Application Idea: Note Taking Software (Pdf Format)

[Izomiac]

One major use of the Pandora will probably be note-taking. In that vein, there needs to be a fairly good application for that. Ported desktop software might be passable, but given the Pandora's touchscreen and small screen size an optimized UI is probably necessary. Here are some ideas for how I think such an application could be implemented. I'm sure similar software has been discussed before, but a quick search of the major features doesn't pull up anything similar.

First off is the storage format. PDF is basically perfect. Many lecturers publish PDF handouts, and powerpoint slides, websites, word documents, or basically anything can be converted to PDF. An advantage of PDF over images is that text is preserved (including subpixel rendering which is kinda important for small screens), long documents are handled without hiccups, and it's cross platform.

PDF annotations are rarely used, but rather good for note taking. Most PDF viewers can read them and there are a variety of commenting styles (underlines, highlights, freehand, etc.). Additionally, textual notes can be added to most commenting features (I'm fond of underlining acronyms and writing out what they stand for). Unfortunately, AFAIK, none of the common Linux PDF viewers currently use this feature (Adobe might). On Windows, PDF Exchange Viewer is the best free option, although IIRC, FoxIt and Adobe both support adding them.

The UI for such a program should be minimalistic, allowing maximal area for writing or seeing the powerpoint slide. The shoulder buttons would be good for "next page" if working in a "full page" zoom level, or half-page down if not. When one gets to the end of the PDF there should be a button to add space for writing (either a new page or lengthen the current one).

Tool icons should be very small if they're constantly on screen, or there could be a menu for them. Hotkey access only isn't the best option since hotkeys are easy to forget and that requires switching from the stylus to the keyboard to the stylus again. In typewritter mode the textbox should automatically expand and word wrap, essentially like a word processor.

Wiki-style links to other documents (prior notes) would be nice. I have no idea how that could be done well though. Perhaps a semi-automatically approach would be best, since you don't want to waste time playing with your note taking software during a lecture.

Audio recording along with OGG chapters associated with annotation/page change timestamps would be very nice. A playback mode (playing audio and changing the page at the right time) with variable speed and seeking would be even nicer.

Unfortunately, I doubt I have the time to create such a program, so any developers can feel free to use any part of any of these suggestions. Sadly, this isn't a trivial task since, AFAIK, the standard open source PDF libraries don't support annotations.

 

[lulzfish]

Okular from KDE 4 apparently supports a lot of this stuff. You can open a PDF, highlight it, stuff like that.
With some modification, we might be able to add ordinary freehand drawing (Currently it's just a highlighter, it needs more of a pencil mode), make it less KDE-dependent, and change the default GUI to fit the Pandora.

 

[mindlord]

Why not just use Openoffice Writer? It has all the features you're looking for and exports in .ODF for re-editing, and .PDF for portability? The UI is pretty much 100% customizable, so you can make it as robust or minimal as you like, you can also switch between full screen, and edit mode pretty quickly.

You can add audio annotations pretty easily, and provides a player in the status area with seeking. Speed control and other advanced features would require a clever person to write a plugin to support it.

Handwriting support could be made available through a third party program, like Cellwriter. If you really want to avoid using the thumb-pad.

I mean, why re-invent the wheel?

 

[dflemstr]

Okular from KDE 4 apparently supports a lot of this stuff. You can open a PDF, highlight it, stuff like that.
With some modification, we might be able to add ordinary freehand drawing (Currently it's just a highlighter, it needs more of a pencil mode), make it less KDE-dependent, and change the default GUI to fit the Pandora.

Try to go to Tools → Review in Okular and you basically get everything you could possibly dream of. You can draw, put stamps, add "Post-It"-like comments, etc, etc. Very easy to use.

Also, I think that kdelibs could be ported very easily to the Pandora so why try to remove the KDE dependencies from Okular? Okular already runs stand-alone on Windows, Mac OS, Haiku etc. even with the kdelibs.
I would even say that getting a full-blown KDE4 DE on the Pandora would be possible; KDE runs on Maemo already (on the Nokia N### phones) so you basically just need a recompile to get it working. KWin is even OpenGL ES compatible most of the time, so you'll get excellent 3D window management! In your face, GNOME Mobile!

 

[ssj195]

I would even say that getting a full-blown KDE4 DE on the Pandora would be possible; KDE runs on Maemo already (on the Nokia N### phones) so you basically just need a recompile to get it working. KWin is even OpenGL ES compatible most of the time, so you'll get excellent 3D window management! In your face, GNOME Mobile!

