New port of the "links" web browser

Tulapi · 06-29-2011, 06:49 AM

People in the russian forum have just started a new port of the "links" web browser (kind of text-mode browser. the one used to access to bookland site). They have added the ability to use it offline.

PRO series
Installation
You have to put links.app and links-offline.app (offline browser - you have to add it to extensions.cfg in order to use it with HTML files)
in /system/bin/

and links-browser.app (online browser)
in "applications" folder.

It is really beta now. There is now a bug-tracker for Pocketbook (registration is in russian, but then you can change your langage preferences)

Font size
In the Russian forum, sergueyvl provides us an usefult tip to change the defaut font size :
Open links-browser.app in a text editor and replace the line :

Code:

exec /mnt/ext1/system/bin/links.app -bookland-off http://www.google.com

by

Code:

cd /mnt/ext1/system/bin/
./links.app -bookland-off -html-user-font-size 30 http://www.google.com

You can naturally replace "30" by whatever you want. And you can change the links-offline.app file too.
See attachment for a sample of the result on Pro 602.

3xx series
There is now a port of the Links browser for the 3xx series.

paola · 06-29-2011, 04:05 PM

Tulapi, thanks for the tip!

paola · 06-29-2011, 04:40 PM

actually, I cannot make it work as an offline reader- when I try and use "open with", I get an error message "programe cannot start". However the application on its own does start. I have checked the cfg file a hundred times, and all is spelled correctly there. Any idea? I am on firmware 2.1.1. In fact, now that I think about it I have a similar problem with teh Hacked version of adobeviewer. Any ideas?

Tulapi · 07-01-2011, 04:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paola

actually, I cannot make it work as an offline reader- when I try and use "open with", I get an error message "programe cannot start". However the application on its own does start. I have checked the cfg file a hundred times, and all is spelled correctly there. Any idea? I am on firmware 2.1.1. In fact, now that I think about it I have a similar problem with teh Hacked version of adobeviewer. Any ideas?

I am sorry paola, I have misunderstood the instructions. You have to put links-offline.app in /system/bin/. I have checked : it works now.

(I have edited my initial message).

osowiecki · 07-04-2011, 02:20 PM

FW 2.1.1 - 'offline-browser' does not work.
There is no "program cannot start" message."Links" just does not start.

paola · 07-04-2011, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by osowiecki

FW 2.1.1 - 'offline-browser' does not work.
There is no "program cannot start" message."Links" just does not start.

it does work on my pb903, though (also FW2.1.1) - so you "open with" the links, ad nothing happens? could it be a problem with the file you are trying to open?

osowiecki · 07-04-2011, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paola

it does work on my pb903, though (also FW2.1.1) - so you "open with" the links, ad nothing happens? could it be a problem with the file you are trying to open?

There are 2 versions of FW 2.1.x, right? (mine is E903.2.1.0 20110512_175317) This might be it. I'll try to upgrade to that second 2.1.x FW and check it.
I have put links-browser.app into the "Applications" folder. Other 2 apps went to "system=>bin".
In "System>Config>extensions.cfg" I put "links-offline.app" for all HTML's.
When I select "open with > links-offline" the screen flashes and nothing happens.

Update :

I have updated to E903.2.1.1 20110610_174556.
Still nothing.

paola · 07-04-2011, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by osowiecki

I have updated to E903.2.1.1 20110610_174556.
Still nothing.

this is the same I have - and I have doen as you have. Why don't you try and open the attached file? It does open fine in my device, so we can test - I've just read on the Russian forum that for some unknown reasons sometimes even file which should open, don't.

osowiecki · 07-04-2011, 05:35 PM

Quote:

The problem was the file link?
Inside Link-offline.app we can see :

#!/bin/sh
exec /mnt/ext1/system/bin/links.app -bookland-off -offline $1

So..I created "system/bin/" on microSD card and placed links.app + links-offline.app in there. Now it works. (?)
What is the proper name of 'PB903' internal partition?

Ok..after the reset ,program started to work fine. (No SD manipulations are needed).
Strange...

Sorry for all the fuss.

Tulapi · 07-16-2011, 08:49 AM

Added the ability to change the font size (see first message of the thread).

Tulapi · 07-20-2011, 05:21 AM

Links is now available for 30x series. (see first message)

paola · 07-20-2011, 06:57 PM

Tulapi, many thanks - just one qeustion: is it me, or it is NOT possible to bookmark a page with the links browser?

Tulapi · 07-22-2011, 03:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paola

Tulapi, many thanks - just one qeustion: is it me, or it is NOT possible to bookmark a page with the links browser?

