Feature requests/Unsolved Bugs:

Please, start by having a look to "known problems and limitations" page

Jarnal in Windows 8 Tablet

I tried to use jarnal in surface pro, but the strokes are very imprecise, and the resultant writing is totally illegible. I would be very grateful, if you can tell how this can be solved.

Jarnal for Android

This is the most requested feature. Unfortunately despite the fact that Android runs "java" it runs a form that is very different from standard Sun java - so to run Jarnal on Android would entail a complete rewrite of the program including the third party applications that read and render PDF files. I haven't fiddled with it much since I don't yet have an Android tablet, and running Jarnal on a telephone doesn't seem to me that useful. As Android Tablets are becoming more widespread I hope that demand for standard apps will become sufficiently widespread that "standard" java will be ported to Android - at which point Jarnal will "just work" - and we will probably do tweaks to make it more "Android friendly."

Jarnal not opening by double-clicking .jaj file. (matt_greenwolfe, moved from FAQ)

I installed the windows executable from Gerhard Hagerer on windows 7 and the file association doesn't work. Windows 7 finds and attempts to execute journal.cmd but produces the error: "Unable to access jar file jarnal.jar" Further information: When I move the .jaj file to C:\program files\jarnal, then it runs fine by double-clicking on the .jaj file. So the problem has something to do with setting the working directory when jarnal.cmd is called from the associated file. I tried changing the cd command at the beginning of jarnal.cmd from cd %0\.. to cd "C:\program files\jarnal" with no success. Now taking crash course in .cmd syntax.
--->> With the .exe installer, everything is put in "C:\program files\jarnal" when it seems that it is expected to be in "C:\program files\jarnal-install\". For now, I renamed the directory, but it would be much better if jarnal.jar was not expected to be in such a srangely-named repository !

Possibility to define the size of the page ? (pcolamar, moved from FAQ)

i.e. A4 = 210 mm x 297 mm = 8.27" x 11.69 "

Possibility to define the format of the time stamp ? (pcolamar, moved from FAQ)

i.e. 24h vs AM/PM

Progressive page number printed at the bottom of every page (pcolamar, moved from FAQ)


Russian/Cyrillic symbols are missed after PDF export

(version 1003, 1073, ...).
See http://wiki.4intra.net/User:StasFomin/AviSynth/Bugs/Jarnal

Lag when writing (carhogg)

When I write quickly, it takes some time for the line to first show. This makes it awkwardly slow to write, especially for small marks like crossing ts. Also if I write quickly, the line does not exactly follow the line that I drew, but is simplified to be more jagged and pass through only a couple of the points that my actual pen stoke passed through.

I don't know if this problem is with my wacom bamboo tablet or some settings in jarnal. Any suggestions would be very helpful. I'm new to this programme so sorry if this comment is in the wrong place. Is there a way to get responses by email?

Thanks.

Change color after drawing (V. Wolf)

It would be very helpful if one can select a drawing and change its color, e.g., to change the color of a word after writing it down. Highlight the area you want to change using the rectangle select, or select a single stroke using the point select. Then under Format | Modify Selection use the dialog to change things as you wish.


Resize background (Andi)

Automatically resize background so it fits to the chozen size of the Jarnal page. Under Format | Paper the left column is the page, the right column is the background. On the left column you can set the page size to fit the background (Fit to Background) and in the right column you can set the background to the page size (Fit Page Width or Fit Page Height depending on what you want).


DONE see command line options Cursor options (Nathan Stormer)

Provide the option of a larger cursor instead of the tiny black dot when drawing
(seems especially useful for not tablet systems where there is no pen tip)

DONE Pen Sizes

Perhaps instead of having individual buttons for pen size have a single button listing the sizes similar to the button that lists the color choices. And possibly change the name of the largest size from heavy to highlighter if that size is specifically for highlighter use. The name for the toolbar button is iwidth

PDF Bookmarks (sillythings, moved from dicussion page)

I read a lot of ebooks in pdf format. I'd like to use jarnal to annotate pdf ebooks. These ebooks often have hundreds of pages and many sections. As such, these ebooks make use of pdf's bookmark feature so that a user can quickly flip to a particular section in the ebook. However, the pdf bookmark concept doesn't seem to be support by jarnal. Jarnal's bookmark concept is really just a recently open file list. Can you guys add support for pdf bookmarks?

Easier arrows (asragov, moved from discussion page)

I find that if I want to add a lot of arrows to a document, it is not so easy.
For example, if I go to Tools -> Arrow, I can make one arrow, and then it resets to the drawing pen immediately.
Is there a way to keep the arrows on, or is that a "feature request"?
Thank you for this wonderful program - it is a lifesaver!