Maybe the "small ARM-based device" is a Pandora!

http://aseigo.blogspot.com/2009/09/tokamark-3-on-home-stretch.html

 

[Izomiac]

There are two major reasons for using PDF. First, anything can be converted to PDF, such as powerpoint presentations. Second, pretty much any computer can read PDFs, and most can at least read annotations.

Okular is quite nice, and is probably a good starting point. Unfortunately, it doesn't actually use PDF annotations. Rather, it basically reinvents the wheel. IMHO it's best to not lock someone into a format that only one or two applications can modify, hence why PDF annotations would be best. (I've switched through about three or four PDF viewers for note taking.) OTOH, realistically I wouldn't expect someone to re-implement the PDF standard in their free time (I've started doing that for the far simpler iCal format, and it's BORING).

 

[josemdark]

I'm using xournal in a touchscreen computer (if you want to see it in action watch this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lpf-eLrP8s ), it can export to pdf, layers, different colours, highlighting, writing normal text with the keyboard, pressure sensing with xinput, etc. The bad thing is that you can't erase things from pdf.If you want to erase things from a saved note you must save the note in the format of the application itself. If you want to try it search in google . (It's the first result)

PD: The computer of the video isn't a computer with touchscreen.

 

[Tuxedomask29]

My vote goes 100% to xournal, it's just an awesome note taking application that does everything you ask for PDF wise and they already have an arm distribution so conversion to the Pandora sounds easy enough, right? http://packages.debian.org/stable/x11/xournal

 

[cb88]

Actually I am pretty sure 99% of KDE does not run on Haiku yet... only a few demos at least that is all i have ever seen and I watch Haiku pretty closely 

I really dislike KDE... computing speed isn't infinite (in fact it has leveled off a bit) you have to draw a line at bloat somewhere I mean when a 2.8 Ghz P4 is sluggish with KDE you have serious problems I mean Haiku for instance is pretty snappy even on a 300Mhz PII
doesn't openoffice require java? 

 Xournal is an option http://xournal.sourceforge.net/

 

[Izomiac]

Xournal basically lets you use PDFs as background images. It store annotations is it's own separate, uniquely formatted file. It's good for tablet PCs, but I'm not sure I'd want to attempt to use it on the Pandora due to the large amount of (slow) image manipulation that it does.

For an example of why PDF is the superior format (IMHO), here is a quickly annotated version of the OpenPandora homepage (270k, sorry for the 90 second wait time). Some Windows PDF readers should be able to see/modify everything (with timestamps and such), but it degrades fairly gracefully if your PDF Viewer is less capable. Either way, you have the option of reading the file without really even needing to know what I used to annotate it. Plus you can open it weeks/months/years later without reinstalling the original application. Oh, and you can actually send it to people and expect them to be able to open it.

 

[dflemstr]

Xournal basically lets you use PDFs as background images. It store annotations is it's own separate, uniquely formatted file. It's good for tablet PCs, but I'm not sure I'd want to attempt to use it on the Pandora due to the large amount of (slow) image manipulation that it does.

For an example of why PDF is the superior format (IMHO), here is a quickly annotated version of the OpenPandora homepage (270k, sorry for the 90 second wait time). Some Windows PDF readers should be able to see/modify everything (with timestamps and such), but it degrades fairly gracefully if your PDF Viewer is less capable. Either way, you have the option of reading the file without really even needing to know what I used to annotate it. Plus you can open it weeks/months/years later without reinstalling the original application. Oh, and you can actually send it to people and expect them to be able to open it.

Dude, that's exactly how Okular works. It does use the standard PDF review system... I see everything you did, including username + timestamp, and can add and delete elements as I see fit. Question is if it's enough for your needs; you might just want to go and try it out.

 

[Izomiac]

Dude, that's exactly how Okular works. It does use the standard PDF review system... I see everything you did, including username + timestamp, and can add and delete elements as I see fit. Question is if it's enough for your needs; you might just want to go and try it out.

According to Okular's FAQ it does not create standard PDF annotations. PDFEdit might work, but it doesn't appear to be that useful for note-taking. libHaru looks promising, but I couldn't find anything that uses it. Import from/Export to PDF works, but the annotations are embedded (i.e. can't be easily changed/removed) and for longer documents this can take several minutes on even a Core2 Duo. The lack of such software is a known problem with Linux, but not one that most people encounter (either you don't use those features, or you don't use Linux because you need them). My own needs will end in about eight months or so, thereby reducing my incentive to create such a program myself. IMHO, using an interoperable storage format is essential, but it's really up to whoever (if anyone) writes the program.