20090806 snapshot

[legin]

i have just flashed the 20090806 snapshot on my bebook nice rebuild of everything (total new look) just one thing (upto now) the internal storage is now empty is this normal for this update as it hasent happend with any of the other updates from bebook or oi. one more sugestion (i know this is a work in progress) but the lists in book shelf etc could do with numbers next to them for easyer use.

[Dave_S]

Originally Posted by legin

i have just flashed the 20090806 snapshot on my bebook nice rebuild of everything (total new look) just one thing (upto now) the internal storage is now empty is this normal for this update as it hasent happend with any of the other updates from bebook or oi.

Yes, the storage deletion is normal for this unofficial as yet OpenInkpot snapshot. The file system was converted to a jffs2 files system to improve reliability. You can read this thread to to see what was already said about this:
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50192

[ascherjim]

Originally Posted by legin

i have just flashed the 20090806 snapshot on my bebook nice rebuild of everything (total new look) just one thing (upto now) the internal storage is now empty is this normal for this update as it hasent happend with any of the other updates from bebook or oi. one more sugestion (i know this is a work in progress) but the lists in book shelf etc could do with numbers next to them for easyer use.

Where is this latest snapshot available for download? I can't find it anywhere,

[Moe The Cat]

Latest snapshot is 20090812. Keep in mind that it's unofficial and is a work-in-progress ...

[ascherjim]

Originally Posted by Moe The Cat

Latest snapshot is 20090812. Keep in mind that it's unofficial and is a work-in-progress ...

Moe: Many thanks. Where in the future can I keep a watch for the latest snapshots to be posted?

[ascherjim]

Originally Posted by ascherjim

Moe: Many thanks. Where in the future can I keep a watch for the latest snapshots to be posted?

Moe: I've downloaded it from this location -- http://openinkpot.org/pub/snapshots/...l-20090812.zip -- extracted the bin file and sought to install it on my BeBook from my SD card. The installation seemed to proceed fine, but when it came to rebooting, the horizontal bar on the "Open Inkpot" screen froze about a third of the way through, indicating that this snapshot wouldn't boot successfully for me. I downloaded the zip file and sought to install and boot it twice, with the same failed result. I don't want to reinstall an earlier version, so I guess I'll just wait for your next snapshot, hoping the installation of that will be successful. Again, thanks.

CORRECTION: AFTER ABOUT TEN MINUTES, THE REBOOTING SUCCEEDED. SORRY FOR THE ALARM.

[Moe The Cat]

That's expected behaviour with the newest snapshots. As Dave_S explained above, the file system was converted to jffs2 in this snapshot. That extra long pause in the middle of the "OpenInkpot" screen was part of that conversion. If you flash a newer snapshot in the future, it shouldn't take as long because your internal storage will already be jffs2.

This is something dottedmag will probably explain here and on the OpenInkpot site when these newer snapshots are officially announced.

[ascherjim]

Originally Posted by Moe The Cat

That's expected behaviour with the newest snapshots. As Dave_S explained above, the file system was converted to jffs2 in this snapshot. That extra long pause in the middle of the "OpenInkpot" screen was part of that conversion. If you flash a newer snapshot in the future, it shouldn't take as long because your internal storage will already be jffs2.

This is something dottedmag will probably explain here and on the OpenInkpot site when these newer snapshots are officially announced.

Moe: Thanks for the clarification, and reassurance. Already successive reboots take a much shorter length of time. Since the apparently preferred storage of titles in this new and succeeding versions will be on the SD cards, I guess this now obviates the need for me to try to get my BeBook installed with OpenInkpot to have communication with my Windows XP PC through Putty or WinSCP, which feature I have so far been unable, after multiple tries, to set up. I believe (perhaps erroneously) that the SSHAccess instructions contained in the OpenInkpot users guide to either be out-of-date or without sufficient details for me to succed in this regard, although other users in the past have apparently succeeded.

[Dave_S]

Originally Posted by ascherjim

I believe (perhaps erroneously) that the SSHAccess instructions contained in the OpenInkpot users guide to either be out-of-date or without sufficient details for me to succed in this regard, although other users in the past have apparently succeeded.

You are probably correct that the instructions may be a little limited, but not really out of date. The instructions are more aimed at using a simple SSH client than using WinSCP, but WinSCP is much more convenient and easy to use by the simple point and click methods that Windows users are used to. Even so, the required information is all there, but the instructions do seem to assume a certain degree of computer literacy. For instance, the instructions require that you set your own PC's IP address for the USB network connection to 192.168.111.2 That instruction may sound like Latin to the average Windows user, since Windows users are probably more used to having DHCP do all the work for them instead of having to set up a static IP. I know that most of my family and friends would get lost right there.

However, once it is set up correctly, using WinSCP to manage the on board library is much more convenient than using an SD card. I avoid the SD card as much as possible because it is an extra drain on the battery, and some users seem to have had reliability issues when solely using the SD card.

