iSilo features / improvements you would like to see?

[justme]

So many of us has followed this very closely and now very pleased that we finally have iSilo on our iPhones, yes I am one of them!

As iSilo has mentioned on a number of occasions they are looking to add this or that in the next version of iSilo for iPhone. Now I thought we would gather up those comments/wishes into one thread as a poll.

So tell us what YOU would like to see in the next version(s) of iSilo!

[justme]

Well I was hoping others could add poll options or that I could edit them but it appears neither is possible :(

I will ask the ADMIN about this to see what can be done, as I wanted this to be as "open" a poll as possible!

[iSilo]

It does not seem possible to allow users to add to the poll. It might be possible with some add on, but not in this default installation.

As an alternative, you can take some time (maybe a week or more) to collect all the feature requests people are making and then create a poll based on that.

[Morta]

Improvements to full screen mode:

- A a option to hide the iPhone status bar
- Ease and fast way to switch to full screen, for example double tap the screen to go full screen (use single tap for scrolling a page).
- Add a option to made the full screen mode the default one

[justme]

It does not seem possible to allow users to add to the poll. It might be possible with some add on, but not in this default installation.

As an alternative, you can take some time (maybe a week or more) to collect all the feature requests people are making and then create a poll based on that.

Sounds good thank you!

[justme]

Improvements to full screen mode:

- A a option to hide the iPhone status bar
- Ease and fast way to switch to full screen, for example double tap the screen to go full screen (use single tap for scrolling a page).
- Add a option to made the full screen mode the default one

A) So a FULL FULL screen if you want, not sure if Apple enables / allows that? You know iSilo?

B) Agree 100% about full screen toggle. I wonder if some of the finger gestures could be implemented or at least enabled so that we as the user could use it. Just as we altered the soft buttons on some other platforms maybe swiping with your finger (like in your camera roll) could be made to one of the options for FORWARD or/and BACK?

C) I was going to say it sort of is, but no you're right UNLIKE other platforms where iSilo keeps the settings for the document as you had it when you closed it, even clicking on the home button and then back into iSilo does show NON full screen mode!


THANK YOU keep the suggestions coming! We all want iSilo to be the best it can be on the iPhone!

[tichkiir]

My biggest feature request is really good tap to scroll, dragging just doesn't work for good reading. I'd like a much faster way to get to fullscreen too, though I think the current version of fullscreen is full enough for me.

[ipete]

I would like to have the option to change the default web address for downloading files.

[iSilo]

I would like to have the option to change the default web address for downloading files.If by that, you mean that when you go to the Download page, it automatically opens to your preferred URL, then you are in luck. All you need to do is the following:
In the Download view, enter the URL of your preferred web page and tap Done on the keyboard.
Tap the + in the toolbar to add a bookmark to that URL.
In the Add Bookmark dialog, enter the name you want to give the bookmark and click Save.
Tap the bookmarks icon in the toolbar to go to the Web Bookmarks dialog.
In the Web Bookmarks dialog, tap Edit to enter Edit mode.
Now drag the grab bar on the right of the entry you want to the top of the list.
Tap Done and then Back to save the changes.
After doing the above, the next time you restart iSilo and go to the Download view, it will automatically go to that new URL.

[LBIsackson]

Downloaded the new Isilo for Iphone ...great ....took a few minutes to figure out all the options and sneaky menus... looking forward to the next version with pinch and pull/push/flick whatever they call it...my fingers are just too big to do somethings ;)

Thanx so much
Lance

[ipete]

Very Good,
Thanks


If by that, you mean that when you go to the Download page, it automatically opens to your preferred URL, then you are in luck. All you need to do is the following:
In the Download view, enter the URL of your preferred web page and tap Done on the keyboard.
Tap the + in the toolbar to add a bookmark to that URL.
In the Add Bookmark dialog, enter the name you want to give the bookmark and click Save.
Tap the bookmarks icon in the toolbar to go to the Web Bookmarks dialog.
In the Web Bookmarks dialog, tap Edit to enter Edit mode.
Now drag the grab bar on the right of the entry you want to the top of the list.
Tap Done and then Back to save the changes.
After doing the above, the next time you restart iSilo and go to the Download view, it will automatically go to that new URL.

[Indy]

How about an alternate method of changing pages,
Rotate phone 45 degrees sideways left/right and then back level to page up/down...

