User Interface Feedback Thread

[mikelove]

OK here's my new request, how about an exclude subcategories option in the flash card filters? i know that i can do this by using the category filter and checking the subcategories but it would be nice if i did not have to do this when i change the main category. as i study in my text but i add the vocab from a new chapter as a new category (as im sure most people do ) i would like to be able to have any supplementary words nested into a subcategory for each chapter just to keep things organized. i don't put as much emphasis in learning to write these extra words as i do the others so quickly being able to exclude them from a test would be great, but if i deselect a subcategory it automatically deselects the parent, so an option to exclude subcategories would be a helpful addition to the the already powerful filter system.

What about just creating a second sub-category for the non-supplementary words and putting your cards in that?

We're tentatively planning to separate "categories" and "category folders" at some point within the next year or so anyway - you'll have things that can hold cards (categories) and things that can hold categories (category folders) but both things won't go in the same place, which is much more logical than lumping everything together as we do now. So I'm wary of spending a lot of time implementing a category filtering feature that's going to become unnecessary / irrelevant soon anyway.

 

[ckatt]

OK here's my new request, how about an exclude subcategories option in the flash card filters? i know that i can do this by using the category filter and checking the subcategories but it would be nice if i did not have to do this when i change the main category. as i study in my text but i add the vocab from a new chapter as a new category (as im sure most people do ) i would like to be able to have any supplementary words nested into a subcategory for each chapter just to keep things organized. i don't put as much emphasis in learning to write these extra words as i do the others so quickly being able to exclude them from a test would be great, but if i deselect a subcategory it automatically deselects the parent, so an option to exclude subcategories would be a helpful addition to the the already powerful filter system.

What about just creating a second sub-category for the non-supplementary words and putting your cards in that?

We're tentatively planning to separate "categories" and "category folders" at some point within the next year or so anyway - you'll have things that can hold cards (categories) and things that can hold categories (category folders) but both things won't go in the same place, which is much more logical than lumping everything together as we do now. So I'm wary of spending a lot of time implementing a category filtering feature that's going to become unnecessary / irrelevant soon anyway.

yes i suppose the reverse approach would work just as well, thanks for the tip. I look forward to the next big update.

 

[ckatt]

How a bout a sort of character selective filtering process. say for instance the ability to show only words that include a certain character. ie i could tell it to include all words that have the the characters 老and 板. Then the flash cards i would be tested on might include　　老板　老师　老家　老人家　地板　黑板 ect. or may be i could input some pinyin say han4 and then be tested on all characters from selected categories that include han4 wither its 汉语　or 　遗憾.
would this be hard to implement? i think it would be a big help for me as often i get mixed up by similar words, so being forced to test them all together would really drill them into my brain.
thanks

 

[mikelove]

How a bout a sort of character selective filtering process. say for instance the ability to show only words that include a certain character. ie i could tell it to include all words that have the the characters 老and 板. Then the flash cards i would be tested on might include　　老板　老师　老家　老人家　地板　黑板 ect. or may be i could input some pinyin say han4 and then be tested on all characters from selected categories that include han4 wither its 汉语　or 　遗憾.
would this be hard to implement? i think it would be a big help for me as often i get mixed up by similar words, so being forced to test them all together would really drill them into my brain.
thanks

A little hard, but my main concern is that I don't think enough people would take the time to program in all of these characters to justify the effort. It sounds like what we really need to do is come up with a more automated way to address the underlying need for help with easily confused words. We could build in a series of filters for that - one thing to automatically look for words with >1 character overlap, say, one to look for words with very similar pinyin (frequently-confused syllables, same but matching tones), something perhaps based on similar characters if we can come up with some good data for that.

So more of a long-term project than a short-term one, but potentially extremely useful.

 

[bwp]

Hi -- I'm long-time happy user but only a seldom commenter. Thanks for the amazing software and selection of dictionaries.

Here a Reader-specific wishlist:

Situation:
I've lately been using Pleco Reader more and more for long documents copied over from other applications -- and reading while standing on a subway or bus on my commute to work. As I read, I want to:
1. scroll the document while keeping the definition box locked open and
2. read ahead of my most recently highlighted text
Right now, after tapping a word to see the definition I can either (a) tap on the text, which closes the definition window, then swipe vertically to scroll, then tap again on the next word I need help with or (b) use the volume buttons to move through the text but only have the document scroll when the highlighted word is just above the definition window, which means I need to over-shoot then back-up to see the word in full context and the definition at the same time. Both are doable but awkward. Especially while hanging from a strap.

Desired state:
1. I can lock the definition box to the bottom or to the side (latter would be great for landscape)
2. I can lock the definition always open -- so it doesn't close when I swipe-scroll
3. As I use the volume buttons to move word-by-word, the document scrolls when I get to the end of each line regardless of whether the highlighted text is just above the definition box) -- that is, the highlighted word is always in the same vertical position on my screen.

Hope this makes sense!

