PRS-T1 Modified Sony home screen

[Morkl]

Sorry for the long wait (again T__T); here is a new Reader package: http://morkl.se/reader/JuneReader.zip

It'd be great if you would run the installer and see if it "sticks"! I hope it does, so I can put it in the usual place and start worrying about more useful stuff

Functionality-wise:
It has a simple clock (HH:MM or HH:MM:SS, updates when page is turned, can be put in bottom left or bottom right corner (or turned off)), and it has a default CSS stylesheet again (which is configured in reader.xml instead of being hard-coded).

Cheers~~

[jackie_w]

Originally Posted by Morkl

Still no success with the installer -- anyone up for running a test version to verify that my device is causing the trouble? I might just have to release it and trust that it works on other devices than mine...

I've tried out the June version on my never-rooted PRST1, but I'm afraid I can't get it to work. The process appears to run smoothly but after the reboot it looks like the Sony original EbookReader.apk is still in use. I used your supplied reader.xml and css files, rather than my own, to avoid potentially introducing new errors.

I've been round the loop twice now (with Porkupan's restore-set-1.0.04.12210 between attempts) but no joy.

I'm attaching the output from both the Windows command box and the script.log file in case you can deduce anything from them.

script.log

Spoiler:

Starting ./update.sh
./updates/system/app/EbookReader.apk: Checksum 57b9b6427115571a8ef1a22a01a216a6 correct
./tmp/do_update.sh: Checksum f078951460edbc1b7d7f4f06aa63dac4 correct
./tmp/rescue.updater: Checksum 2e8f803dbd819b2b999b2e34539b84ce correct
Update script found
---- Starting update script ----
Starting /tmp/do_update.sh Mon Jun 25 12:16:53 UTC 2012
Make Sony keyboard deselectable
Updating /system
Get rid of preferred activities in packages.xml
System signatures
Done /tmp/do_update.sh Mon Jun 25 12:16:54 UTC 2012
---- Done update script ----
clean_exit

[Edit:] Comparing the latest script.log file with the equivalent January file I see that there was a line in the old log

Reinstall EbookReader.apk with custom signature

which is not in the new log. Could this be relevant?

[snarkophilus]

Originally Posted by Morkl

It'd be great if you would run the installer and see if it "sticks"! I hope it does, so I can put it in the usual place and start worrying about more useful stuff

I've just installed the .apk directly with root explorer. Any previously opened book got the dreaded "Invalid page" error and wouldn't open. Clearing out my "current_position" table in the reader database fixed that [see request below]. Past bedtime now, so I'll play with the reader.xml (hopefully) tomorrow.

Morkl request- can you see where the "Invalid page" error happens in the code? It would be wonderful if the reader app just defaulted to the first page of the book if it got this error, rather than being unable to open the book at all. This is horrible default behaviour from Sony. This is simple to reproduce by changing the book (say in sigil) so the structure changes - either a reasonably big edit or simply renaming the html file for the current page will trigger the problem.

Cheers,
Simon.

[jackie_w]

@Morkl,

As I now have Sony update 1.0.04.12210 on my T1 I decided to have a go at installing the April version of modified EbookReader using soseono's method outlined in post #259 (in a nutshell take your installer package from January, update relevant installer files using porkupan's restore-set-1.0.04.12210, use January do_update.sh, use April EbookReader.apk, update chksums file accordingly)

My results are the same as soseono, i.e. the April version works as intended and has survived several reboots on a non-rooted T1.

I see that the June do_update.sh file is different to the January version. It is very tempting to go one step further and try to apply the June EbookReader.apk using the January do_update.sh script. However, as I don't have any idea of the implications, I'm resisting for now

[Alfiriel]

Hi there,
first of all thank you so much for your work Morkl - this Homescreen package is awesome!

I've testet it since few days now on my rooted PRS-T1 (with the new 1.0.04.12210 Firmware) and everything works great (well... I've bricked my device a few times, but was always my own fault ).


For everyone searching (I did so, but wasn't able to find some) here are a couple of customApps-Settings (package, class, intentCategory):

1. Google Mail App
   • com.google.android.gm
   • com.google.android.gm.ConversationListActivity
   • android.intent.action.MAIN
2. Google Calendar App
   • com.android.calendar
   • com.android.calendar.LaunchActivity
   • android.intent.action.MAIN
3. Google Market App
   • com.android.vending
   • com.android.vending.AssetBrowserActivity
   • android.intent.action.MAIN
4. Google Drive App
   • com.google.android.apps.docs
   • com.google.android.apps.docs.app.NewMainProxyActiv ity
   • android.intent.category.LAUNCHER
5. WikiDroyd App
   • com.osa.android.wikidroyd
   • com.osa.android.wikidroyd.ui.activity.WikiDroyd
   • android.intent.action.MAIN

Icons can be found in attachement.


