Release Notes - Thorium Reader Desktop v3.5.0
PDF annotations, alternate storage option and new languages
Thorium Reader v3.50 for Windows, macOS and Linux is now available for download from:
What’s new in Thorium Reader?
Annotate a PDF document
Thorium Reader now supports annotations (i.e., bookmarks, highlights, and notes) on PDF documents, similar to how it is supported in EPUB since a previous version. Bookmarks and highlights can both be complemented by a textual note, which is uncommon for bookmarks. This advanced feature is possible thanks to the Readium Annotations specification, which is now used as a blueprint for the future W3C EPUB Annotations standard. The EDRLab team is working on this upcoming interchange format with other industry members; it will break barriers between different reading platforms and allow users to move their annotations wherever they manage their personal bookshelf.
Because there is still no standard representation of PDF highlights and notes, only bookmarks can be exported and imported in this version. The EDRLab team is working on this subject, and the Readium Annotations specification will be updated accordingly.
Configure additional Storage
Another important evolution in this version is the ability to configure additional storage for the application. Publications imported in Thorium Reader are stored by default in standard user storage, usually the system drive, which may fill up over time. Every new publication imported in Thorium will be stored in the additional storage as soon as it has been declared. If the additional storage is a removable disk or USB key, Thorium will not display the publications it contains when the disk is unplugged at startup; using a removable disk is not recommended.
The feature is still constrained: if this additional storage is modified later, the user will need to manually move the publications from the previous folder to the new one.
Thorium Reader now available in Polish and Estonian
The application is now localized in 27 languages, from every continent. This is done thanks to a network of contributors we need to call every time we release a new version.
For this version, we want to thank Tomek from Elibri (Poland) and Priit (Estonia), who translated more than 850 labels that make up the application's user interface. Other friends of Thorium completed the current locales, and we want to thank them as well.
If the app isn't yet available in your language and you’d like to help translate it, get in touch with us! We are always happy to receive help from our community.
Other improvements
This version includes many other enhancements and corrections, including improved accessibility via better screen reader support, new ARIA labels and better read-aloud controls. Expired LCP loans and related user data can be removed automatically, which is useful on shared workstations. The application now supports system-installed network certificates available in the operating system's CA store, required in some corporate networks. On Windows, you can minimize the Library window to the system tray. And many more.
What’s next for Thorium Reader?
We are already working on version 3.6, which will implement the standard W3C EPUB Annotations as a replacement for Readium Annotations; it will also provide a better user experience for users interacting with Catalogs (an underused feature of the application) and, more generally, offer a streamlined user interface for all users. Stay tuned to receive more information about it in the future!
