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sasq · Joined: 29 Jun 2005 Posts: 16

This was earlier a GBA/DS project, but it's now also ported to PSP.

http://www.nightmode.org/pixie/

Reads TXT, simple PDB and BOOK (which is converted from HTML with included converter.

This is the first released version so there are bugs. Feel free to comment in this thread on how it works.

emumaniac · Joined: 08 May 2005 Posts: 79

Nice release, cant wait to try some of my fave ebooks on it, news posted here --> http://psp-news.dcemu.co.uk/index.shtml#newsitemEEkpFkuZyEEIvdnjPW and on pspwiki

Pit0711 · Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2005 4:35 am Post subject:

i cant convert.
always get error: msvcr80.dll is missing

emumaniac · Joined: 08 May 2005 Posts: 79

i see pspupdates arent crediting you with a link, for a big site thats disrespectful.

mrbrown · Joined: 17 Jan 2004 Posts: 1536

Clay · Joined: 21 May 2005 Posts: 10

sasq · Joined: 29 Jun 2005 Posts: 16

Smiths · Joined: 15 May 2005 Posts: 30

joesparano · Joined: 04 Jul 2005 Posts: 4

Pixie is my new favorite app! Thanks Sasq.

Possible bugs:
1. some txt files cause an error:
- "**ASSERT: 'book->Ok()' failed in src/main.cpp(171)"
2. hiding the corrupt folder with Sie Tool causes book list to display mysterious titles (that aren't even on my PSP):
- "Cryptonomicon.book"
- "451.book"
- "PHPManual.pdb"
3. When using portrait mode, long titles overlap page numbering

It would be nice to:
1. have a frontend to switch books or change options
2. have the ability to re-map buttons
- (as a start, I'd love for R to page backwards)
3. allow for native html/rtf reading (without conversion)
4. create several bookmarks for one document
5. choose a different "Books" directory (default or on-the-fly)

Thanks again. This is exactly what I've been hoping for!

sasq · Joined: 29 Jun 2005 Posts: 16

There's a new version (beta 1) that fixes some problems.

- Text files with characters outside font can crash the reader, but that assert means it coudlnt even open the file which is strange.

- The book folder was hard coded, and when it couldn't find the dir, some test code I had forgotten was run that just showed some dummy books.

- You can now switch books.

- No remapping yet, but ill add it to my TODO.

- Native reading of other formats: Maybe in the future, but it's a lot of work.

- Multiple bookmarks: I'll add it to my TODO - not something I felt the need for myself though.

- Book dir can now be changed in reader.cfg

Lots of other new stuff as well;

www.nightmode.org/pixie/

joesparano · Joined: 04 Jul 2005 Posts: 4

A few small issues with Pixie beta 1:
1. If I change the Books directory to another location on the MS, Pixie will crash without a Books directory in the PIXIE folder. Not a big deal, but you know.
2. I'd really, really like the R Trigger to page backwards.
3. Is there any way to remove the "Corrupt Data" folder from the PSP menu? All of the conventional methods render Pixie unusable. (I'm using 1.5)

Notes:
4. Mutiple bookmarks aren't really that important - just something that came to mind.
5. The new features are great. Keep 'em comin!
6. Pixie has made my weekend. Thanks!

sasq · Joined: 29 Jun 2005 Posts: 16

If you place it in another folder you must change both the FONT and BOOK directory in the config-file. That should work allthough I havent tried it myself.

Also remember to remove the old reader.cfg so it can be updated with the new options.

joesparano · Joined: 04 Jul 2005 Posts: 4

I like to keep book files in a neutral location (with my emulator roms) to simplify application upgrades. It doesn't make as much sense to move the Fonts folder to that same location.

I've found that it's OK to relocate the Books folder without relocating the Fonts folder. Pixie can be fooled by placing an empty Books folder in the original location, even if the working Books folder is somewhere else entirely. Not all that clean, but certainly functional.

ghandi1987 · Joined: 05 Jul 2005 Posts: 2

i got the assert thing everytime i tried to use one of my own txt files. you can make it stop giving you the assert by just capitalizing the first letter of the filename. although it does freeze once it loads some of my files.

edit: i figured out that it was freezing b/c the person used some ascii art in the file, once i deleted the ascii art it loaded fine.

almazlamaz · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 25

good job ! :)
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sasq · Joined: 29 Jun 2005 Posts: 16

Have mostly been working on the tools and porting now - the conversion tools for windows and a GBA version are now available.

