kris is working on adding....and it most certainly is NOT something that you should be bandying about on these boards. Are you seriously trying to sabotage Marvin - or just over-inflate your own importance?

Originally Posted by Faterson

PS: Feel free to reply to the Beta mailing list, Dion, instead of here, to oblige Kris's request.

I most certainly will not reply on the beta mailing list. And please stop trying to misconstrue other's words to suit your desires. Kris flat out said NO to the Beta mailing list. He does not have the time, or inclination, to manage HIS beta procedure that way. YOU are the one that wants it - and you refuse to take his NO for an answer...so you come on here and make announcements for all beta's to join that list just because YOU want to badger everybody into accepting your feature requests as a mandate before you will put your stamp of approval on Kris' application. Thanks, but no thanks. I don't enable that kind of bullying.

Kris' request was to not discuss beta features on the boards because he didn't want to disappoint any user's if he had to make a change to the app just prior to release. So, yes. Please stop bringing up these comments about how fatally flawed you think Marvin is... just send any (actual) bug reports to Kris in a private email - like he requested - and stop trying to scare his customers.

Cheers!

[mattcurtis]

Congrats on 3.0, Kris. Looks like it's coming along very nicely.

@Faterson/Turtle91: I don't know what it is, but I have read more arguments in the Marvin sub-forum than many other threads. How does it get so heated in here?

[Turtle91]

mattcurtis: see pm

[kguil]

@adrian1944 - Marvin definitely supports displaying and sorting by First,Last/Last,First for authors. In fact, the setting is more accessible and obvious than in M2. There is one specific instance which, for technical reasons, cannot be honoured but otherwise works pretty much like you'd expect it to. I'll write a blog post about it.

@mattcurtis - thanks a lot!

[eschwartz]

@Faterson, @Turtle91

Fight! Fight! Fight!

[vs40]

In Twitter was info about plans to send app for Apple review at Monday/Tuesday, but still nothing...
Some problems with final release? Any news?

[kguil]

@eschwartz - I'd rather if everyone takes it easy

@vs40 - M3 has been submitted. I didn't announce widely just in case there is a rejection that might take some work and get everything delayed and everyone disappointed. Since M3 is a new app and technically a new release, app review is more thorough so there's a small chance of it happening.