After I've redesigned my second homescreen with this few custom apps, I wantet to modify the third. My problem with this homescreen was that some, imho important, systemapps weren't shown there. For example the google calendar app or the android system settings.
So I go to the homemod.xml and deleted the <launcherIgnoreExpressions>. Checking the result was, unfortunately just as I thought, realy disappointing. MANY useless apps (but the calendar app ) were shown now.

(At this point I realized that the apps be "cut" at the end of the screen. Would it be possible to create automatically a fourth homescreen to show the other apps? (Never knowing how much apps someone may have ))


My solution for this was to go to the system path looking for all needless apps and declare these one in the <launcherIgnoreExpressions>.
Now it looks like:

<launcherIgnoreExpressions>
	<!-- Regular expressions that match applications by path to hide in the app drawer -->
	<!--<item>/system.*</item>-->
	<item>/system/app/AccountAndSyncSettings.*</item>
	<item>/system/app/ApplicationsProvider.*</item>
	<item>/system/app/Bluetooth.*</item>
	<item>/system/app/CalendarProvider.*</item>
	<item>/system/app/CertInstaller.*</item>
	<item>/system/app/ContactsProvider.*</item>
	<item>/system/app/DefaultContainerService.*</item>
	<item>/system/app/DownloadProvider.*</item>
	<item>/system/app/DrmProvider.*</item>
	<item>/system/app/EbookAudio.*</item>
	<item>/system/app/EbookContentManager.*</item>
	<item>/system/app/EbookContinueReading.*</item>
	<item>/system/app/EbookDemo.*</item>
	<item>/system/app/EbookDemoService.*</item>
	<item>/system/app/EbookDictionary.*</item>
	<item>/system/app/EbookLookUpService.*</item>
	<item>/system/app/EbookMediaScanner.*</item>
	<item>/system/app/EbookNetworkApplications.*</item>
	<item>/system/app/EbookNetworkManagerSettings.*</item>
	<item>/system/app/EbookNote.*</item>
	<item>/system/app/EbookPicture.*</item>
	<item>/system/app/EbookReader.*</item>
	<item>/system/app/EbookSetting.*</item>
	<item>/system/app/EbookStoreBrowser.*</item>
	<item>/system/app/EbookTestMode.*</item>
	<item>/system/app/EbookWebBrowser.*</item>
	<item>/system/app/LiveWallpapers.*</item>
	<item>/system/app/LiveWallpapersPicker.*</item>
	<item>/system/app/MagicSmokeWallpapers.*</item>
	<item>/system/app/MediaProvider.*</item>
	<item>/system/app/Phone.*</item>
	<item>/system/app/PicoTts.*</item>
	<item>/system/app/Protips.*</item>
	<item>/system/app/Provision.*</item>
	<item>/system/app/QuickSearchBox.*</item>
	<item>/system/app/SettingsProvider.*</item>
	<item>/system/app/TelephonyProvider.*</item>
	<item>/system/app/TtsService.*</item>
	<item>/system/app/UserDictionaryProvider.*</item>
	<item>/system/app/VisualizationWallpapers.*</item>
	<item>/system/app/VpnServices.*</item>
	<item>/system/app/WPSSettings.*</item>
</launcherIgnoreExpressions>

Hoping, could help someone with those information!


Regards,
Alfiriel

[Morkl]

Originally Posted by jackie_w

I see that the June do_update.sh file is different to the January version. It is very tempting to go one step further and try to apply the June EbookReader.apk using the January do_update.sh script. However, as I don't have any idea of the implications, I'm resisting for now

Oh man, don't tell me I've been testing with a faulty script all this time
I'll try out the correct installer and make a new package tonight... Thanks for pointing it out!

Originally Posted by snarkophilus

I've just installed the .apk directly with root explorer. Any previously opened book got the dreaded "Invalid page" error and wouldn't open. Clearing out my "current_position" table in the reader database fixed that [see request below]. Past bedtime now, so I'll play with the reader.xml (hopefully) tomorrow.

