Manuscript: a Simple Free Reader for Digital Manuscripts

Jean-Daniel Fekete ( Jean-Daniel.Fekete@inria.fr), April 6th 2004

Manuscript is a simple program designed to read digital manuscripts on a computer screen. It is compatible with any popular platform and should be as fast as the platform allows it.

Manuscript uses a Fisheye to zoom on part of the image without loosing the context. Simple keyboard keys allow for navigation into the image and into a larger corpus.

Manuscript should be very helpful to read high-resolution image-based documents. Please, send me a note if you use it, evenm if you don't notice a bug or need enhancements.

Using Manuscript

To start manuscript, you can either use a command line or drop files or directories on the program icon. Currently, Manuscript can read JPEG and TIFF files.

Once the program is started, it displays the first manuscript in a small window. The window can be resized at will. Several commands are available, although they are not visible. To be simple and leave space for the image, Manuscript has no menu or control panels.

Controlling the Fisheye

Manuscript zooms part of the manuscript using a Fisheye technique where the zoomed region (called the focus) is connected to the global region (called the context). The focus is outlined by a red semi-transparent rectangle.

Creating and Moving the Focus with the Mouse

When clicking and dragging with the left mouse button outside the focus region, a new focus region is created. When clicking and dragging inside the focus, the focus region is dragged. Clicking with the right button resets the focus region.

Moving the Focus with Keys

The left, right, up and down keys also move the focus region in the respective directions. The region is moved of half its height for up and down moves and half its width for left and right moves.

Controlling the Zoom

The '+' and '-' keys increase of decrease the zoom level of the focus region. The maximum zoom is currently limited to 10 times, which should be enough for most uses.

Controlling the Contrast

For manuscripts encoded in grey scales, the intensity can be corrected to increase the contrast. the 'a' key toggles the intensity correction of the focus. The 'c' and 'd' keys tune the intensity clearer or darker.

Controlling the Display

Toggling Full Screen Mode

The 'f' key toggles full screen mode

Reaching a specific page

To reach a specific page, just type the number and hit the return key. The DELETE key can be used to correct the page number. No feedback is offered yet.

Leaving the program

The ESCAPE key quits the program immediately.

Download

You can download:

• The Windows version (Windows 2000/XP)
• The source version (C + GLUT + OpenGL)
• Linux and MacIntosh versions will arrive soon.

Manuscript is distributed under the GNU Public Licence.