FBInk: A small tool/library to print crap on your screen! - Page 21

readern4vi · 10-15-2024, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NiLuJe

@readern4vi: Like the poster above, you'll need to grab a current snapshot from a GitHub Action to get a binary that supports your device.

So do I need to compile the program again? Or just edit one of the files in the KoboRoot.tgz file?

I am not really sure how the github actions thing works.

PeterT · 10-15-2024, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by readern4vi

So do I need to compile the program again? Or just edit one of the files in the KoboRoot.tgz file?

I am not really sure how the github actions thing works.

OK. When I go to https://github.com/NiLuJe/FBInk one of the links is to Actions https://github.com/NiLuJe/FBInk/actions

Select the Action "Simplify that again" build #31 https://github.com/NiLuJe/FBInk/acti...ns/11161992771 and under "Artifacts" you'll see FBInk size 585 KB https://github.com/NiLuJe/FBInk/acti...cts/2010744175. Download that.

readern4vi · 10-15-2024, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeterT

OK. When I go to https://github.com/NiLuJe/FBInk one of the links is to Actions https://github.com/NiLuJe/FBInk/actions

Select the Action "Simplify that again" build #31 https://github.com/NiLuJe/FBInk/acti...ns/11161992771 and under "Artifacts" you'll see FBInk size 585 KB https://github.com/NiLuJe/FBInk/acti...cts/2010744175. Download that.

Thank you. I created a github account and managed to download the FBInk file.

How do I install it on my kobo? Do I create a new zip file with the files named KoboRoot.tgz? or should I replace the files on the previous release with the ones in the new download?

PeterT · 10-15-2024, 11:41 PM

Normally one just copies the KoboRoot.tgz to the .kobo directory on the device and do a disconnect. the device will detect the file, install it and reboot.

Sent from my Pixel 7a using Tapatalk

mergen3107 · 10-16-2024, 11:46 AM

@readern4vi
In that archive, all you need is a new fbink file (a binary).

Find, where such file is located in your Kobo (I presume it is in .adds/ folder somewhere?)

Make a backup of it (rename it) just in case.
Then put this new fbink in its place.

Script that require fbink will hopefully pick up the new binary when you launch them next time

readern4vi · 10-16-2024, 08:10 PM

@mergen3107 @PeterT

I couldn't find the FBink file on my kobo to replace (even after running a search for it) so instead I took the latest KoboRoot.tgz release and swapped out the files that matched, including FBink. After installing on my Libra Colour, the QR code works perfectly!

Thank you all for your help

DNSB · 10-17-2024, 12:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by readern4vi

@mergen3107 @PeterT

I couldn't find the FBink file on my kobo to replace (even after running a search for it) so instead I took the latest KoboRoot.tgz release and swapped out the files that matched, including FBink. After installing on my Libra Colour, the QR code works perfectly!

Thank you all for your help

Considering that when you look at FBInk-v1.25.0.zip and dig into the innards, (I used 7-Zip), you end up at usr which is on one of the Linux ext4 partitions with fbink and button_scan symlinks being copied into /usr/bin and the actual files being copied into /usr/local/fbink and several subdirectories of /usr/local/fbink, it's not a surprise that a search found nothing.

You can see them by telnet or SSH to your Kobo.

enthdegree · 11-13-2024, 10:23 PM

For a VT port I'm including FBInk exclusively to call screen refresh. A few questions:

Are some refresh calls significantly more power-hungry than others? Right now I'm updating the screen by putting a flag up. Another thread loops "sleep, then if the flag is up do a FBink full screen refresh." Settings struct is full of zeros. I'm worried this is expensive.
Are there examples of including this library in a project? My current approach includes a whole standalone copy of FBink in the program's local environment.
Maybe not the place but not sure where else to ask... is there a common packaging example to adapt from? The VT needs a wrapper to manage exit + keep the stock UI from sleeping, overwriting the framebuffer, etc.

Thanks!

NiLuJe · 11-20-2024, 05:38 PM

@enthdegree:

1. It depends ;o). But generally, no, you don't want to refresh in full. (The issue isn't going to be power so much as performance, though). The waveform mode enum has a lot of info about dos and don'ts in fbink.h if you want more context.

2. a submodule and a static link? c.f., InkVT as a potential example (or, well, KFMon, would perhaps be easier to follow).

3. I would punt that off to the user, unless you like maintaining horrible-to-maintain stuff. In which case, something based on KOReader's startup script.

jagaliano · 01-31-2025, 10:03 AM

The fbink link for Libra Colour in GitHub Action has expired. Could you please provide a new one? Please note that am not programmer and I do not know how to use GitHub.

Thank you.

Kurizu · 06-19-2025, 01:50 PM

This might sound dumb but how do i use this ( fbink + input_scan ) to make a proper app like we do with gtk for kindle if that is possible.

elinkser · 06-20-2025, 01:19 PM

In case NiLuJe doesn't see this question, FBink is a low level interface to the various quirky Kobo (and even some other) hardware, thereby sparing the rest of us the misery of dealing with same.

