10 Years
IOS 12 Ready And Waiting
iOS11. Bring it on.
Dropbox -> iCloud
Japanese Update v3.8
Import
- Import data using the CSV format (4 or less fields per line).- Import your vocabulary lists from many other Japanese apps. Just copy and paste the text into the import box.
- Smart import. If some fields are missing, StickyStudy will use the dictionary to fill the gaps ('auto populate'). You can even import just a list of words or kanji without any readings or English and leave the rest to the app.
(The import formats have slightly changed, see below).
Sticky Management
-Save to different decks. If the 'Save to saved' option is disabled in settings, pressing 'save' will give you a deck list to choose a destination.-Move stickies between decks. As with 'save', a deck list will pop up to give you one-touch sticky transfer.
-A new delete button has been added to the 'edit' view.
-Delete is now available during study.
Databses
-Dictionary [uk] entries (words that are usually used with kana even though they have kanji. For example, ありがとう) now show the kana as the question and the kanji as a footnote in the answer.-30,000 example sentences double checked/corrected. Only 120,000 to go..
Other
-SRS upgrade. Red cards that have been studied before but remained red now have a higher priority during the next study session.-'Wrong' is now displayed as a percentage rather than a number.
-List view searching is about 30% faster.
-You can now search for grammatical terms in browse ([n], [v], etc). Just start your search with '['.
-When saving examples, [eg] is now saved in the first pronunciation field instead of the second. More logical.
-'Remove duplicates' bug fixed.
- Many, many tweaks.
There is a small group of like minded kanji geeks out there who have been simply AWESOME in helping me spot bugs and provide ideas for development. You know who are. ありがとう。
----------------------------
Notes on import. There are now 3 types:
1. Standard CSV. Four fields per line, one sticky per line.
2. Tab separated fields. Four fields per line, one sticky per line.
3. One field per line. One field per line, one blank line between between every four fields.
What is smart import? All 3 import formats require 4 fields. If there are only 2 or 3 fields, the app will try and guess the missing fields. Caveat: the first and last field must be a question and answer.
If only 1 field is present (the Japanese), all 3 fields will be added.
Japanese + News
With the powerful translation feature already built into the app the next logical step was to give it something to get its teeth into. Namely, a live news feed filled with current events ready to be read, saved and studied. As someone once said, ‘It just works’.
Coming in the next update.
New Year, New Project
I’ve been burning the proverbial oil not only making a new translation feature heavily tested by my overburdened wife (sorry about that.. and sorry for that audio thing, too) but also working with sources you can actually learn from. More to come.
Health warning: intermediates and above!
All Good Things
- 6500+ detailed animations built in.
- Fast forward / rewind each stroke (with a 1 or 2 finger tap).
- Writing practice with an animated guide (configurable).
- Correct stroke direction, order and position detection.
- Background shadow gradually disappears as you improve.
- Replace main kanji with a mini inline animation (optional).
- New study options: writing and audio.
- No in app purchases, ads, etc, because that’s how I roll.
Coming in May.
User Reviews
The more you guys out there support me with your feedback and positive reviews, the more I’ll keep polishing and adding to the apps. Thanks, all.
iTunes reviews over 3 months.
iOS6
Not entirely my choice but I’ll be removing support for iOS6 from all apps by the new year. Compatibility will start from iOS7.
Developing and testing for iOS6 using Xcode is no longer supported by Apple as standard. Of course, with fiddling there are ways to make it work but I’d rather spend time adding new features than having a hair-pulling battle with Xcode. Just to let you know.
"Complete Japanese" Bundle
iPhone 6 + iOS8
JLPT Audio. お待たせしました。
The missing piece is finally here: full native speaker audio for the JLPT N1-5 vocabulary sets. Synthesised voices? sorry, you’re not welcome here. Learn from the real thing.
Auto mode will play the audio every time you swipe or study a sticky. Manual mode (switchable in settings) will play only when required.
Available early August.
iOS 7.1
Radical Update
Japanese v3.1 (available late February) is a major update bringing the detail of a kanji dictionary into each sticky:
Kanji database
◆ Contains all 6355 for kanji kentei level 1.
◆ Detailed radical information.
◆ Kanji are broken down into their elements.
◆ SKIP codes.
◆ Stroke count.
◆ Dictionary codes.
◆ Radicals, elements, stroke count and SKIP codes are hyperlinked to allow you to drill down to related kanji.
New English -> Japanese dictionary
◆ Live searching as you type.
◆ Entries grouped by English keywords.
◆ SKIP searching - just type the number (eg, 2-5-10).
Other
◆ New deck list instead of the spinny wheel thingy.
