New Baka-Tsuki Android App: Development

[Simon]

Now the only thing is left is to write a server application that allows to upload and download the css files...

Dunno if there is a need for a user management.

I have time, so if you have any specific language in mind or wish to add it I don't mind writing it.

[Azyrion]

Now the only thing is left is to write a server application that allows to upload and download the css files...

Dunno if there is a need for a user management.

I have time, so if you have any specific language in mind or wish to add it I don't mind writing it.

so you are writing a css storage application? sweet! But for that we should first find some suitable ones and for that someone who has knowledge on css and the time to come up with some ideas^^

also what do you mean with user management?

[Simon]

Ok, the basic idea is:

Write a Front-End interface so people can edit the CSS files in the web.(Desktop, Mobile)
DB as Back-End.

Revisions,
Preview,
User management (if the B-T admins give read access to the user table it would be prefect... but no sane person would do it... it's like: "Give me all your passwords"...),
and the API.

Anything else ?

[Alex0714]

Hey, first thanks to make this great app. I'm just wondering if this app can work properly in a Android Tablet.

I would really appreciate it any of you could answer me.

The UI is flexible so Yes. If i am not mistaken, nandaka was testing with a tablet or a big screened device. We want to support all screens (we support landscape view too) so you shouldn't have nay problems.
If you do, or you notice anything not right, you just tell me and i'll look into it.

@Bloodscythe
Thanks, i'll take a look =)

I see, i will try it then. Thanks!

[Thatdot7]

Ok, the basic idea is:

Write a Front-End interface so people can edit the CSS files in the web.(Desktop, Mobile)
DB as Back-End.

Revisions,
Preview,
User management (if the B-T admins give read access to the user table it would be prefect... but no sane person would do it... it's like: "Give me all your passwords"...),
and the API.

Anything else ?

Before you go crazy on that idea, I would just like to throw out some things to think about before commitment is made:

1) The Purpose.
- Do you really need have a centralized hub with the purpose of storaging CSS, an aesthestic change by the part of the user?
- If it is for the sake of keeping user's CSS synced through all their devices, the next question will be, do user's really wants to have the same CSS file over all their devices?

2) Having a server requires the commitment to keep the server up and running at all times. Even needing to fork out money to pay for webserver fees.
- Who will have the commitment to run the server?
- Who is going to maintain the database and the server application?

3) Creating a front-end interface to edit the CSS files will sort of be like reinventing the wheel. It will be hard to make it better and is there really a need to?
- Why not just link to a text-editor app that will open the user's CSS files up for editing? (simply a 1 line thing to write in Android's API)
- Why can't users just open their CSS file with any text editor on their computers to edit it?
- Is it necessary to have a new interface? and why? (reasons are generally new features)

I guess those are the main questions I would ask before proceeding. If all these questions can be answered and all point to having a server application. Here is the ultimate question.
Is it worth the time?

Food for thought. But this is what this forum is for, right?

[Nandaka]

Ok, the basic idea is:

Write a Front-End interface so people can edit the CSS files in the web.(Desktop, Mobile)
DB as Back-End.

Revisions,
Preview,
User management (if the B-T admins give read access to the user table it would be prefect... but no sane person would do it... it's like: "Give me all your passwords"...),
and the API.

Anything else ?

Dunno if you need an API for downloading custom.css, you want to create one, then just provide for:
- Listing the custom.css's + thumb_preview.
- Getting the custom.css information and bigger_preview.
- Checking updates for the css.

For now, I just want to see and save it to sdcard manually.

[Weaknespase]

If you want to hear my opinion - css is complex stuff, and this app didn't targeted for html designers. Simple menu in settings where user can adjust text size, color, margins and background will be simple, easily understandable and sufficient for most cases. But, indeed, that require some work.

[Thatdot7]

Possible update that has been pushed to Github:

The only think that has changed is the default CSS files in the app itself. It now features comments... lots of them.... (just in case anyone wants a template to make their own).
Other than comments, the main that has been changed is how the page renders the Illustration Pages.

