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| FORUM: Problems with Login |
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Posted by: jim_chapman - 11-08-2017, 03:20 PM - Forum: Support
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If you're having problems logging in to the forum, please check what URL you are using to access it.
For best results, use http://www.turnipsoft.com/forums . Note: that is com not co.uk. The co.uk URL will work for reading the forum without signing in, but it will not work reliably for signing in (this is because of various oddities around hostname aliasing and cookie-management ... you really do not want to know!)
If you're using the .com forum URL, and still having problems logging in, please contact me for help (jim@turnipsoft.co.uk) and I will see what I can do.
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| Premium Features: Remove Advertising / Freda+ |
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Posted by: jim_chapman - 11-07-2017, 11:08 AM - Forum: Support
- Replies (5)
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On Windows, Freda is available in two versions, Freda+ and Freda. The difference between them is that:
- You have to pay to install Freda+
- Freda displays advertising
All other features are the same; there aren't any special features that you get only in Freda+.
Nowadays (now that in-app purchasing works in Microsoft Store apps) there is no particular reason to install Freda+. You can get exactly the same app functionality by installing Freda and then tapping the 'remove advertising' button to acquire the 'in-app purchase' that suppresses the advertising. Indeed, I'd recommend that approach, because that way you get to try the app for free, before deciding whether to spend money on it.
One popular question, now that Freda is available on Android, is whether someone who's installed Freda on both Windows and Android will have to pay twice for removing advertising, once on Windows and again on Android. The answer is "unfortunately yes"; this is because the two app stores are owned by separate firms (Google and Microsoft) and they do not cooperate on cross-store purchasing. Indeed, the T&Cs for the app stores actually forbid developers from selling app features anywhere other than the appropriate app store. Consider this scenario: I tell some Android app user that they can pay $1.99 for the 'remove advertising' feature for the Freda app in Google Play, and then I will provide that user with a magic code that they can enter into Freda on Windows to get rid of advertising on the Windows app too, without any further payment beyond what they already paid in Google Play. In that scenario, Microsoft will kick me off the Windows Store, because I've accepted payment, via some mechanism other than the Windows Store, for an in-app purchase in my Windows App - and this breaches their developer T&Cs.
I did check with Google and Microsoft, and their answers were basically 'lawyer says no'.
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| HOW TO: Use the Ribbon Menus and Navigation Controls |
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Posted by: jim_chapman - 11-06-2017, 09:36 PM - Forum: Support
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On the book reader screen, you can open the ribbon menus by pressing the ... control at bottom right.
There are four ribbon menus, from top to bottom:
- Control Buttons
- Book Information
- Presets
- Navigation
Each ribbon menu can be open, closed or pinned. An open menu is visible when you press the ... control; a closed menu appears as a narrow bar with a ... label, and a pinned menu is visible on the reader page at all times. There are buttons on each ribbon that you can use to switch between these three states.
If you pin the navigation ribbon, it offers a convenient way to navigate around the book, by:
- Dragging the 'current position' cursor
- Tapping the 'current position' cursor, to enter a new page number
- Tapping the 'back' indicator to return to the place you just came from in the book
- Tapping a bookmark indicator
All these features are demonstrated in this video.
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| HOW TO: Synchronise reading position between several devices running Freda |
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Posted by: jim_chapman - 11-02-2017, 04:36 PM - Forum: Support
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1) Install Freda on as many devices as you like.
2) On each device:
2.1) Check that you can access OneDrive through Freda [*]
2.1a) Make this check by scrolling across to your list of book sources and tapping on 'OneDrive'.
2.1b) Check that it does display a list of files and folders.
2.1c) If it does not, then, on Freda's OneDrive screen, tap the 'login' button at the bottom
2.2) Go into the settings screen (tap hamburger button at top left of main screen, then tap the 'settings' item)
2.3) Scroll down to the 'advanced' settings group and adjust the 'sync using internet' setting to 'yes'.
2.4) Tap the 'OK' button at the bottom of the screen.
2.5) On the Freda main screen, watch the line of text at the bottom of the book list; after a few seconds it should say 'Bookshelf synchronisation: OK'.
3) Open a book on one device and start reading it.
4) Open the book on another device, and observe that Freda will open it at the same location as you'd got to on the first device.
Caveats:
Freda will sync reading position between two books open on different devices, if it thinks they are the same book. The definition of 'the same book' is 'the two books have the same title and author'.
Freda maintains synchronisation by copying files to and from OneDrive every minute. This uses up your data allowance and battery, so only turn synchronisation on if you need it.
Because files are copied only once a minute, there is a delay in synchronising - so the position could be a page or two out, especially if you were moving through the book quickly.
[*] (because Freda synchronises reading positions by periodically placing small files on your OneDrive).
