As you all may know, Open Inkpot (OI) is creating a nice Linux variant for the various e-ink readers out there. Ondrej is working on the port to the Cybook family of readers (from Bookeen, Ganaxa, Orsio, STAReBOOK, Astak, Netronix, etc.) He's gotten to the point where he can get the Linux kernel running and displaying Tux. He graciously loaned me a copy and I just got done running the kernel on both my Cybook Gen3 (the 512MB model) and my EB-100 from Netronix. I've taken pictures of Tux happily appearing on the display and I'm posting them here.

Note, that I said 'running'. It ran and it did NOT install itself onto either device, which means that I don't have to go through all the bother of reloading all the original firmware for either device. Now there's a long way to go before it's up to the level of the Jinke V3 port, but we should be seeing a functional, portable OS to allow FBReader to run on all of this (Netronix) family of devices by the end of summer.

Enjoy.

And there's more information about OI at: http://blog.openinkpot.org

Derek

Great! That's good news. But you have to clean that Cybook screen :D

Note, that I said 'running'. It ran and it did NOT install itself onto either device, which means that I don't have to go through all the bother of reloading all the original firmware for either device. Now there's a long way to go before it's up to the level of the Jinke V3 port, but we should be seeing a functional, portable OS to allow FBReader to run on all of this (Netronix) family of devices by the end of summer.


Is anything of the original code used then or not? Or do you have full control so you can fix things like battery time and response to button pushes?

Is anything of the original code used then or not? Or do you have full control so you can fix things like battery time and response to button pushes?


NONE of the Netronix/Cybook code is re-used. ALL of it is open-source. And the same will be true for the library/bookshelf, Madshelf. And we all know that FBReader is open-source. So you should be able to hack and fix to your heart's content. Of course, if you want to help OI (and Ondrej, the porter to Cybooks) please feel free to do so. :)

Derek

Great! That's good news. But you have to clean that Cybook screen :D


What? You don't like my mixed-media screen art? (skin oil, dust and glass) Philistine! :D :D :D

Derek

NONE of the Netronix/Cybook code is re-used. ALL of it is open-source. And the same will be true for the library/bookshelf, Madshelf. And we all know that FBReader is open-source. So you should be able to hack and fix to your heart's content. Of course, if you want to help OI (and Ondrej, the porter to Cybooks) please feel free to do so. :)


I am seriously considering getting involved after my vacation and after a September work deadline...

I am seriously considering getting involved after my vacation and after a September work deadline...

I'm sure OI will welcome you with *OPEN* (Wink. Wink. Nudge. Nudge. :D) arms!

Derek

What is the status for the Cybook and OI now? Would the Beebook be a better choice for OI? Or does it not matter?

What is the status for the Cybook and OI now? Would the Beebook be a better choice for OI? Or does it not matter?

Right now, OI seems to be working okay. The big problem is that - as developed for the V3 - Madshelf (the library/bookshelf manager) presumes that books and directories will be selected by use of numeric buttons "0"-"9". As we all know, the Cybook and other Netronix variants do not *have* these numeric keys. So until someone recodes Madshelf to handle devices with navigation control buttons similar to what the Cybook has, Madshelf - and thus FBReader - is basically very limited.

But work *is* being done and we should have some real usability soon. :)

Derek

So eventually the Gen3 will have a working OS even though it's not from Bookeen?

So eventually the Gen3 will have a working OS even though it's not from Bookeen?

Looks like. And it'll be the same OS available for Kindle, PRS, Astak, V3 and the like. :) Plus, if everything goes well, the owners *won't* have to hard-install the OS over the manufacturer version.

Derek

Yep. If you go to the OI pages, specifically this page: http://openinkpot.org/wiki/NetronixEB600, and click on the "here" in the line, "WIP. You can get alpha-quality releases here", you can download the latest WIP alpha release of OI for the Cybook.

Look, it's *ALPHA*. So don't expect that it's gonna have all the featurettes that you'll see on Windows using FBReader and the like, but you can now at least *see* OpenInkpot, Madshelf and FBReader running on the Cybook. From the SD card. Hooray Ondrej!!!

I must say that the 8/21/2008 alpha release doesn't actually "recognize" the navigation control (what some call the d-pad) as a navigation control under Madshelf. Instead, you have to press the left-side and right-side keys to mimic the Jinke V3's "1" - "6" numeric keys as well as using the power on/off key as the "Esc" key. Which means that to turn off OI from within Madshelf, you must use the central button on the navigation control to bring up the menu, press the "-" key to select "Scripts" from that menu and then press "Music" to select "Shutdown OpenInkpot", but it works and you can open and read PRC, PDB and other format ebooks (non-DRM'd of course) using FBReader.

