HelpXplain in eWriter on iOS and Android

HelpXplain is the exciting new animated infographics and screencast tool that integrates with Help+Manual.

Moderators: Alexander Halser, Tim Green

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Simon_Dismore
Posts: 205
Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2017 2:57 pm

HelpXplain in eWriter on iOS and Android

Unread post by Simon_Dismore »

Alexander Halser (last year) wrote: Wed Oct 23, 2019 10:43 amWith the recent update of our free eWriter HTML compiler (http://www.e-writer.com) we have redesigned the viewer app on a completely new code base, that is in principle cross-platform. The viewer is now available in the Microsoft Store for Windows and we do plan to make it available for other platforms as well. First MacOS, but iOS and Android could follow.
Any news on the iOS and Android implementations?
The beauty of the eWriter eBooks is that they have a distinctive file extension. [...] EPUB 3 is not so simple, because EPUB 3.2 still shares the same file extension ".epub". But it's in fact a very different file type than, say, EPUB 2.0 and the viewer responsible for EPUB files in general might not be able to display it. It doesn't help either, to point the user to a particular EPUB viewer that is capable of EPUB 3, because there is only one default viewer for ".epub" on every system, and that one will most likely take precedence.
Understood. Have you considered implementing EPUB 3.2 as the native format for your ewriter viewer but continuing to publish with the ".ewriter" extension? That would give the best of both:
  • Maintains the benefits of your proprietary file extension;
  • Authors can rename output to .epub if they are publishing to an environment (e.g. internal walled garden) where 3.2 is supported;
  • Future-proofs published output;
  • Get you ahead of the game in EPUB.
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Tim Green
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Re: HelpXplain in eWriter on iOS and Android

Unread post by Tim Green »

Hi Simon,

I'm afraid we can't provide any time frame on iOS and Android yet -- we're currently still very busy with HM8.
Have you considered implementing EPUB 3.2 as the native format for your ewriter viewer but continuing to publish with the ".ewriter" extension?
This has been considered but is currently in the category "maybe in the future". :)
Regards,
Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

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Simon_Dismore
Posts: 205
Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2017 2:57 pm

Re: HelpXplain in eWriter on iOS and Android

Unread post by Simon_Dismore »

Thanks for such a prompt reply :typing:
Peter Muckle
Posts: 101
Joined: Fri Oct 18, 2019 9:33 pm

Re: HelpXplain in eWriter on iOS and Android

Unread post by Peter Muckle »

I'll just add my voice to this request.

One international NGO I work with recently did a survey among staff (around 1000) as to how they wanted their training and information delivered, and 'phone' was the overwhelming answer. Many work in areas with no connection.
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