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Neoreader and third party synchronizing apps

Florian Feppon

Dear developpers, dear community

I purchased an Onyx Boox Note Air 2, with the most recent Firmware 3.2.

I usually use Dropbox or other third party apps, to open pdf files which can be updated. It seems that in the version installed on my tablet, that the PDF is not updated by Neoreader when it is updated in the third party app: opening it with Neoreader from the third party app shows an old version of the document.

However, this is not a problem of the third party app, because opening with Adobe Reader works and shows the new document. I thought that deleting the cache of Neoreader could help, but it doesn't change: the first version of the PDF opened still show up, and not the last version.

I had an onyx boox gulliver (Note 2) before and this feature was working correctly.

Would you have hints on how to solve this problem? This is a crucial feature for me to be able to open PDF files which can be updated from third party apps. I feel this feature is related to http://bbs.onyx-international.com/t/neoreader-bug-opening-from-external-apps/948

Thanks,

Florian

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Comments

10 comments

Date Votes
  • Booxshop Service

    Dear customer, we apologize for the inconvenience.

    In this case, please try the steps below to change the setting of the NeoReader. After that, please see if the problem can be resolved.

    1) Please open the PDF with the NeoReader and click on the gear icon in the toolbar.

    2) Please click "PDF Settings"

    3) Please enable "Automatically import embedded data".

    However, if the problem persisted, we suggest submitting bugs/software questions on Feedback via Settings/ Feedback on your device. Please make sure that you tick the option "send logs" while sending the Feedback so that we can analyze and diagnose the exact problem better. Our technical team will reply to you in 2 working days after you submit the Feedback.​  

    Many thanks for your time and understanding.

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  • Florian Feppon

    Hello,

     

    Thanks but the bug persists. Actually, even if I disable the "import embedded data", and if I click the button "Import embedded data" in the software, I have a message "No embedded data detected".

    I already submitted a feedback and got no answer but I will do it again. Note that the neoreader version number for me is 3424 - 0ef1dc0d83f.

     

    Many thanks, I will come back to you to tell how things go on.

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  • Florian Feppon
    • Edited

    Hello again,

    Ok I got a feedback and the problem seems to come from the fact that Neoreader opens a file from the library which has the same name. I can open an updated version of the document by removing the document from the library. However, this file is created every time I open it from Dropbox and read it with neoreader.

    Would it be possible to prevent such behaviour ? It is not very convenient to remove the file from the library every time I want an updated version.

    This is exactly the "feature request" of this unanswered topic:

    http://bbs.onyx-international.com/t/please-dont-copy-a-new-file-when-using-neoreader-to-open-local-pdfs-from-external-apps/1736

    Thanks

    Florian

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  • Booxshop Service

    Dear customer, 

    After double-checking with our tech team, this issue is caused due to the NeoReader in Android 11. We are afraid that it is currently unable to prevent this behavior.

    However, our team is currently finding a solution to fix the problem, and we will do our best to improve the software asap. Many thanks for your patience and understanding.

     

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  • Florian Feppon

    Ok many thanks for the reply.

    I look forward to hearing from the software update.

    Florian

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  • llinfeng

    Florian Feppon It may be worth it to avoid opening files from the Dropbox app? I use SyncThing to source a Zotero folder with 2000 files to Lumi 2's local storage, and use Files by Google to navigate to newly added files. And, that Zotero folder lives in Dropbox and all PDFs are synced across multiple computers of mine.

    Per my experience, when opening the PDF files through Files by Google, NeoReader does respect the absolute path to the file, and will be overwriting the original file at its original location. Then, since SyncThing kept an eye on this physical folder, it will sync things around in a few minutes. Usually, after I edited a file using Boox tablet, I'll take a short break before accessing the same PDF file using annotation tools on my desktop machines.

    In the rare occasions where SyncThing screw things up, there is an "Embed PDF" option under the Scribble/Export tool to overwrite the PDF file.  (I have experienced it once, when all old scribbles are gone in the PDF, but they are still visible through NeoReader. And, new scribbles can be exported. After reading your posts in this thread briefly, I thought my experience may be relevant.)

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  • RS

    Hello llinfeng

    May I ask your advice re: SyncThing?

    I am having the same trouble as Florian, but with using documents through OneDrive. I would like to be able to open my OneDrive pdfs on my Boox Note Air 2 Plus in NeoReader, add my highlights and notes, then have the same file synch to my OneDrive, which I could then access through my MacBook or other devices where OneDrive can be logged into.

    SyncThing seems like a good option. I have downloaded it onto my Macbook and my Boox Note Air. 

    Could you outline what you did next on your computer and on your Boox to synch? I am a bit of a novice to these apps / how SyncThing works.

    To note, I have my OneDrive downloaded locally onto my MacBook.

    I hope this makes sense ~ look forward to hearing from you.

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  • llinfeng
    • Edited

    Hi RS,

    Here are the steps:

    1. Install a SyncThing client on your laptop.
    2. Install the SyncThing app on your Boox tablet. Take note of the device ID.
    3. Then, back on the computer's SyncThing client, connect the Boox tablet by feeding it the Device ID from #2.
    4. Share the OneDrive folder with the Boox tablet.

    Depending on the Android version of your tablet, if Android 11, the initial sync process may take anywhere between a few minutes to a few hours. (It took some 10+ hours for 3000 small text files to sync through.) And, once you have it set up properly, try to keep the WiFi always on - this dramatically decrease the wait-time for SyncThing to catch up, when reconnected to WiFi.

    RE: finding the newly added file - with WiFi kept on and the SyncThing app always running in the background, we can only make sure that the file does exit on Boox tablet. Yet, it is another story to find it quickly. So far, I only found the Files by Google app to work. (The native Boox's Library tab/app may take a few minutes to refresh and show you the latest file, as it always wants to re-index the full path.)

    Endnote: in general, it helps to host the XXX-cloud-synced folder on a machine that runs 24/7. Since SyncThing can almost bypass any firewall, this can be a computer you leave running overnight at work, for example.

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  • RS

    Hi llinfeng

    That's wonderful help - thank you!

    I've managed the first 3 steps, but could i clarify with you how best to share the OneDrive folder with the Boox Tablet. Do I do this on the Boox tablet?

    Cheers,

    Rachel

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  • llinfeng

    To start the process, you'll need to click on the button marked below. Also, note that upon finishing #3, you'll see the Boox tablet as noted.

    (Img from this page - https://docs.syncthing.net/intro/gui.html)

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