◆ Saving a sticky now uses a deck called 'Saved' not the current deck.
◆ New iPad font.
◆ Bugs fixes.
Work In Progress
Flash! will also be getting some TLC with more standardised import/export, folders and multi side support sometime in the new year.
News
• iOS7 upgrades for all apps are on the way (it’s a biggy)
• Detailed, online manuals for all apps are coming soon.
• Much to my wife’s dismay, the to do list for new features is still as long as ever.
As always, your reviews and emails keep me in front of the Mac and continually updating the apps. Thanks everyone.
Japanese v2.9
New:
• Dropbox deck format now in standard text - edit decks on your Mac/PC
• iOS dictionary joins the built in dictionary
• SRS setting: adjust the number of new, red stickies introduced during study
• Examples on each sticky now randomly switch between first 3 found in dictionary
• Showing advanced compounds in "Related" is now optional (faster swiping)
• More notification options - now work when app is no longer running (as it should)
Fixed:
• "Entering edit mode with no back button" bug
• On/Kun yomi now display properly for certain, one character nouns
• Other minor changes
Available next week.
HRF Backup files
Also, app badge notifications will work whether the app is running or not. New “Stickies to study today” option, too.
Japanese v2.81
Japanese Update
v2.8 has just been uploaded for review ready for sale next week. A quick lowdown:
New
✩ Touch the colour piles in the study view to see their contents
✩ Dictionary lookups are automatically stored in a new deck called "Dictionary History"
✩ The study algorithm's spacing (SRS) can be changed, if so desired, in settings
✩ New option in list view shows "Last asked" for each sticky
Changed
✩ Splash-screen
✩ Background dictionaries have been speeded up - a little faster on older devices
Fixed
✩ Slight blurriness in tile view when zooming in using the pinch gesture
✩ Other minor bugs
Japanese Update
v2.7 has just been uploaded for review ready for sale next week. A quick lowdown:
Added
✩ New deck list display showing stats
✩ Colour chooser in list view (swipe finger over word)
✩ Export function copies deck to clipboard
✩ Shows both kun/on yomi for compounds and "similar"
✩ TAB button in the import view
✩ "Down" button in edit sticky view speeds up entry
Changed
✩ New study alg. avoids same card twice issue
✩ Overall performance increase
Fixed
✩ Bug causing blank screen on low memory
✩ Dropbox clash when more than one SS app is installed
✩ Slowdown when studying for very long periods
✩ Rename deck crash
✩ Lock rotation bug fixed when returning to the app
✩ Other minor bugs
Dropbox Update
Pro Tip
Deck List
Sayonara iOS4
Updates
Even Better
My tireless, constant and bad-for-my-health slaving over Xcode has produced another feature worthy of an update - an improved study algorithm.
The algorithm is now a mixture of timed and frequency based SRS study giving the best of both worlds by spreading your study over a longer period of time without overloading you when you miss a couple of sessions.
Coming to all apps within the month.
Japanese Update v2.5
Japanese Lite Update
100,000
A big thank you to all who have helped in the development with suggestions and ideas - your medals are in the post. It truly is a pleasure (read: obsession) making these apps better and better.
More updates coming in June.
StickyStudy Needs You!
Many enterprising users have not only been busy mastering the built in decks but also making their own, personal decks based on textbooks they’ve been using. This got me a thinking: Why not make a central database so everyone can share these great decks?
If you have a nice deck that you think others may benefit from, let me know.
Once I get a little collection going I’ll make them available to all users within the Japanese and Chinese apps via a simple browser.
One Touch Backup
After a lengthy battle with some misbehaving code (a nice way of saying I fixed a bug) the Dropbox username/password is now “Set once and forget” for backing up and restoring.
Updates are being uploaded as I speak.
Progress
Japanese: Full Dictionary
iPad 3 + StickyStudy = :o)
StickyStudy makes heavy use of system fonts so it already looks silky smooth on the new iPad’s retina display without any updating.
(The Chinese and Flash! versions look similarly awesome.)
Kana v2.23
☆ Auto audio when swiping cards.
☆ New, bigger study buttons.
☆ Double tap answer (in browse) to hide it.
☆ Minor fixes and changes.
Japanese v2.3
[New] Completely rewritten example sentences module. Sentences are broken down into vocabulary which can, themselves, be searched or added to the current deck.
[New] When showing words, the component kanjis are shown in "1 sticky" view.
[New] New stats at the bottom of each sticky.
[New] "Safe Start" option in device settings in case of startup problems.
[New] Delete option when editing a sticky.
[New] "Report mistake" (to me) option when editing a sticky.
[New] Tab bar icons.