Bookmarks exist in the Links software, but I don't know a way to to activate it, sorry !
I don't have a touchscreen, so I don't know if it is possible to open a menu (does something happen when you click on bar on the top edge of the window ?)

paola · 07-22-2011, 03:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tulapi

Bookmarks exist in the Links software, but I don't know a way to to activate it, sorry !
I don't have a touchscreen, so I don't know if it is possible to open a menu (does something happen when you click on bar on the top edge of the window ?)

thanks Tulapi: as far as I can tell, the only thing that pops up is the keyboard (to enter the address you want).

gshank · 07-24-2011, 09:20 PM

One of the big problems with the user installed links, is that it wasn't finding a "home" directory, so it had no place to put the history, etc. I've recompiled it and supplied it with the USERDATA directory, which is /mnt/ext1/system. So now this links will create a links home directory under the system directory. And back and forward (in history) seems to actually work now. I've also included a script to startup the browser with a local html file in which you can put your own links, making it practically possible to use the browser.

I looked at the code for the bookmarks function in links, and it would require a fair amount of code to implement connections to it. I got a quickmenu to pop up, and then got it to pop up the book mark handler, but getting it actually usable will be a fair amount of work, and I don't know how much time I'll have for it.

So here's a new compile of the browser and an example script and "start.html" file to put "bookmarks" in...

Gerda

p.s. this is for the pro versions. I'm not sure there's any reason to use a browser in the others? if someone wants it, let me know, and I'll compile it.

06-29-2011, 06:49 AM	#1
Tulapi Connoisseur Posts: 58 Karma: 3050 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: Pocketbook pro 602, Nook Simple Touch, Inkbook Classic 2, T63 JDRead	New port of the "links" web browser People in the russian forum have just started a new port of the "links" web browser (kind of text-mode browser. the one used to access to bookland site). They have added the ability to use it offline. PRO series Installation You have to put links.app and links-offline.app (offline browser - you have to add it to extensions.cfg in order to use it with HTML files) in /system/bin/ and links-browser.app (online browser) in "applications" folder. It is really beta now. There is now a bug-tracker for Pocketbook (registration is in russian, but then you can change your langage preferences) Font size In the Russian forum, sergueyvl provides us an usefult tip to change the defaut font size : Open links-browser.app in a text editor and replace the line : Code: exec /mnt/ext1/system/bin/links.app -bookland-off http://www.google.com by Code: cd /mnt/ext1/system/bin/ ./links.app -bookland-off -html-user-font-size 30 http://www.google.com You can naturally replace "30" by whatever you want. And you can change the links-offline.app file too. See attachment for a sample of the result on Pro 602. 3xx series There is now a port of the Links browser for the 3xx series. Attached Thumbnails Last edited by Tulapi; 09-02-2011 at 09:00 AM. Reason: convert image to PNG to have a thumbnail

07-04-2011, 02:20 PM	#5
osowiecki Connoisseur Posts: 64 Karma: 3252 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Poland Device: ASUS eee Note / Nook Touch	FW 2.1.1 - 'offline-browser' does not work. There is no "program cannot start" message."Links" just does not start. Last edited by osowiecki; 07-04-2011 at 03:27 PM.

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06-29-2011, 04:05 PM	#2
paola Wizard Posts: 2,840 Karma: 5843878 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: UK Device: Pocketbook Pro 903, (beloved Pocketbook 360 RIP), Kobo Mini, Kobo Aura	Tulapi, thanks for the tip!

06-29-2011, 04:40 PM	#3
paola Wizard Posts: 2,840 Karma: 5843878 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: UK Device: Pocketbook Pro 903, (beloved Pocketbook 360 RIP), Kobo Mini, Kobo Aura	actually, I cannot make it work as an offline reader- when I try and use "open with", I get an error message "programe cannot start". However the application on its own does start. I have checked the cfg file a hundred times, and all is spelled correctly there. Any idea? I am on firmware 2.1.1. In fact, now that I think about it I have a similar problem with teh Hacked version of adobeviewer. Any ideas?

07-16-2011, 08:49 AM	#10
Tulapi Connoisseur Posts: 58 Karma: 3050 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: Pocketbook pro 602, Nook Simple Touch, Inkbook Classic 2, T63 JDRead	Added the ability to change the font size (see first message of the thread).

07-20-2011, 05:21 AM	#11
Tulapi Connoisseur Posts: 58 Karma: 3050 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: Pocketbook pro 602, Nook Simple Touch, Inkbook Classic 2, T63 JDRead	Links is now available for 30x series. (see first message)

07-20-2011, 06:57 PM	#12
paola Wizard Posts: 2,840 Karma: 5843878 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: UK Device: Pocketbook Pro 903, (beloved Pocketbook 360 RIP), Kobo Mini, Kobo Aura	Tulapi, many thanks - just one qeustion: is it me, or it is NOT possible to bookmark a page with the links browser?