Is new Sony Reader Library version ok??

[paulak39]

The new version works fine for me. I wasn't able to access my account with the previous one using Vista, and decided I had nothing to lose by upgrading to 3.3 when it was released. It was a pleasant surprise to have things working well again.
Paula

[cheddy]

I'm getting hangups and crashes running 3.3 and Windows 7. :-( I've given up.

[ShellShock]

Originally Posted by yekim54

In version 3.2, the external fonts were detected in directory:

c:\Program Files\Sony\Reader\Data\bin\Data\fonts

I haven't figured out where version 3.3 expects external fonts to be. Maybe that feature has been removed from version 3.3.

In 3.3. the location of the userStyle.css in FskDocumentViewerAdobe.dll has been changed to res:///userStyle.cs, which on my O/S equates to C:\Program Files (x86)\Sony\Reader\Data\bin (the same directory as FskDocumentViewerAdobe.dll). However, if I put userStyle.css in there it has no effect. Using Process Monitor, I can't see that the Reader Library.exe ever tries to load userStyle.css. It is almost as though this "feature" has been disabled by Adobe.

[mwheinz]

Originally Posted by Bookworm_Girl

I am running version 3.3 on Mac OS. It is much zippier than v3.2!

Is it any more reliable? I had a heck of a time with 3.1 and 3.2, I never even use it anymore except to buy books that I immediately move to Calibre.

I want to get an ebook for my mom, but I really can't see teaching her to use Calibre - it's just too "feature rich" and "user confusing".

[Bookworm_Girl]

Originally Posted by mwheinz

Is it any more reliable? I had a heck of a time with 3.1 and 3.2, I never even use it anymore except to buy books that I immediately move to Calibre.

I want to get an ebook for my mom, but I really can't see teaching her to use Calibre - it's just too "feature rich" and "user confusing".

It is more reliable for me and my computer setup. I have Mac OS X 10.5.8 installed. Version 3.2 would constantly freeze, and then I would have to force quit. Version 3.3 does not have these issues.

I got my mom a Sony ereader and setup Version 3.2 for her on a PC. It works just fine. Although she doesn't have very many books in her library yet to slow it down. It was based on that experience that I upgraded to 3.2 on my Mac without much thought. Big mistake for me at the time so I am happy with 3.3 since it is useable again. Then again my expectations are probably lower than most. I've been using the Sony Reader Library since 2007. The current software is much more reliable and operates at light speed compared to the early versions! I am also happy they finally released a Mac version, and I don't have to switch over to Windows in Bootcamp anymore to manage my ebooks.

[thymaster]

I just found out Calibre works way better and there are so many choices for book stores. No need to wait for Sony engineers to improve their application. If I'm being too harsh on them its because they need a game changer to survive in this growing market.

[mwheinz]

Originally Posted by Bookworm_Girl

It is more reliable for me and my computer setup. I have Mac OS X 10.5.8 installed...I got my mom a Sony ereader and setup Version 3.2 for her on a PC. It works just fine.

Thanks for the feedback - my mom's using my old iBook running 10.5.8.

[ShellShock]

Originally Posted by ShellShock

In 3.3. the location of the userStyle.css in FskDocumentViewerAdobe.dll has been changed to res:///userStyle.cs, which on my O/S equates to C:\Program Files (x86)\Sony\Reader\Data\bin (the same directory as FskDocumentViewerAdobe.dll). However, if I put userStyle.css in there it has no effect. Using Process Monitor, I can't see that the Reader Library.exe ever tries to load userStyle.css. It is almost as though this "feature" has been disabled by Adobe.

It is even worse than I thought. 3.3 also ignores font specifications within the .css in the epub itself, and not just the external userStyle.css. For example, if my epub .css has this:

@font-face { font-family: "Fontin"; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; src: url(res:///Data/fonts/Fontin-Regular.ttf); }

The res:///Data/fonts/Fontin-Regular.ttf should equate to C:\Program Files (x86)\Sony\Reader\Data\bin\Data\fonts, but it seems to have no effect. This works in 3.2, and also works in the new devices (e.g., 350 as described here https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=98618).

Process Monitor shows that 3.3 never tries to read the external font files. So it seems the only way to change the font used is to actually embed the font within the epub.

I think this really a bug, and not just a feature that has been deliberately removed.

[mwheinz]

ShellShock - I've been reading this thread and I'm a little confused. Is the problem that 3.3 won't use the fonts when reading on your PC, or that it won't install/use the fonts on your reader?

I think this really a bug, and not just a feature that has been deliberately removed.

You mentioned it works with the new devices - that certainly makes me wonder if they added something that says older devices don't support additional fonts.

[ShellShock]

Originally Posted by mwheinz

ShellShock - I've been reading this thread and I'm a little confused. Is the problem that 3.3 won't use the fonts when reading on your PC, or that it won't install/use the fonts on your reader?

You mentioned it works with the new devices - that certainly makes me wonder if they added something that says older devices don't support additional fonts.

The problem is it won't use the fonts when reading on the PC, which means you cannot accurately preview an epub on the PC before transferring it to the device.

The older (or newer) devices are not affected by this.

[mwheinz]

Okay - thanks for clarifying. I agree with you that it's a bug and not a mis-feature.