Talyn

GowerPoint has recently updated µBook to version 0.8d, which is primarily a bug-fix update.

A list of changes can be found on their website.

apaul

Thanks!

I'll check that out.

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apaul

Talyn, I need some help and you seem to know what your talking about - hope you can oblige?

Downloaded the uBook Reader and installed. I like the interface of the reader, but am getting an error message ie "[E2 Encrypted/Secure PDB format not supported] Cant open ...." when I navigate to and tap on PDB files.

Whilst I apreciate the meaning of the error message, I can't understand why it's showing as I downloaded the books directly from the Palm site. Can you throw any light on this?

Also, when I tried to load a PRC file, the Axim just froze!

Also, I installed the Palm Reader. There does not seem to be any obvious way to browse for books from inside the reader. So, how do I view the PDB files that are in My Document folder?

Sorry to have so many questions - but I read all of the FAQ's on the two relavent sites, without any sucess.

Can you help clarify the above issues?

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Talyn

There are two types of PDB ebooks: the old Palm Doc format, which is basically just a straight text file compressed into a Palm database, and the newer Palm Digital Media format, which allows for text styles, chapters, etc. to provide a richer reading experience.

µBook can only read the Palm Doc format, it can't read the tags that the PDM format uses, so it thinks it's an encrypted/secured book.

Same with PRC - there's an older PRC which, like PDB, is just text from what I have read. I have not managed to find one yet. The newer PRC format is MobiPocket's Open-eBook format, which again µBook is not equipped to deal with.

Basically µBook was designed to be a 'text' style reader in that it cannot support navigation via chapters, and the only 'styles' it understands are html/rtf-based. Think of it as a 'Pocket WordPad' - it just displays the text with perhaps a few styles, but that's it.

If you look at the Library page on PalmReader, you may notice some books say "Doc" on the icon -- those indicate the older Palm Doc format, which can be read with µBook and other ebook readers.

As for PalmReader, you'll need to put the books in a My Documents\Peanut Press before PalmReader notices it. Main memory or a memory card is fine - in fact, the PalmReader library page will show a small memory card icon with the ebook information if that's where you put it.

apaul

T, thanks for your helpful explanation.

I now knpow why I can't read some of the book files in the uBook reader.

I still have one issue with the PalmReader though.

I copied the PDB files across to the MyDocuments/Peanut Press folder (see attachments).

As you can see, not all of the PDB's show up in the PalmReader open book browser.

Is this because they are the newer, digital, form of PDB?

Or have I put the files in the incorect folder?

Again, thanks for your help.

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apaul

T, here is the other screen shot - showing not all of the book files made it into the Palm Reader openbook browser.

What do you think?

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Talyn

I can see a few possibilities, but they are strictly guesses on my part.

As I mentioned, PDB is also Palm DataBase, and it would seem that possibly 3 of your files might be dbase files rather than ebooks.

PGA_Champions-MobileDB.pdb
UK_Football_200-MobileDB.pdb
Golf_Rules_in_B-TealInfo.pdb

* /me fires up Google...

MobileDB is definitely a dbase file -- a bit of Googling revealed it's filenames seem to attach the "-MobileDB" onto the end.

Also TealInfo is another Palm dbase format from TealPoint. TealPoint also makes a Palm DOC reader called TealDoc but I feel it is safe to presume they might use TealDoc in the filename as well, rather than TealInfo.

It would appear, then, that Palm Reader has the ability to distinguish an ebook pdb from a dbase pdb, if my guesses turn out to be correct.

So, removing the 3 databases from the list would leave you with 2 actual ebooks, and Palm Reader agrees with that.

apaul

T, thanks for your research and conclusion - which I agree is probably the cause.

I hate mysteries - and I would never have worked that out!

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