K5 FW 5.x ScreenSavers Hack

[foghat]

Originally Posted by knc1

Allow me to quote part of the hotfix post (from directly above where the attachment is at):


Does that help you answer your question about why the install package disappears?

Yes, it does. Thank-you.

[gnormal]

hi niluje, i just got the ss working on pw2-jp. my next step is to prepare 1000 images from text (using imagemagick i think), and them set them to display randomly.

- i need 1000 (or more.). 100 is not enough. is the ss limited to 100?
- can i change the images randomly during one ss session? it looks like it displays only one image each time the ss activates. but i want it to change them without touching it.
- i want to change the timing of the image changes to a random time between 2 min and 2 days. do i have to learn python for that, or is it something i could figure out from reading your code?

thanks for making this!

ps- let me know if you still want to see the verbose install output from device. its working fine now but I'm happy to help if you want to learn more about a 905A device.

[NiLuJe]

@gnormal:

* 100 is the framework hard limit (nothing we can do about it).
* No and no. The device is effectively in suspend (i.e., for all intents and purposes, it's off), nothing you can do. One image per suspend session.

Only thing you can do is shuffle the pool of images on framework (re)boots.

[Yourcat]

@gnormal/NiLuJe: I heard of RTC wake-ups, as it's linux it could work. Anyhow I didn't test it yet.

[NiLuJe]

@Yourcat: Not applicable here as we're plugged into the framework's handling. And way, way, way out of scope of the original intent of this .

[Yourcat]

.oO(A "screensaver" which does not change images? E-ink burning into the virtual paper )
PS: My S.O. PW updates the screen after some hours with other very interesting offers.

[knc1]

Originally Posted by Yourcat

.oO(A "screensaver" which does not change images? E-ink burning into the virtual paper )
PS: My S.O. PW updates the screen after some hours with other very interesting offers.

As NiLuJe pointed out, that 'feature' operates at a much lower level than the screensaver add-in does.

As you point out, it is possible to be done (in fact, it has been done, several times, right here in this forum (not in this thread) ).
As NiLuJe points out, the screensaver add-in (or any modification of it) is not the way to do it.

[NiLuJe]

Incidentally, the (too) close relation with how SO operates is exactly *why* this won't ever be investigated here.

[Yourcat]

I'll expect the unexpected when looking at the RTC.

[gnormal]

Originally Posted by knc1

As NiLuJe pointed out, that 'feature' operates at a much lower level than the screensaver add-in does.

As you point out, it is possible to be done (in fact, it has been done, several times, right here in this forum (not in this thread) ).
As NiLuJe points out, the screensaver add-in (or any modification of it) is not the way to do it.

@NiLuJe, @knc1, i see. the stock screensaver rotates images during a single device-off session because it operates at a lower level, and that mechanism won't be explored here because it can lead to a path that bypasses the SOs screen.

hmm. what do you think about these two other approaches to my goal of displaying random prearranged lines of text as described (today 03:20):

1. rotate prepared images of the text from a folder (as the ss does) but do it while the device is on (with backlight off). would that make sense? an app that launches from the kual menu? (and btw, why not have an alternative ss operate this way? same concern re stepping on SOs?) or...

2. display random lines of text from a prepared textile, centered on the screen, in a large typeface, after clearing the screen. after all, installation status messages are displayed at the bottom of the screen. is it a big job to enlarge the text, center it, and update it from time to time?

[Yourcat]

@gnormal: Do you want to keep the Kindle plugged in? This may offer more options ... with usb.net or WLAN enabled one could switch the page of a custom book with images remotely. And with some lines of code also locally.

[NiLuJe]

@gnormal:

1/ 'cuz I *like* my battery life .

2/ Would be trivial if the device is on, as @Yourcat said. Needs something that keeps running in the bg, that's all.

[knc1]

Originally Posted by NiLuJe

@gnormal:

1/ 'cuz I *like* my battery life .

2/ Would be trivial if the device is on, as @Yourcat said. Needs something that keeps running in the bg, that's all.

The 5.x firmware has a 'no sleep' flag built-in.
Just leave the USB cable connected to a source of power, which will set the flag.

The device will still enter the screen saver state, but it will not power down or go to sleep.

- - - -

Keeping the Kindle connected to power is also required in this topic - the Kindles only have 2 to 4 hours of battery run-time.

[hokie83]

I recently upgraded firmware and reinstalled KUAL, MRPI and the screensavers and librariansync apps. Many (most?) of the images I had been using now won't work.

I have spent about a day reading posts in this forum and the online documentation for Imagemagick and I may be more confused than when I started. I have the script you shared earlier in the thread, but I am afraid I am uncertain how to run it.

I am probably missing something simple.

BTW I have a PW2 with the latest firmware and I am using a Windows 10 PC.

Ideally I would like to have a batch file that would convert all the images in a directory to a usable format. I tried to write one, but failed miserably.

Thanks for any help.

[knc1]

Originally Posted by hokie83

I recently upgraded firmware and reinstalled KUAL, MRPI and the screensavers and librariansync apps. Many (most?) of the images I had been using now won't work.

I have spent about a day reading posts in this forum and the online documentation for Imagemagick and I may be more confused than when I started. I have the script you shared earlier in the thread, but I am afraid I am uncertain how to run it.

Link please, there is more than one listed in this thread.

Originally Posted by hokie83

I am probably missing something simple.

Any script you find here is probably intended to be run on the Kindle.

Originally Posted by hokie83

BTW I have a PW2 with the latest firmware and I am using a Windows 10 PC.

Ideally I would like to have a batch file that would convert all the images in a directory to a usable format. I tried to write one, but failed miserably.

Thanks for any help.

Why in the world .... ?

Write a script file that runs on the Kindle.
It can probably be done as a single line command.

Since you give zip, zero, nada amount of information about your programming background, I can't know what to write that might help you.