select input method

[pepijndevos]

I finally got USB OTG to work, and even recognise HID devices.

The next step would be to actually use it. By default, the Java framework and consequently KindleTERM completely ignore the keyboard.

Not sure about native apps, but native apps for K4 are rare...

I think someone ought to have figured this out, but the search function and google are leaving me in the cold.

I found a reference to waitforkey, which waits for USB keyboard presses as well.

vi /opt/amazon/ebook/bin/start.sh
-Dextkeyboard=true \

I found that in start.sh it says extkeyboard=false. Setting that to true lets me use the arrows, home, ctrl and maybe a few more to move around. But not type!

Even then, I would probably need to patch KindleTERM to support *any* keyboard at all. Or get Myts to run with the K4's new powers.

[aranwe]

shouldnt X server take care of that? ... e.g. xserver-xorg-input-keyboard module ?
by the way : how did you do that?

[pepijndevos]

USB OTG: http://www.christian-hoff.com

X11: No. Kindle 4 runs Java on GTK on framebuffer, IIRC.

[hawhill]

No GTK there, I think (that's just for the browser).
I guess patching myts is an easier approach than to mess with the Java UI (for now)...

The K4 is becoming more and more interesting as a small computing platform...

[pepijndevos]

No big news so far. I found a few kernel modules, tequila_keypad and fiveway that seem to be responsible for the hardware keys. Disabling these makes your kindle hard to use

There is also mxc_keyb which I have not yet tried and uinput which might be used for the virtual keyboard.

Maybe this page makes more sense to some people than it does to me: http://thiemonge.org/getting-started-with-uinput

[knc1]

Originally Posted by pepijndevos

Maybe this page makes more sense to some people than it does to me: http://thiemonge.org/getting-started-with-uinput

You might find tcc on the Kindle handy for exploring that uinput article.
(Yes, there are threads here about tcc for the Kindle.)

[hippy dave]

interesting work, thanks for the update! keep at it

[twobob]

Yep very exciting developments.

a mini usb mouse / kb combo would be super sexy.

[pepijndevos]

I'm trying to figure out which driver is responsible for the virtual keyboard. I thought I had it with tequila-keypad, but the source code says "GPIO driven tequila keyboard driver".

Upon further inspection, it seems /dev/input/event0/1 are the fiveway and buttons. event2 doesn't give any output whatsoever. Maybe the volume buttons the K4 doesn't have?

If it turns out the virtual keyboard is entirely implemented in Java land, that would be the end to the hackery. But if the browser is indeed GTK, it should cross borders somewhere.

In fact, the browser is the only part I care about. Maybe I need to figure out how GTK is configured. Any ideas about that?

[twobob]

hmm. I have no good answers... so I straced...

[root@kindle root]# strace -fF -o /mnt/us/kb-strace.txt kb

which led me to

....
13434 open("/usr/lib/libkb.so", O_RDONLY) = 3
13434 read(3, "\177ELF\1\1\1\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\3\0(\0\1\0\0\0\270-\0\0004\0\0\0"..., 512) = 512
13434 fstat64(3, {st_mode=S_IFREG|0755, st_size=59760, ...}) = 0
13434 mmap2(NULL, 92932, PROT_READ|PROT_EXEC, MAP_PRIVATE|MAP_DENYWRITE, 3, 0) = 0x40045000
13434 mprotect(0x40053000, 32768, PROT_NONE) = 0
13434 mmap2(0x4005b000, 4096, PROT_READ|PROT_WRITE, MAP_PRIVATE|MAP_FIXED|MAP_DENYWRITE, 3, 0xe) = 0x4005b000
13434 close(3)                          = 0
....

which led me to:

Here is info on the keyboard

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...8&postcount=28

About the browser:

(from upstart script)

source /etc/upstart/env
exec browserd

should get it "loaded" then invoke it via dbus I believe.
(no I got that wrong...sorry... thanks Niluje)

browser would seem to invoke the waf infrastructure (pictured)

Maybe: build midori? that is a decent replacement browser.
It's included in Buildroot by default (I will go check)

You can configure the "browser" (shop) button to launch any application you want - this much I do know. Launch skipstone or midori?

The virtual keyboard - could - of course be replaced with the matchbox keyboard for some instances.

One of the upstart script (I think) had some reference to which was which event on the devices. but I think you nailed it.

source /etc/upstart/env

exec kb

was where I started my trail. HTH. (Check the top link - it's pretty handy)

[NiLuJe]

@twobob: webreader is the KF8 renderer. browserd is the browser .

[twobob]

Originally Posted by NiLuJe

@twobob: webreader is the KF8 renderer. browserd is the browser .

doh. lol. updated the post. Too busy digging in the 3 - should have looked harder thanks

[pepijndevos]

twobob, I don't think any of that applies to the K4.

It has no strace, it has no X11, it has no upstart, it does not open the keyboard with lipc-set-prop, it does not have wafapp, it has no libkb.

It does have browserd. You're saying I can send it commands over dbus?

Maybe midori or skipstone is the way to go.

That would make everything usable, if only the centre and menu keys where mapped to something on my keyboard.

pagedown = next page = 109
pageup = previous page = 191
??? = back = 158
??? = menu = 139
keypad slash = ??? = 98 (same effect as home)
home = home = 102
left ctrl = keyboard = 29
??? = centre = 194
arrow keys = scroll pad = 103,105,106,108

[twobob]

okay - 1) it has no strace. Make one.

2) No X11. not right now... but we have been working on 1 for the 3...

No upstart, no waf, - inconsequential

3) It does not open the keyboard with lipc-set-prop , REALLY? hmmm. now that surprises me. perhaps a direct invocation. I really wish I could help test but sadly that's not possible.

"I found that in start.sh it says extkeyboard=false. Setting that to true lets me use the arrows, home, ctrl and maybe a few more to move around. But not type!"

Now that doesn't surprise me. On the 5 when one uses VNC to type...in fact i'll take a picture one sec... As you can see a MODIFIER character appears - EVEN if you don't press a modifier key - The funny Right Angle is for SHIFT. the ugly T is for unmodified...

Pressing the keys directly doesn't do this.

Perhaps the overall value from the keys needs amending / truncating. (It could be an artefact of the vnc of course)

Hope that helps.

I tried building midori last few days but got stuck on gtk not building with the old TC properly. I fixed it but it still wont play nice. Hope you have more luck. Skipstone seems a good option having used it.

: )

[twobob]

"It does have browserd. You're saying I can send it commands over dbus?"

I'm having a quick play with this now. see what falls out

hmm... My Lipc is dead. odd.

nano -w /etc/lipc-daemon-props.conf

# This file defines what properties are exposed by lipc-daemon.
orientation r cat /proc/accelerometer | xargs echo -n
usid r cat /proc/usid | xargs echo -n
boardid r cat /proc/boardid | xargs echo -n
version r cat /etc/version.txt | xargs echo -n
waveformversion r cat /proc/eink_fb/waveform_version | xargs echo -n
date w /usr/sbin/setdate
sendEvent w lipc-send-event com.lab126.system.event

hmm..

[root@kindle root]# lipc-probe -l
com.lab126.pmond
com.lab126.audio
com.lab126.wan
com.lab126.ttsd
com.lab126.tts
com.lab126.powerd
com.lab126.system
com.lab126.wifid
com.lab126.framework
com.lab126.transfer
com.lab126.phd
com.lab126.volumd
com.lab126.webreaderListener
com.lab126.cmd
com.lab126.cvm
com.lab126.mcsd
org.freedesktop.DBus


Hmm..
Just not sure... I don't see any easy wins yet. still looking