LectureNotes app

[acadoid]

@BenKatz88: For legal reasons, I cannot include a so-called multiplexer into LectureVideos (multiplexing is the process by which the video and audio stream are combined into one single so-called container file such as MP4, AVI, or MKV). LectureVideos only uses what is provided by Android, and Android does not provide a multiplexer (this has changed with the latest version Android 4.3 which got published a few weeks ago, I will soon provide a LectureVideos version for devices running Android 4.3 that allows multiplexing within LectureVideos). Hence, LectureVideos produces two files per session, an encoded video file with extension `h264´ and an encoded audio file with extension `3gp´. To produce a container file, you need to use a tool such as FFmpeg which is available for all OS. Lets say you have video1.h264 (the video stream) and video1.3gp (the audio stream), you can produce an MP4 file using the command

ffmpeg -r 12 -i video1.h264 -i video1.3gp -b 1.5M video1.mp4

where `-r 12´ states the frame rate (12 frames per second) and `-b 1.5M´ sets the output bit rate to 1.5Mbits per second. The resulting MP4 container file video1.mp4 can be viewed with all video viewers and uploaded to YouTube and other video platforms. There are graphical user interfaces available for essentially all OS, so that you do not need to worry about command line options.

There are FFmpeg ports for Android available in Google Play and other app stores, but I would rather recommend to perform the multiplexing on a `normal´ computer.

There are alternatives to ffmpeg such as mkvmerge (which produces an MKV container file), one LectureNotes user published a short video on that, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTTc-2EtPAw.

 

[BenKatz88]

I downloaded ScreenCast from the Play store and for some reason it will not allow me to record ANY of my s-pen notations that I make using LectureNotes. I just rooted my Galaxy Note 10.1 today and have been able to record other things, but my screen just remains blank when I play it back; even though I was able to make the notations initially.

(Thanks, Acadoid, for the help, btw....)

 

[stbxxl]

A friend of mine got himself the new Nexus 7 (Android 4.3). Since he was looking for a handwriting app I recommended LectureNotes. He is quite happy with it with one exception: The handwriting input is rather slow and choppy. My experience on my TouchPad (running CM9) is quite the opposite - it's fast and fluid.

He already tried different pens and while there is a noticeable difference it is still not satisfactory (i.e. comparable to my TouchPad or his former iPad experience).

Is there a recommded sef of input settings for this new tablet device? Or could this be an issue with the app and the new Android 4.3 (pure speculation on my part)?

Thanks.

 

[acadoid]

@BenKatz88: I just answered your question in the thread that you started, not realizing that you already have LectureVideos installed.

I do not know how ScreenCast works in detail, but probably it requires the app to use GPU/hardware rendering (LectureNotes uses software rendering for several reasons).

---------- Post added at 10:23 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:20 PM ----------

@stbxxl: I recommend to use the `input zone´ on devices with capacitive stylus.

I use a Nexus 7 with Android 4.3 as test device, and LectureNotes runs fluidly. What makes LectureNotes quite slow (see my previous post) is to enforce GPU/hardware rendering in the device's developers settings.

 

[werpnst8]

custom pen as highlighter

Has anyone created some custom settings for a highlighter that you like? I created a thick yellow pen that is partly transparent and writes behind other lines, which works as intended when I use a single layer. Problem is when I import a pdf and try to preserve the original text by working in a second layer. Then when I use a highlighter in layer 2, it is no longer as transparent as I'd like if i want to highlight sections of the pdf.

Perhaps I just need to forget about highlighting in a different layer and switch back and forth for writing (second layer) and highlighting (first layer).

Any ideas are welcome.

Thanks

 

[acadoid]

@werpnst8: The property `draws behind other colors´ refers to colors in the same layer, not in the layer below Hence, the highlighter is above the imported PDF material. What you can do is (i) to render imported PDF on transparent background (there is an option in the PDF import settings), (ii) import PDF into layer 2, and (iii) highlight in layer 1. If you wish other annotations to be above the imported PDF, you will need to use a third layer.

 

[vgergo]

A very happy user + dialog pitch

Hi Acadoid,

I would just like to express my contentment regarding your app. I haven't posted anything for a while, and it's just because I've been using Lecture Notes constantly and finding it perfect for my needs.

To tell the truth, I did not always check the new features just updated the app blindly. Recently however I went thru the settings again and played around with some of the new features:

1. I love the hidden action bar option, especially that it can be hidden by default. This might not be that important on tablets, but screen space is very precious on phones. I found I can do most things without the action bar (finger erase, s-pen click select). But of course I realized a couple of possible improvements:

1a. Once I need to open the action bar its not that easy to hide it again. Maybe you could make a toolbar button to do that? Or please see 2. for another idea.

1b. The main reason I need to show the action bar is the UNDO function. You gave us the great option to disable the back button, but what do you think, could it instead be assigned the UNDO function? It would eliminate the need to keep the action bar shown most of the time. And when pressed accidentally it's still not as inconvenient to have the last stroke undone, as if it exited the notebook.

2. I love how Lecture Notes gets more and more functions, almost anything can be fine tuned and accomplished using this app! There is a side effect though: menus are getting really crowded and sometimes confusing.

The most confusing for me is the double menu in the note taking screen:
a. Launcher Icon menu (Save changed pages, back... start recording)
b. System menu (on MENU press - Fit width, Fit height, Zoom, Find in text... Settings, About)

I have a hard time remembering where to find the different functions, and I usually end up going to the wrong "menu" first... On the other hand they are so crowded already, it takes a long time to find and pick...