Before:

Spoiler! :

After:

Spoiler! :

I am not really a good design person so opinions about the default looks of the reader will help a lot =D.

[Thatdot7]

I am still going to change that layout, but your changes are welcome.

If you want, i'd like some opinions on the new main menu layout, its on build 34 and 35, which you can find the link above.

Do you think is there any other information the user would like to be shown in those lists?

I believe this was asked a few days ago. Sorry about not replying.

I guess I have some opinions in some of the categories.

• Iconography
The "Update" icon can be replaced with the icon that is on Row 5, Column 5 (sync icon) or the icon in row 4 column 7 (arrow up and down). The current icon gets easily confused with "refresh".
• Dropdown list
Quite a few of the dropdown menu options in the start menu share the same function as the buttons that you put in.

That is all I got. But something seems to be missing.
I believe it is more art and icons, but you can worry about that later =D.

Sorry for the belated reply.

[Erakk]

• Iconography
The "Update" icon can be replaced with the icon that is on Row 5, Column 5 (sync icon) or the icon in row 4 column 7 (arrow up and down). The current icon gets easily confused with "refresh".
• Dropdown list
Quite a few of the dropdown menu options in the start menu share the same function as the buttons that you put in.

That is all I got. But something seems to be missing.
I believe it is more art and icons, but you can worry about that later =D.

Sorry for the belated reply.

I'll take a look at those. The icons you said, do seem more apropriate.
The dropdown menu at the start will probably be removed.

[Nandaka]

Possible update that has been pushed to Github:

The only think that has changed is the default CSS files in the app itself. It now features comments... lots of them.... (just in case anyone wants a template to make their own).
Other than comments, the main that has been changed is how the page renders the Illustration Pages.

Before:

Spoiler! :

After:

Spoiler! :

I am not really a good design person so opinions about the default looks of the reader will help a lot =D.

Merged the changes.

@Thatdot7: Please pull the latest revision from the master repository before you create push request.

[Erakk]

New Build 39 with latest GitHub commits:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/sey55cgxceyh0 ... 1-0-39.apk

older builds (from 31 and up):
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/h3apg0f6kapyyr1/1XqSt3a0Vq

[Thatdot7]

I got a question.

When I merge master the last time, I got some crazy HEAD mess with ======== and +++++++ lines

What do they mean and how do i get rid of them during merging?

[Erakk]

That's a problem me and Nandaka had before (and sometimes still happens) because the end lines are different if you work on Linux and windows.

Lets say i mess with a file (windows) and then nandaka merges with his files (linux). all the files i touched will have windows coded end lines, so the merger will think that file was also touched and replace everything. Basically. In a nutshell.

[Bloodscythe]

Build 39 Report(or a rather lazy opinion):
Biggest change: Images now have a white border around them. I don't know why but black just looked more snazzy to me.

Other Changes I've noticed: Justified text, Line spacing, custom css all consilidated into 1 easy CSS layout sub menu. Which is I think is good. Maybe this could be done to other options as well? I'm not sure.
Any text in bold is now in a different font. I don't think this is new but I just noticed it and liked it. What's the font used there?

Notes: Yeah, I think the menu in the main menu(silly me) should be removed. The icons do make it rather redundant. Although, poor invert colors where will you go?

Bugs: Volume rocker is now LV99. The default setting(500) will send you from the start to the beginning. 10 now moves sort of the same distance that 500 used to. Don't know why I never thought of this but instead of the Dynamic buttons, I can use volume for go top/bottom. *gasp*

Bookmarks on Chapter won't send you to the place where the bookmark is and bookmarks will just open the chapter again on the bookmark. Going back twice brings you back to the chapter you were on before.
Invert colors on main menu exits app. Anywhere else just reloads. Don't think this is a bug since mainmenu doesn't have a loading dialogue.