Small stuff in the grand scheme but would be welcome improvements to the experience.

Regards.

 

[mikelove]

Thanks for the feedback!

1. I can lock the definition box to the bottom or to the side (latter would be great for landscape)

Already supported - Settings / Reader / Lock to bottom.

2. I can lock the definition always open -- so it doesn't close when I swipe-scroll

This one worries me a bit because of how much of the screen would be permanently eaten up by the definition and its attendant toolbars - feels like a very cramped reading experience that a lot of people would be uncomfortable with. I'm also not wild about it pedagogically because it encourages people to use the lookup function more, when the idea behind the reader is to encourage people to use it less - it's there any time you want it, but you have to consciously decide to use it and hence you're encouraged to try to piece together the meaning of a sentence yourself first.

3. As I use the volume buttons to move word-by-word, the document scrolls when I get to the end of each line regardless of whether the highlighted text is just above the definition box) -- that is, the highlighted word is always in the same vertical position on my screen.

That one's doable - just needs some minor tweaks to our scrolling code - so we'll see about getting it added as an option in a future release. Though we'd have to do some testing first, since I'm worried it might be disorienting in practice to have the text moving instead of the highlight - very easy to lose track of your place in a sentence that way.

 

[johnh113]

It sounds like what we really need to do is come up with a more automated way to address the underlying need for help with easily confused words. We could build in a series of filters for that - one thing to automatically look for words with >1 character overlap, say, one to look for words with very similar pinyin (frequently-confused syllables, same but matching tones), something perhaps based on similar characters if we can come up with some good data for that.

So more of a long-term project than a short-term one, but potentially extremely useful.

Dear MIke,

Homonyms are a problem for me. I often have ABC come up first in flashcards because they use an asterisk and a number to show homonyms, and then I can select the pinyin and search for the homonyms.

Also characters that are similar are confusing for me. This is harder for me to track down, as I have to know the other characters in order to realize they are almost but not quite identical and then look them up. I haven't looked for a similar character database, but Chinese school children probably have similar problems and I'll bet they have tests where they have to distinguish similar characters. An exercise book that tests for similar characters might be a good source of similar characters. Of course, depending upon your level of knowledge, all characters can look similar, so it's a highly subjective concept.

John

 

[ckatt]

A little hard, but my main concern is that I don't think enough people would take the time to program in all of these characters to justify the effort. It sounds like what we really need to do is come up with a more automated way to address the underlying need for help with easily confused words. We could build in a series of filters for that - one thing to automatically look for words with >1 character overlap, say, one to look for words with very similar pinyin (frequently-confused syllables, same but matching tones), something perhaps based on similar characters if we can come up with some good data for that.

So more of a long-term project than a short-term one, but potentially extremely useful.

I like what you are saying there about "words with >1 character overlap" trying to make categories for this sort of thing seems like a bit of a daunting task as i have thousands of cards i would need to sort through. and i think finding all the over lap cards my self for a separate filter would probably take just as long, and most of the time i don't know i have a problem with certain characters, until i notice then at every time 反应 comes up i want to say fan dui. so you are defiantly right about needing something more automated.

 

[mikelove]

Homonyms are a problem for me. I often have ABC come up first in flashcards because they use an asterisk and a number to show homonyms, and then I can select the pinyin and search for the homonyms.

Sensible way to do it, yes.

Also characters that are similar are confusing for me. This is harder for me to track down, as I have to know the other characters in order to realize they are almost but not quite identical and then look them up. I haven't looked for a similar character database, but Chinese school children probably have similar problems and I'll bet they have tests where they have to distinguish similar characters. An exercise book that tests for similar characters might be a good source of similar characters. Of course, depending upon your level of knowledge, all characters can look similar, so it's a highly subjective concept.

Well that's the tricky thing about it - everybody gets confused by different pieces.

I like what you are saying there about "words with >1 character overlap" trying to make categories for this sort of thing seems like a bit of a daunting task as i have thousands of cards i would need to sort through. and i think finding all the over lap cards my self for a separate filter would probably take just as long, and most of the time i don't know i have a problem with certain characters, until i notice then at every time 反应 comes up i want to say fan dui. so you are defiantly right about needing something more automated.

Yes - no way anybody's doing that manually but for a computer it's no trouble at all.

 

[denmitch]

I still use Pleco on Windows 6.5 phone. A month ago, I tried a friend's Pleco on Adroid. I was surprised by the slow response of the handwriting recognition. Is Pleco for iOS faster or is this a resolved problem?

李希

 

[mikelove]

I still use Pleco on Windows 6.5 phone. A month ago, I tried a friend's Pleco on Adroid. I was surprised by the slow response of the handwriting recognition. Is Pleco for iOS faster or is this a resolved problem?

李希

It might have been something related to that particular device; our handwriting recognizer on iOS is hardware-accelerated, but due to buggy graphics drivers we weren't able to do the hardware-accelerated it on Android (at least not until our next update, but then it'll only work on Android 4.0). Most phones have very responsive handwriting in spite of that, but the combination of a high-res screen and a slow graphics processor and/or problematic graphics drivers might cause it to be slower on a few of them.

