KABOOK audiobook mp3 player with bookmark tts indexing and text editor.
FORMAT

* KABook

k a b o o k Audiobook mp3 player

with number pad control is optimal for all listeners,
audio learners, dyslectic, low vision, and blind.
Bookmark links to the mp3 position while listening.
Associated text linked to the mp3 is accessible
by a large font text editor and espeak tts.

* News

+ 1 Jun 2009 Transcription of mp3 dictation with a foot pedal. (vPedal tested)
Transcribe in a window while controlling back, forward, play, pause and volume.
+ 1 May 2009 MANOTE audible music notation allows reading of a
music score by listening. MANOTE http://manote.sourceforge.net
+ 15 Apr 2009 Use Google to translate text in file 7 into file 8.
  Target language is selected by the DEL key,
+ 15 Mar 2009 Improved getting podcast and mp3 files from the internet.
  Help and demonstrations are in file 3.
+ 12 Mar 2009 Espeak language selection is saved with the DEL key
  so that kabook starts reading with the voice of that language.

* Mission

+ A player for audiobooks allowing resume and multiple bookmarking.
+ Searchable text associated with links to mp3 file positions.
+ Audio and text materials usable for efficient study, teaching and sharing.
+ Easy use for general users, audio learners, dyslectic, and visually impaired.
+ Open source alternatives to accessibility enhanced electronic media.
+ Block text editor that manipulates text without seeing the target screen.
+ Inexpensive screenless speech and non keyboard controlled Linux desktop.

* Use

+ Audiobook, Podcast, Lecture notes, School textbook, Music study.
+ Facilitation for low vision, dyslexic and under motivated readers.
+ Provide indexes, web links, explanations, glossaries, and quizzes.
+ Educator presenting mp3 segments with links to images and text.
+ Foreign language learning with repetition and linked language text.
+ Transcription of mp3 files with foot pedal controlle.

* Download

+ Get the latest experimental version.
Download
Download kabook.new and place it in a empty folder.
Add one mp3 file to that folder.
Change directory in a terminal to that folder.
You must be connected to the internet.
Enter ( spoken dot space k a b o o k dot n e w )
. kabook.new
Files will only be added to that folder.
0--- or ./0--- will play the mp3 file.
0- or ./0- will run in text only mode with no mp3 file.
Copy, moved, renamed, the folder as you wish.
Changed the mp3 and Enter .0000 to start over.
Kabook needs only the one hidden file called .0000
+ Please try the Download link but if the web
is difficult to follow here is an alternative.
Open a shell and make a directory such as,
mkdir kabook
cd kabook
Open this link. Copy and paste the content into your shell.
EasyDownload

* Demonstration

+ Need a short mp3 file to test?
The .kbk file demonstrates the autoseek feature of kabook.
Enter / * 0 when playing to see the text. Then / / to play the mp3.
Copy from wget to the blank line, paste into your shell and hit enter.
wget http://ia310835.us.archive.org/0/items/christmas_short_works_2008_0812/german_weihnachtsabend_storm_hok_64kb.mp3
wget http://kabook.sourceforge.net/german_weihnachtsabend_storm_hok_64kb.kbk

* Install

+ Kabook runs on Linux with the following required packages.
KNOPPIX DVD 5.3.1 live dvd has all the packages except joy2key.
1   expect        extension of tcl (Tool Command Language)
2   tk               extension of tcl (Tool Command Lanugage)
3   aumix         audio mixer is needed to control the volume.
4   mpg321      open source mp3 player
5   espeak       text to speech voice
6   joy2key      only needed if you use the joystick foot pedal option
+ Debian packages:
You may add missing packages to a live KNOPPIX or debian system.
Open a root shell, open this link and copy and paste.
Edit the final line to delete any package you already have.
apt-get_packages
A Debian package for kabook is pending.
+ Installing and Reinstalling
1   Create a working folder. For example: mkdir newbook
2   Open the folder in a terminal and enter kabook-install
     or if you do not have kabook-install, copy .0000 there.
3   Place one mp3 file and text files, if any, into that folder.
4   Open a shell and cd into that folder.
5   Enter .0000              spoken dot zero zero zero
6   .f ENTER ENTER    Do this only if you use a foot pedal.
7   Enter 0---                  spoken zero minus minus minus

  Note that kabook is run from the hidden file .0000
  You may need to make this script file executable: chmod 777 .0000   
  If your command line does not run .0000  try  . .0000  or  ./.0000
  or enter   PATH=$PATH:.   to place your local folder in the path.
  Copy .0000 to install it to a folder on a usb flash drive or floppy.
  To start over, erase bookmarks and mp3. Add a new mp3 and run .0000
  For a new version also erase .kbook and .f for them to be updated.

+ Uninstalling
Simply remove the working folder you made.
Remove temporary files matching /var/tmp/kabook* if desired.

* Run

+ Running: Working Folder mp3
The simplest use is to have a single mp3 in the working directory.
To initialize the first bookmark enter .0000 Spoken: dot 0 0 0 0
To play enter 0--- Spoken: 0 minus minus minus
+ Running: Different Directory mp3
After .0000 give a bookmark name and then the path to the mp3 file.
For example if a bookmark is made with:
.0000 55 /media/sda1/mybook/chapter1.mp3
55--- will play it but bookmarks are made in the local directory.
+ Restarting Bookmarks
0--- restart with at the initial point in the mp3 file
0-0- restart where period exited while listening
0-04 restart at the point where 4 was pressed when playing
MyMark-0- restart where period exited, here a name is used in place of 0
+ Basic Commands
Read text file 1 as a guide for using kabook.
/ * 1 will open text file 1 to be read.
Only some basic commands are listed here.
You can learn more commands by pressing the period key in any menu.
Menu 4 is to teach the key board and simply reads the key pressed.
If no key is pressed in a few seconds it times out and goes to Menu 1.
+ Downloading mp3 files:
Text file 3 is a guide to finding links to mp3 files
on web pages and downloading the mp3 files.
See LibriVox below for audiobooks in many languages.
+ For keyboard differences or no number pad
These alternate keys eliminate shifting:

  us keyboard           = for +    backtick for *
  German keyboard       < for /    # for *
  German number pad     comma for period
  foot pedal            right for +, left for -, center for \

* Sample Screens

Warning: General ideas are shown here but the current release may differ greatly.
Sample Text Screens
The follow link gives visual charts of kabook menus and states.
Visual Diagram of Kabook

* Old News

07May2006 Podcast web mp3 files are listed, downloaded and played.
Mar2006 clipboard may be read aloud by placed it in a text file
11Feb2006 podcast aggregator allows storing and streaming podcasts
29Nov2005 search function for text files, flac player tested.
10Mar2005 festival reads files associated with the mp3 file.
15Oct2004 .kabook shell mode is fully controllable by the number pad.
13Aug2004 After 1 year project is GNU General Public License (GPL)copyright.

* Author and Links

David M.
Tan Creti

IRC nick paradocs
Public key:

Other Projects:
email

Optimized layout
for the blind
with ELinks and screen readers.