PRS+: Enhanced firmware for Sony Reader, Folders, Games & more

[kartu]

Originally Posted by thomasmorus

Thanks for the great software - but please please finish with the update for the PRS505 soon, wainting really for the book read mark feature

Hi. Mark feature unfortunately (silly mistake on my side) conflicts with ebook library, that is, if you manipulate books from EBL, it will see xml file as corrupt and lose all marks. So it will be reworked.

[welshkid]

Originally Posted by Mark Nord

I just implemented a very basic Standby Picture for my PRS505

Suspend via the power-switch is handled in ebook.so which needs to be patched here:

patched ebook.so PRS505 1.4.00.23260
.text:0000B988 ; =============== S U B R O U T I N E ==========================
.text:0000B988                 EXPORT PowerStandby
.text:0000B988 PowerStandby                            ; CODE XREF: SubcpuThreadProcessCommand+228
.text:0000B988

.text:0000BA58 loc_BA58                                ; CODE XREF: PowerStandby+98
.text:0000BA58                 BL      _sync
.text:0000BA5C                 LDR     R3, =0x41C
.text:0000BA60                 LDR     R0, [R10,R3]    ; char *
.text:0000BA64                 BL      _system
.text:0000BA68                 BL      ebookEinkThreadSuspend
.text:0000BA6C             BL      ebookEinkErase  ; NOP this new code: 00 00 A0 E1
.text:0000BA70                 LDR     R0, [R4]
.text:0000BA74                 MOV     R1, #1
.text:0000BA78                 BL      sub_B39C
.text:0000BA7C                 LDRB    R3, [R4,#0xAD]
.text:0000BA80                 CMP     R3, #0
.text:0000BA84                 BNE     loc_BCD0

So the screen isn't any longer erased during suspend.

Then I added this to main.xml to show up the StandbyPicture;

		<texture href="/Data/kBookStandbyPic.png">
			<cutout id="defaultStandbyPic-a" x="0" y="0" width="600" height="800"/>
		</texture>	
		<skin id="defaultStandbyPic" 
				cutouts="defaultStandbyPic-a"/>	

		<function id="doResume">
			this.STANDBY_IMAGE.show(false);
			this.STANDBY_IMAGE.enable(false);
			this.STATUS_GROUP.show(true);
			this.getDevice().doneResume();
			this.getModel().resume();
			if (this.modal) {
				...
			}
		</function>
		<function id="doSuspend">
			this.STATUS_GROUP.show(false);
			this.STANDBY_IMAGE.show(true);
			this.STANDBY_IMAGE.enable(true);
			this.getModel().suspend();
			this.getDevice().doneSuspend();
		</function>

	<group id="STANDBY_IMAGE" left="0" right="0" top="0" bottom="0" active="false" visible="false">
		<background skin="defaultStandbyPic" left="0" right="0" top="0" bottom="0"/>
		<!--standbyImage left="0" right="0" top="0" bottom="0"/-->
	</group>

I'm sure the picture selection and integration could be done much more elegant, but take this as proof of concept.

I finished on this just one hour ago, so I can't tell about possible side-effects, or a fading of the picture.

Obviously I can't show a screenshoot, too

How would i apply this patch to my prs-505?
Thanks

[Mark Nord]

Hi welshkid!

Welcome to MR!

I would recomend to wait until kartu will have finished porting PRS+ v2 to PRS-505.

But if you can't wait follow this instructions:

First of all you have to install PRS+ 1.1.3 from here

Then you need my patched version of "ebook.so" version 1.1.00.18040 and a modified copy of "main.xml". Copy both along with your prefered standby-picture (named "kBookStandbyPic.png" -all case-sensitive) into the root of IM of your reader.

Then place a "prsp.sh" script-file in "/database/system/PRSPlus/" with this content:

cp /Data/ebook.so /tmp
mount --bind /tmp/ebook.so /opt/sony/ebook/application/ebook.so
cp /Data/main.xml /tmp
mount --bind /tmp/main.xml /opt/sony/ebook/application/resources/scripts/main.xml

Check for UNIX (LF-only) format.
Restart your Reader.

If all works out, your standby-picture is shown after flipping the power-switch. If instead the last page stays on screen, power on again and hold the switch a moment longer next time.

If there are any problems, start up your reader conected to the USB-Port. This way the prsp.sh will not be executed and you can access the reader via file-explorer and modify or remove the file(s).

Please notice that the patched ebook.so also changes the behaviour of rotate. (Holding Zoom-Button). Each "doRotate" turns the screen 90° to the left, instead of switching between normal and rotated.

Feel free to ask if things remain unclear.
best regards
Mark

PS: I use this feature since I posted my findings without any side-effects.

[welshkid]

Thanks for the prompt reply and welcome!

Have you uploaded the patched ebook.so somewhere?
If not, what software should I use to patch the file? (I've patched files before but can not remember the software used)
I dualboot linux and windows so software from either source is fine.

Also i'm unsure about the step "Check for UNIX (LF-only) format."
When I saved the script in gedit, i had the option for "line ending: Linux" and took that option, is that correct?

Is the reader fussy about the image given? I see that it has to be 800x600 and png format. Does it matter if it is colour or B&W etc?

Thanks

[Mark Nord]

Hello welshkid!

