PDFRead - reading PDFs on eBook Readers

[ashkulz]

Hello,

I've just released a version of PDFRead that supports generation of LRF files. It is similiar to PDFRasterFarian, but has support for multiple platforms (Windows and Linux, OS X should be fine too) and multiple ebook devices (REB1100/1150/1200 and PRS-500). It has almost all of the functionality of PDFRasterFarian (except for the 1/4 support) plus quite a few more features and a GUI for Windows.

Sorry if it's a dupe post, but the tool does fall into multiple categories

[ashkulz]

FYI, I have added DJVU support to this tool (just in case you didn't see it in the other thread).

[dandan77]

can you plase it in an other web site and check if it works ???

[ashkulz]

Originally Posted by dandan77

can you plase it in an other web site and check if it works ???

There seems to have been some problem at sourceforge. I have re-uploaded it, if it doesn't work then I will upload it someplace else. Please try to download it again.

[dandan77]

i download this new tool its woorking fine
thanks !
but i have a question can this tool improve chess ebooks ?
i posted the problem here:
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10075
?????
how i can convert chess books with small phonts and chrats to fonts which i cn see well in the sony reader ???

[ashkulz]

Originally Posted by dandan77

i download this new tool its woorking fine
thanks !
but i have a question can this tool improve chess ebooks ?
i posted the problem here:
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10075
?????
how i can convert chess books with small phonts and chrats to fonts which i cn see well in the sony reader ???

Use the prs500-l profile while converting. It should give you very readable output, although you won't be able to see a complete page at a time.

[dhbailey]

I just downloaded and installed it and am using it (waiting with bated breath!) to see how it handles the googlebooks I've downloaded. It appears to be chugging along just fine, extracting and doing all it needs to do for the graphic images, which such books are made up entirely of.

I am eagerly awaiting the completion (I made the mistake of trying it out on a 337 page book!) to see if this will make the googlebook readable on the Sony Reader -- because the Reader would only show blank pages after the single text page that google adds at the start of each of their googlebooks.

You are a genius!!!!!!! It worked, it worked!!!!! Now I just have to decide if it will be more legible in landscape mode, but you have made my day!!!!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

[ashkulz]

Originally Posted by dhbailey

I just downloaded and installed it and am using it (waiting with bated breath!) to see how it handles the googlebooks I've downloaded. It appears to be chugging along just fine, extracting and doing all it needs to do for the graphic images, which such books are made up entirely of.

I am eagerly awaiting the completion (I made the mistake of trying it out on a 337 page book!) to see if this will make the googlebook readable on the Sony Reader -- because the Reader would only show blank pages after the single text page that google adds at the start of each of their googlebooks.

You are a genius!!!!!!! It worked, it worked!!!!! Now I just have to decide if it will be more legible in landscape mode, but you have made my day!!!!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

That's one more satisfied user

I was inspired mostly by PDFRasterFarian -- alex_d deserves the credit for the concept, but I did manage to add a few more features and fine tune it a lot. It does take its time to complete ... but considering that you will take much more time to read it, it doesn't count as much.

[gdxf]

PDFRead is truly amazing! Many thanks to ashkulz! I have been using it for three days. All my pdf files now are theoretically and practically readable on the Sony Reader. Features I would like to have on future releases are:
1. Batch processing: converting multiple pdf files to lrf files in a single batch;
2. add a "split page" function in PRS500 mode to split the portrait page into two even halves;
3. I'd like to split a single pdf page into two even halves instead of 3 or more pages to avoid too many blank pages or pages with very few texts on it.
4. The overlapping parameter could be more adjustable. In version 5, even if the overlapping is set to 0 in PRS500-l mode, there is still overlapping.

[ashkulz]

1. Batch processing: converting multiple pdf files to lrf files in a single batch;

I would suggest that you use the command line for that. After all, that's what a command line is for

2. add a "split page" function in PRS500 mode to split the portrait page into two even halves;
3. I'd like to split a single pdf page into two even halves instead of 3 or more pages to avoid too many blank pages or pages with very few texts on it.

