Forma Multi Column view - anyone know how to modify it?

PatrickTC · 12-20-2018, 07:48 PM

Hello, I really like reading two columns in landscape mode on the Forma, but while I can do that during the day, the maximum font size is too small for me to read at night. It seems that the Forma automatically defaults to a single column at the font selection of 8th from the smallest. Does anyone know how to modify this?

I'm curious if there is an edit to Adobe's Reader software that could be made, or if there is an edit one could make to individual epubs. Is there something in the style sheets that controls how this displays?

I imagine I could install KSM and KOReader and perhaps get this functionality, but I'm hesitant to do so because I am NOT a coder and I don't want to risk bricking a device that doesn't have a removable SD card...

I should make it clear, this only works with side-loaded epubs - kepubs always display as a single column.

If anyone has any insight, I'd be most appreciative!

Thanks,

-patrick

NiLuJe · 12-20-2018, 07:57 PM

There's possibly a readingColumnCount hidden setting (can be set in the Reading section), but I haven't tried it, and I don't know how it's supposed to work, exactly (FW 4.12.12111).

Basically, the name just looked relevant

.

Semwize · 12-20-2018, 11:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NiLuJe

readingColumnCount

=2
=true

not works

GeoffR · 12-21-2018, 01:43 AM

One way to control the number of columns the ePub reader uses is with book's Adobe XPGT stylesheet, but I don't know much about how it works. See my posts in this thread for some examples.

Edit: If you wanted to make it so that it always used one column in portrait mode and two columns in landscape mode regardless of font size, then I think the way to do it would be to set ade:min-page-width to just over half the width of the screen in pixels, say 721px for the Forma.

PatrickTC · 12-21-2018, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeoffR

One way to control the number of columns the ePub reader uses is with book's Adobe XPGT stylesheet, but I don't know much about how it works. See my posts in this thread for some examples.

Edit: If you wanted to make it so that it always used one column in portrait mode and two columns in landscape mode regardless of font size, then I think the way to do it would be to set ade:min-page-width to just over half the width of the screen in pixels, say 721px for the Forma.

Thank You, this is certainly along the lines of what I was thinking, but I know next to nothing about these issues. I occasionally open an ePub with the editor that is include with Calibre and tinker with it a bit, but I'm really just flailing around...

The older thread IS useful -- I searched for something like that, but the terms I used didn't turn it up.

Actually, if anyone can suggest a good tutorial for ePub formatting and styling, for someone who doesn't even have many html skills, I'd appreciate that, too!

Thanks to all who have shared suggestions so far!

GeoffR · 03-11-2019, 04:00 AM

I have made a firmware patch that might help with this issue. See ePub default multi-column thresholds for firmware version 4.12.12111.

12-20-2018, 07:48 PM	#1
PatrickTC Member Posts: 21 Karma: 51868 Join Date: Jan 2015 Device: Kobo - Mini, Glo, Glo HD	Forma Multi Column view - anyone know how to modify it? Hello, I really like reading two columns in landscape mode on the Forma, but while I can do that during the day, the maximum font size is too small for me to read at night. It seems that the Forma automatically defaults to a single column at the font selection of 8th from the smallest. Does anyone know how to modify this? I'm curious if there is an edit to Adobe's Reader software that could be made, or if there is an edit one could make to individual epubs. Is there something in the style sheets that controls how this displays? I imagine I could install KSM and KOReader and perhaps get this functionality, but I'm hesitant to do so because I am NOT a coder and I don't want to risk bricking a device that doesn't have a removable SD card... I should make it clear, this only works with side-loaded epubs - kepubs always display as a single column. If anyone has any insight, I'd be most appreciative! Thanks, -patrick

12-21-2018, 01:43 AM	#4
GeoffR Wizard Posts: 3,821 Karma: 19162882 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Te Riu-a-Māui Device: Kobo Glo	One way to control the number of columns the ePub reader uses is with book's Adobe XPGT stylesheet, but I don't know much about how it works. See my posts in this thread for some examples. Edit: If you wanted to make it so that it always used one column in portrait mode and two columns in landscape mode regardless of font size, then I think the way to do it would be to set ade:min-page-width to just over half the width of the screen in pixels, say 721px for the Forma. Last edited by GeoffR; 12-21-2018 at 02:25 AM. Reason: ... always used one column in portrait mode and two columns in landscape ...

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12-20-2018, 07:57 PM	#2
NiLuJe BLAM! Posts: 13,477 Karma: 26012494 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Paris, France Device: Kindle 2i, 3g, 4, 5w, PW, PW2, PW5; Kobo H2O, Forma, Elipsa, Sage, C2E	There's possibly a readingColumnCount hidden setting (can be set in the Reading section), but I haven't tried it, and I don't know how it's supposed to work, exactly (FW 4.12.12111). Basically, the name just looked relevant .

03-11-2019, 04:00 AM	#6
GeoffR Wizard Posts: 3,821 Karma: 19162882 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Te Riu-a-Māui Device: Kobo Glo	I have made a firmware patch that might help with this issue. See ePub default multi-column thresholds for firmware version 4.12.12111.