Here's a revolutionary idea: could you merge the two?

The Launcher icon could just toggle the action bar (show / hide)

The menu button would bring up the merged menu. But instead of the current 31 (15+16) item long list of words, it could bring up a graphical control panel similar to the one I attached to the post). Since we have a stylus in our hands, it would make a lot of sense to pick things from this.

Let me attach a possible layout for such control panel dialog box both by itself and with references to the current menu items.

What do you think?

 

[acadoid]

@vgergo: Many thanks for your kind comments.

1a. There is an item in the menu at the action bar to hide it.

1b. Technically, this could be done, but I would find that rather confusing, the back key is for navigation. I plan to soon add the undo function as possible function to the stylus button.

2. The app launcher icon and its menu are for navigation (which is Android standard), the menu also contains a few redundant items (meaning functions that can be accessed also otherwise), everything else (import, export, etc.) is in the main (or `overflow´) menu. To have a single iconographical menu is an interesting idea, your suggestion is also very well designed. I personally prefer written menus over icons, but let me think about it.

 

[Kumabjorn]

I converted a file to PDF and imported it into LectureNotes. The Kindle has a much smaller screen so on my Note 10.1 I get rather large text. For now I will live with it, but the next time I'd like to know if I can import fewer pages with smaller font settings?
Also, I'd like to add margins on the top, bottom and to the right of the page if that is possible so I have more room for note taking. Can this be done after I've imported the pdf?

Sent from my GT-N8010 using Tapatalk 4

 

[acadoid]

@Kumabjorn: You can import a subset of pages, just type the subset (e.g. `1-4,7´) in the dialog. What do you refer to be `small font settings´? The font size in the PDF file cannot be alter upon import.

There are adjustable margins in the PDF import setup in the app's import settings.

 

[Kumabjorn]

@Kumabjorn: You can import a subset of pages, just type the subset (e.g. `1-4,7´) in the dialog. What do you refer to be `small font settings´? The font size in the PDF file cannot be alter upon import.

There are adjustable margins in the PDF import setup in the app's import settings.

What I meant was, instead of importing 300 pages at 22pt could I set it so the book would be imported as 150 pages with 11pt type? Halving the pages by halving the font size?

Sent from my GT-N8010 using Tapatalk 4

 

[acadoid]

@Kumabjorn: You wrote that you exported to PDF, I guess the easiest way to perform the change is in this step.

Alternatively, n-up the PDF file prior to import into LectureNotes.

 

[Kumabjorn]

@Kumabjorn: You wrote that you exported to PDF, I guess the easiest way to perform the change is in this step.

Alternatively, n-up the PDF file prior to import into LectureNotes.

Thinking about it for a while I came to the same conclusion. It has to be easier to accomplish in the conversion from e-book format to PDF. But in case you receive a PDF file that would benefit from being scaled it might be something to think about for future updates.

 

[Chinaboy5216]

Small request, when adding a new page with the + icon. Would it be possible to just add the page and keep the input field where it is instead of moving it to the end of the newly added page? This would be great, for the rest nothing but gratitude. Glad I purchased it months ago, I use lecturenotes daily on the job and love it all the way.

Sent from my Transformer TF101 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

 

[acadoid]

@Chinaboy5216: Glad to hear that you like the app.

The function of the `+´ icon is `append a new page and go there´, if you just wish to append a new page, you can use the corresponding item in the `hand´ menu.

 

[Hahahalalala]

Anyone know how to import documents from Word or QuickOffice into LectureNotes? ANd if there is spell check? Thanks.

Not PDF files

 

[Chinaboy5216]

Thx for the feedback, just tried this but I see the hand way takes 3 actions while the + way adds a page in one shot.
Sorry for nagging but would ti be possible to do a one shot add for the hand also?

Sent from my Transformer TF101 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

 

[philam1]

Copy content from multiple pages into new notebook

Hi, congrats again on a fantastic app. And I highly recommend a tutorial video, I dipped my toe in the water a few times with this app and went back to others. Only after finding this forum and all the guidance on features did i fully realize how far ahead this app is from the competition.

There's still one feature I haven't managed to get right although I'm sure I've read it's in the product.

How do I select content which spans across multiple pages in 1 notebook, and paste it into another?

Any help much appreciated. Keep up the good work!

 

[Kumabjorn]

Galaxy Note 8

Text layer on top. Putting the cursor in text box doesn't bring up the keyboard.

Sent from my GT-N5110 using Tapatalk 4

 

[acadoid]

@Hahahalalala: You need to convert to PDF first. What do you wish to spell-check? Your handwritten notes?
@Chinaboy5216: You can reduce three clicks to a long-click on the hand icon (which activates hand mode and displays the menu simultaneously, works on the other mode icons as well) and a second click on the item. Would it help to have an option so that the `+´ icon appends a page and does not get you there? Or do you need both functions?
@philam1: Many thanks for your kind comments.

To copy one or more pages from one notebook to another, open the source notebook in notebook overview (either directly from the notebooks board by long-clicking on the notebook and selecting `Notebook overview´ in the popup menu, or by opening the notebook normally and selecting `Notebook overview´ in the main menu), click on the tag to activate tag mode and on the pages to be copied to tag them, and select `Copy tagged pages to clipboard´ in the main menu. Close the source notebook and open the target notebook in notebook overview and select `Paste pages from clipboard´ in the main menu. To rearrange pages, click-and-drag them to the desired location.
@Kumabjorn: That a soft keyboard does not up automatically is intentionally, it comes up when you click on the page.