Morkl request- can you see where the "Invalid page" error happens in the code? It would be wonderful if the reader app just defaulted to the first page of the book if it got this error, rather than being unable to open the book at all. This is horrible default behaviour from Sony. This is simple to reproduce by changing the book (say in sigil) so the structure changes - either a reasonably big edit or simply renaming the html file for the current page will trigger the problem.

Cheers,
Simon.

Hey, that would be useful! Will look into it.

Originally Posted by Alfiriel

(lots of useful stuff)

Hoping, could help someone with those information!


Regards,
Alfiriel

Good job! I think I'll add that list of expressions to the default settings in the next homescreen

Re: the app drawing cutting: The apps are in a scrollable grid view, but I would prefer to have a set of next/prev buttons to avoid unnecessary screen updates (I'm guessing that would be easier to accomplish than having a dynamic number of screens, since the the 2/3 screens are hard coded everywhere in the original code).

[Alfiriel]

Originally Posted by Morkl

Re: the app drawing cutting: The apps are in a scrollable grid view, but I would prefer to have a set of next/prev buttons to avoid unnecessary screen updates (I'm guessing that would be easier to accomplish than having a dynamic number of screens, since the the 2/3 screens are hard coded everywhere in the original code).

Haven't thought about the problems coming up with a dynamic number of homescreens before, sorry.
Your thoughts about the troubles of a scrollable grid because of the screen updates are absolutely comprehensible, but I won't be happy with a solution of next/prev buttons too - there're already next/prev buttons for the different homescreens. So I'm afraid that it'll be confusing if there are some buttons to browse inside one screen, too!

So what about something like shown in the attachement below?

I imagine as follows: by wiping over the screen the whole page should turn (not step by step reminding the problem of screen updates ).
So there aren't confusing buttons and the problem of screen updates isn't there either.

Hope you would like my idea.



Regardless of this, I had another little luxury problem
By using Sonys stock gallery app "Pictures", there are shown the icons of the "..\homemod\icons" folder and that really bothered me. Luckily I found a solution for this, too:

• Open Windows stock Editor (haven't testet it with any other)
• Go to "File" -> "Save as..."
• Brose to "..\homemod\icons"
• Set ".nomedia" as filename (the dot is important!)
• choose "all filetypes (*.*)" for filetype
• Save

Now all media files in this folder and any subfolder of it won't be shown anymore


Reagards,
Alfiriel

[pietro]

it would also be nice if in the t1 one could add bookmarks either by tapping on the screen (as now) or also by a menu like in my daughter's prs650 where you click "settings" and choose "add bookmark". I always have to tap 3-4 times to place a bookmark in my T1.

[Arsam1390]

Iwas rooted my t1 two week ago , but for second time i rooted but i missing home action , when i push home button no action happend

[Zeno_]

Does this introduce tap to turn pages in the reader app by any chance?

[sergejsp4]

To Morkl
Hi!
I use rupor's modification of shell for sony prs t-1 (russian).
With this there is couple programs very useful for Me. Isilo and Alreader and Total Commander instead rootexplorer.
All of them I would like have like soft button on home screen on my device.
I have download end install your home screen, but I can't understand how I can set up those programs. I don't understand what I need write in xml file. Can you explain that really clear?

[Morkl]

So, I re-ran the install with an earlier version of the update script and it works, even on my wonky device I can't believe I was struggling all this time with a non-existing problem

The package at http://morkl.se/reader/JuneReader.zip has been updated, and if I don't hear about any critical bugs I'll put it up at SourceForge in the weekend

Originally Posted by Alfiriel

Haven't thought about the problems coming up with a dynamic number of homescreens before, sorry.
Your thoughts about the troubles of a scrollable grid because of the screen updates are absolutely comprehensible, but I won't be happy with a solution of next/prev buttons too - there're already next/prev buttons for the different homescreens. So I'm afraid that it'll be confusing if there are some buttons to browse inside one screen, too!

So what about something like shown in the attachement below?

I imagine as follows: by wiping over the screen the whole page should turn (not step by step reminding the problem of screen updates ).
So there aren't confusing buttons and the problem of screen updates isn't there either.

Hope you would like my idea.