(Fonts are converted from normal TTF fonts).

Will try and get the TXT-reader more stable, key remapping, better suspend/resume and then release a new psp-version.

ghandi1987 · Joined: 05 Jul 2005 Posts: 2

the ttf2pfont program works great, keep up the good work.

sasq · Joined: 29 Jun 2005 Posts: 16

A new beta (PSP version, Windows tools) can be downloaded from:

http://82.182.81.80/pixie/files/Pixie_psp_beta2.zip

This version has better font support (like runtime settings of fonts and sizes) and keys can be completely configured.
Also includes TXT2HTML for converting text-files (especially Project Gutenberg books - http:/www.gutenberg.org).

Also notice that you need to run MAKEFONTS.BAT and MAKEBOOKS.BAT to convert fonts and books - take a look at them to see how you can convert your own.

sasq · Joined: 29 Jun 2005 Posts: 16

Both PSP and GBA-versions up at:

http://82.182.81.80/pixie/

(Hope my domain comes back soon! :)

joesparano · Joined: 04 Jul 2005 Posts: 4

Impressions of beta 2b:
1. All of the new options and tools are really great.
2. I think L/R trigger page-turning is essential - especially for reading in portrait mode. Perhaps all the Trigger+ options in the current build could be devoted to a menu screen in the future?
3. It would be nice to select a default font for plain text files. Right now, Pixie automatically uses the fixed-width selection for these? Maybe an additional option of Plain Text = "Fixed" or "Normal".
4. Behavior of increase/decrease font size is strange. Sometimes the switch happens after two button presses, sometimes more - but never on the first.

sasq · Joined: 29 Jun 2005 Posts: 16

> 2.

Well you could just change the config, "LTRIGGER" and "RTRIGGER" are still valid keys, but if you use one you cant use it as a modifier.

> 3.

It always uses Normal and not fixed IIRC, but yes, I can add a config option for that.

> 4.

Font size is increased one unit at a time, so it all depends on what fonts you have in the fonts dir. If you generate one font for each size it will change with each keypress...

Arwin · Joined: 12 Jul 2005 Posts: 426

Brilliant!

Just one comment:

- changing font size / line spacing

If you change the font size or line spacing, you are reset to page one. It would be nice if you'd stay at the first word of the page you are at. Especially since the font is different for some of the books, even in the examples, on the first few pages, you can't see the effect of your adjustments directly.

Perhaps you can use the already present bookmark function for this? Set a bookmark to the first word, and then move to that bookmark again after resizing/changing font size.

sasq · Joined: 29 Jun 2005 Posts: 16

I could add this as an option, but it would mean freezing the program until the indexer has reached the place you are at, which might take a minute if you are at the end of a long book.

LastCaress · Joined: 13 Jul 2005 Posts: 1

Great tools! Could you please fix/add the following:

-Support for large number of files. (I have a huge amount of small files, that include short stories, jokes, etc...) - When I put a large amount of files in a directory, the program just freezes (I'm using the gba port)

-Support for serveral directories at once (I have the different files catagorized according to subject)

Thanks!

milksop · Joined: 24 Jun 2005 Posts: 10

Nice!

Rotated viewing is some snazzy stuff! Love it.

Looking forward to a version that saves settings when I change them in the app.

scott

Arwin · Joined: 12 Jul 2005 Posts: 426

Amakusa42 · Joined: 14 Jul 2005 Posts: 2

This happened when I transfered the files over to my psp. Once I tried to boot it up in the Game directory, it said Corrupted data. I have version 1.50. Also, i am missing some of the fonts when I run the font convertor. Can these two be related? Do you need a windows service pack to run this?

BTW, great idea for a program, I cant wait to try it out.
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Arwin · Joined: 12 Jul 2005 Posts: 426

Amakusa42 · Joined: 14 Jul 2005 Posts: 2

Works! Thank you. I cant find the layout file though in the zip file. IS it a seperate download?
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