The first photo below shows Madshelf and the second shows FBReader.

Yay!

Derek

Perfect. I feel really inspired to setup a development environment and contribute...

I notice that there is a lot of ghosting.

So can you configure FBReader? And will the battery time be a problem for this version?

I notice that Madshelf does not seem to reconize metainforation in mobipocket files.

How do you "go forward" in madshelf?

Can you change the font size in FBReader? I cannot find any button that do this...

I actually liked the navigation with buttons for numbers (but I could not find 7 and 8...). This is potentially much faster then using the D-pad.

Perfect. I feel really inspired to setup a development environment and contribute...

I notice that there is a lot of ghosting.

So can you configure FBReader? And will the battery time be a problem for this version?

I notice that Madshelf does not seem to reconize metainforation in mobipocket files.

How do you "go forward" in madshelf?

Don't know. There's *supposed* to be a faster version which handles the d-pad better and which has more *rational* direction management under both Madshelf *and* FBReader, but right now it is in "compile-it-yourself" versioning and I'm *NOT* enough of a Linux/Linux-development user to even *consider* attempting it. So I'm only showing off the version that *has been* pre-compiled and packaged... :(

As for 'going forward', just press the 'Left' button. Yes, it's, like, SOOOOOoooo totally counterintuitive, but what can I say, no one listened to *my* suggestion. :)

Derek

Can you change the font size in FBReader? I cannot find any button that do this...

Haven't figured that out yet. But if you notice, there *are* a few bugs in the system still. For example, when loading a .chm ebook (Waitaminit! "Reading" a .chm ebook on a Cybook?!? Say it ain't so! :D :D :D ) you quickly discover that there's no real way to move to the next (in the .chm) page - or go to the Table of Contents or Index. You can only open the *first* file in the .chm. Which is totally unlike FBReader on the PC - but then, on the PC you can use the mouse to click on the "Next" and "Previous" buttons. :(

Still, Madshelf will recognize the ebook files and FBReader will open them - non-drm'd of course.

Derek

As for 'going forward', just press the 'Left' button. Yes, it's, like, SOOOOOoooo totally counterintuitive, but what can I say, no one listened to *my* suggestion. :)


Yes, I noticed that in FBreader (up went forward also). But how do you go to the next screen in Madshelf?

When I get back from US (flying home tomorrow) I will try to compile it myself. Hopefully there is enough information on the Wiki to be able to do it...

Can you change the font size in FBReader? I cannot find any button that do this... If there is a spare key to bind to, then all you should need to do is edit ~/.FBReader/options.xml Here is how the GUI-less FBReader 0.8.14 keys are configured by default on the iLiad:

<group name="Keys">
<option name="Action0" value="nextTOCSection"/>
<option name="Action1" value="redo"/>
<option name="Action2" value="undo"/>
<option name="Action3" value="decreaseFont"/>
<option name="Action4" value="increaseFont"/>
<option name="Action5" value="cancel"/>
<option name="Action6" value="rotate"/>
<option name="Action7" value="cancel"/>
<option name="Action8" value="toc"/>
<option name="Action9" value="previousTOCSection"/>
<option name="Key0" value="&lt;DownArrow&gt;"/>
<option name="Key1" value="&lt;F1&gt;"/>
<option name="Key2" value="&lt;F2&gt;"/>
<option name="Key3" value="&lt;F3&gt;"/>
<option name="Key4" value="&lt;F4&gt;"/>
<option name="Key5" value="&lt;F5&gt;"/>
<option name="Key6" value="&lt;F6&gt;"/>
<option name="Key7" value="&lt;Home&gt;"/>
<option name="Key8" value="&lt;Return&gt;"/>
<option name="Key9" value="&lt;UpArrow&gt;"/>
<option name="Number" value="10"/>
</group>

To edit options.xml you need to know the Key values as well as the Action values. On the iLiad, these are easy to find because there is a version of FBReader with a GUI to use as a cheat sheet.

there's no real way to move to the next (in the .chm) page - or go to the Table of Contents or Index. You can only open the *first* file in the .chm. Which is totally unlike FBReader on the PC - but then, on the PC you can use the mouse to click on the "Next" and "Previous" buttons. Currently a TOC is not navigable using keys, which is a capability that will need to be added to FBReader if it is to be fully functional on devices without a pointer. It should be possible to go to the next section, though, provided you have a spare key to bind this "action" too. See my previous post on options.xml.

Yes, I noticed that in FBreader (up went forward also). But how do you go to the next screen in Madshelf?

When I get back from US (flying home tomorrow) I will try to compile it myself. Hopefully there is enough information on the Wiki to be able to do it...

