Onyx Boox Max2 Issues

[alcedo]

Originally Posted by sogaiu

Not sure if this counts as just one action, but I'm using Taskbar -- it's got a collapsible floating window which allows relatively convenient access to apps.

There are so many apps called Taskbar, could you specify which, please.

[hmr]

I've read through the complete thread (phew) and just registered (hi all!). I've had the Max 2 for three days now and am so glad to have found a place where people talk about their use and exchange ideas. I probably should state that I don't have any experience with Android, and most of the posts mentioning "adp shell am ..." went right over my head.

There are two things where I wonder if anyone else has the same issue and what to do about it:

1. Changes in the "Storage" app (like the automatically created mydocument-annotation.txt I want to export) don't show up in my computer's Android File Transfer app unless I restart the Max 2. For what it's worth, changes made using the computer's File Transfer App show up on the Max 2 immediately. USB for file transfer (MTP) is selected via the USB menu icon. Neither restarting the File Transfer app on the PC nor reconnecting USB helps, only restarting the Max 2. Does anyone else experience this issue?

2. When trying to solve above problem, I switched USB to "charge only", which made the USB icon disappear from the status bar, leaving me without any way to reactivate MTP. After searching all the menus and the manual for one hour, I installed Jan 5th's update, after which the icon reappeared. Now I don't dare to touch it again, because I don't know whether it would reappear after a reboot, or only after an update, or whether the update fixed this issue. Can anyone confirm what is the case?

I must say that I'm pretty happy with my Max 2 so far. I bought it for reading and annotating/taking notes on research papers as my second-best option after I found out that the Sony DSP-S1 was not available anymore (can't even get it used in Europe). The background is darker than I had anticipated, and glare happens more often than I hoped, but I agree with what has been said about this here, it's probably at good as you can expect. By the way, I'm a fan of the A2 refresh mode, everything is just so much quicker. Pity that it seems to auto-reset.

I've tried a Kindle Paperwhite before and was really impressed by the build and image quality, so that's why I might be a little spoiled. But that one is tiny. I guess you wouldn't be able to build a Letter-sized one with that technology for under $2000.

I'm still trying to find the optimal solution for exporting annotations (text-only: mostly highlights, some textual notes). It surprises me that every tool does that but seems to do things just a little weirdly so that it's not very useful any more: The built-in txt export file orders annotations chronologically (instead of the order in the document); other export solutions (Skim on my Mac, Sumnotes on the Web) miss some of the highlighted text in Max 2's exported PDFs; --- only Goodreader for iOS performs perfectly. Back in my iPad days that was the first annotation tool I used, and it still exports annotations in a very useful fashion. Spoiled by experience again, I guess, but I don't want to include an iPhone in the document workflow if I don't have to.

Ideally, every document I annotated, I want to export as a folder (or Evernote note) on my computer that contains the textual annotations as an excerpt as well as the annotated PDF file. The folder which the Max 2 creates when annotating notes is *almost* perfect (even containing scribbles!), save for the out-of-order-txt-annotations (which to use as excerpts I want to use the Max 2 for). Has anyone trying the same thing found a solution/workflow that works for them?

Sorry for the long post full of questions -- I can make one contribution however: If you need a clip for the stylus like that shown in this thread, they are common on those mechanical pencils that can be re-filled. I stole one from one of those, bent it a little to make it fit more snugly, and it works great. I only feel I need to be extra careful not to get too close to the screen with the metal clip.

[mdp]

Originally Posted by hmr

most of the posts mentioning "adp shell am ..." went right over my head.

It's nice to have a biologist around! But that's `adb`, for "Android Debug Bridge", meaning a way to issue commands to the system. If you need clarifications, do not hesitate.

Thing is, also with reference to the issues you are posting, Onyx placed their customized settings page in the interface but forgot to leave there the icon to call the original Android Settings, which will be for obvious reasons more complete.

Find below an APK (Android Package) file to install an application that will call them settings. To install it, you can probably just place it in the device and tap on it. You will also have to enable the ability to install 3rd party apps - I believe you should see a requester that mentions it and guides you, and I am positive that in the thread (or a recent parallel one) we mentioned how to reach that setting.

For technical reasons, I had to compress the APK file into a ZIP to post it - decompress it first into AndroidSettings.apk

In general, you will not install any apk you find around. If you decide to trust this, it's here.

[Phat2517]

[QUOTE=hmr;3648064
Ideally, every document I annotated, I want to export as a folder (or Evernote note) on my computer that contains the textual annotations as an excerpt as well as the annotated PDF file. The folder which the Max 2 creates when annotating notes is *almost* perfect (even containing scribbles!), save for the out-of-order-txt-annotations (which to use as excerpts I want to use the Max 2 for). Has anyone trying the same thing found a solution/workflow that works for them?.[/QUOTE]
I use eZpdf reader pro to annotate, read pdf file and save annotate to same file. then use Dropbox sync to sync file to cloud.