[New] "Make current browse options the default" (for all decks) option.
[New] 1 second startup time on iPhone 4s.
[Fixed] Corrections to N1 (file needs to be reset to see changes)
[Fixed] Dropbox backup now backs up stats correctly.
27 minor changes/optimisations (大変でした). Bugs fixed.
Next update: Dictionary.
Japanese Kana v2.32
Japanese v2.3
Summary so far:
☃ Example sentence section completely rewritten.
☃ Vocabulary is broken down into kanji.
☃ 1 second startup time (iPhone 4s)
☃ Improved stats display
☃ Animations don’t interrupt music (at last!)
☃ Allows the studying of a perfected deck.
☃ Delete button in “1 sticky” display.
☃ Fixed the stats backup with Dropbox.
☃ Sort->”Rand” can be pressed twice in a row.
☃ Set your browse settings for ALL files with one button.
☃ N1 vocabulary corrections.
☃ New icons, all bugs fixed (that I’ve been told of) and TLC.
(My plans for the built in dictionary are being put on hold for a few weeks - just need to iron out a few issues)
Aiming for a late February release, wife/work permitting.
Japanese: Where are my animations?
The bad news is that this system function overrides the kanji animation’s trigger (double tap) in my app.
Until I think of a workaround for this, double tap just below or above the question to see the animations as before and double tap on the question to see the definition.
New Dictionary Lookup
Apple have been very strict about iCloud recently (i.e. file sizes) but if all goes well the update will be available next week.
Kana Update
December News
Now that Flash! is finished and currently waiting for approval, I can spend a bit of quality time with some updates.
I hope to update all apps this month with minor fixes and a few data corrections.
Either this month or next, I’ll be adding a brand new example sentence database to the Japanese app. Far bigger and better than the current version. Dictionary support is also on the to do list.
The Kana app has all the sounds for both hiragana and katakana built in but I’ll also be adding audio for the example words, too (courtesy of my wife - I haven’t told her yet..)
As well as “Flashcard Exchange” adding “Quizlet” to the Flash! app is in the pipeline.
Settings Manual
What do all these settings in my app mean? Hopefully this new page will answer some of your questions.
Import
A feature conspicuous by it’s absence, it’s now time to allow you guys and gals to import your own data.
Up until now I have been reluctant to spend too much time adding import functionality as I’ve always believed that if the original data was good enough to start with, it wouldn’t be required. But, I’m bored and I want to add some new features for you all.
I’ll be offering an “import text box” within the app. Just copy and paste your data into this box (maybe from an email or notepad) and the app will automatically format the data ready for study. I’ve looked at iTunes synching functionality but I tend to use my phone away from my computer a lot so I’m more interested in making the iPhone (or whatever) a self contained study device without the need for connecting a cable.
If you have any thoughts or opinions, I’d be very interested to know. I’m aiming for an October update for Kanji and Chinese.
Japanese v2.0
✭ Backup and restore individual files using “Dropbox” (not to be confused with import/export - see FAQ)
✭ Orientation lock
✭ Better randomisation during study
✭ Many internal improvements and an oil change.
The app is now called “StickyStudy: Japanese” to stop confusion. For me. Available in a week or so.
Japanese Kanji Lite
Progress
Getting the data and audio together for the Chinese HSK app was quite a task but it’s now done and in the final stages of testing. It’s a goody!
As for the Kanji app, I have the code needed for the “Dropbox” support and I hope to implement it as soon as the Chinese app has packed it’s bags and left for the app store. I envisage an August release (v2.0). In the meantime v1.91 will be released in a week or so with a few fixes (see previous post), a new study option and a new settings tab to make things a little clearer:
I’m interested in honing the learning algorithm of all the apps. As you may or may not know, the study order reflects the order in the browse view: randomise the browse view and the study order will follow suit. This is a little counter-intuitive as it should be independent of the browse view. Work in progress.
Feedback! Please! If you don’t tell me, I’ll probably never know.
休 and 父
Japanese v1.9
Early in the app’s development I decided to only include kanji readings that were commonly used while omitting some of the exotic, less used readings for the sake of efficiency and sanity. But, instead of enforcing this methology on my dear users I decided just to start from zero and make files that contain as many readings as possible.
Available in a week or so.
To protect your data, files will NOT be updated or overridden upon updating the app unless you restore the original file using the “Restore Original File” setting in study view or if the app is reinstalled.
To access the new N3 files without reinstalling the app, create an empty file called “JLPT Kanji N3” or “JLPT Vocab N3” and restore this file with the “Restore Original File” setting. The file will be filled with the N3 data.
If you have any problems or questions, drop me an email.
