3.2.x Bug Report / Feedback Thread

[lau]

hi Pleco team,

so I tried to import a certain .tsv files in Ipad, but it show "Sorry the file could not be opened", but:
- the Ipad app& sucessfully import another similar type of file / formatting
*Ipad's Pleco version: 3.2.58
- I tried to use Bluestack* to import the troubled file, and it also success importing the file
*Android's Pleco version: 3.2.7

I try to find what's wrong but no luck

I attach the screenshot and the file here (I wonder if you could replicate the problem), let me know if you need another info

Thanks

 

[mikelove]

Could be a name length or text encoding issue - does it work better if you give it a simple short name with A-Z letters only? (and a file extension that's just .txt)

 

[lau]

Could be a name length or text encoding issue - does it work better if you give it a simple short name with A-Z letters only? (and a file extension that's just .txt)

ahh yes, apparently it is just naming problem. After changing the name and file extension, it successfully import the flash card file.

Thanks Mike!

 

[lau]

Zhuyin Keyboard Input problem
Ipad version: 3.2.58

Hi Pleco team,

So I recently I’ve been using zhuyin. In writing zhuyin, usually you need some combination of character and tones, but it seems it is almost impossible to write the tones in the dictionary search. This is some of the highlights:
- even if the input is right, the tones input won’t appear (i.e. I want to write 罵「ㄇㄚˋ」, after I press 「ㄇㄚ」, then even if I press the tones 「ˋ」, the tones wouldn’t the )
- the netral tone in zhuyin is represented by space (literally “space” is also a formal way to write this, so the word 媽, could be formally written by 「ㄇㄚ 」or 「ㄇㄚˉ」), but the pleco doesn’t seems to recognize the space, or even put the first tones symbol (same problem as before), which apple use the symbol as apple default（ㄇㄚˉ）
- you can put the tones, except the space, it you put all of the key very fast, maybe like press it together. But, this also doesn’t guarantee the sucess of putting the tones
- in flash card test, it kinda hacky, as press enter would transform into the zhuyin into chinese character (han4zi4), so you need to press tab first in the last box, then if there is more than one boxes, the cursor would go to the first box (so if it first box, than to submit need press: tab (cursor move to first box) >> enter (cursor move to second box) >> enter (cursor move to third box) >> enter (cursor move to fourth box) >> enter (submit the answer))

let me know if you need any information ya

 

[mikelove]

Zhuyin input is extremely hacky at the moment, yeah - basically trying to persuade the iOS Zhuyin keyboard to behave in ways Apple didn't intend it to behave. It's gotten progressively worse the last few iOS releases and we haven't figure out a good way to overcome the current problems with it.

We've been hoping that somebody would release a third party keyboard to input Zhuyin directly, which we could then direct people to, but since AFAIK that hasn't happened yet we may have no choice but to roll our own private Zhuyin keyboard in a future update.

 

[James马]

When using handwriting recognition with the Apple Pencil the character selection box is covered up by the scribble bar. (When in split mode on the iPad)

Also when using scribble to input characters into the search bar it will only recognize English letters, no matter how many times I select Chinese it interprets everything I write as English. (My Chinese handwriting is bad, but not that bad) this also only seems to happen when using the app while multitasking

 

[mikelove]

Also when using scribble to input characters into the search bar it will only recognize English letters, no matter how many times I select Chinese it interprets everything I write as English. (My Chinese handwriting is bad, but not that bad) this also only seems to happen when using the app while multitasking

We haven't been able to find a workaround for this - we've filed bug reports with Apple to no avail, hopefully it's something they'll fix (or at least give us a way to disable entirely) in iOS 15.

 

[James马]

When using handwriting recognition with the Apple Pencil the character selection box is covered up by the scribble bar. (When in split mode on the iPad)

I’ve noticed that my wife’s iPad doesn’t have this issue, when she uses the Apple pencil the character selection bar moves up to accommodate the pencil menu bar.

 

[mikelove]

Are you maybe using different iOS (or Pleco) versions? What models of iPads? We were already aware of the bug but it’s possible that some configurations are unaffected.