[ascherjim]

Originally Posted by Dave_S

You are probably correct that the instructions may be a little limited, but not really out of date. The instructions are more aimed at using a simple SSH client than using WinSCP, but WinSCP is much more convenient and easy to use by the simple point and click methods that Windows users are used to. Even so, the required information is all there, but the instructions do seem to assume a certain degree of computer literacy. For instance, the instructions require that you set your own PC's IP address for the USB network connection to 192.168.111.2 That instruction may sound like Latin to the average Windows user, since Windows users are probably more used to having DHCP do all the work for them instead of having to set up a static IP. I know that most of my family and friends would get lost right there.

However, once it is set up correctly, using WinSCP to manage the on board library is much more convenient than using an SD card. I avoid the SD card as much as possible because it is an extra drain on the battery, and some users seem to have had reliability issues when solely using the SD card.

Dave: Thanks for the enlightenment, which does make me feel better. In fact, I was in past years a fairly well-versed user of Linux (and in fact have it as a dual-boot -- Ubuntu -- on my desktop, which I regret I now seldom use). But I would prefer not having to go back to Linux for my setting up of my OpenInkpot. Of course, you are no way suggesting that I do.

I raised the issue of the new snapshot(s) being geared more towards storing one's library on the SD card rather than main memory only because that was the sense of an earlier thread -- https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50192 -- on the subject.

For myself, I would prefer continuing to store my library on the main memory, but only if I could manage to set up the WinSCP link. While I know my way aroung Linux reasonably well, it's my wife (the computer programmer)
who really knows her way around Windows. I have initially (inexplicably?) gotten bogged down (as you surmised your family would also) by your statement "For instance, the instructions require that you set your own PC's IP address for the USB network connection to 192.168.111.2" I haven't yet figured out where in Windows I go to do this. Then there's the issue of downloading and installing linux.inf. The instructions presume one has already downloaded it, but don't say where from, and once downloaded or installed, where it's to be found when the need arises to "point to it." Also, WinSCP requires the insertion of a "key." What and where is this? Anyway, I feel like a bit of a jerk in not being able to sort all these things out on my own, considering my general computer literacy.

[Moe The Cat]

The linux.inf is right there on the same page as the instructions. You should download it to a location on your PC where you can find it later. When you plug in your reader with the usb cable, a Windows dialogue should pop up, asking for a driver. Navigate to the folder where you saved your linux.inf file and choose it.

[ascherjim]

Originally Posted by Moe The Cat

The linux.inf is right there on the same page as the instructions.

I've read those set-up instructions over and over in the past, and again now, and fail to see where linux.inf is, and how to get it. What in hell am I missing?

[Dave_S]

Originally Posted by ascherjim

I've read those set-up instructions over and over in the past, and again now, and fail to see where linux.inf is, and how to get it. What in hell am I missing?

When I click on Moe The Cat's link Firefox offers to download linux.inf immediately, so he has apparently given you a direct link??????????

As far as where to set your static IP for the OpenInkpot USB TCP/IP connection, it is in the Network Connections that you can access from the Control Panel among other ways. You will only see that connection in Network Connections when the reader with OpenInkpot is attached to your computer by USB. Then, in the Internet Protocol section of the Properties window for that connection, you set your static IP address as indicated by the OpenInkpot instructions.

[ascherjim]

Originally Posted by Dave_S

When I click on Moe The Cat's link Firefox offers to download linux.inf immediately, so he has apparently given you a direct link??????????

As far as where to set your static IP for the OpenInkpot USB TCP/IP connection, it is in the Network Connections that you can access from the Control Panel among other ways. You will only see that connection in Network Connections when the reader with OpenInkpot is attached to your computer by USB. Then, in the Internet Protocol section of the Properties window for that connection, you set your static IP address as indicated by the OpenInkpot instructions.

Dave: Thanks for the time you're taking for me. With your guidance I was EVENTUALLY able to insert the appropriate static IP's, etc. I then got into Putty fine (providing me a nice sense of Linux deja vu), but I couldn't get into WinSCP (even though it's based on Putty). It gave me the error message of "Cannot initialize SFTP protocol. Is the host running a SFTP server?"

Anyway, thanks to your (and Moe's) help I think I'm making some progress. But I would like to use WinSCP.

[Dave_S]

Originally Posted by ascherjim

Dave: Thanks for the time you're taking for me. With your guidance I was EVENTUALLY able to insert the appropriate static IP's, etc. I then got into Putty fine (providing me a nice sense of Linux deja vu), but I couldn't get into WinSCP (even though it's based on Putty). It gave me the error message of "Cannot initialize SFTP protocol. Is the host running a SFTP server?"

Since the instructions on the OpenInkpot site were for Putty, this is one area where the instructions did not help. I just randomly tried protocols until one of them connected. Strangely enough, the one that works for me is SCP.
On the first connection some credentials need to be set up so you will get a few extra popups to work through on the very first connection. On all subsequent connections WinSCP initially throws a couple of warning messages and then works perfectly, at least in my case.