New version (0.02) released 15.10.2006
http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php? group_id=179133&package_id=206798

I really like CDisplay, but it's a bit old and lacks some features that I would like to have. So I made this python script that, tries to be like I would want CDisplay to be.

It's main feature is being able to drag and drop any number of files or folders to it and it will sort show all of them. For example, a .rar file named volume1.rar containing 10 chapter_number.zips, or your manga folder containing thousand of pages.

The other thing I like is the history tab that shows what page you left in what file (or set of files).

It can open .zips, but if 7-zip is installed (free program) it can also open .rar's and whatever 7-zip can open.

The program it self is some 1300 lines of python, wich I have changed to .exe with py2exe, it's really suprisingly responsive and fast for an interpreted program. The exe is windows only but I eventually (soon) plan on releasing the source so you can run it on Linux or whatever with the right modules.

I did this program 3 months ago I think, and since then the only real tester has been me. It works very well for me and I've stopped using CDisplay completely, but different people have different tastes and I really want to hear what you think a program like this should do.

The sort of feedback I would like to hear is
- Does it work? Why not?
- Feature requests. Right now it's feature list is quite small because it only has the things I need. I'm planning on adding fit to width or height, so the page will cover the whole screen, instead of getting resized to fit the screen (for now, use zoom! 100% width/height might do it for you)
- I'm not against adding features as long as they don't add weird bloat, things that I think add bloat are weird settings like showing 2 pages at once, but hey, if alot of people want it then why not. And it's only 1300 lines of python so pretty much anyone can add their own features if they want, when I release the code (right now I'm abit shy)

uncodumented shortcut keys:
- arrows = page up/down
- F11 = full screen
- page up/down = 10 pages up/down
- ctrl+page up/down = 100 pages up/down
- home/end = goto beginning/end

Last edited by Venti at 1:15 pm, Oct 15 2006

ive tested your viewer so here's my checklist.
1. no support for rar
2. no automatic maximize window when opening
3. there's a bug that when i after i minimize the window, i cant use keyboard controls.

well, those are the probs for now.

i think the most useful feature for me is the "recurse subdirectories", wherein pdisplay can load files inside folders inside zip files!

1. There is support for rar. Through free program 7-zip http://www.7-zip.org/, which can open many different formats, including rar. For now I don't see a compelling reason to hack a seperate rar support and I havn't found a suitable module for python. I would really like to support rar without additional programs, but it's just too messy and 7-zip works too well.

2. Good point. I'm so used to maximizing it my self that I don't even notice it anymore, will be adding this to next release.

3. So that's what causes it. I hardly ever use keyboard so it seemed pretty random to me... it also starts working again after you focus on another program and come back. Will be fixing this too once I have time. Thanks.

one more question:
is there a fullscreen mode? i couldn't find it >.>

Pres F11 for fullscreen mode. I will add the keys to the menus and have some way of configuring them too.

so far me and my sister have been using PDisplay for a while now and we like it. it just need some more features like,
1a. an option to auto maximize the program on open
1b. an option to auto fullscreen the program on open
2. a boss key would be nice (minimize)
3. view image set by height or by width (you said your planning on adding this one, so add it please)
4. a way to remove what was tracked in the history.(like only one)--this one isn't that important to add but would be nice.
5. a way to choose how many is going to be added to the history.(currently theres like 10 an option to add more or less would be nice)

A. one thing that bothers me was when viewing in zoom and you goto the next page it doesn't goto the top of the page.

B. when i first use it i couldn't open any archieve files, when i check the options i unchecked everything in decompression and then tried it and i could open them. --I think my 7-Zip is broken or something. it would be nice to not to depend on external programs to open files.

oh and one question what image formats are supported?

i'll type up somemore things later if i find anything that should be added or any bugs. but this post should help you. so maybe i don't need to. well see

Thanks for the comment, going to start coding right now.

1. sure
2. sure
3. Yeah, this is a bit more complex though but going to add it
4. you can manually edit the config.ini
5. maybe in the future

A. This is kind of a tough one, because I can't move your mouse pointer. But this should be solved too with fit to width/height feature, which is probably the behavior you're looking for.

B. I probably should change default behavior to not using 7-zip for .zips because some old verions of it are a bit over-zealous in detecting corrupt .zips, but its a nice piece of software and I find being able to open a bit more obscure archives like .bzip or .lzh nice, even if it's never used. You should also check if the filename in the 7-zip field is correct one, and update your 7-zip.

edit: released new version
-Window now remembers its size
-"Don't use 7-zip for zips" is now default behavior,
using 7-zip for zips might be more efficient for
nested archives.
-Fixed bug, where keys stopped working when window
was minimized
-Z now minimizes window
-Ability to toggle displaying of page numbers in the
bottom-right corner
-History can now be toggled off and cleared easily
-Defaults for buffer-sizes set to smaller values

Last edited by Venti at 1:31 pm, Oct 15 2006