Pocketbook Inkpad 3: font problem in certain PDFs

Poremskyi · 10-04-2019, 12:34 PM

Dear all:

Here's the annoying problem: when I open certain magazines on Inkpad 3, the fonts display the wrong way, with irregular spaces between characters and some symbols not displayed at all (screenshot of a page from New Yorker attached).

All I can add is that I'm using the latest Pocketbook software for this device, and it seems the problem occurred around the time I installed it.

Your opinion will be greatly appreciated.

Kind regards,
D

Screenshot:

Poremskyi · 10-04-2019, 01:28 PM

It seems the screenshot didn't attach. Corrected.

mobama · 10-05-2019, 03:16 AM

So you are showing an image of a PDF from New Yorker. How did you create the PDF? What happens when you try PDF files created in other PDF-creating programs? Have you tried viewing the same PDF in other PDF-viewing programs?

I do not deny that Pocketbook's latest update may have messed up something so that your particular PDF files go wonky, but there are many ways of making PDF files and you may easily bypass the problem.

Poremskyi · 10-05-2019, 06:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mobama

So you are showing an image of a PDF from New Yorker. How did you create the PDF? What happens when you try PDF files created in other PDF-creating programs? Have you tried viewing the same PDF in other PDF-viewing programs?

I do not deny that Pocketbook's latest update may have messed up something so that your particular PDF files go wonky, but there are many ways of making PDF files and you may easily bypass the problem.

I'm talking about an official PDF replica with a text overlay option, i.e. I didn't create this PDF myself. I used my Sony PRS 950 Daily Edition, and everything displays as it should be – exactly like it looks like on any desktop PDF viewer...

rkomar · 10-05-2019, 10:31 AM

You are missing the font that should be used in the PDF. Substitute fonts usually appear that way in PDFs because the glyphs (character images) are different sizes from the ones used to calculate the positions of each character. I don't have an Inkpad 3, so I don't know what is available, but if there are multiple PDF readers available on the device, then one of the others may have the font available to it. I would guess that the Adobe reader program would have the best chance of rendering the text correctly. Use the "Open with..." menu item to select which reading application is used.

Poremskyi · 10-05-2019, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rkomar

You are missing the font that should be used in the PDF. Substitute fonts usually appear that way in PDFs because the glyphs (character images) are different sizes from the ones used to calculate the positions of each character. I don't have an Inkpad 3, so I don't know what is available, but if there are multiple PDF readers available on the device, then one of the others may have the font available to it. I would guess that the Adobe reader program would have the best chance of rendering the text correctly. Use the "Open with..." menu item to select which reading application is used.

Thank you for the proposal. I did try to do that, but unfortunately the reader only offers a poor selection of actually the same software (attached) –*I was unable to spot any PDF reader there.

I also added additional fonts to the corresponding location in the hidden system folder, but it didn't help.

Poremskyi · 10-06-2019, 01:15 PM

I downgraded the device to earlier firmware (v.5.17.1736) from the official support page, and it turned out that the PDF in question works fine. As soon as I upgraded the reader, the problem returned. I've had a look at all the Adobe and font folders in the two versions, but was unable to spot any difference – the files are of the same size and date in Total Commander.

In other words, the problem probably lies with the latest firmware, which makes the reader worse in this respect – a very disappointing experience given that the device is positioned as the company's premium ebook reader.

(I've recently discovered it has yet another problem: it cannot properly display pages with two and three columns; this, however, is endemic to Pocketbooks – I've tried an earlier model of Pocketbook Basic with the same result...)

mobama · 10-07-2019, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poremskyi

I downgraded the device to earlier firmware (v.5.17.1736) from the official support page, and it turned out that the PDF in question works fine. As soon as I upgraded the reader, the problem returned. I've had a look at all the Adobe and font folders in the two versions, but was unable to spot any difference – the files are of the same size and date in Total Commander.

This is thorough enough testing.

But when you long-press the file, do you have just one app option to open the file with or do you have two? If there are font options, maybe turn hinting off?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poremskyi

(I've recently discovered it has yet another problem: it cannot properly display pages with two and three columns; this, however, is endemic to Pocketbooks – I've tried an earlier model of Pocketbook Basic with the same result...)

What is the problem with displaying columns in the default app?

Poremskyi · 10-08-2019, 06:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mobama

This is thorough enough testing.

But when you long-press the file, do you have just one app option to open the file with or do you have two? If there are font options, maybe turn hinting off?

What is the problem with displaying columns in the default app?

When I long-press the file, the only two options I see are:

PB Reader (fast)
PB Reader (universal)

Font options: I haven't found any for this type of file.

Columns: I'll perhaps describe the problem in a different thread soon because it's not related to font issues.

