[@TOM] Flaw in eBook reader

[AlphaUMi]

Hello!

I'm in the process of reorganizing my ebook collection, and so noticed something bad when browsing comics or magazines with the two-page view, although this is valid for books, too.

Basically, the left and right pages are reversed, due to the fact that the first page (the cover) isn't aligned to the right at the beginning.

I've illustrated the whole thing. Let me explain:

In the two-page-view mode, the first page and the second are visualized aligned:

This is not like in the real magazines (or books etc..), where the first page (the cover) is always to the right. The browsing-chain will cause, at this point, an inversion of the right pages with the left ones, with cosequences like these:

and

where the correct visualization should be:

As you can see, this is annoying when reading magazines or comic books, or mangas, where often a single image is splitted in two side-by-side pages.

The solution is to display the 1st page, and only the 1st page, alone and aligned to the right:

This way the odd and even pages will be displayed in the right order. In fact, most commod ebook readers have this feature.

Obiviously this regards only the two-page-view mode, the other views, as a single page view, aren't affected.

That's all. I hope you will consider this issue... sorry if I am a pain in the neck.

Regards,

Alpha.

[Draco1962]

My guess is that the Title page is being presented as Page 1 (in real world, would be Page 0). What may be problematic for a resolution is that there isn't a set standard for eBook publishing.

A fix to place the title or cover page of the eBook displayed and aligned right may resolve for some or most but may create a similar result to what you are experiencing in others that do not have a proper Title page or cover.

I think that a proper fix would be to program this for a selectable option in the Setup Wizard under HTPC/Multimedia Settings > eBook Settings to "align right" the first or cover page.

[AlphaUMi]

I think that a proper fix would be to program this for a selectable option in the Setup Wizard under HTPC/Multimedia Settings > eBook Settings to "align right" the first or cover page.

+10 for this!!!

Let me add something, Draco: standard rules for eBook publishing do exist, and they are the same as for the "real" books. The fact is that you have even pages always to the left and odd pages always to the right. So title page or not, if you have a non-standard alignment with pages, you'll have your document messed up.

In addition, I would add that most of the ebooks software I tried (even Adobe Reader) take this aspect into consideration when visualising the book in two-page mode.

Adding an option for this, though, would be the ideal solution!!!

[fRequEnCy]

I will direct Tom to this thread. Thanks for the report.

[Draco1962]

+10 for this!!!

Let me add something, Draco: standard rules for eBook publishing do exist, and they are the same as for the "real" books. The fact is that you have even pages always to the left and odd pages always to the right. So title page or not, if you have a non-standard alignment with pages, you'll have your document missed up.

In addition, I would add that most of the ebooks software I tried (even Adobe Reader) take this aspect into consideration when visualising the book in two-page mode.

Adding an option for this, though, would be the ideal solution!!!

You are correct regarding most current published eBooks and comics. The eBook reader built into GameEx is also used to read game & system manuals, which, as you know, likely do not fit within a recognized standard as many were compiled before eBook readers were envisioned or by end-users with no concerns/knowledge of suggested formats.

[AlphaUMi]

I will direct Tom to this thread. Thanks for the report.

Thanks to you fReq!

[AlphaUMi]

Just an update.

I've noticed that, with some pdf files, GameEx auto-correct the right-left ratio. Although I guess it is the way gostscript handles pdf files.

These pdfs were created by my be... I mean I converted some scans of and old magazine from jpg into pdf. And in the process I learned something very interesting about pdf. There are a lot of programmes that allow you to edit the pdf's metadata, amongst them BeCyPDFMetaEdit (http://www.becyhome....ription_eng.htm).

You can specify the default view, and amongst the possible options, there is "First page on the right". This way, Adobe Reader immediately identify the settings and displays pages accordingly. GameEx is a bit slower (but, I repeat, this should be due to gostscript): I mean that, in the beginning, while browsing the file, the pages are misaligned, but at a certain point they becomes correctly aligned.

Further testing is required, but I feel comfortable to say that this happens just because I specifically set the pdf to that kind of visualization.

Ok, now to the conclusions.

As most e-book software do, first page goes to the right side, if it is an odd one (like page 1). As a logic and inevitable consequence, pages will go to the proper position.

Only a few of the pdf files are created with this purpose in mind. But, no matter if they are game manuals, magazines, books, or whatsoever, the principle remains the same: first page on the right, and as a consequence all other pages will be positioned in their proper place.

@TOM: Just a suggestion. Maybe a "ghost page", I mean a transparent page, could be positioned before the first page, so that the actual first page will be positioned in the right side?

[u-man]

@TOM: Just a suggestion. Maybe a "gost page", I mean a transparent page, could be positioned before the first page, so that the actual first page will be positioned in the right side?

i think that sounds like a good solution. it even doesnt have to be transparent, could be a nice advertice game-ex logo too . just essential that you found a solution, which i think, is not so hard to realize.