Browser reader suggestion: allow scrolling during Read Aloud

georgehuang · 04-23-2021, 06:22 AM

Although I see myself as an avid reader, I found that I am actually not very good at reading texts. As a result, I constantly rely on technologies like Calibre's Read Aloud to help me get meanings out of written words. However, only listening is not enough, I usually need to look at the text and listen at the same time to really get it, which means I will have to following along the spoken words and turn the pages accordingly.

On Calibre's browser reader, words being spoken by Read Aloud are not highlighted like those on the Viewer app, which is OK for me, but scrolling and turning of pages also seem to be disabled. This makes it quite hard to follow along. Of course, the best way to do this is to highlight the spoken text and also turn the pages automatically. But before that is supported, can we consider unblocking scrolling at least in "flow mode"?

FYI, I use Firefox on macOS and iOS.

kovidgoyal · 04-23-2021, 07:19 AM

It is a limitation of browser's speech apis that prevents highlighting. You will find highlighting works fine in the calibre native viewer. As for scrolling I believe it works fine with keyboard shortcuts already. Sadly implementing scrolling with touch is a lot of work for technical reasons, so its not something I plan on doing.

georgehuang · 04-23-2021, 10:13 AM

I understand. Had a feeling these functions must be hard to implement, otherwise they would have been implemented already.

In my browser, scrolling does not work with keyboard shortcuts. It seems to me that Read Aloud's UI is hijacking the inputs: space bar controls play/pause instead of scrolling forward; arrow keys and page-up/page-down also fail to scroll the page.

kovidgoyal · 04-23-2021, 11:51 AM

which browser is this??

kovidgoyal · 04-23-2021, 12:10 PM

Never mind, it was a bug: https://github.com/kovidgoyal/calibr...59c2ff44afdc81

georgehuang · 04-23-2021, 12:13 PM

I tried it on Safari, Firefox and Chrome. None of them can scroll with keyboard during Read Aloud.

georgehuang · 04-23-2021, 12:13 PM

I see. Thanks for the fix!

04-23-2021, 06:22 AM	#1
georgehuang Enthusiast Posts: 37 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2020 Device: MacBook, iPhone, Kindle Paperwhite	Browser reader suggestion: allow scrolling during Read Aloud Although I see myself as an avid reader, I found that I am actually not very good at reading texts. As a result, I constantly rely on technologies like Calibre's Read Aloud to help me get meanings out of written words. However, only listening is not enough, I usually need to look at the text and listen at the same time to really get it, which means I will have to following along the spoken words and turn the pages accordingly. On Calibre's browser reader, words being spoken by Read Aloud are not highlighted like those on the Viewer app, which is OK for me, but scrolling and turning of pages also seem to be disabled. This makes it quite hard to follow along. Of course, the best way to do this is to highlight the spoken text and also turn the pages automatically. But before that is supported, can we consider unblocking scrolling at least in "flow mode"? FYI, I use Firefox on macOS and iOS.

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04-23-2021, 07:19 AM	#2
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,860 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	It is a limitation of browser's speech apis that prevents highlighting. You will find highlighting works fine in the calibre native viewer. As for scrolling I believe it works fine with keyboard shortcuts already. Sadly implementing scrolling with touch is a lot of work for technical reasons, so its not something I plan on doing.

04-23-2021, 10:13 AM	#3
georgehuang Enthusiast Posts: 37 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2020 Device: MacBook, iPhone, Kindle Paperwhite	I understand. Had a feeling these functions must be hard to implement, otherwise they would have been implemented already. In my browser, scrolling does not work with keyboard shortcuts. It seems to me that Read Aloud's UI is hijacking the inputs: space bar controls play/pause instead of scrolling forward; arrow keys and page-up/page-down also fail to scroll the page.

04-23-2021, 11:51 AM	#4
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,860 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	which browser is this??

04-23-2021, 12:10 PM	#5
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,860 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Never mind, it was a bug: https://github.com/kovidgoyal/calibr...59c2ff44afdc81

04-23-2021, 12:13 PM	#6
georgehuang Enthusiast Posts: 37 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2020 Device: MacBook, iPhone, Kindle Paperwhite	I tried it on Safari, Firefox and Chrome. None of them can scroll with keyboard during Read Aloud.

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