Option to Download all book links on a page...

[justme]

How about an alternate method of changing pages,
Rotate phone 45 degrees sideways left/right and then back level to page up/down...


I thought about this too but think about it, this would mean you'd have to hold the device absolutely flat if/when you don't want to scroll anywhere, right?

I believe what could be more realistic is using the finger gesture such as used in your photoalbum for next page, this is already used in some other ebook readers for the iPhone.

Also one thing more on this open an iSilo document and tilt the top of your phone downwards and you'll see that it flips the document up-side-down just as it would a photo, I doubt however that many (any?) iSilo users need/want that feature.

I am though a firm believer that using the unique features that the iPhone offers to replace the softbuttons we have available on other platforms is the way to go.

[Indy]

I would think that the "gesture" would have to be discreet enough so the pages wouldn't randomly flip.. Another option would be training it to recognize navigation motions (circling motions left/right?..etc)

[justme]

I would think that the "gesture" would have to be discreet enough so the pages wouldn't randomly flip.. Another option would be training it to recognize navigation motions (circling motions left/right?..etc)

I believe the iPhone OS is fairly well developed in that area where gestures are very well defined, and quite hard for the OS to misunderstand the gestures as such.

Just go into your photo album (called Camera Roll) and try the next /previous picture and double click to zoom, and the scrolling to next picture but WITHOUT lifting your finger, see what I mean? It's very well developed!

[iSilo]

There is actually no high-level support for gestures. Applications just receive raw touch events that indicate when a touch begins, when it moves, and when it ends (with each event including the location of the touch). Applications have to interpret the touch events themselves and come up with their own "formulas" for detecting "gestures".

[justme]

There is actually no high-level support for gestures. Applications just receive raw touch events that indicate when a touch begins, when it moves, and when it ends (with each event including the location of the touch). Applications have to interpret the touch events themselves and come up with their own "formulas" for detecting "gestures".

So what you're saying is that the gesture functions are on a very "raw" level? These means that implementing them would be very time consuming? There are some (even free) eBook readers for the iPhone that use it.

[Indy]

I guess coding for the accelerometers would be just as fun, like detecting tilt changes for autoscroll vs detecting complex motions...

[cthompson]

I think that everyone would appreciate a better/easier way to upload files to the iPhone/iPod Touch.

Take a page out of SplashData's book and offer your customers this solution.

http://www.splashdata.com/iphone/

[Loyalty4Life]

I think the biggest and most important request will be the ability to sync files with some sort of desktop application instead of manually uploading files onto a server. I think that's a drawback for many.

[justme]

I think the biggest and most important request will be the ability to sync files with some sort of desktop application instead of manually uploading files onto a server. I think that's a drawback for many.

If you know of a way to do it in a fashion that Apple will consider acceptable please share.

[Morta]

If you know of a way to do it in a fashion that Apple will consider acceptable please share.

Several applications in AppStore uses this technique: Stanza, File Magnet, BookShelf ...

I think that Apple allows to use a private protocol to communicate with a desktop app.

[justme]

Several applications in AppStore uses this technique: Stanza

"...In order to get your book onto your iPhone, open the book in Stanza, select File->Export Book As->Apple iPhone, and then save the resulting .plist file to the Desktop. Next, open Safari, and select File->Import Bookmarks, then select the file you saved. You will be prompted to name the new folder: you can leave the name as the default one, or you can name it anything you like. Next, plug in your iPhone and launch iTunes, and sync your iPhone, first making sure that in the Info tab in your iPhone preferences window that you have bookmark syncing enabled. Once that is done, disconnect your iPhone, launch the mobile Safari, select the bookmarks button, and you should see your book in the list, subdivided by chapters."


http://www.lexcycle.com/faq


File Magnet

"How do I copy files from my computer to my phone? You run a Mac program called FileMagnet Uploader, which is a free download. You drag files onto the Uploader application, launch the phone application and the files are automatically copied over.

Can I email files from FileMagnet? Not yet, but we're working on it! The iPhone version of Mail doesn't support sending attachments, so this will require a bit of work."

http://magnetismstudios.com/FileMagnet/


BookShelf ...

