Kobo as a typewriter??

Knightreader · 09-07-2021, 05:26 AM

An open source tool lets connect Kobo Readers to a USB keyboard using it as a typewriter:

https://liliputing.com/2021/09/kobow...-software.html

https://www.golem.de/news/kobo-kobow...09-159382.html

Current supported keyboard layout is french (AZERTY).

Project page at Github: https://github.com/olup/kobowriter

Quoth · 09-07-2021, 06:50 AM

I think an Android eink is a better solution and then there is a choice of decent apps to edit. There are also keyboard maps and 3rd party keyboard maps/editors.
Though some with USB2Go don't support a USB keyboard. I did find (eventually) a decent BT keyboard to work with the Boyue Likebook (I have a Mars), otherwise I might be tempted to try this with my spare Kobo (an original Aura H2O HD with SD card slot). I'd not mess with my Libra.

alehel · 09-07-2021, 04:37 PM

The Elipsa would be great for writing with its big screen. Kind of surprised that a simple text editor wasn't one of the beta features on this thing.

Sent from my SM-G991B using Tapatalk

Nightyume · 09-11-2021, 01:20 PM

I'm hoping they enable something like this on the Elipsa. It already works with a bluetooth keyboard, it just unfortunately doesn't work with the notebooks (it works with searches, in book annotations, etc. basically anywhere where the normal keyboard pops up).

MagnaNime · 01-29-2024, 05:43 AM

Hi everybody, I’m a bit late on this topic ! Has anyone the "precombined Koboroot.tar.gz archive" in his memory stick ? Either I dont understand what Olup mentionned on Github when he write "use de precompined file", or the file isn’t available anymore...

DNSB · 01-29-2024, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MagnaNime

Hi everybody, I’m a bit late on this topic ! Has anyone the "precombined Koboroot.tar.gz archive" in his memory stick ? Either I dont understand what Olup mentionned on Github when he write "use de precompined file", or the file isn’t available anymore...

When you were on the GitHub page, did you click on Releases in the right hand column? Then on Assets and from there download the KoboRoot.tgz file?

Do me a small favour by opening up your Glo HD and making an image of the internal µSD card prior to doing the install. See the instructions in the Memory Upgrade Mod Guide (With Pictures) thread on how to make that image.

elinkser · 01-29-2024, 08:53 PM

MagnaNime, things may have evolved a bit since that project, which was admittedly pretty groundbreaking.

For example:
-KOReader accepts USB keyboard input.
-Fbpad accepts USB keyboard input, or via SSH.
-Graphical chroot accepts USB keyboard.
-Even Nickel I think lets you write a reaallly long note that you could export.

* Note you need USB drivers (except with SSH), so not sure if the typewriter app helps with that, but I would follow DNSB 's hint regardless...

MagnaNime · 01-30-2024, 04:35 PM

Thank you very much for your answers, I am definitely not enough used to Github! I did a copy of my SD card before starting all my tests. Until now, no need to be worried !
@elinkser Drivers are my big problem because I write in French. Until now It was fun to deal with Koreader but at the end, I have a lot of work correcting the missing caps. It isn’t always worth it !
The best solution I have seen until now seems to be Inkbox but first it is nearly mandatory to have linux in your tools to deals with ans second, after e few test, it is missing a bit of maturity, I encountered lot of bugs.

elinkser · 01-30-2024, 07:06 PM

I think kobowriter may be right for you, especially since it is made for your device.
The drivers and kernel are specially compiled by XCSoar project, which requires reboot.
The USB solution I was thinking of has been only confirmed on relatively newer devices.

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=340418

The other idea was to use fbpad2 with an ssh/telnet connection to your phone/pc, and your keyboard connected to your phone/pc.

Install fbpad2 on your kobo.

On a ssh/telnet session to your Kobo (from phone or PC):

# /path/to/where/you/installed/fbpad2 /bin/sh

(and the keyboard input gets displayed on fbpad2 on the kobo.)

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...3&postcount=11

(Different combinations of pc/tablet/phone/ssh/telnet may work better than others with USB keyboard.
But every combination I tried worked WITHOUT the USB keyboard, i.e. using just the phone/pc keyboard.)

MagnaNime · 01-31-2024, 12:58 AM

Thank you very much for your answers, I am definitely not enough used to Github! I did a copy of my SD card before starting all my tests. Until now, no need to be worried !
@elinkser Drivers are my big problem because I write in French. Until now It was fun to deal with Koreader but at the end, I have a lot of work correcting the missing caps. It isn’t always worth it !
The best solution I have seen until now seems to be Inkbox but first it is nearly mandatory to have linux in your tools to deals with ans second, after e few test, it is missing a bit of maturity, I encountered lot of bugs.

MagnaNime · 01-31-2024, 01:06 AM

Forget my last message, mobileread is sometime hard with chrome !
I really prefere the kobowriter/XCsoar solution. It's lighter and convenient

But thanks for the advice !