Anyway, if you buy an up-to-date Android phone it should be much more responsive, but the iOS version is smoother still.

 

[ckatt]

maybe this has been discussed before but I'm wondering if something can't be done about the menu system. i feel it is often inconsistent in layout and in terms of text size.
For example: in the flash cards we have small headings : start/ basic settings /more settings/... On this screen we are given headings with action sets listed below them that say what they do ie "categories, test type, show ect." but when we tap one of these actions in the list, say "Card filters" for example, i go to a screen with the word "Enable" in the largest text printed 5 times on the screen and the feature i am enabling is now in the small print which in the previous screen what used to categorize each set of settings. Why do we even need this large Enable at each option? i think the check box is self explanatory. i can see why the pieces have fallen this way, when enable is check the extra option are visible in the same large text, but couldn't the check button be placed on the same line as the name of the filter?
anyway I'm sure you have your hand full with other features as such for the new version but i thoughts it make my feelings know anyway.

 

[mikelove]

maybe this has been discussed before but I'm wondering if something can't be done about the menu system. i feel it is often inconsistent in layout and in terms of text size.
For example: in the flash cards we have small headings : start/ basic settings /more settings/... On this screen we are given headings with action sets listed below them that say what they do ie "categories, test type, show ect." but when we tap one of these actions in the list, say "Card filters" for example, i go to a screen with the word "Enable" in the largest text printed 5 times on the screen and the feature i am enabling is now in the small print which in the previous screen what used to categorize each set of settings. Why do we even need this large Enable at each option? i think the check box is self explanatory. i can see why the pieces have fallen this way, when enable is check the extra option are visible in the same large text, but couldn't the check button be placed on the same line as the name of the filter?
anyway I'm sure you have your hand full with other features as such for the new version but i thoughts it make my feelings know anyway.

That's a reasonable complaint, but how would we separate the different filters if we replaced "Enable" with their names? It would be tough to pick out where one set of options begins and the other ends without those headers.

 

[ckatt]

That's a reasonable complaint, but how would we separate the different filters if we replaced "Enable" with their names? It would be tough to pick out where one set of options begins and the other ends without those headers.

we don't need to get rid of the headers i don't think, its just the word enabled seems redundant, yet its the most prominent word on the screen. Why not have it say the name of the filter instead? Maybe it wouldn't be the more elegant, but no less so than the current set up and it would be easier to use.

 

[ckatt]

two more things:
1 i feel like the night mode option is a little buried, any way that could be easier to get to?
2 How about an option to go direct from ocr to a new custom dictionary entry? so whatever characters are in the ocr box become the new head word. and/or the ability to copy what ever in in the ocr box directly to the clip board
Cheers!

 

[leoninto]

Not sure if this was posted, but can we get a "Pleco OCR" shortcut app? You have for both Flashcards and Reader. OCR seems like a natural fit as well.

Thanks

 

[Markcrobinson]

LOVE it.
Audio on Reveal? Works great on the Ipad.

 

[mikelove]

we don't need to get rid of the headers i don't think, its just the word enabled seems redundant, yet its the most prominent word on the screen. Why not have it say the name of the filter instead? Maybe it wouldn't be the more elegant, but no less so than the current set up and it would be easier to use.

That makes a great deal of sense - "Enable" really is quite useless. So OK, done - it'll be changed in the next (non-bug-fix) update. Thanks!

1 i feel like the night mode option is a little buried, any way that could be easier to get to?

Not quite sure how to bury it less than putting in Settings / General - main screen of settings feels a bit too prominent. Could we maybe allow you to set times at which it would automatically activate / deactivate?

2 How about an option to go direct from ocr to a new custom dictionary entry? so whatever characters are in the ocr box become the new head word. and/or the ability to copy what ever in in the ocr box directly to the clip board

That one already exists, actually - Settings / OCR / Unknown word handling -> Custom dict entry.

Not sure if this was posted, but can we get a "Pleco OCR" shortcut app? You have for both Flashcards and Reader. OCR seems like a natural fit as well.

There actually was one, but we had to pull all three shortcut apps from Google Play after a competitor accused us of spamming the search results with them (certainly not our intention, they weren't exactly tearing up the download charts) and threatened to report us to Google for doing so. We're replacing them with an in-app option to create shortcuts on the home screen, but until that's ready (or as a replacement if you prefer it the other way) you can get APKs for all of them at http://cdn.pleco.com/androidapps/plecodroid-launchers-111202.zip.

LOVE it.
Audio on Reveal? Works great on the Ipad.

Thanks! (though this thread is actually for Android UI feedback... )

 

[ckatt]

Don't you just love it when you have a problem and its already fixed before you ask?
Thanks Mike

 

[nicholas.wright]

What about an option to override the timeout and screenlock on Android phones? It would help me a lot on my homework.