Not at the level of Gtk, but a primitive input system was used to create a keyboard in golang built on FBink (it would be nice if you or the dev pushes this further because golang is so friendly)

:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...0&postcount=14

A more sophisticated toolkit , rmkit, was ported to FBink using C++, including the best puzzle collection and drawing app available on Kobo:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...86#post4403186

A few apps including a minesweeper game used a python toolkit on FBink:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...60&postcount=3

There have been other approaches, including chess apps on the browser(html) and Plato(rust) platforms, e.g.a KOReader calculator plugin(lua script), a Qt anki standalone app, only a few of which are linked here:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...07&postcount=4

If you just want to run your gtk app on your own machine, schuhumi's fbink-xdamage was used by NiMa (eventually inkbox/quill OS) to create an xorg environment on Kobo, which I have run alpine linux gtk apps on:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=336210

11-13-2024, 10:23 PM	#308
enthdegree Member Posts: 19 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2014 Device: none	For a VT port I'm including FBInk exclusively to call screen refresh. A few questions: Are some refresh calls significantly more power-hungry than others? Right now I'm updating the screen by putting a flag up. Another thread loops "sleep, then if the flag is up do a FBink full screen refresh." Settings struct is full of zeros. I'm worried this is expensive. Are there examples of including this library in a project? My current approach includes a whole standalone copy of FBink in the program's local environment. Maybe not the place but not sure where else to ask... is there a common packaging example to adapt from? The VT needs a wrapper to manage exit + keep the stock UI from sleeping, overwriting the framebuffer, etc. Thanks! Last edited by enthdegree; 11-14-2024 at 11:27 PM.

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10-15-2024, 11:41 PM	#304
PeterT Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,460 Karma: 78880114 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Toronto Device: Libra H2O, Libra Colour	Normally one just copies the KoboRoot.tgz to the .kobo directory on the device and do a disconnect. the device will detect the file, install it and reboot. Sent from my Pixel 7a using Tapatalk

10-16-2024, 11:46 AM	#305
mergen3107 Wizard Posts: 1,502 Karma: 5000046 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Cape Canaveral Device: Kindle Scribe	@readern4vi In that archive, all you need is a new fbink file (a binary). Find, where such file is located in your Kobo (I presume it is in .adds/ folder somewhere?) Make a backup of it (rename it) just in case. Then put this new fbink in its place. Script that require fbink will hopefully pick up the new binary when you launch them next time

10-16-2024, 08:10 PM	#306
readern4vi Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2024 Device: Kobo Libra Colour	@mergen3107 @PeterT I couldn't find the FBink file on my kobo to replace (even after running a search for it) so instead I took the latest KoboRoot.tgz release and swapped out the files that matched, including FBink. After installing on my Libra Colour, the QR code works perfectly! Thank you all for your help

11-20-2024, 05:38 PM	#309
NiLuJe BLAM! Posts: 13,506 Karma: 26047202 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Paris, France Device: Kindle 2i, 3g, 4, 5w, PW, PW2, PW5; Kobo H2O, Forma, Elipsa, Sage, C2E	@enthdegree: 1. It depends ;o). But generally, no, you don't want to refresh in full. (The issue isn't going to be power so much as performance, though). The waveform mode enum has a lot of info about dos and don'ts in fbink.h if you want more context. 2. a submodule and a static link? c.f., InkVT as a potential example (or, well, KFMon, would perhaps be easier to follow). 3. I would punt that off to the user, unless you like maintaining horrible-to-maintain stuff. In which case, something based on KOReader's startup script.

01-31-2025, 10:03 AM	#310
jagaliano Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2025 Device: Kobo Libra Colour	The fbink link for Libra Colour in GitHub Action has expired. Could you please provide a new one? Please note that am not programmer and I do not know how to use GitHub. Thank you.

06-19-2025, 01:50 PM	#311
Kurizu Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 42 Join Date: May 2025 Device: Kindle 8th Gen ( 5.16.2.1.1 )	This might sound dumb but how do i use this ( fbink + input_scan ) to make a proper app like we do with gtk for kindle if that is possible.

06-20-2025, 01:19 PM	#312
elinkser Addict Posts: 235 Karma: 146236 Join Date: Oct 2022 Device: Kobo Clara HD	In case NiLuJe doesn't see this question, FBink is a low level interface to the various quirky Kobo (and even some other) hardware, thereby sparing the rest of us the misery of dealing with same. Not at the level of Gtk, but a primitive input system was used to create a keyboard in golang built on FBink (it would be nice if you or the dev pushes this further because golang is so friendly) : https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...0&postcount=14 A more sophisticated toolkit , rmkit, was ported to FBink using C++, including the best puzzle collection and drawing app available on Kobo: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...86#post4403186 A few apps including a minesweeper game used a python toolkit on FBink: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...60&postcount=3 There have been other approaches, including chess apps on the browser(html) and Plato(rust) platforms, e.g.a KOReader calculator plugin(lua script), a Qt anki standalone app, only a few of which are linked here: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...07&postcount=4 If you just want to run your gtk app on your own machine, schuhumi's fbink-xdamage was used by NiMa (eventually inkbox/quill OS) to create an xorg environment on Kobo, which I have run alpine linux gtk apps on: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=336210