[hmr]

Originally Posted by mdp

It's nice to have a biologist around! But that's `adb`, for "Android Debug Bridge", meaning a way to issue commands to the system. If you need clarifications, do not hesitate.

Gotcha! I must have written 'adp' because I was in a low-energy state... My terrible puns aside, I am willing to make myself more familiar with how stuff works on Android.*

But now, I have the android settings app icon available right there in the user interface, thanks to you!

There, I already found the setting for issue number 2 (USB Charging/MTP/PTP/...) in the developer settings. One down, one to go.

Still unsure how to tackle issue number 1, the problem of changes in the Max 2's storage not being seen by the Android File Transfer application when connected via USB/MTP (unless I restart the Max 2). Is this a known issue?

*) Addendum after I composed the posting: I just now tried installing adp on my Mac (following steps posted on stackoverflow), and now the shell command 'adb shell am start com.android.settings' opens the settings on the tablet -- but having the icon available is much, much better!

[hmr]

Originally Posted by Phat2517

I use eZpdf reader pro to annotate, read pdf file and save annotate to same file. then use Dropbox sync to sync file to cloud.

I installed ez PDF Reader Trial from the Play store on the Max 2, but it doesn't open any PDFs I tap on, nor by choosing Open from the menu. It crashes when selecting Revision History or Regenerate Thumbnail. Are you positive this works on the Boox Max 2? Could you elaborate on your workflow of extracting annotations to text format? Thanks!

[sogaiu]

Originally Posted by alcedo

There are so many apps called Taskbar, could you specify which, please.

Ah, sorry, didn't know that, here's a relevant link (the page lists multiple locations from which you might get an apk):

https://github.com/farmerbb/Taskbar

On a related note, don't know if you've seen this other thread:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=293523

but if you find some useful stuff, may be you wouldn't mind sharing there

[sogaiu]

Originally Posted by mdp

Have you tried file transfer? We have to search for practical file exchange solutions since the lack of micro-SD.

Sorry if this was mentioned somewhere already (didn't find it), but while looking through the Developer Options I came across the "Select USB Configuration" option. After choosing the one for MTP and connecting the Max 2 to a PC running some Linux-flavored distribution, I saw the device's internal storage show up via a file manager. This seems a bit more convenient than plain adb for bit-moving.

On a side note, there was something about USB ethernet among the options, but unfortunately, that didn't seem to help in getting an ethernet dongle to work

[inudaisho]

http://bbs.onyx-international.com.cn...d=29713&page=1

update coming.
now I'm downloading it but very very very slow..

[mdp]

Originally Posted by inudaisho

http://bbs.onyx-international.com.cn...d=29713&page=1

update coming.

Unfortunately, I cannot see changes I was hoping for.
Instead, I see something worrisome, but it may be a fault in the automated translation.

[sogaiu]

May be nice: 增加橡皮 - 全部擦除后，笔自动切回手写状态

May be not nice: 禁止开机自启第三方APP

May be a native speaker / reader might translate?

[abeq]

Originally Posted by inudaisho

http://bbs.onyx-international.com.cn...d=29713&page=1

update coming.
now I'm downloading it but very very very slow..

Does update.upx in http://ereader.store/DATA/Max2/ has been updated?
I do not want to make Baidu account. Is there another way to get it?

[cqman]

Originally Posted by abeq

Does update.upx in http://ereader.store/DATA/Max2/ has been updated?
I do not want to make Baidu account. Is there another way to get it?

I'm not sure OTA update is available at the moment outside of China. Give it a try.

Configuration - about - system update

[abeq]

Originally Posted by cqman

I'm not sure OTA update is available at the moment outside of China. Give it a try.

Configuration - about - system update

Probably OTA update is available in outside of China, but update.upx has not been updated.
Message 'no update package available.' is displayed.

Please update it soon.

[bopsis]

Hi,

how exactly are you transferring the files to Max2?
I have both WiFi File Transfer and FileZilla client installed. The connection is successful, I see Max2 in my PC, but there are tons of directories, none of them look like a Library folder or so where I could save my books.

Thanks in advance.

Originally Posted by rogerpiano

@mdp: To transfer files I'm using Wi-Fi. On the Max the app is WiFi File Transfer and on the PC is FileZilla client (which I already used on the M92).

Bluetooth tethering works well but there are two bugs:

1) In the integrated browser the pop-up "do you want to activate the wi-fi?" appears at each page change, and I ask Booxtor if you can eliminate this problem (which I had already reported). With other browsers the pop-up does not appear but it seems to me that in the end the integrated one is the best (I tried Firefox, Dolphin and Opera mini)

2) In the Play Store I can surf normally but with Bluetooth tethering you can not download the app.

@Jayjee: It seems to me that the gesture of the right-left touch and vice-versa to turn the page is more reliable than that of the touch on the side of the display (I speak of the needs of live musicians). Today I tried to use it instead of touch and it seems to me that we can approach 100% security.
I will try better in the next days.