"You can load books onto your device using the ShelfServer application which runs on Mac OS X, Linux and Windows. The easiest way to get ShelfServer running is to click on the "Launch ShelfServer" link to start the application using Java WebStart"

Requirements:

To use ShelfServer, you'll need a Java Virtual Machine, version 1.5 or newer. Most desktop machines (and ALL Mac OS X machines) already meet this requirement, so try launching ShelfServer before you download anything else. If necessary, the latest JVM for Windows or Linux can be downloaded for free from Sun's Java download site."

http://www.iphonebookshelf.com/quickstart.php



I think that Apple allows to use a private protocol to communicate with a desktop app.

I am sorry but to me it seems like every one of these uses their own "work around" or then as in the case with FileMagnet it seems they made their own program/UI that does the same thing "behind the scene" so to speak, I have not tried any of these myself but I have considered getting FileMagnet for other files.

[aschechtman]

When in document list view and I pull up the menu to delete or rename a file, the menu obscures the document title most of the time. This makes me unable to confirm that I've actually swiped and selected the correct file before choosing to Delete it, for example. I'd prefer if this menu was shifted in some way so the document title (or at least a portion of it) could still be seen once the menu appeared.

Andrew

[Morta]

"...I am sorry but to me it seems like every one of these uses their own "work around" or then as in the case with FileMagnet it seems they made their own program/UI that does the same thing "behind the scene" so to speak, I have not tried any of these myself but I have considered getting FileMagnet for other files.

Yes but a good solution would be a multiplatform "iSilo transfer" app, perhaps in Java.

Another possibility is the method that use Datacase: implements a AFP and FTP server in the iPhone, you can mount the folder in the desktop and copy content.

[pfriedel]

Just off the top of my head, I'm sure some of these are already on the to-do list:

1) Definable gesture actions (tap for next page, swipe for full screen toggle, etc) Basically the softbutton dialog from the Palms, tweaked.

2) Lockable orientation, to join the chorus.

3) More consistency in pagination in the preferences dialogs - i.e. documents list->...->options->done drops you back at the documents list rather than back at the options dialog. That sort of "Done" button dropping you back to the default view crops up in a few places, it just seems sort of odd.

4) Possibly replace the popup menu for file operations with either a some sort of global edit-style dialog, or a dwell-to-document information screen that offers the Open/Categories/Delete/Rename/Information/Copy options on the Information screen. Popups seem sort of opaque in the UI. I had to find the documentation to figure out how to rename a folder. Although the first thing I tried was dwelling on the folder name - clicking the icon didn't even suggest itself.

5) Some sort of global document defaults option, rather than all the "Also Set As Defaults" toggles. Maybe in the main OS Settings app?

6) Ragged Right/Full Justification would be pretty slick. I never really cared for justification on my 320x320px Palm, but it works on a 480px wide view. Probably would need to tie into the Content Alignment.

7) I don't mind the current iPod title bar when I'm in full screen, but I could see people wanting to eke out every pixel.

8) Some means of bypassing "favorites" for manipulating the local filesystem. It took me a while to figure out why my newly created folders weren't showing up in the download-to destination list. It seems like an odd construct, although it might be historic. I always manipulated my library directly on the SD card for my Palm.

Just some suggestions - I'm just happy that I can use my existing iSilo library, and use the document converter I know all the quirks for already. :)

[Jacinda]

I would like to be able to have it full screen and autoscroll at the same time.

[jt999]

Are there any plans to allow manual arrangement of files within folders?
Will there be the ability to set method of arrangement in each folder independently?


Thanks,
Jeff

[Mr Sheen]

I am very happy that iSilo is available on the iTouch, but I will be much much happier when it becomes a more polished app, like eReader.

[justme]

As I post this we should only be hours literally away from the v 1.1 becoming available on iTunes so lets wait and see, however I don't think the iSilo update will bring any major changes to the issue that seems to be having the most questions. That is the way to get the .pdb files onto your device.

I'm not sure if this has been discussed or researched and I'm assuming that since no other application that I know of uses it, its not an option.

But nevertheless I thought might as well ask?

Is there anyway at all that iTunes could sync the .pdb files? Or is that totally ruled out by Apple?

[iSilo]

Is there anyway at all that iTunes could sync the .pdb files? Or is that totally ruled out by Apple?Apple has made no mechanism available for third-party applications to do general file transfer/synchronization through iTunes.

[pressport]

Apple has made no mechanism available for third-party applications to do general file transfer/synchronization through iTunes.

via Bonjour like Stanza does...