The Story So Far
From start to finish (and including the time to learn XCode) it took me TWO years. Wow. Bear in mind that during this time I was working full time, got married, bought a house and, well, did normal stuff. I gave up the project twice vowing never to return and doubted my sanity many, many times. Now that the main code is finished, I’ve started speaking to my wife again and have learned to communicate with people in the outside world.
Your email support regarding bugs, features and problems has been very, very valuable and greatly appreciated. It also motivates me to carry on.
So, what's next? As far as the kanji app goes, the next step will be spending some quality time with the data files to make sure they're as accurate as possible - a spring clean if you like (I’m now working on new N3 data files). If I can add more functionality without spoiling the layout, I’d be interested. Let me know what you guys and girls would like.
A Chinese version of the kanji app is now in development. The layout of the browse view is perfect for kanji so Chinese is the obvious next candidate. The main hurdle is the character animations. Any help here would be greatly appreciated. The HSK files 1-6 for both the vocab and the hanzi are finished and so is full audio (around 8000 words/characters). It’s turning into a very promising app.
I'll also be releasing an English study app in the near future. Stay tuned for more details.
Japanese v1.86
[Added] Loop the kanji animation setting (study settings)
[Changed] Increased difficulty of "normal" and "hero" levels
[Changed] Removed v1.83 bug code (study settings)
[Changed] Keyboard pops up in new file view
[Fixed] Progress bar in study view rotation bug
[Fixed] Switches in study settings now remember their positions correctly
Other minor changes
Available in a few days.
Japanese Lite (JLPT N5)
Ready and loaded with the two essential JLPT 5 files: vocabulary and kanji. Available in a few days.
Japanese v1.85
KanKen (or 漢字検定 / 日本漢字能力検定試験) is the official Japanese kanji test for Japanese people. Humans can only dream of attaining level 1.
The Heisig file has now been removed from the app at the author’s request. Current users of the file will remain unaffected.
Disappearing Kana
If you have a file that is experiencing this problem there is now a repair button in the study settings to restore the file to it's former glory - with your scores safe and sound.
Japanese v1.84
New in v1.84:
[Added] Recycle mastered stickies.
When a file is more than 20% learnt (still playing with this number), previously mastered stickies will reappear every now and again. I was weary of not making their presence too overpowering hence my initial reluctance in implementing this popular request.
[Added] Blank question option in tile view
Having a blank sticky may sound strange but there is method in my madness. Large files take a while to load in tile view because of the text but the background colours load almost instantly. Having this blank option allows you to see at a glance how you’re doing without worrying about loading times .
[Changed] Can no longer select "tiny tiles" in tile view
When zoomed out (as in above screenshot) single screen taps are ignored so you don’t tap a sticky by mistake. Pinch and double tap remain unchanged.
[Fixed] "Restore original file" crash
Oops.
[Changed] Enabled editing of Heisig
Editing has been enabled with the exception of the Heisig number field.
[Fixed] Corrections in "new joyo kanji"
Any other ideas? Drop me an email.
Japanese v1.83
✔ iPhone 4 behaviour has been improved a lot (because I now have one to play with). I made the naive assumption that seeing as the iPhone 4 has twice the memory that I could use nearly twice as much. We learn, we grow. The memory usage has now been adjusted more sensibly.
✔ The previously mentioned bug when moving or deleting stickies has been fixed
✔ The “Grades” data files have been updated with better definitions (see below)
✔ New font option (slightly slimmer than the default)
✔ Study options sometimes forgot their settings. Fixed.
✔ The date picker now works when using Japanese localisation.
Available around 20th February.
Note: The grade files will only be updated on your device when you select “restore original file” in the study settings. Otherwise, the update would quite happily write all over your files and scores which probably wouldn’t make me too popular. Currently, selecting this option will “drastically exit” the app (this will be fixed..) but it still works as advertised without any problems.
Multiple Move/Delete Stickies Bug
Thanks for your patience.
Japanese v1.8
[Added] Only show (Filter) stickies of a certain colour or flag (above)
[Added] Extra sort options: by “flag” and by “incorrect”
[Added] New Joyo Kanji data
[Added] "Always Show Kana" setting while studying
[Added] Variable Zoom Setting super zoom for iPhone4
[Added] More retina graphics
[Added] Memory warning (can switch off in settings)
[Changed] The history bar chart only adds one new bar per day no matter how many times you study that day
[Changed] Animation movies wait for touch before disappearing
[Changed] Minor UI changes
[Changed] You can now show the numbers in tile view with full size stickies
[Changed] Navigation box more accurate and larger on iPad. Smaller in landscape view on iPhone.
