Pocket Writer Beta

[F8R]

Hi

This is my first Windows Store Apps, I name it Pocket Writer.
I made this apps for everyone who want to write a short story or sort novel using Windows Phone.

Features :

• Support text formatting like BOLD, ITALIC, UNDERLINE, and STRIKETHROUGHT.
• Merge/Export Section to RTF Document for publishing or advance editing in Microsoft Word.
• Backup & Restore to Local Folder or One Drive
• Pin your writings to Start Screen for quick access

I have release a Beta for this apps at wpbeta.me/writers-pad ** if you want to participate in this Beta you can register at that site using your Microsoft LiveID Email.

Or if don't want to register at wpbeta.me you can PM me your Microsoft LiveID Email.

I need a feedback in this area :

• Errors & bugs found in this apps.
• Usability, how easy to use this apps, do you need a tutorial to use it ?
• Design, I admit, my design skill is moderate and I can waste so many time just to choose color, how do you think about this apps design ?
• Performance on your phone.
• Feature, what feature you think is missing ?
• English is not my native language, I even get some help from Google Translate writing this post, if you think some text, error message in this apps is not in correct English I would glad to fix that.

Download public release for Writers Pad here :
Writers Pad | Windows Phone Store

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[gpobernardo]

Hey, F8R,

Welcome to Windows Central! It's nice to see more developers around.

I have a habit of writing down random ideas that cross my mind throughout the day about anything, and your app may just fill in my needs. I'm just not sure what would make using your app be different from using, for example, OneNote or Microsoft Word (for Windows Phone). I know your app is still in BETA and more features are more likely to come, but there must have been a motivation for you to create such an app. What was that motivation? Knowing this may encourage more users to try your app out.

 

[F8R]

Where One Note is for note taking and Word for generic writing.

This app is focused to help writer to write short story or sort novel, it's core feature is section base writing.
In Word (for Windows Phone) if you want to write a novel that has many chapter, you either write each chapter in diffrent file or all in one file.

If you write each chapter in file, when your chapter grows it's finding and editing chapter is not a joy.
Using Word is fine for writing short story in single file.

My app even give information on how many word in each section or for all section, last edited time, checklist for each section, and merge all section into single RTF file.

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[gpobernardo]

Thanks F8R, that cleared things up. Might give it a spin in the coming days when time permits.

 

[altafmahmood]

I write random stuffs and this week be nice to have. Just registered and pm you as well hope to get the link soon

 

[F8R]

Hi, thank you for your interest.

I will add your address to beta testers, but you can't download the beta apps before I release new beta, I plan to released it next week (Friday or Saturday).

 

[altafmahmood]

Okay send me the link once ready

 

[F8R]

Sorry, I been sick since last week.
I'm afraid I cannot release the beta as I planed.

But here is a newest screenshot for this apps.

 

[Master Chaos5]

What happened to the app? You still working on it?

 

[F8R]

Hi, sorry for not monitoring this thread.
I have been busy with other project lately.

The apps have been redesign from ground up.
And I have changed the app name to Writers Pad, new Windows Store seems have trouble with WPBeta.me.
I will inform you if Writers Pad available in WPBeta.me.

EDIT: You can join beta tester at wpbeta.me/writers-pad

 

[F8R]

I have released second update for this apps.
This update should available 12-24 hours from now.

If your Writers Pad app didn't have beta text on the header (see screenshot bellow), you have the older release and you need to uninstall before you install release 0.9.9.2 because I have changed database schema in ver 0.9.9.2 that incompatible with older release.

I'm sorry for this inconvenience.

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[Master Chaos5]

Hi the app is good, however, I did encounter some major bugs.

1: I cannot delete a project, no matter how many times I delete it.

2: I cannot even open any chapter. For example, let's say I create a a project named "S" now I added a chapter named "E", now when U try to open the "E" chapter for editing nothing happens. Furthermore, if I try to delete project "S" it won't delete.

Also you can probably change the UI, while the current UI is okay, I personally don't like it because of small fonts and whatnot. It'd be much better if you can give it "WP8-Metro" UI instead of WP10.

 

[F8R]

Thank you for your feedback.

1. I'm aware that this issue and already fix this, the fix will next update.
2. I cannot reproduce this error, the chapter editing is just for rename or delete. Maybe you mean editing scene ?
But editing chapter & scene is fine with my emulator, the bad news is I just dropped (and broken) my Windows Phone so I can't test this in my real device.
As for font size, I agree with you, I will increase all font +1 in next update.
Honestly, this is my first WP app, and I still learning about "Metro or W10" design, my design come from software that I create for Windows Desktop.

 

[F8R]

I have uploaded simple demo how to use this app, this demo based on Writers App ver 0.9.9.3.

Release 0.9.9.3 will include this feature :

1. User can associated point of view for scene
2. User can link character to scene
3. Onedrive backup & restore

Feature still in work :

1. Password proteced
2. Resuming will restore the last page user visited

 

[Master Chaos5]

Thanks for replying.
Yes unfortunately I'm unable to edit any chapter. I even tried reinstalling, but it didn't worked either.
It's all good, try to make the UI as simple as possible. Will be less work for you as well. Btw you can probably add the ability to set custom backgrounds.

 

[F8R]

My focus right now is to fix some known bugs, I will try to add custom background later.
For design, I don't even sure that I follow "Metro" or "UWP" design guide.

I have copied some of feature / design from this Android apps, but this apps UI is more complicated and have different goals than my apps.

BookWriter | Google Store

 

[F8R]

Finally I can try this release on my device.

In my device, I can add, edit, and delete chapter.
Can you give screenshot for the Chapters page on your device ?

Thanks.

 

[Master Chaos5]

I was able to fix the issue by a combination of uninstall+soft reset. Thanks anyway.

 

[F8R]

Glad to hear that.
Just for info, in next release, you can reorder chapter, scene, plot item.

 

[Master Chaos5]

Great! Will be waiting for it.