 

[James马]

Unaffected
iOS 14.4.2
Pleco 3.2.60
iPad Pro (11-inch) 2018


affected
iOS 14.6
Pleco 3.2.60
iPad Pro (12.9-inch) (5th generation)

 

[rizen suha]

when searching for a word, i sometimes have to go through 5 or 6 (or even 7, i feel, but im probably just irritated), taps (select dict mode, select keyboard, delete existing characters, etc), finger placements (up in search bar, down on keyboard) before i can enter my new and shiny search (in english, in handwriting, zhuyin, pinyin). frankly, i go crazy. you have a wonderful solution that sometimes (when im in the right place and it appears) that saves me one tap; the little keyboard icon on the bottom right. my suggestion: to provide a mechanism to access direct search modes from anywhere, eg: "new clean search in zhuyin", "search in zhuyin maintaining previous contents in the search area", "new search with handwritten hanzi", "search with handwritten hanzi, maintaining....", etc. instead of the previously small keyboard icon (or in addition, configurable by user) there could be another "user searches" which would appear at absolutely ALL times. tapping the latter would bring you to a screen with n user defined search mode initiaters. tapping one of those and, bam, your are in the search mode you want. so the 5, 6, 7 fingering is reduced to 2 taps, always.

 

[Shun]

Hello rizen,

just a hint at a feature that does almost what you wish: Tap-hold the hamburger in the top left corner of the screen (for iOS).

As far as I know, it will even recognize Zhuyin if that's what you start entering.

If you don't open any of the search results for your search query, you can tap-hold again to continue exactly where you left off.

I use this feature quite often, and I like it a lot.

Cheers,

Shun

 

[rizen suha]

you are a genius shun (and mike). what does the trick is the right edge swipe left to get to favorites. if those favorites could include input mode (keyboard, handwr) that would save me from having to cycle through kb's (that always starts with last used). guten tag and a million thx

 

[Shun]

Thanks! I'm glad! Oh yes, that would be an excellent addition to the Favorites bar, I agree. Likely already implemented for version 4.

Einen schönen Tag, Shun

("Guten Tag" would be at the beginning, "Schönen Tag" at the end.)

 

[rizen suha]

drl!
einen shönen tag, shun!

 

[mikelove]

Our Android app has a 'quick search bar' which will also be an option on iOS in 4.0 - this is basically just a toolbar with every input method on the bottom of the screen, and in 4.0 there's also the option to have them clear the search box in addition to opening input. (back when we added that feature iPhones tended to have tiny screens and we felt like we couldn't afford the space, but that argument vanished years ago)

Since we've also switched to bottom tab navigation in 4.0, you should be able to get to your chosen search from pretty much anywhere in two taps on the same part of the screen.

 

[rizen suha]

soo cool its chilling 8-D thx!

 

[rizen suha]

even with the above mentioned favourites menu and 4.0 enhancements, a search is often 4 or 5 swipes/clicks away (e.g. before you can swipe to the favourites menu, you also must have no selections marked - i.e. must first deselect any such).

i would like to be able to put pleco into a modus operandi, where each time i turn on the phone and/or call pleco up (perhaps from the background) it shows me a new clean search dialogue. the input / kb mode will be the last one used, and (at least) 3 user defined input modes will have a dedicated button. thus, pleco is a weapon permanently armed, always ready.

pleco is a multi tool. but sometimes im just searching searching searching the whole day and for those occasions i just want to tell little pleco:

"today, you are my little searcher and nothin else, please stay razor focused on that task. when i close you down or turn off the phone, forget where we were, just be ready for my next command, which will be, inevitably, a shiny new search. if on the last occasion i wandered into the clipboard or settings or some other folly, forget that too. i already told you: when i call you up again, sirve me a fresh search dialogue".

 

[mikelove]

As I said, it'd be two taps on the same part of the screen in 4.0.

I'd be a little reluctant to add the behavior you describe because I think it would get triggered too often by accident; for example, the app could be put in the background for just a moment by a "Scam Likely" phone call and then after you dismiss that call you find that you're now back in the search screen and lost whatever other thing you were working on.

Also, quite honestly anything related to background/foreground task switching / save saving is a *huge* pain in the butt to implement - we've spent many, many, many hours untangling bugs related to background switching with document reader position saving, e.g. It's not just a straight clean enter and exit, iOS literally puts our app into the opposite orientation when it goes into the background so that it can save a screenshot of it in the other orientation just in case you rotate your phone while the app is in the background (so it can show an accurate preview in the app switcher). Power saving / background execution limits, lost permissions, phone switching to Dark Mode during the half second you're out of the app... so while this seems like something that's just a checkbox and a couple of lines of code, it's actually way more complicated than that, and hence is something I'd likely only consider adding if there was a ton of demand for it.

 

[rizen suha]

i understand, many thx for your answer. please consider the "must have no text selected" (unnecessary?) prerequisite for accessing swipe to favourites (moot if all 4.0 access is via buttons instead of a swipe to favourites, sorry if im getting lost here in what is actually to come).