Sup Ernie!!
So I've been using FCD for years now. Notably I've used it to learn Chinese, ace aviation exams, teach a few people English, and memorize key concepts for a Masters program.
Recently, I've been using FCD to learn the Taroko language (Kari Truku / 太魯閣族語) which is spoken by the aboriginals here in Hualien, Taiwan.
For some context, the Taroko people only number about 30,000, and less than half of them can speak their ancestral tongue... so since this is such a rare language, that means of course there's no Pleco or Duolingo to help me along.
Instead, I've been collecting songs+lyrics and stories+recordings, and putting these into FCD so I can read and listen.
The main reason I'm using FCD for Kari Truku is not actually for its flashcard function (although I do use that, in Leitner mode, to quickly get a handle on new vocabulary); rather, the killer feature is is the
Card Links feature, which in "Partial - Full" mode (pointed to the 2,000 words or so I loaded into a couple of vocabulary decks) allows me to use FCD as a sort of
popup-dictionary reader -- I can read along, tap a word, and it'll take me to the definition in my vocabulary decks.
This is a godsend!
HOWEVER, there is some room for improvement in the way the popup functions.
Currently, if I tap a word a list of matches in my multiple decks pops up (unless there's only one match...), and then I can select one and go to see my word's definition in that vocabulary deck, which is great... but then the app resets my audio play (so I lose my listening position!).
IT WOULD BE AMAZING IF, just like how
Card Links has a "Source Field" and "Target Field", it could also have a third
"Display Field" so that instead of showing the Target Field (Text 1, in my case) on the match list, it could instead show either the translation (Text 2) or my own custom popup definition (Text 5).
For example, let's say I'm reading
"...Tai saw spruun kana seejiq ka suyang hangan su..." and I tap the word
seejiq; as the app is now, the list will simply show me 2 entries for
"seejiq", so I'll have to select one to go view that card (and lose my place...).
But if I could simply point the
Display Field to Text 2 it'd instead show me
"人" and
"人;人們"; if I could point it to Text 4 it'd show me
"person" and
"people, individuals"; and if I could point it to Text 5 it'd show me
"seejiq :: 人; person" and
"seejiq :: 人;人們; people, individuals".
In the case of my Text 5, that'd be such complete information, that I wouldn't even have to tap the word to go look at the card -- I wouldn't have to lose my listening place! Rather I could just glance at the popup definitions to get a feel for the word and move on.
So that's feature request #1: I want more control over what happens when I tap a Card Link, so I can use FCD as a proper popup dictionary to save time and avoid losing my listening place.Sometimes though, I'll still want to select a definition to view the card, because I'll want to flag the card for further study (via Leitner).
In that case, if you could also let FCD remember my scroll and audio position for when I return, that'd be fantastic.
Feature request #2: I want FCD to remember my audio play position for when I return from a Card Link, so I don't lose my listening place.And with that, FCD would become a superbly functional popup-dictionary reader and flashcard combo -- read the thing, popup the dict, flag what you need to learn, and flashcard the vocab. This whole process could bo sooooo smoooooth.
Anyway, I know you're not into adding new features so you'll probably ignore this, but I thought I'd share my thoughts anyway. Coz the world needs this. I need this. The aboriginals of dying languages everywhere need this. And it wouldn't require any special effort from such an excellent developer as yourself.
Knhuway musa!