[Changed] New splash screen
[Changed] Reduced maximum zoom on iPad to avoid memory issues
[Fixed] "Blank sticky" issue
[Fixed] Issue when changing level and flag during search
Many other small changes and some bug fixes. Keep the feedback coming!
Japanese Kana v2.0
Japanese v1.71
You can now flag as expected while studying. Other updates include:
-[Fixed] "Number" switch not remembering position in tile settings
-[Fixed] Corrections in example sentence file
-[Changed] When "Pass = -1" setting is on, getting a red card incorrect no longer reduces your score
-[Changed] Reduced iPad memory usage - less redraws
-[Changed] Slight increase of sticky max size with small files
Japanese v1.7
✪ Stroke animations for 2000 kanji (double tap sticky to activate). Not just vector based line drawings (as is very common in kanji apps) but “brush style” movies. In other words, the kind of characters Japanese people would actually write.. if they were very, very good. Thanks to Satoru Shinagawa and all his hard work.
✪ Flag stickies for later reference (turns blue)
✪ Change a stickies’ level by tapping the mini cards (browse view)
✪ Adjust the difficultly level when studying
✪ Japanese localization
✪ School grade 1-6 data files
✪ A few tweaks and bug fixes
Finished, currently in testing. Due January, 2011
Japanese v1.63
Japanese v1.6 Uploaded For Review
- [Added] Move, copy and delete groups of stickies between files (list view).
- [Added] New easy study option (pass = -1 instead of reseting to red) (study view)
- [Added] On the study screen, the number of times studied has been replaced with total time studied.
- [Added] “Restore file to original” option in study view
- [Changed] Switching views (Browse, Study, History) is generally faster
- [Changed] Updated iPad UI (the file selector)
- [Changed] iPad can now launch in landscape
- [Changed] Other minor UI changes
- [Fixed] "Full size sticky view" code rewrite; more reliable, less memory hungry
- [Fixed] Scroll bar appearing at incorrect times
- [Fixed] Flickering/partial filename showing in title bar bug (iPad)
- Other minor bugs fixes
Remember, if you don’t tell me about bugs/ideas, I’ll probably never know. Available in a week or so.
OS3 Users
Japanese v1.5 On It's Way
✪ New examples view with hiragana readings (furigana).
✪ New study algorithm - recycles “Passed” stickies more often.
✪ Option menus slightly re-organised.
✪ “Studied:” text in study view sometimes not updating. Fixed.
✪ Wider toolbar in browse view on the iPad.
✪ “JLPT4 Vocab” correction: Handbag -> Hamburger (needs reinstall).
Available in a week or two.
Japanese v1.4 Available
Hard Work
The next version of Kanji Pro (v1.4) will have a new “Perfect” button when studying. One press, and the sticky is elevated to green utopia and never asked again.
(A bit of revision for you. Stickystudy relies on the idea of colours. Each time you answer a sticky correctly it changes gradually from lowly “red” to the lofty heights of “green”. Once a sticky is answered correctly four times it becomes green and is never asked again. Also, the more you answer a sticky correctly, the further into the future you are asked the next time - just to make sure you haven’t forgotten. Revision over. Well done.)
Japanese Users
I’ve updated some code to help in this area which will be released in the next v1.4 update. Also, I’ve included an option to reduce memory size by 25% with the caveat of making zoom a little less zoomy. On the plus side, redraws should be a little faster for large files.
Scheduled Study
To set, you simply enter a date when you’d like to complete a file (for example, an exam date) and it will work out the rest for you. Interruptions, lazy “not in the mood” days and “high-caffeine-can’t-stop-learning-kanji” days automatically adjust your progress.
Any ideas gratefully received.
Website / App updates
As of now, only Kanji Lite has appeared in the app store with the new, updated colours. The other 3 will follow shortly.
Japanese v1.3 - Universal (iPad)
How does it run? Coming from the iPhone version, the difference in screen real estate is a bit of shock - you can clearly make out the 1945 Joyo Kanji on one screen without even zooming. Scrolling is nice and smooth (in tile and list view) and screen redraws are about 2 or 3 times faster.
The new version has a few kanji corrections in the data files but these will only be seen on a fresh install because your statistics for each sticky are stored in the same file - if I update your files, I’ll erase your stats. I thought it best not to do that.
Note: Only Kanji Pro will be made universal.
Development Update
I have no intention of separate iPad/iPhone versions so it’s all good for those who’ve already taken the plunge. I’ll keep you posted.
My time this month has been absorbed by bug fixing and “tweaks”. Fingers crossed, things have settled down a little and I can start adding features.
Minor Update On The Way
Available in a week or so.
