After more than 2 months since the last release, we're picking up our pace again with Kotobee updates. This release is packed with over a dozen of new features that will affect the way you create ebooks. There are plenty of important bug fixes too. If you haven't updated yet (especially the past few releases), well this time we strongly recommend you do!
Let's take a look at what this release has to offer.
Persistent Input
This is a continuously requested requirement we've been receiving for a long time. When creating an ebook containing interactive questions, especially text input, you may want to allow your users to see entered answers later on when they re-open the ebook. In other words, the users' input stays persistent, rather than clearing away when they close the ebook.
You decide where the user's input is stored:
- It can be relative to the current session (preserved between chapters but ends when the user closes the ebook).
- It can be cached in the browser (or user's device)
- It can be stored on the cloud, linked to the user's account (only in the case that the user is logging into a cloud ebook or library)
This feature opens several new possibilities for your ebooks, beside the obvious use cases. You can create open-ended questions, and have users use them as personal journals or note-taking. Or you can have long questionnaires and activities which the user can fill halfway then continue later.
For more information about this, please read: Allow Saving Question Answers.
Multi-Chapter Selection
Editing or deleting multiple chapters can now be done in batches, using multi-select. By hovering over the chapter name, the selection checkbox will slide in. Currently you can perform the following batch operations with multi-select:
- Deleting chapters
- Setting the chapter visibility
- Showing or hiding the chapter in the Table of Contents
Emailing Users Through Your Gmail
If you're a Kotobee Cloud or Kotobee Library user, you know that your users receive notifications emails, when signing up and activating their accounts, etc. These emails by default are sent from info@kotobee.com, with the reply-to field set to an email address of your choice. There was also a paid option to have the email sent from any email address of your choice (by contacting support). Well, now we've made things simpler for you, at no additional charge.
You can now securely connect your Gmail account to Kotobee, such that notifications emails are sent directly from your Gmail address. This is now a built-in feature and comes at no additional charge. The setup is as simple as logging in with your Gmail address and password to give consent.
For more information about this, please read: Send Emails from Your Gmail.
Login Message Customization
It is now possible to add a special customized message in the login screen. This gives you the opportunity to send a message to users before authentication. This may include instructions, or something as simple as a link back to a homepage. Any HTML code is permitted.
For more information about this, please read: Customize a Login Message.
Library Book Access Mode (Mobile and Desktop)
In your library app, you now have control over how users access your ebooks. The default (and current behavior) is that users need to download those books fully before opening them (where they are stored securely on the device). A newly introduced access mode allows the book to be opened remotely without downloading the book. This is useful especially for extremely large books that will take a long time to download and extract.
You also have the option to provide both access modes to the user, such that the user may select whether to download the book, or open it remotely.
Mobile App Log
Whenever your mobile app export fails for any reason, you now have full access of the log, which will appear in the form of a button that you click to download the log file. The log file can give you in-depth details as to why the export failed, and if the reason was caused by the certificate, keystore, or anything else.
Larger Encrypted EPUB Support
Encryption is a process that consumes a lot of computer memory, which is why Kotobee Author supported small and medium project sizes when exporting encrypted EPUB files. Exporting large encrypted EPUB files is now possible.
Note: exporting encrypted EPUB files is support for Premium users only.
New Book API Methods
The backend API now supports 2 new book methods: adding, and deleting. This means you can have an external system add books into your library for you automatically, without needing to use Kotobee Author. In addition, you may now filter books by category.
Read more at: Book Management API. For more background, read the Developer API Introduction.
Accents and Special Characters
When your users export their notes as a PDF (from inside the ebook), accents and special characters are now fully supported.
Word Export Enhancements
Word export has been enhanced to include images too.
Better Settings Layout
Your libraries and cloud ebooks now have a more organized settings layout, and a new Danger Zone section, that hides away critical normally unused actions such as deleting the library or clearing cloud data.
Kotobee Services Pricing calculator
We now have a new pricing calculator for Kotobee Services (ebook development services). Simply go to https://www.kotobee.com/pricing/services , enter your requirements, and a cost estimate is provided to you.
In addition to those features, the following issues have been resolved:
- More Bookry widgets supported
- Audio Sync inconsistencies resolved
- Question scores was not counting questions correctly when there's a separator
- Reference and explanation buttons were not working for Short Answer Questions
- Kotobee Author version update button was not working
- When sharing access in cloud ebooks or libraries, notification emails were sometimes not sent
- Exporting PDF is now working on Mac
- Exporting an ebook app with a new cloud ebook resulted in a broken ebook
You can download this version or access older ones from https://www.kotobee.com/products/author/versions.
Is there a feature you'd like to see in a coming release? Feel free to share the feature request with us in our forum. Till the next release, stay safe!