PDF Searching (unclepedro)

I recognize that this is a pretty big feature request, given that PDFs are converted into raster backgrounds. But I read a lot of technical papers in PDF format, and I often need to search for particular terms in the original document's text. It would be great if one could cursor highlight text (or enter it with a screen keyboard) and search for it in the document. I'd guess this either requires keeping text position information when rasterizing, or not using a rasterized background. [Edit: I see that I can use Edit | Find and include Background, but the behavior is a bit odd, at least for a few PDFs I tried.]

Print to PDF (Miriam Kraus)

sometimes seems to be slightly misaligned with certain pdf files
give the user ability to nudge the image slightly?

Enable the pen erase (Joe Tonge)


Selection drag (Marco Poletti)

It is too sensitive, you shouldn't drag the selection just a couple of pixels

Pressure sensitivity (Gerhard)

independent Java-libraries for tablet-pcs: http://sketchstudio.cellosoft.com/
With it one can write Java-applets and programs that can handle values like pressure sensitivity and the sketch-feeling feels quite fluid (better than with normal Java I think)

Installation

mac, debian
add cross-platform java web updating to replace the platform dependent command files? can this be used to start jarnal with adequate memory in a platform independent way?

Toolbars


Animated gif (Dirk)


Network Save Operations (Graham Chiu)

a metafile directive to automatically tell Jarnal to display the server response to a network save
fix the system state so that after a network save when Jarnal is closed no "file save" dialog is generated
there is an appreciable delay while Jarnal regenerates the PDF prior to a network save - provide a busy indicator while this is going on

Cornell-style Notes (Alex)

not sure what this is, can we get a link or something?

Navigation

Page navigation window and links inside the document for an easy return a specific point. (Fabian)

File Save/Open

Able to set default save as format to OpenOffice's presentation format
fix crash when exporting to an already open pdf

Format Conversion (Giada Ucci)

I developed an open-source java program named jCrossSketch that can convert some note format like IRX (used by IRex iLiad e-book reader), TOP (used by Aiptek myNote) SVG (used by GIMP's paths) and JAJ (used by your jarnal program). The url is: http://weblab.ing.unimo.it/~angelmac/jCrossSketch/ also there is a developer guide at http://weblab.ing.unimo.it/~angelmac/jCrossSketch/doc/project.pdf
incorporate this directly into Jarnal
+ maybe even an XML format like xournal - GK

Text Rotation (Jonathan Netzloff)

For maps and so forth

Digital Signing (Michael Ellerback)

http://www.vromans.org/johan/software/sw_signpdf.html

Cross Platform Client/Server (Pierre Lafaye de Micheaux)

I tried to use it from windows XP (server) to Linux (client) but we faced a problem when trying to open new PDF background. The PDF background opens correctly on the Master (=Request control active) but it does not open on remote jarnal because it tries to open the PDF file on the very same directory (and filename) but this is not possible since Windows XP and Linux do not have the same file system naming conventions.

Interface suggestions (Shawn Moorman)

  1. Select mode is not 'sticky'; that is, once you select and move an object the mode reverts to pen, etc. When adjusting many objects consecutively (as might be done towards the end of an annotation session) you have to click tool bar "Select" or keyboard Ctrl-a between each selection/move. A bit cumbersome and non-intuitive.

    Suggestion:
    Unless it already exist it would be nice if there was a "select/move" mode such that you can move objects consecutively. The toolbar might use the "pointer" icon for such a mode ubiquitous to S/W w/ any kind of edit/move object feature. Jarnal Text mode already works as I suggest.

  2. Jarnal not handle the following exception and crashes (hangs) if you do the following:
    1. Run Jarnal
    2. Load a background PDF
    3. Add some annotations (not required)
    4. Export to a file w/ the same name as the loaded PDF

  3. As you know cut/paste on Windows will typically paste the new object close and slightly offset to the original, allowing user to then move as desired. Jarnal requires the extra step (after paste) to identify target location.

  4. When you paste text from an external app (via clipboard), the doc 'jumps' to the top of page.

  5. When a text object is placed a 2nd crosshair is placed to the right (at some arbitrary distance?) and horizontal w/ the insertion point crosshair. This prevents placing a new text object between the two cross hairs; i.e. at the same (or slightly different) vertical height as original text. A problem, for example should you be filling out (annotating) a pdf form that has form fields in vertical columns and the form fields needing entry are not horizontally aligned. My workaround is to place the 2nd text object elsewhere and then move it inline (same vertical height) as the 1st text object. This seems to work w/o difficulty.

    A similar problem occurs if the two required text locations ARE vertically aligned but have significant horizontal space between them. For this case you can simply insert the many spaces (spacebar) needed to get to the rightmost position or use above work around.