I'm not really too comfortable with the above ideas. If you mean split the portrait page, then how do you want it to be shown? The aspect ratio of the split page would mean that it wouldn't look right at all unless you rotated it into landscape mode, which is what the prs500-l mode is for!

For #3, what happens is that the actual page geometry is taken into consideration while splitting it up. eg. if you have a page of 1500x800, then it would be split up as 600x800, 600x800 and 300x800 (the last page would not be utilizing full space). To exactly fit two pages, you'd have to do some non-linear scaling (1500x800 => 1200x800) which would distort the page.

If you have ideas how to avoid this, I'd have no problems in implementing it.

4. The overlapping parameter could be more adjustable. In version 5, even if the overlapping is set to 0 in PRS500-l mode, there is still overlapping.

Actually, if you set it to zero, it will ignore it and use the default one in the profile. Use a very small non-zero value, eg. 1.

[Echoloc8]

I'd like to see an option for double-resolution (or whatever it is) similar to what PDFRasterfarian uses for its split-screen mode.

Rather than generating two rotated LRF half-pages per PDF page for viewing in portrait mode, PDFR generates one double-res page that looks iffy when viewed in the reader's portrait mode (though still arguably better than the naked PDF), but is in glorious full resolution when you put the reader in its native landscape mode.

Excellent program!

-Rich

[gdxf]

Originally Posted by ashkulz

I would suggest that you use the command line for that. After all, that's what a command line is for

Thanks. I haven't figured out exactly how to use the command line option for batch processing multiple pdf files to lrf files in Windows. Could you provide more details?


For #3, what happens is that the actual page geometry is taken into consideration while splitting it up. eg. if you have a page of 1500x800, then it would be split up as 600x800, 600x800 and 300x800 (the last page would not be utilizing full space). To exactly fit two pages, you'd have to do some non-linear scaling (1500x800 => 1200x800) which would distort the page.

If you have ideas how to avoid this, I'd have no problems in implementing it.

Currently, I rely on manually adjusting the width resolution (usually increasing from 565 pixels) for splitling into two halves.

Actually, if you set it to zero, it will ignore it and use the default one in the profile. Use a very small non-zero value, eg. 1.

This tip solved my puzzle and helped a lot!

Also, after experiments, I think making the "Right" rotation instead of "Left" as default in converting files to landscape mode is more convenient for reading on Sony Reader, ergonomically speaking. That way you can turn pages using the thumb while holding the Sony Reader with only one hand.

[ashkulz]

PDFRead 1.6 has been released. It has all the features which have been requested here, plus quite a bit more. Please see the linked thread for details

gdxf: The command line used to convert is now printed, so you can use that and put it in a batch file. Also, as per your suggestion I've changed the orientation to right in the prs500-l profile.

[gdxf]

ashkulz, thanks for the new release and for the command line tips, I have yet to figure out how to create a batch file for execution under dos. Perhaps using "*.*" or "*.pdf" for inputting and outputting files from and to the specified folders? I am not good at non-windows operations, I know I have a lot to learn.

Another reflection: I personally would like to have the option of "splitting one page into TWO even halves" instead of "splitting into multiple pages with the last page almost blank." If splitting into multiple pages, the last page doesn't utilize the space and will add an extra page turn on the sony reader, which consumes both time and battery. For me, splitting one A5 (which is half A4) size page exactly into two sony reader screen size pages is ideal for reading. Overlap (between the splitted pages) default set at 16pixels is good enough, 25pixels is is a bit much, in terms of spatial efficiency.

[ashkulz]

Please see here for executing PDFRead in batch mode.

About the two even halves: I'll be definitely implementing that for the next release (it's very simple, actually). However, the page width may shrink to keep aspect ratio proper. Would that be OK with you?

If you want, I can send you a private build immediately. I'd prefer to wait a bit and add more features for the next release