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| HOW TO: Connect to Calibre |
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Posted by: jim_chapman - 02-19-2017, 09:55 PM - Forum: Support
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Instructions – short version:
- In Calibre’s preferences screen, set the Content Server username and password to your preferred values, and make a note of them.
- Start the Content Server and leave Calibre running.
- Look up the IP address of the machine that’s running Calibre.
- Ensure your device is connected via WiFi or a wired network, to the same network as the machine running Calibre (not via mobile data)
- On your device, run Freda, go right to the books sources list, and find (or create) an OPDS source called 'calibre'. Don't fill in anything for URL or search URL yet.
- Tap the source icon; it will open and fail to find the source contents.
- Tap the 'edit' button, and for 'calibre host' enter the IP address mentioned above, and tap 'ok' to save it. Note: in general, Freda will not work with a Calibre server running on the same machine as Freda. But, depending on your security settings, you may be able to get it to work if you enter the 'loopback' IP address here, 127.0.0.1.
- If you've set a password on your Calibre server, then set it on Freda too, by tapping the 'password' button and entering it here.
- Tap the 'home' button at the top of the screen, and you should now see folder icons representing the different sections of your Calibre catalog.
If this does not work, it's time to try the long version of the instructions.
Instructions – long version:
1) Update to the latest version of Calibre (if you run Calibre it will tell you if there is a newer version).
2) On the PC that is running Calibre, open a command window (for example, by clicking the ‘start’ button on the screen and typing CMD into the text box there). In that window, type IPCONFIG, and look for the ‘Ipv4 Address’ line in the result. You're looking for a string of four numbers separated by dots - like 192.168.1.2 or 10.0.0.2 . This is the IP address of your Calibre server; note it down for later use.
3) Run Calibre, and click the Preferences item on the main toolbar. On the Preferences screen, select ‘Sharing over the net’.
4) Set the screen up with password and username blank, and server port 8080, then click the ‘Start Server’ button. If you wish, you can supply a user name and password here - but note that if the procedure does not work, then it is worth trying it again, using blank user name and password.
5) On the same screen, click the Test Server button, and check that the test results display OK. If not, please refer to Calibre’s documentation.
6) On the machine running Calibre, open a web browser window (using, for example, Chrome, Edge or Internet Explorer). Type the address: http://192.168.1.2:8080/ (replacing 192.168.1.2 with the IP address you noted earlier). You should see a web page consisting catalog details for your book collection.
If you do not see that page of catalog details, refer to the Calibre documentation for possible solutions. One point to check: is Calibre being blocked by your PC’s Firewall? The exact procedure for opening the Firewall to Calibre will depend on which operating system you're running on that PC.
7) If you have another PC available on your network, you can perform a further check: On that machine , open a web browser window (using, for example, Chrome, Edge or Internet Explorer). Type the address: http://192.168.1.2:8080/ (replacing 192.168.1.2 with the IP address you noted earlier). You should see a web page consisting catalog details for your book collection).
Again, if you do not see that web page, you should check the Firewall setup on your Calibre PC. It is also possible that access is being blocked by your router; refer to your router documentation for troubleshooting suggestions – bearing in mind that what you are trying to do is to permit machines on your local network to communicate with each other using TCP/IP Port 8080.
8) Now repeat step (7), using the address http://192.168.1.2:8080/opds (again, replacing those numbers with the IP address you noted earlier). You should see a catalog display (the exact format will depend on what web browser you are running – but you should get some content). If you do not, then there is a problem with Calibre content server (it is failing to produce an OPDS catalog). Refer to Calibre’s documentation for troubleshooting suggestions.
Assuming you’ve got to this point, and passed all the checks OK, the Calibre content server is working, and serving up an OPDS catalog to machines on your local network. Now we’re ready to try to reach it using the device that is running Freda.
9) Connect your device to your home network via WiFi (or a network cable). If your device is connecting to the internet using 3G/HSDPA (i.e. your mobile data plan) then these instructions won't work.
You need to check that the device is connected to the WiFi or wired network. On a phone, you can tell this by looking for the WiFi symbol in the row of symbols that pop up along the top of the phone screen - it looks like a bunch of concentric arcs, and it should be stable (i.e. the number of arcs should be constant, not cycling up and down). You can ensure the phone makes a WiFi connection by (in the Settings menu) turning off the 3G/4G connection and the mobile data connection.
10) On your device, check that you can reach the internet using the WiFi/wired connection – for instance, open up internet explorer and look at some web site. If that does not work, refer to Windows documentation for resolving issues with WiFi/wired connectivity.
Assuming you’ve got to this point, and passed all the checks OK, your device is connecting to WiFi OK, and you have a working Calibre content server running on your home network. You’re now ready to try accessing it using Freda.