    Suggestion:
    Why not have text objects end at there last character and directly allow placing a new text object inline (vertically).
  6. Resizing inserted images uses the Text function. All other objects use the resize handle of the "Select Rectangle". It is quite hard to intuitively figure this out. (It is in the docs). Why not use simple select the image, which then automatically draws a bounding box w/ a resize handle.

  7. After checking all the .sh and .cmd I fount the following code in jarnalshell.conf (located for me in: C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator) firefox="c:\program files\internetexplorer\iexplore.exe" %1
    Oddly the variable is "firefox", but it points to IE. I changed it the firefox executable and restarted Jarnal, but when I select Help/Documentation it still uses IE.

Unfortunately, I don't understand the program well enough to provide further suggestions.


Drag and Drop for pictures (Andi)

Drag pictures directly from folder to Jarnal

Hand button for touch scrolling (GK)

This may be better than the current touch scroll from right margin. It gaurantees that nothing will accidently get wriiten unless the user switches from hand grab mode to pen mode. It may also be less susceptible to errors.
Good to have motions and gestures for both stylus and finger. The current margin touch scroll seems to be oversensitive to something and often homes to the1st or last page. too easily.


Sticky Select and Move (Andi)

For sorting/moving pictures and words in the Jarnal without having to select the select tool before every move

Better Text-Recognition (Andi)

Uppercase and Lower-Case
Maybe write first, then select the part of the handwritten Text that should be recognized, then let recognize. Problem ist often: Program tries to recognize after each stroke, doesnt see the "whole" letter

Formula-Recognition (Andi)

Paste Formula in latex-Format, Formula is displayed by Jarnal correctly

Screenshot (Andi)

Support extended desktop: If Jarnal is on the "secondary monitor" jarnal is to shoots only the part of the screen shown on the secondary monitor, if Jarnal is working on the primary monitor, the screenshot is to be only of this part....

Support of Virtual Keyboard (Andi)

Simple link to virtual keyboard (i.e. Windows XP, Windows 7,...)

Color Trap Dialog

The color trap dialog is under the View menu and it still exists, although it no longer works properly. From experimentation it seems that when color trapping is enabled in the dialog only lines with the colors that are marked will be shown, so you can toggle lines with different colors on and off. However: the dialog needs to redraw the entire page, it redraws the page incrementally, so that pieces of lines vanish and reappear.

Automatic Image Copying

When an image is clicked on it saves to the clipboard. I think a user could potentially lose other data they might have
wanted in the clipboard. Perhaps have an option to save it to the clipboard?

Razor Function

There should perhaps be a razor to move things sideways. And to move things up it might be more logical to move up whats
above the razor as opposed to what is under it.

Eraser/ Whiteout

Maybe there should maybe be more than one type of whiteout, besides the eraser, specifically one that doesn't erase the notebook lines.

Recognition Errors

Perhaps it is because I'm not using a tablet but the letter M does not seem to be recognized, in fact so far I've gotten a "d", an "h" and an "q". I had four separate people try to type this letter as well, to insure it wasn't simply my hand writing. This is both on tool > recognize and recognize page. Also 3 times in a row three "M"s spelled the word. "due"...

Is there a way to write with recognition such that the letters you draw don't end up on top of what you're typing?

Tablet use : Android Port

Using Jarnal on a desktop computer is nice, but it would be even better on a tablet device. Many Android-based tablets/pads are now entering the market and Jarnal would be an extremely popular Android app. We've now reached a moment in history where the pen/pencil & paper could become obsolete, but we first need note taking applications for these portable tablets/pads.

Unusable on Windows mobile (dggrimm, moved from discussion page)

Is there a way to use this with windows mobile devices running Java? Being a noob, I put the files on my device and it starts to run then gets 'File error' (???)

Smartphone Port (ecompsp, moved from discussion page)

I tried to 'fake' a midlet in mobile and does the same thing.....it probably needs re-compiled for j2me for mobile devices........I have failed with WTK 2.5 so far....don't know much about java code. Any java guru out there familiar with java wireless toolkit?
If someone could create a .jad midlet for Jarnal it could then be ported to symbian and windows mobile phones! And to Android too!

Password-controlled collaboration

Currently, anyone guessing the right port can connect to a running Jarnal server. It would be great if one could limit this access, e.g., by setting a password that the client needs to know for connecting.

MacOSX version

I wanted a Mac version that has click .jaj file to open and also .jaj file icons in the finder. Also wanted to double click the application to open and have it save the new file by default in Documents/Jarnal with a datetime based name when hitting ctrl-s to allow very quick notes to be taken without having to navigate folders. Also wanted to drag pdf files onto the Jarnal application icon and use them as a background (ie the -b option). I believe I have achieved all of this and packaged into dmg drag drop installer - I have made it available on my web page below. Please let me know of any issues - email on the page. Thanks
http://users.aber.ac.uk/nns/jarnal_webpage/jarnal.html