libkb.so a library worth hacking

[chris_c]

libkb.so on the kindle is very probably an on screen keyboard

it calls a number of gtk functions which indicates it could well indeed be a keyboard

I've linked to it and attempted to call some of the functions

kb_globals_init

might work but I don't know if it returns anything or even expects a function....

kb_main

causes a seg fault which is no surprise !

any clues I've gained are via
arm-linux-gnueabi-nm -D -n libkb.so


anyone got any ideas on this library?

[knc1]

objdump -d
Your host system objdump may be able to do that, otherwise use the one in the cross-compile install.

I often have a binutils built with the config option target=all so am not sure what may be installed on your system.

[eureka]

Originally Posted by chris_c

libkb.so on the kindle is very probably an on screen keyboard

I'm kindly asking you to dump your future findings (if any) not only in this thread, but also in wiki: Kindle_Touch_Hacking#On-screen_keyboard

[twobob]

I'm sure this is a stupid suggestion but...

Do you have any experience with Qt. Might not be a terrible option if it's in your skills price range. A lot of underlying support for it's bits and bats in the kindle already.

I have a k5 in the pipeline and shunting a microkernel into memory running parallel with extra enabled kernel level features may also be an option in the medium term.

Whilst this isn't about your OSK lib - it is about alternate sources of low hanging fruit.

Throw rocks now, I'm done.

[chris_c]

ya not gonna love me for this, but I much prefer gtk ! ....

[twobob]

no - that's fine. if gtk is your bent, sobeit.

[chris_c]

turns out libkbd isn't really needed there's any easier way
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...8&postcount=28

here's it running in a homebrew gtk app....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMr1VAmgThY

gt-key lol!

I'll write a mini tutorial once I get some time to code something a little less sucky

[geekmaster]

Originally Posted by chris_c

turns out libkbd isn't really needed there's any easier way
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...8&postcount=28

here's it running in a homebrew gtk app....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMr1VAmgThY

gt-key lol!

I'll write a mini tutorial once I get some time to code something a little less sucky

Thanks for pointing our eureka's post. Really. I do not know HOW I could have missed it the first time. I gave him some karma for that one. Good news! And some karma for you too for bringing it to my attention.

[chris_c]

just goes to show, its *is* worth digging through the wiki!! :-o

[knc1]

Originally Posted by chris_c

just goes to show, its *is* worth digging through the wiki!! :-o

Add it to the index page(s) if it has any value.

[eureka]

Originally Posted by chris_c

turns out libkbd isn't really needed there's any easier way
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...8&postcount=28

So, now /usr/lib/liblipc.so is the library worth hacking?

[chris_c]

Originally Posted by knc1

Please stop including disparaging remarks in your posts.

The expected norm on this site is that of public courtesy.

No amount of similes is a substitute for using common courtesy.

Some of our members are pre-teens, they don't need the examples of bad behavior.
Not even from someone who might be a pre-teenager them self.

I'm not sure how describing my own hack potentially misusing someones great discovery as sucky is disparaging.
I frequently make rough code doodles that suck for a variety of reasons, I consider describing something that is rough as something that sucks language that is fine even for pre-teens from whom I frequently hear using far worse.

Please refrain from sending me private messages in future.


@eureka - possibly! How did you figure out the lipc command for the keyboard, I'd love to find out if there's one for turning the pages in the reader...
Sorry if you thought I might be suggesting your discovery was in anyway poor, I thought it obvious I was referring to my abuse of it...

[twobob]

Actually PM's are exactly the type of place for that stuff.

But there you go.

Extrapolating from

LIPC
LIPC is essentially an inter-process communication tool. Processes can start other apps, send events to them, register listeners for events, etc. Internally, it is (seems to be) built on dbus. There are LIPC bindings for the higher-level layers as well, which for example enables a Webkit application (written in HTML+Javascript) to communicate with a Java service, or a native application, etc. Complex data structures are encoded as JSON.
[edit] Application registry
In fact, LIPC is an essential underpinning of the system. There is an SQLite database located at /var/local/appreg.db containing a lot of information about how the "wiring" is performed. (This DB seems to be the "union" of the files /var/local/reg/ServerConfig.db and /var/local/reg/prereg.db).
Below are excerpts from a dump of it. While not everything is fully understood yet, there are a few "educated guesses" added as comments:

and

Starting arbitrary applications

lipc-set-prop com.lab126.appmgrd start app://com.lab126.booklet.settings?diagnosticMode=\;411 -- start settings activity. Because of the appended parameter, this goes directly to the 411 diagnostic screen (device info)

taken from here

one could reasonably assume you are looking for an appended ie command;pageturn , quite possibly obfuscated away somewhere in there.

PS. for the record it it far more polite to say "Dont PM me again" in a PM rather than for all and sundry to see... and the quote is -roughly- from the forum rules if I'm not mistaken (again)

Hope that helps, possibly won't : )

[eureka]

Originally Posted by chris_c

@eureka - possibly! How did you figure out the lipc command for the keyboard, I'd love to find out if there's one for turning the pages in the reader...
Sorry if you thought I might be suggesting your discovery was in anyway poor, I thought it obvious I was referring to my abuse of it...

Don't worry, I didn't put any negative meanings (or sub-meanings) into my words. To be clear, I just wanted to point to underlying library, which is lipc-set-prop linked with -- in hope, that despite lost interest in libkb.so, you still has original intention to dig into [any significant] library API and, maybe, document it.

Precise lipc-set-prop command was found with: examining output of strings for relevant executables and libaries, examining of lipc-probe output, looking into logs after interaction with keyboard (showlog with LIPC property logLevel of relevant LIPC publisher set to debug9). Full list of sub-layouts and flag names were found in decompiled code of Java UI (i.e. framework code).