CC Beta V3.6.3a-e/V3.6.4 have been published.

[Terisa de morgan]

I like the transparent version better.

[DoctorOhh]

I too prefer the transparent option.

[chaley]

Version 3.6.3b has been published. Changes:

• Make home screen widgets transparent.
• Make thumbnails transparent square, displaying the "real" thumbnail inside.
• Fix creating shortcuts on lollipop.
• Option to disconnect when deleting a book in Book Details while connected.
• Updated language: Italian

[DoctorOhh]

I misunderstood this widget, I thought it would show the last 5 books we opened via CC in an app. This is a list I could use. If this is the case how is the widget refreshed?

Nevermind, I changed the setting to mark book as read when opened. I never set this before because I didn't want a book marked as read until after I finished the book. But I see it doesn't mark the book as read only sets the date. This works for me.

[chaley]

Originally Posted by DoctorOhh

Nevermind, I changed the setting to mark book as read when opened. I never set this before because I didn't want a book marked as read until after I finished the book. But I see it doesn't mark the book as read only sets the date. This works for me.

You raise an interesting question. I chose to use Date Read because it is there, is automatically maintained, and I thought semantically what was wanted. However, given that a user can apply alternate semantics to the date as well as turn it off, perhaps I should add another date to keep track of when a reader is launched on a book.

Adding this date would be very straightforward. One downside: it would require a "short" database upgrade (one that touches the main table but does not look at every book). Another downside (and perhaps an upside) is that the user cannot change/erase the date to make a book disappear from the widgets. Syncing with calibre would/could not change this date.

Thoughts?

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by chaley

You raise an interesting question. I chose to use Date Read because it is there, is automatically maintained, and I thought semantically what was wanted. However, given that a user can apply alternate semantics to the date as well as turn it off, perhaps I should add another date to keep track of when a reader is launched on a book.

I think using a date for when a book is launched would make sense. It does seem to me that Date Read and last opened should be independent of each other. Thus providing a history of the last 5 books opened for use in the widget.

Since I don't use the Date Read field it makes no difference to me now that I set the option in settings.

In reference to your transparent or not background decision. If you ever allow a configuration on the widget having a choice between an opaque or transparent background would be nice. Either way the border and title bar are not the norm for any widget I have installed.

[jackie_w]

Re: v3.6.3b widgets/shortcuts

Good News - the transparency looks good.

Bad News - cover images still square - see attached screenshot from Galaxy Note3. I've tested on both Galaxy Note3 and Galaxy TabPro - same results. I also rebooted the Note3 to see if that made any difference, but nope. I can also try a Galaxy Note 1 (Android 4.0.4, I think) when my husband gets home.

Can you think of any arcane Android setting I may have set then forgotten about that may be causing this?

Re: the Date Read thingy, I have no particular thoughts on this. It works great as-is for me.

[Terisa de morgan]

I agree in different dates for read and open. I miss it in my Kobo.

[Dhevi]

Love the widgets and shortcut. Aspect ratio is still preserved on Note4 running 5.0.2. Going to check on an older S3. Is it possible to have the list of books, cycle to the first/last book in the list when going in either direction?


Update: On a Samsung Galaxy S3 running 4.4.2 the aspect ratios are also preserved.

Not certain that it should make a difference but I am using Nova Launcher Prime on both devices.

[chaley]

Originally Posted by jackie_w

Bad News - cover images still square - see attached screenshot from Galaxy Note3. I've tested on both Galaxy Note3 and Galaxy TabPro - same results. I also rebooted the Note3 to see if that made any difference, but nope. I can also try a Galaxy Note 1 (Android 4.0.4, I think) when my husband gets home.

Can you think of any arcane Android setting I may have set then forgotten about that may be causing this?

Could you send me a debug log (only me -- erase the multipie address)? I accidentally left some debug prints in that might help here.

What is the value for the CC setting Covers & Thumbnails / Cover view: cover shape? The problem is explained if it isn't one of the two "preserve aspect ratio" choices. For thumbs I didn't implement "Portrait box - stretch to fit."

EDIT: I tested using "Portrait box - stretch to fit" and it indeed made everything square.

I changed thumb generation to respect the AR of the original cover when "Portrait box - stretch to fit" is selected. This means that the covers will appear somewhat different in the widgets than in the cover view. When that option is selected the cover view uses a fixed AR of .65 to 1. The actual AR will be used in the widget.

[chaley]

Originally Posted by Dhevi

Is it possible to have the list of books, cycle to the first/last book in the list when going in either direction?

This is not possible for the list view.

It is possible for the stack view. I tried "cycling" but turned it off because with it on there is no way to tell which of the five books is the newest read. In other words, you cannot know when it scrolls from back to front or front to back. I have no problem with re-enabling this, but as I am not up for making it optional everyone would need to agree.

Not certain that it should make a difference but I am using Nova Launcher Prime on both devices.

It is good to know that it still works!

[jackie_w]

Originally Posted by chaley

Could you send me a debug log (only me -- erase the multipie address)? I accidentally left some debug prints in that might help here.

What is the value for the CC setting Covers & Thumbnails / Cover view: cover shape? The problem is explained if it isn't one of the two "preserve aspect ratio" choices. For thumbs I didn't implement "Portrait box - stretch to fit."

EDIT: I tested using "Portrait box - stretch to fit" and it indeed made everything square.

Yes, my setting for 'Cover view: cover shape' on all devices is, indeed, 'Portrait box, stretch to fit', which I've always liked because it gives the CC cover view grid a nice uniform look without anything being too badly distorted. I've just tried swapping to 'Portrait box, preserve aspect ratio' and the 3 widgets and any newly-created shortcut are no longer square - so the mystery is solved, thank you I'm guessing you no longer need the debug log?

Originally Posted by chaley

I changed thumb generation to respect the AR of the original cover when "Portrait box - stretch to fit" is selected. This means that the covers will appear somewhat different in the widgets than in the cover view. When that option is selected the cover view uses a fixed AR of .65 to 1. The actual AR will be used in the widget.

That sounds perfectly fine

[chaley]

Originally Posted by jackie_w

I'm guessing you no longer need the debug log?

Nope.

[Purple Lady]

This is what I see on my Nexus 7 2013 4.4.4 using Nova Launcher prime when choosing a widget. How can I tell what each one does?

[chaley]

Originally Posted by Purple Lady

This is what I see on my Nexus 7 2013 4.4.4 using Nova Launcher prime when choosing a widget. How can I tell what each one does?
Attachment 137119

Clearly you can't.

I wonder why Nova Launcher is not showing the preview when doing widget selection (I assume that is what we are seeing in the attachment). @Dhevi: is this what you see when you select a widget?