Have you uploaded the patched ebook.so somewhere?

No, know as you ask I have to admit I havn't uploaded it yet.

If not, what software should I use to patch the file? (I've patched files before but can not remember the software used)
I dualboot linux and windows so software from either source is fine.

Kartu mentioned HTE which did a good job for me.
You can start with the file from kartus repository
or the "rotation" patched from here

Also i'm unsure about the step "Check for UNIX (LF-only) format."
When I saved the script in gedit, i had the option for "line ending: Linux" and took that option, is that correct?

Yepp!

Is the reader fussy about the image given? I see that it has to be 800x600 and png format. Does it matter if it is colour or B&W etc?

For this "quick 'n dirty" solution the file has to be png and 800x600 colordepth and color or B&W don't matter.

Mark

[JvdW]

Originally Posted by Mark Nord

Hello welshkid!
Kartu mentioned HTE which did a good job for me.

I use XVI32 from http://www.chmaas.handshake.de which is a Win32 program and not a DOS program

You can start with the file from kartus repository

I patched that version and it looks to work OK, see below.
Location to start patching is: $BA64

Also downloaded main.xml from the 505 PRSPlus repository and added your statements that were in BOLD.
Copied both files to the root of IM and made the directory /database/system/PRSPlus and the file prsp.sh
Shutdown my reader and restarted it. Pushed the sleep button and observed two flashes and my last page returned. Pushing the sleep button again to wake it up didn't work.
Connected it again and had a look at main.xml and saw that the additions might be in someplace else instead of clustered together. Tried again and yes something different happened --> Didn't go past the starting up screen
After fiddling around I got access to IM again and decided only to re-mount ebook.so. Tried again. YES, screen flashes and the text stays while its asleep. Turn it on and keys do respond.
Soo, looks like problem is somewhere in the main.xml but that is a little over my head.
If you want I can attach it, let me know if I can be of any help.

Regards,

Joop

[Mark Nord]

Hi Joop,

Your patch is at the correct offset for ebook.so (1.1.00.18040) and is loaded correct by prsp.sh.

Unfortunately I can't share main.xml used by me, as I'm still using an non-standard version based on the german 1.4 firmware.
But you are right, the modifications to main.xml have to be applied in different places.
I will attach main.xml based on the one from the repository with the neccessary changes applied.

The hanging at startup could be caused by syntax-error in the xml-file.
(I simply open the xml in a browser and see if it a error will be shown. Maybe not the most elegant way of doing but quick and straight.)
Or by a missing or wrong named Standby-pic. Name is case-sensitive and it had to be placed in the root of IM.

XVI32 interesting suggestion, thx!
But I commended HTE because of its ability to show a disassembly of the elf-code. Making it easier to locate the right address to patch.
Am I missing something with XVI32?

In case of any problem reset the reader and immediately connect it to USB. This way the standard Sony-FW without PRS+ will be loaded and you can access IM via standard file-browser.

HTH
Mark

[kartu]

By the way, HTE is not a a DOS application, it's actually win32. Not all console apps are DOS...

[JvdW]

Originally Posted by kartu

By the way, HTE is not a a DOS application, it's actually win32. Not all console apps are DOS...

Sorry, it runs in a console and resizing is horrible to say the least. Further is reminds me of dozens of Borland apps that I used 10+ years ago

Regards,

Joop

[JvdW]

Originally Posted by Mark Nord

Hi Joop,

I will attach main.xml based on the one from the repository with the neccessary changes applied.

Yep, the main.xml works.

Or by a missing or wrong named Standby-pic. Name is case-sensitive and it had to be placed in the root of IM.

OK, I assumed that the picture wouldn't be needed until I switched off the reader but from your comment it looks for the picture the moment it started and I didn't put one in IM.

XVI32 interesting suggestion, thx!
But I commended HTE because of its ability to show a disassembly of the elf-code. Making it easier to locate the right address to patch.
Am I missing something with XVI32?

No it doesn't have the ability to disassemble a file. Its a pure hex editor.
I was going to recommend IDA Pro but the free download of 5.0 doesn't know how to disassemble ARM elf executables. The full trial version does.

Regards,

Joop

[sebastienbillard]

Hi, I see that PRS-plus support folders which is great and may make me love again my PRS-600, but how are books displayed ? with the usual titles, or with file names ? Usual titles are crap when you read mostly downloaded documents / home made books.

[elcreative]

When browsing file/folder you see filenames, when reading it's whatever is in metadata... if you don't like either then change them... that's one of the jobs that calibre performs superbly...

Originally Posted by sebastienbillard

Hi, I see that PRS-plus support folders which is great and may make me love again my PRS-600, but how are books displayed ? with the usual titles, or with file names ? Usual titles are crap when you read mostly downloaded documents / home made books.

[kartu]

For unscanned books filenames are displayed, otherwise whatever is in metadata. However you can always sort by filename.

[welshkid]

Sorry to keep on with the questions, but I'm a bit confused on how to use HTE or XVI32 to apply the patch?
Thanks for all the help

[Mark Nord]

Just open mentioned ebook.so with your favorite hex-editor, go to offset 0xBA64 (kindly provided by JvdW), and overwrite the four (4) bytes 14 FB FF EB there with 00 00 A0 E1, save and you are done.