If there's not enough information on Wiki, you could also read through the irc channel archives at http://irc.openinkpot.org/%23openinkpot/ , there's lots of discussion about technical side of things there.

Currently a TOC is not navigable using keys, which is a capability that will need to be added to FBReader if it is to be fully functional on devices without a pointer. It should be possible to go to the next section, though, provided you have a spare key to bind this "action" too. See my previous post on options.xml.


If you've had any chance to look at a Bookeen Cybook Gen3 in action with a typical mobi ebook, you'll have seen that any hyperlink can be 'highlighted' by pressing the "Left", "Up", "Down" or "Right" buttons on the navigation control. If there are more than one in a displayed page, pressing these keys repeatedly move up ("Left" and "Up") or down ("Down" or "Right") the links on the page. (Note that if one is already on the "last" or "first" link and one keeps pressing "Down" ( last link) or "Up" (first link) one goes to the next page. If a link is highlighted and one presses the central button of the navigation control, the link is "clicked".

Unfortunately, FBReader, while displaying them as underlined text, ignores the links. Or, rather, it does so on the Cybook.

***Added****

Oh! I get it! I'd need to dedicate a key or key combo to the idea of "Next" and "Previous"! Too bad I'm a user not a hacker. :(


Derek

I followed the instructions for using this on my reader:
1. Copy update_kernel, reloaded.o, initrd.igz and zImage files from
this archive to a card.

2. Copy rootfs file to the internal memory - Copied this to the system folder on the book reader

Booting
-----------------

1. Shut the device off.
2. Disable card write protection if you have rootfs on it.
3. Turn the device on and hold the 'center' button until the green LED
blinks.
4. After a long time, Madself will show up.

Did all the above, after the main Bookeen logo came up the led flashed on then off so I released the button and the a blank screen came up, the LED remained on and I waited a long time but nothing loaded.

Any idea where I went wrong?

I also tried following the suggestion of copying rootfs to the second partition on the reader by re sizing the existing 500mb partition and adding a 100mb partition. Unfortunately when it booted I ended up with a checkered display on the screen. Well something else to fix now :-(

I am running Book reader version 1.1 build 708 on a Bookeen Book reader with 500mb so is one of the later models.

I just put the rootfs file in the top director of the SD card and it worked perfectly. You should probably put in in the top of the internal card. But I have an old Cybook.

I also tried following the suggestion of copying rootfs to the second partition on the reader by re sizing the existing 500mb partition and adding a 100mb partition. Unfortunately when it booted I ended up with a checkered display on the screen. Well something else to fix now :-(


Luckily I backed up my files before re sizing the partition, found when I connected to my laptop (Linux) that the main partition would not mount. Simple to fix, just re formated and copied the saved files across. Got me worried for a moment ;-)

Luckily I backed up my files before re sizing the partition, found when I connected to my laptop (Linux) that the main partition would not mount. Simple to fix, just re formated and copied the saved files across. Got me worried for a moment ;-)

Yep. *NOT* a good thing to put rootfs into it's own partition on the Cybook. For speed, put it in the root folder of the main partition (I'd remake it to one partition, not two.) and for room (if you've got a 64MB device) leave it on the root of the SD card.

Derek

I just put the rootfs file in the top director of the SD card and it worked perfectly. You should probably put in in the top of the internal card. But I have an old Cybook.

It works!!!!!!!

Madshelf displays 3 folders, Music, Pictures and eBooks, it also displayes the other files on the SD card such as zImage, update_kernal, rootfs etc

I also noticed that the LED stays lit.

With my mobi pocket books it displays three files, .mbp, .prc and .t2b

When I open a mobipocket file it takes while to load and the result is just rubish text, however re starting Madshelf enabled me to open a MobiPocket book ok, just need to find out how to turn off Auto Hyphenations.

Only managed to exit a book once back to the book shelf, think I did it by using the power button, did not work a second time though and had to do a reset.

Still very early days yet, look forward to trying out the next build

The power button is escape so it should exit a book or go up one level in the directory structure.

If you've had any chance to look at a Bookeen Cybook Gen3 in action with a typical mobi ebook, you'll have seen that any hyperlink can be 'highlighted' by pressing the "Left", "Up", "Down" or "Right" buttons on the navigation control.
It's not exactly the behaviour of the Bookeen Cybook :
- with the Up and Down key, you move from link to link or from page to page if there is no link on the current page
- with the Left and Right buttons you move from page to page, even if there are some links displayed on the page
This difference is pretty important, because you don't have to go through all the links in a TOC to go to the second page of the TOC.

As a side note, this project looks very interesting, especially the part where you don't have to flash the Cybook to use OpenInkPot.