P.S. To my utter amazement, when I opened the same New Yorker file today to check it, it first displayed upside down with bad fonts (even though the G-sensor is off) and then it changed to the the correct font, just as it looks like on my computer screen or on earlier firmware. I really don't know what to make of it: I didn't change anything, the book didn't update by itself, no-one touched the book. The only explanation I have is divine intervention, although it explains little.

blub · 12-29-2019, 12:59 PM

I can confirm this bug. I hadn't connected to Wifi for months and then did an upgrade to the latest Inkpad 3 software a couple of days ago, so I don't know which version is the problem.
I have attached a comparative screenshot. The good message for debugging is that the book is open source, so you could have a view at the Latex code: https://github.com/LaurentRosenfeld/thinkperl6
At first, it did not work for me in either universal or fast mode, but after closing the viewer via the task manager and opening it again in universal mode, it works now (i. e., it displays correctly). So it's okay for me now, but still I'm a bit annoyed because it's a software downgrade. Before the downgrade, it worked "out of the box" (don't know whether that's universal or fast mode), now I had to google it and find out about the modes.
Hope this might help you with debugging

10-04-2019, 12:34 PM	#1
Poremskyi Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 1196 Join Date: Dec 2017 Device: Sony PRS-505, Sony PRS-950 Daily Edition, PocketBook A10	Pocketbook Inkpad 3: font problem in certain PDFs Dear all: Here's the annoying problem: when I open certain magazines on Inkpad 3, the fonts display the wrong way, with irregular spaces between characters and some symbols not displayed at all (screenshot of a page from New Yorker attached). All I can add is that I'm using the latest Pocketbook software for this device, and it seems the problem occurred around the time I installed it. Your opinion will be greatly appreciated. Kind regards, D Screenshot:

12-29-2019, 12:59 PM	#10
blub Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2019 Device: Inkbook 3	Confirm bug I can confirm this bug. I hadn't connected to Wifi for months and then did an upgrade to the latest Inkpad 3 software a couple of days ago, so I don't know which version is the problem. I have attached a comparative screenshot. The good message for debugging is that the book is open source, so you could have a view at the Latex code: https://github.com/LaurentRosenfeld/thinkperl6 At first, it did not work for me in either universal or fast mode, but after closing the viewer via the task manager and opening it again in universal mode, it works now (i. e., it displays correctly). So it's okay for me now, but still I'm a bit annoyed because it's a software downgrade. Before the downgrade, it worked "out of the box" (don't know whether that's universal or fast mode), now I had to google it and find out about the modes. Hope this might help you with debugging Attached Thumbnails

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10-05-2019, 03:16 AM	#3
mobama Evangelist Posts: 432 Karma: 2303460 Join Date: Aug 2017 Device: Pocketbook Inkpad 3, Onyx T76ML, Kobo H2O Edition 1, Kobo Mini	So you are showing an image of a PDF from New Yorker. How did you create the PDF? What happens when you try PDF files created in other PDF-creating programs? Have you tried viewing the same PDF in other PDF-viewing programs? I do not deny that Pocketbook's latest update may have messed up something so that your particular PDF files go wonky, but there are many ways of making PDF files and you may easily bypass the problem.

10-05-2019, 10:31 AM	#5
rkomar Wizard Posts: 2,985 Karma: 18343081 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Sudbury, ON, Canada Device: PRS-505, PB 902, PRS-T1, PB 623, PB 840, PB 633	You are missing the font that should be used in the PDF. Substitute fonts usually appear that way in PDFs because the glyphs (character images) are different sizes from the ones used to calculate the positions of each character. I don't have an Inkpad 3, so I don't know what is available, but if there are multiple PDF readers available on the device, then one of the others may have the font available to it. I would guess that the Adobe reader program would have the best chance of rendering the text correctly. Use the "Open with..." menu item to select which reading application is used.

10-06-2019, 01:15 PM	#7
Poremskyi Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 1196 Join Date: Dec 2017 Device: Sony PRS-505, Sony PRS-950 Daily Edition, PocketBook A10	I downgraded the device to earlier firmware (v.5.17.1736) from the official support page, and it turned out that the PDF in question works fine. As soon as I upgraded the reader, the problem returned. I've had a look at all the Adobe and font folders in the two versions, but was unable to spot any difference – the files are of the same size and date in Total Commander. In other words, the problem probably lies with the latest firmware, which makes the reader worse in this respect – a very disappointing experience given that the device is positioned as the company's premium ebook reader. (I've recently discovered it has yet another problem: it cannot properly display pages with two and three columns; this, however, is endemic to Pocketbooks – I've tried an earlier model of Pocketbook Basic with the same result...)

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