11) On your device, ensure there is a Calibre book source. Normally, the program comes with such a source already there, but if it is missing, you can create it: tap the "+" menu label under list of sources, and select 'opds catalog' menu option, and enter the name (which can be 'calibre', or any other name if you prefer - but it should begin with the word 'calibre'); don't fill in anything for URL or search URL yet.
12) Find the 'Calibre' book source icon in the list of sources, and tap it. It will open and fail to find the source contents. Now tap 'edit' button, and for 'calibre host' enter the IP address you noted earlier above, and tap 'ok' to save it. If you've set a password on your Calibre server, then set it on Freda too, by tapping the 'password' button and entering it here.
Note: in general, Freda will not work with a Calibre server running on the same machine as Freda. But, depending on your security settings, you may be able to get it to work if you enter the 'loopback' IP address here, 127.0.0.1. Note that, if you're running Freda and Calibre on the same machine, you may actually be able to get the functionality you need by simply configuring Calibre to use Freda as its reader program for opening EPUB books (see instructions in this forum at http://www.turnipsoft.com/forums/showthr...p?tid=1727 )
13) Tap the 'home' button at the top of the screen, and you should now see folder icons representing the different sections of your Calibre catalog.
If you do not, please contact me with further details and I will see what I can do. Please send me Freda’s log file (see the HOW TO in this forum). Please also email me Calibre’s server log files (you can get these by tapping the ‘View server logs’ button on the Calibre preferences screen for ‘Sharing over the net’).
Other points worth noting:
If these instructions work for a while, and then stop working, it may be because your Calibre PC has a dynamic (DHCP) IP address. That is to say, its IP address changes from time to time. The simple fix is to look up the IP address (by running IPCONFIG again) and update the Freda catalog details accordingly. A better solution is to set the machine up with a static IP address. Look in your machine documentation (or Google) for how to do that.
It is possible to set things up so that you share your book collection over the internet - but it's quite a bit more complicated, and the exact procedure depends on the make and model of your router. You will want to get it working on your local home network first. Then you can proceed with opening up port 8080 to the internet, and setting NAT translation so that inbound access requests for port 8080 are routed to your Calibre PC. If you do this, it would really be a good idea to set a user name and password for your content server (see step 4 above).
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| HOW TO: Send a log file |
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Posted by: jim_chapman - 10-09-2016, 09:32 PM - Forum: Support
- Replies (1)
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1) Try performing whatever action is causing the problem
2) Choose the 'support' item on the hamburger menu (menu at top left of the main screen), and select 'save log file'
3) Select a location for the log file (desktop, documents, ... wherever is convenient)
4) Send an email to support@turnipsoft.co.uk, adding that logfile as an attachment
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| FAQ |
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Posted by: jim_chapman - 10-09-2016, 09:31 PM - Forum: Support
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Here is a list of Frequently Asked Questions about Freda. If you have any other questions that you'd like to see answered here, please post in this topic and - unless I think your question is a bad idea for some reason - I will add it into this post.
Q: What is Freda?
A: Freda is a free, advertising-supported program for reading electronic books (ebooks) on Windows PC, Tablet and Mobile, and on Android.
Features:
* Reads ePub (DRM-free), FB2, HTML and TXT format books
* Offers customisable controls, fonts and colours
* Provides highlighting, bookmarks and annotations
* Integrates with on-line catalogs - Feedbooks, Smashwords, Gutenberg ...
* Connects to your Microsoft OneDrive for downloading book files
* Connects to your DropBox account for downloading book files
* Links to your Calibre book library
* Can open books from websites and email attachments
* Synchronises your reading position across all the devices you are using
* Offers the OpenDyslexic font and a range of dyslexic-friendly settings, for use by readers who are affected by dyslexia
You can download Freda from the Windows Store and Google Play.
Q: I've just downloaded Freda and I don't know where to start
A: Take a look at this basic introduction video. And please feel free to post questions on this forum, or email for support (you can do this from the 'support' option on the main application menu).
Q: Is there a manual
A: Yes. Here.
Q: Can Freda be used to read DRM-protected EPUB books?
A: Sadly, no. You may be able to use the Kobo Reader or the Adobe Digital Editions reader to do this, depending on what platform (Phone, PC, Tablet, HoloLens ...) you are using.
Q: Can you give me any advice about how to remove DRM protection from EPUB books?
A: No. And please don't ask in the forums; it's a quick way to get yourself banned. A search on Google (or Bing, if you are that way inclined) might offer you some hints, but please don't discuss the subject here, and do bear in mind that, depending where you live, it may be illegal to remove DRM protection from digital media.
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tag ('favourite').