iLiad iPDF idea

dmw · 09-01-2007, 01:09 PM

It occurred to me while using iPDF in full-screen mode, that a way to access the various functions of the viewer when the on-screen buttons are not accessible would be very useful.

Imagine if, for instance, you could invoke pan mode simply by writing a large 'P' on the screen. I can imagine other features, such as 'Go to Page'. Just write 'G', followed by the page number.

I really have no idea how difficult this would be to implement; I've never looked at the source to iPDF, and I don't know how one would access the iLiad's text recognition system, if it is even possible. But I do think this is a great idea. Any takers?

rincewind · 09-01-2007, 03:29 PM

I made some gestures for the "enhanced iPDF" viewer, or the only one active there is the "quick erase" function (draw something and hold the pen still for a second before release - turns the drawing into an 'erase' line, removing anything below it). I have a different version that allowed me to change the color and pen thickness by drawing a vertical or horizontal line.

It is easy to include such functionality in iPDF, but not using the built in character recognition (or at least I guess that would be difficult). However, one should probably use some kind of existing library for gestures and then define some. Say, a Z for zoom, an N for a new page, that kind of thing. I also like to change pen color (adding color based on the gray tone when converting scribbles to pdfs), when taking notes, but the current interface is so in-efficient that I can't be bothered.

Rincewind

jharker · 09-02-2007, 03:00 AM

I've had a couple of ideas along that line. A very simple vocabulary (inspired by Rincewind's quick-erase feature) might be:

The pen would always default to "scribble" except:
- If held at the end of the stroke, the stroke becomes an erase stroke.
- If held at the beginning of the stroke AND the end, the stroke becomes a "pan" stroke.
- If tapped on a pdf link, the link is followed.

I'm not sure about zoom. Possibly, if the stroke is held at the beginning and the end, and the stroke begins and ends at the same point, it becomes a zoom stroke?

rincewind · 09-02-2007, 11:16 AM

I see mouse gestures in Firefox are recognized as say "Right, Up, Left". So if we could use some kind of gesture library or even implement our own "motion detection", one could easily create a mapping between gestures and functions.

09-01-2007, 01:09 PM	#1
dmw Junior Member Posts: 8 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2007 Device: iRex Iliad/Palm TX	iPDF idea It occurred to me while using iPDF in full-screen mode, that a way to access the various functions of the viewer when the on-screen buttons are not accessible would be very useful. Imagine if, for instance, you could invoke pan mode simply by writing a large 'P' on the screen. I can imagine other features, such as 'Go to Page'. Just write 'G', followed by the page number. I really have no idea how difficult this would be to implement; I've never looked at the source to iPDF, and I don't know how one would access the iLiad's text recognition system, if it is even possible. But I do think this is a great idea. Any takers?

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09-01-2007, 03:29 PM	#2
rincewind Connoisseur Posts: 58 Karma: 479 Join Date: Mar 2007 Device: iLiad	I made some gestures for the "enhanced iPDF" viewer, or the only one active there is the "quick erase" function (draw something and hold the pen still for a second before release - turns the drawing into an 'erase' line, removing anything below it). I have a different version that allowed me to change the color and pen thickness by drawing a vertical or horizontal line. It is easy to include such functionality in iPDF, but not using the built in character recognition (or at least I guess that would be difficult). However, one should probably use some kind of existing library for gestures and then define some. Say, a Z for zoom, an N for a new page, that kind of thing. I also like to change pen color (adding color based on the gray tone when converting scribbles to pdfs), when taking notes, but the current interface is so in-efficient that I can't be bothered. Rincewind

09-02-2007, 03:00 AM	#3
jharker Developer Posts: 345 Karma: 3473 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Brooklyn, NY, USA Device: iRex iLiad v1, Blackberry Tour, Kindle DX, iPad.	I've had a couple of ideas along that line. A very simple vocabulary (inspired by Rincewind's quick-erase feature) might be: The pen would always default to "scribble" except: - If held at the end of the stroke, the stroke becomes an erase stroke. - If held at the beginning of the stroke AND the end, the stroke becomes a "pan" stroke. - If tapped on a pdf link, the link is followed. I'm not sure about zoom. Possibly, if the stroke is held at the beginning and the end, and the stroke begins and ends at the same point, it becomes a zoom stroke?

09-02-2007, 11:16 AM	#4
rincewind Connoisseur Posts: 58 Karma: 479 Join Date: Mar 2007 Device: iLiad	I see mouse gestures in Firefox are recognized as say "Right, Up, Left". So if we could use some kind of gesture library or even implement our own "motion detection", one could easily create a mapping between gestures and functions.

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