[pressport]

"...In order to get your book onto your iPhone, open the book in Stanza, select File->Export Book As->Apple iPhone, and then save the resulting .plist file to the Desktop. Next, open Safari, and select File->Import Bookmarks, then select the file you saved. You will be prompted to name the new folder: you can leave the name as the default one, or you can name it anything you like. Next, plug in your iPhone and launch iTunes, and sync your iPhone, first making sure that in the Info tab in your iPhone preferences window that you have bookmark syncing enabled. Once that is done, disconnect your iPhone, launch the mobile Safari, select the bookmarks button, and you should see your book in the list, subdivided by chapters."


http://www.lexcycle.com/faq



When you launch Stanza Desktop, open one or more books that are in any of Stanza's supported formats. You then need to enable sharing by selecting the "Tools" menu, and ensuring that the "Enable Sharing" menu item is checked. Once you have done that, ensure that your iPhone is connected to the same wireless network that your PC is on, and then launch Stanza iPhone. From the top-level library menu, select "Shared Books". You should see your computer name in the menu that appears, which you should then click on. Stanza Desktop will then notify you that your iPhone is attempting to connect to your shared library, and request your permission to allow the connection. Once you have granted permission, Stanza iPhone will display a list of books, one for each window currently open in Stanza Desktop. Clicking on the book with then download it onto your iPhone and import it into your library for later reading.

http://www.lexcycle.com/faq/how_to_get_books_onto_stanza_iphone

[justme]

How about building something like this in to iSilo? :)

http://www.avatron.com/products/

http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=289943355&mt=8 (<- Opens iTunes!)

[iSilo]

We are looking at implementing WebDAV as the next file transfer mechanism.

[justme]

We are looking at implementing WebDAV as the next file transfer mechanism.

Ok thank you.

One other thing that has crossed my mind with recalling how iSilo can be used on some other platforms, and as I am trying to help some friends to be able to use iSilo as easy as possible, this would be the use of "direct link" icons to iSilo documents on the iPhone "desktop" as one can do now with Safari links, is such a feature even possible, if so something that could be considered for the iSilo iPhone/iPod touch edition?

[iSilo]

It is not possible for a third party application to place icons on the iPhone "desktop".

[justme]

It is not possible for a third party application to place icons on the iPhone "desktop".

Ok thank you!

[arinya]

There are 3 things I'd like to see.

1) Make it easier to upload files into iPhone. Several data apps like FileMagnet do it so well by creating a wifi network and simply dragging your file into a window. 3 steps and your done. Well...on a Mac at least.

2) Pinch zoom. It's such a great way to easily zoom in and out on the iPhone. Why not include it in iSilo?

3) Fix the scrolling. It's so sluggish and kills the reading experience.

It would be nice to redesign the UI but that's just the designer in me and personal taste but I do love the app and glad Apple finally let it into the store! Keep up the good work!

[justme]

3) Fix the scrolling. It's so sluggish and kills the reading experience.


Have you tried 1.15?

[cmassari]

1. Most Important! - full range of multitouch capability, including zooming in and out with finger gestures.

2. Close 2nd in importance - Better/Smoother scrolling; have most recent update, better but still no where near as smooth as safari or other programs

3. Screen Rotation

- other issues would be nice but not near as important as above...
4. Better update process - mainly when I update there is no loss of the data bases that are currently on my device. Last few upgrades - had to reinstall all the databases.

5. Easier file transfer, etc...

6. Active Scroll Bar

7. Limitless font size sounds nice, but is last on my list

[tkamke]

another request:

what I just loved about the latest isilo version for PPC was the possibility to annotate files. Not seeing it in the iphone version meant i lost some good information in the files. Seeing this implemented would be THE BEST!!!! :)

[aschechtman]

I'd like it if, when I tried to search for a new keyword, I didn't have to click that X everytime to delete the last word I searched for. Most of the time I start entering a new search term without looking and it just appends it on the end of the last one. Grrr.

Andrew

[johnpaul]

........ with some sort of desktop application instead of manually uploading files onto a server. I think that's a drawback for many.

Actually, I need to be able to transfer files to my iPhone without any computer being available at all. Instead, just a file server, eg., a NAS that just has a web server running.

If iSolo® removes that capability, the application would be of very limited use in my situation, so I hope they continue to support & improve that mechanism!