New Multitasking feature for Onyx Boox. Wanna try it?

[pkbo]

As always rather strange approach when you need to modify every task to support multitasking.

[Manolo]

Originally Posted by pkbo

As always rather strange approach when you need to modify every task to support multitasking.

Yes. I agree is quite strange. I though multitasking should be something implemented in the operating system and transparent to the apps ....

[vvilmos]

Originally Posted by pkbo

As always rather strange approach when you need to modify every task to support multitasking.

Probably this is not a full multitasking but a method to keep some
programs in memory (at least partially).
I have not installed the update yet, and I wonder if a (large) download can be
continued while reading a book.

[Dolansky]

it works for me, while i open two pdf's and one scribble - i was able to manage a download of a medium big wiki-book i collected with an opened browser as a fourth task of course, but i don't tried to switch back to an opened pdf, while the browser is downloading something, so i stayed to watch it downloading in the browser, hence i can's say if it's a real multitasking or just an application-ram switching instead.

[Dolansky]

ok, i tried the following scenario ->

- opened a pdf 6MB
- open browser to access to my google drive account and download a 9MB PDF

while downloading i switched back to my opened pdf.
i read something in the pdf turned some pages, then while i am reading, the browser pop up a modal dialog told me the download was ready. it worked that way, vvilmos suggested.

it seems the application's use the internal linux operating system multitasking feature itself, hence it probably doesn't matter if booxtor's Taskmanager switched to the application which are allready in ram or he access the internal linux task-scheduler, filters e.g. the pdf type-processes to make it visible for us with his Taskmanager GUI.

if extended the above described scenario to full four task's, then u got a massive slowdown -> two big pdf opend,one scribble opened, while downloading something thru the browser as a fourth task.

[vvilmos]

Thank you Dolansky for the information.
It seems that the multitasking will work ok, the limitation
being determined by the small amount of ram in our readers.

[Booxtor]

The MT feature in the first post has been updated again
Now the dictionary (as sole applications) supports it too.
If you need it - just update as usual.

[divinorum]

This is a great improvement. It would be even better if I could switch between tasks using the joystick as well as the pen.

[yayo]

Originally Posted by Booxtor

The MT feature in the first post has been updated again
Now the dictionary (as sole applications) supports it too.
If you need it - just update as usual.

Works But on the Firefly 128mb, when you're switching task from dictionary to book open in FBreader you have to tap the refresh screen icon for the change to take place, otherwise you're stuck at the dictionary screen. It's a minor annoyance though. Also if you try to rotate the dictionary screen while you're multitasking funny things will appear on screen (gray bands, garbled content) until you tap the screen with your finger, that will usually refresh the screen and fix things. Despite these small-ish bugs the MT is functional.
Oh yes, if you're using the latest official ML chinese firmware on the Firefly, installing the MT will disable the "switch the front light on when device starts or is woken from standby" option (the checkboxes in the settings simply disappear after installing MT). You'll have to switch the light on manually by long pressing the home button, like with older firmware.

[Dolansky]

Danke schön, Booxtor for adding dictionary to MT !

The dictionary started from the startup menu doesn't applied to the four task-rule like the explorer, therefore you can have four pdf opened and the sole dictionary as a 5th task. as well as the dictionaries opened within the pdf's e.g finally you can technically opened five dictionaries.

following scenario, i tried:

- open pdf 1 -> open dictionary within pdf -> dict1
- open pdf 2 -> open dictionary within pdf -> dict2
- open pdf 3 -> open dictionary within pdf -> dict3

the default opened the pdf-related dictionary at the bottom position.
all three dictionary-mini-windows lying upon each other, the last opened dictionaries stayed on top, in the described scenario it would be dict3.
even if you switch to pdf 2 you will see dict3, only if you re-focus dict2 to manually click again on the dict-icon in the statusbar.
it could a little bit more comfortable that the dictionary-window's - re-focus automatically with the corresponing recent focused pdf.

[yayo]

So, is it safe to delete the lib and apps folders and the update.oar file after installing MT or should I keep them?

[Booxtor]

Originally Posted by yayo

So, is it safe to delete the lib and apps folders and the update.oar file after installing MT or should I keep them?

Hi,
update.oar is just a script to copy needed files into hidden system folder. Afterwards you can delete those files from your internal memory.

[yayo]

Thankkkks.

Btw, have you noticed that after installing MT the advanced front light options which are implemented in the latest Firefly firmware somehow disappear? Just FYI.

[Dolansky]

i just realized that the RSS-Reader has allready the Task-Manager icon, perhaps thru a browser-wrapper.

[Randy11]

I've tried the multitasking feature, and I like it

But... you must use the stylus to change of task.You can't use the buttons. And if you choose the explorer, you haven't the option "Task Management" when you push the "home" button.

It will be nice to can use only the button.