09-07-2021, 05:26 AM	#1
Knightreader Connoisseur Posts: 65 Karma: 2145046 Join Date: Nov 2018 Device: 1. Kobo Forma, 2. Kobo H2O Edition 2 (v1)	Kobo as a typewriter?? An open source tool lets connect Kobo Readers to a USB keyboard using it as a typewriter: https://liliputing.com/2021/09/kobow...-software.html https://www.golem.de/news/kobo-kobow...09-159382.html Current supported keyboard layout is french (AZERTY). Project page at Github: https://github.com/olup/kobowriter

09-11-2021, 01:20 PM	#4
Nightyume Addict Posts: 243 Karma: 115140 Join Date: Sep 2012 Device: HTC One, Galaxy Note 10.1, Kobo Aura	I'm hoping they enable something like this on the Elipsa. It already works with a bluetooth keyboard, it just unfortunately doesn't work with the notebooks (it works with searches, in book annotations, etc. basically anywhere where the normal keyboard pops up). Last edited by Nightyume; 09-11-2021 at 01:21 PM. Reason: added info

01-30-2024, 07:06 PM	#9
elinkser Addict Posts: 235 Karma: 146236 Join Date: Oct 2022 Device: Kobo Clara HD	I think kobowriter may be right for you, especially since it is made for your device. The drivers and kernel are specially compiled by XCSoar project, which requires reboot. The USB solution I was thinking of has been only confirmed on relatively newer devices. https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=340418 The other idea was to use fbpad2 with an ssh/telnet connection to your phone/pc, and your keyboard connected to your phone/pc. Install fbpad2 on your kobo. On a ssh/telnet session to your Kobo (from phone or PC): # /path/to/where/you/installed/fbpad2 /bin/sh (and the keyboard input gets displayed on fbpad2 on the kobo.) https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...3&postcount=11 (Different combinations of pc/tablet/phone/ssh/telnet may work better than others with USB keyboard. But every combination I tried worked WITHOUT the USB keyboard, i.e. using just the phone/pc keyboard.) Last edited by elinkser; 01-30-2024 at 07:35 PM. Reason: path

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09-07-2021, 06:50 AM	#2
Quoth Still reading Posts: 14,002 Karma: 105092227 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper	I think an Android eink is a better solution and then there is a choice of decent apps to edit. There are also keyboard maps and 3rd party keyboard maps/editors. Though some with USB2Go don't support a USB keyboard. I did find (eventually) a decent BT keyboard to work with the Boyue Likebook (I have a Mars), otherwise I might be tempted to try this with my spare Kobo (an original Aura H2O HD with SD card slot). I'd not mess with my Libra.

09-07-2021, 04:37 PM	#3
alehel Zealot Posts: 112 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Norway Device: Kobo Clara HD	The Elipsa would be great for writing with its big screen. Kind of surprised that a simple text editor wasn't one of the beta features on this thing. Sent from my SM-G991B using Tapatalk

01-29-2024, 05:43 AM	#5
MagnaNime Member Posts: 12 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2020 Device: Kobo Aura 2 \| Kobo Glo Hd	Hi everybody, I’m a bit late on this topic ! Has anyone the "precombined Koboroot.tar.gz archive" in his memory stick ? Either I dont understand what Olup mentionned on Github when he write "use de precompined file", or the file isn’t available anymore...

01-29-2024, 08:53 PM	#7
elinkser Addict Posts: 235 Karma: 146236 Join Date: Oct 2022 Device: Kobo Clara HD	MagnaNime, things may have evolved a bit since that project, which was admittedly pretty groundbreaking. For example: -KOReader accepts USB keyboard input. -Fbpad accepts USB keyboard input, or via SSH. -Graphical chroot accepts USB keyboard. -Even Nickel I think lets you write a reaallly long note that you could export. * Note you need USB drivers (except with SSH), so not sure if the typewriter app helps with that, but I would follow DNSB 's hint regardless...

01-30-2024, 04:35 PM	#8
MagnaNime Member Posts: 12 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2020 Device: Kobo Aura 2 \| Kobo Glo Hd	Thank you very much for your answers, I am definitely not enough used to Github! I did a copy of my SD card before starting all my tests. Until now, no need to be worried ! @elinkser Drivers are my big problem because I write in French. Until now It was fun to deal with Koreader but at the end, I have a lot of work correcting the missing caps. It isn’t always worth it ! The best solution I have seen until now seems to be Inkbox but first it is nearly mandatory to have linux in your tools to deals with ans second, after e few test, it is missing a bit of maturity, I encountered lot of bugs.

01-31-2024, 12:58 AM	#10
MagnaNime Member Posts: 12 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2020 Device: Kobo Aura 2 \| Kobo Glo Hd	Thank you very much for your answers, I am definitely not enough used to Github! I did a copy of my SD card before starting all my tests. Until now, no need to be worried ! @elinkser Drivers are my big problem because I write in French. Until now It was fun to deal with Koreader but at the end, I have a lot of work correcting the missing caps. It isn’t always worth it ! The best solution I have seen until now seems to be Inkbox but first it is nearly mandatory to have linux in your tools to deals with ans second, after e few test, it is missing a bit of maturity, I encountered lot of bugs.

01-31-2024, 01:06 AM	#11
MagnaNime Member Posts: 12 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2020 Device: Kobo Aura 2 \| Kobo Glo Hd	Forget my last message, mobileread is sometime hard with chrome ! I really prefere the kobowriter/XCsoar solution. It's lighter and convenient But thanks for the advice !

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