Yep, I like that layout better than having more buttons

Originally Posted by Alfiriel

Regardless of this, I had another little luxury problem
By using Sonys stock gallery app "Pictures", there are shown the icons of the "..\homemod\icons" folder and that really bothered me. Luckily I found a solution for this, too:

• Open Windows stock Editor (haven't testet it with any other)
• Go to "File" -> "Save as..."
• Brose to "..\homemod\icons"
• Set ".nomedia" as filename (the dot is important!)
• choose "all filetypes (*.*)" for filetype
• Save

Now all media files in this folder and any subfolder of it won't be shown anymore

Another thing to add to the defaults in a future Homescreen update

Originally Posted by pietro

it would also be nice if in the t1 one could add bookmarks either by tapping on the screen (as now) or also by a menu like in my daughter's prs650 where you click "settings" and choose "add bookmark". I always have to tap 3-4 times to place a bookmark in my T1.

A menu way in addition to the corner-tap? Might be useful, I guess. Personally, I'd prefer for the corner-tap to be a bit more responsive though, perhaps with a slightly larger area to make it more compatible with my sausage fingers

Originally Posted by Arsam1390

Iwas rooted my t1 two week ago , but for second time i rooted but i missing home action , when i push home button no action happend

Not sure I understand what the problem is; there is a known problem with the home button not working correctly in apps that where started from the modified Homescreen, is this the problem you have?

Originally Posted by Zeno_

Does this introduce tap to turn pages in the reader app by any chance?

Sorry, no. The new version should stop the touch input problems from older firmware versions though.

[Morkl]

Originally Posted by sergejsp4

To Morkl
Hi!
I use rupor's modification of shell for sony prs t-1 (russian).
With this there is couple programs very useful for Me. Isilo and Alreader and Total Commander instead rootexplorer.
All of them I would like have like soft button on home screen on my device.
I have download end install your home screen, but I can't understand how I can set up those programs. I don't understand what I need write in xml file. Can you explain that really clear?

I'll try to explain, with Total Commander as an example

Apps are started by launching "intents", and every app has a "manifest" that describes, among other things, what intents that app can respond to.

For example, after extracting (I use apktool for all my APK extracting and editing) the Total Commander APK, I locate the following segments in the AndroidManifest.xml file:

<manifest
 android:label="@string/app_name" android:versionCode="22"
 android:versionName="1.03" android:installLocation="auto
 package="com.ghisler.android.TotalCommander"
 xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">

This is the package name of the app.

And then:

<activity
 android:label="@string/app_name"
 android:name=".TotalCommander"
 android:launchMode="singleTask"
 android:configChanges="locale|keyboardHidden|orientation|screenSize|smallestScreenSize" android:windowSoftInputMode="adjustPan">
  <intent-filter>
    <action
     android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
    <category
     android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
  </intent-filter>

I am looking for the (class) name of the activity that has a "android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" intent-filter -- android.intent.category.LAUNCHER is used to signal that the activity can be started from the app launcher, so it is probably the activity we want to start when the button is pressed.

In the homemod.xml file, this corresponds to:

<customAppDefinition name="app_totalcommander" title="Total Commander">
	<iconNormal>ic_totalcommander.png</iconNormal>
	<iconPressed>ic_totalcommander_pressed.png</iconPressed>
	<componentName package="com.ghisler.android.TotalCommander" class="com.ghisler.android.TotalCommander.TotalCommander" />
	<intentAction>android.intent.action.MAIN</intentAction>
	<intentCategory>android.intent.category.LAUNCHER</intentCategory>
</customAppDefinition>

N.B.: When the class name begins with a dot, as in this case, the package name must be prepended to it in the componentName class attribute, e.g. ".TotalCommander" => "com.ghisler.android.TotalCommander.TotalCommander "

Was that clear enough?

[sergejsp4]

Thanks! I'll try this evening.

[jackie_w]

Originally Posted by Morkl

So, I re-ran the install with an earlier version of the update script and it works, even on my wonky device I can't believe I was struggling all this time with a non-existing problem

The package at http://morkl.se/reader/JuneReader.zip has been updated, and if I don't hear about any critical bugs I'll put it up at SourceForge in the weekend

Good news The latest June version of the modified EbookReader app installed easily and correctly on a never-rooted T1 and has survived 2 full reboots without incident. The time is displayed in the bottom status bar of each book and all my css is working.

I made sure the T1 was fully charged before I started and used porkupan's restore-set-1.0.04.12210 before running the reader app installer, but I'm not sure whether this was absolutely necessary.

Good work! Thanks for your effort and karma to you