I notice that there is a lot of ghosting.

The ghosting seems to be only in Madshelf. Not in FBReader.
Works well for this early version!

Pilgrym

It's not exactly the behaviour of the Bookeen Cybook :
- with the Up and Down key, you move from link to link or from page to page if there is no link on the current page
- with the Left and Right buttons you move from page to page, even if there are some links displayed on the page
This difference is pretty important, because you don't have to go through all the links in a TOC to go to the second page of the TOC.

As a side note, this project looks very interesting, especially the part where you don't have to flash the Cybook to use OpenInkPot.

How true! Which is why I'm rather frustrated by .chm behavior in FBReader on the Cybook. Using *any* of the movement keys will not cycle through the links so one is stuck on the first .chm page. Obviously, the need to have a "pointing device" such as a mouse in order to navigate .chm files needs to be worked around for FBReader/CybookGen3 users. :)

Still, the fact that FBReader can, on the Cybook, even *open* a .chm is great news to me. :)

Derek

The power button is escape so it should exit a book or go up one level in the directory structure.

Yes you are right, this works, the navigation around the bookshelf is quick and easy, not having a flat directory structure is defiantly a bonus.

Reading MobiPocket files is a bit buggy, most when they are opened display random characters, a few do open ok and I can get a few pages into the book before the screen freezes. Roll on the next build, can't wait to give it a try

:-)

Using *any* of the movement keys will not cycle through the links so one is stuck on the first .chm page. Obviously, the need to have a "pointing device" such as a mouse in order to navigate .chm files needs to be worked around for FBReader/CybookGen3 users. All the CHM files I have tried on a Windows PC can use "goto next/previous TOC section" (actions I have bound to the right and left arrow keys) to navigate between sections without a pointing device. However, this approach does not work for Plucker files - which don't have a TOC and hence need to navigate via internal links.

I am not a C++ programmer, but I don't think it would be hard to add a "link navigation via the keyboard" option to FBReader. This is probably actually easier than allowing the TOC to be navigable via the keyboard (although this is also possible, probably by using a different TOC interface).

It isn't an available option with the Desktop version, but the Nokia IT version has a main menu bound to the "menu" key and this menu is navigable using the Nokia's D-pad. It isn't treated as a standard "action" (i.e. it can't be bound to a different key), but it provides one way that FBReader could be made to work better on a pointer-free device with few keys.

Any status on OI? Has it reached Beta status yet?

Any status on OI? Has it reached Beta status yet?


Given the tardiness of Bookeen, may I echo His Lordship's questions above ..... and bring this thread back into the "limelight".

Given the tardiness of Bookeen, may I echo His Lordship's questions above ..... and bring this thread back into the "limelight".
A new snapshot is comming out soon. Most people that use it, report it as being quite stable, and in some cases better than the standard firmware on their readers.

Edit: Love the right picture of your cats!

As for OI on Cybook, I understand that hasn't moved a line forward for over a year, basically because there's no one who would be knowledgeable in low-level Linux kernel hacking/writing custom drivers for Cybook, and at the same time would want to spend the time doing that. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

As for OI on Cybook, I understand that hasn't moved a line forward for over a year, basically because there's no one who would be knowledgeable in low-level Linux kernel hacking/writing custom drivers for Cybook, and at the same time would want to spend the time doing that. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

You're completely right. I'd like to spend some time on it (I have one EB-100 device), but I dont' have time to do it.

You're completely right. I'd like to spend some time on it (I have one EB-100 device), but I dont' have time to do it.


Thanks for your comments ..... I'll keep my fingers crossed for action from Bookeen ....

Hi to all and sorry for my poor english,

I think the Eslick device from Foxit is an EB-100 based product. They have released the source code of the firmware which is GPL licensed. Maybe it could help for developpers, for OI or a direct port of FBReader I don't really know, or it can be usable as it for other EB-100 devices.

http://www.foxitsoftware.com/ebook/gpl.html

I personally will get a Ganaxa GeR2 device from a french editor www.zebook.com who has released some of them as a "Zinky" device for an interesting price of 99 €.
http://www.zebook.com/librairie/ouvrages/7/26/ereaders/ereader-zinky-par-zebook

What is also interesting is that Zebook uses some software from Foxit due to a partnership so I came to the conclusion that Zinky and Eslick share almost hardware and software so I will maybe test Eslick firmware on my incoming Zinky.

Sorry if I have posted in the wrong place, I'm very new in the ereaders world.

Wow, that madshell looks far better than the 20090909 snapshot I had installed on my Hanlin V3Ext. Because of the poor design, I went back to 20090508 snapshot which, IMHO, is still the best (and snappiest) one available.

OK..start shooting at me..:)