PRS-900/600 - Highlighting text

[pavelh]

Hi and thanks for reading my post,

I've been researching PRS-900 and PRS-600 and my questions are mostly aimed at PRS-900 although I think it all works on PRS-600 exactly the same (if it does not, pls, point it out for me).

From my research (i.e. reading the manual ) I understand this: I can copy my personal .doc/.rtf/.pdf files to the PRS via Reader Library (actually downloaded it and studied its help file too ), then you can highlight parts of the text on the PRS (I need this a lot). You can then export your highlights back to your PC via Reader Library too. Is this correct so far, pls?

Could anyone tell me what format is the file with exported highlights, pls? Is it a simple txt file?

Also - I don't think there is any way to get the file that I highlighted on the PRS (say, the personal .doc file) back to the PC with the highlights applied within the file, is there? That would be so sweet, so it's probably impossible

And if I may one more, pls: the Reader Library help file says that "The maximum number of characters you can export with a note is limited. Highlight: 2,000 characters for non-DRM content..." I don't understand this at all. Is it 2000 char limit per one highlight (they say "note") or per one document? Now that's a big difference. I fear it is per document because what could stop a decent software to simply break up a highlight that goes over 2000 chars into two highlights, right?

Many thanks in advance for your kind help!!

PH

[vxf]

You can upload your PDFs. I actually haven't had the device for long and never played around with DOCs and RTFs, but I think I read DOCs are not supported. Sorry, not much help there. Shame on me for not having even tried... but I live with PDFs nowadays.

But yes on highlights and exporting. You connect your device to your PC, then you can download the annotated/highlighted file on your PC and/or export highlights and annotations in RTF.

The 2,000 char limit is for a single highlight. I am deducing this because I have plenty of files with 20+ highlights with 500-1000 characters each, and they export fine.

You can view your annotated file on your PC via the reader software. So yes, you can see your highlights and your handwriting, on the file, on your PC screen. Which is really the best part of it all. You can even add notes/highlights on the PC and merge them with those on the device and then re-upload on the device.

Everything can be exported to the same RTF. Notes, markups and even handwritten annotation (it saves an image file of the page with the handwritten notes and sticks it into the RTF; if you want an example, email me at vxf6514 at yahoo.com, I can send some examples too large to post here).

Would be even better if you could view your annotated file with different software, but I don't think anything will do it yet.

The file management, in the background, is a mess. The reader saves the annotations in one spot and the file in another. So you need its own software to overlay the two... if that makes any sense. And it takes a bit of trial-and-error to understand how to manage files (for example, I force it to keep the annotations associated with a copy of the file I store in a dedicated folder... but if you are not careful it will associate the annotations with the original version of the file you imported... and if you move it, then you are screwed... Again, I guess this might not make much sense now but it will once you start messing with the device; suffice to say, it takes a bit of patience to figure out, but it works great... eventually). So the easier thing is to export all to RTF.

[dorino]

Sony Library "supports" docs, but only if you Word installed. It converts them to a format it legitimately supports.

[pavelh]

Vfx:

Thank you TONS for your kind answer with so much detailed information and for the example files too It helped me, well, TONS :-) I like the way PRS-900 handles highlights etc. And the fact that you can edit the files on PC and then merge it back to the reader - that is just a very good job done there!

I have just realized what the karma button is for so I will increase yours as soon as the forum allows me to (I have added karma to people who had helped me previously and can't add any more today :-)

Best regards,

PH

[pavelh]

Dorino:

Thanks. Hope it works just as the manual says.


PH

[vxf]

Originally Posted by pavelh

Vfx:

Thank you TONS for your kind answer with so much detailed information and for the example files too It helped me, well, TONS :-) I like the way PRS-900 handles highlights etc. And the fact that you can edit the files on PC and then merge it back to the reader - that is just a very good job done there!

I have just realized what the karma button is for so I will increase yours as soon as the forum allows me to (I have added karma to people who had helped me previously and can't add any more today :-)

Best regards,

PH

No problem. I was in your same spot not long ago, so I tried to help.

If you have any more questions... let me know. I will be busy over the next week or so and might take a while to reply.

Thanks for the Karma. I am new here, I am also still figuring out how that works.

[cadmus]

I realize this is an old tread but i have a clarifying question:

Originally Posted by vxf

Would be even better if you could view your annotated file with different software, but I don't think anything will do it yet.

Is this implying that one is only able to use the SONY software to view the PDF image with annotations/scribbles/highlights or is this implying that it only can be viewed by programs that read RTFs?

Originally Posted by vxf

Everything can be exported to the same RTF. Notes, markups and even handwritten annotation (it saves an image file of the page with the handwritten notes and sticks it into the RTF; if you want an example, email me at vxf6514 at yahoo.com, I can send some examples too large to post here).
.....So the easier thing is to export all to RTF.

VXF, I emailed you about possibly getting an example RTF that was edited in the ereader. Thanks for this info. It made my day, I have been reading manuals and forums for 2 weeks now.

I will be visiting the library tomorrow to try to view a PDF on PRS900. Then highlight, annotate and scribble on it and then export it to my PC. I am hoping it is in a format usable when i am referencing articles i read, reviewing, or writting on the PC. The library will not check the PSR 900 out to me but will let me stand there and play with it. I am hoping to go in with my labtop all ready with whatever programs i need. I have an SD card and a reader on my laptop. I have adobe acrobat pro. I have a bunch of standard Microsoft programs i assume one or 2 can read RTFs. Is there anything else i need? Does anyone have instructions or hints for me.

THANKS!!!!
Pete

If this works i will likely break the bank and buy a 900, 950, 600, 650 or t1 right away. My eyes are in pain from staring at a laptop all day for so many years.

[cadmus]

Originally Posted by cadmus

I will be visiting the library tomorrow to try to view a PDF on PRS900.

OK, i guess not. they can't find it.