Libra 2 Sketching on the Libra 2

Mar71n · 02-01-2023, 09:10 AM

Hi, im new here. I use the build-in beta Sketch Pad to doodle on my Libra 2, but im wondering if anything similar exists, that has more features? Like choosing line width, erase, or use gray tones?

Ive been looking around but can't seem to find anything. So, I wonder if anyone has tried experimenting with this? I know nothing about developing for Kobo, but at one point I came across some Qt docker on Github that seems to include something called Scribble, but again, I don't now anything about how to build or run this. It still left me curious, though.

I know there are other devices out there that can do this better, but Im not really looking to get a new device, just want to see if anything is available on the Libra 2.

Quoth · 02-01-2023, 09:16 AM

Not on any Kobo, except Sage & Elipsa using the Kobo (or some MS Surface) Pens.
The touch interface is too low a resolution for decent sketching anyway even if you had a better application. The Sage and Elipsa don't use touch for drawing but a special digitiser layer under the screen. On them the touch is only use for normal finger operations.

The regular sketchpad is hidden on the Sage & Elipsa as the Basic Notebook or Advanced Notebooks are far far better.

Mar71n · 02-01-2023, 09:26 AM

Ok, thanks for the reply. While the Sage and Elipsa are surely better for sketching and note taking, I would argue that using a suitable pen, it is actually entirely possible to sketch fairly precise on the Libra 2.
I use the Renaisser Raphael 520C and that is perfectly fine. It's actually surprisingly accurate.

Quoth · 02-01-2023, 01:16 PM

Only the Sage and Elipsa support a real pen. The things with a rubber tip as a stylus for phone/tablet only give same resolution as a finger. The capacitive touch is only just good enough to use menus, keyboard and you find if font too small you can't easily highlight.
The Pen uses a digitiser inside the Sage & Elipsa that is probably higher resolution than a pixel. The other models have no digitiser.

Mar71n · 02-01-2023, 02:57 PM

Well, the fact is that I am able to use a pen that is pretty much the equivalent to the Surface Pen, and it works! It is much more precise than a normal capacitive rubber stylus or a finger, and as I mentioned earlier, it is surprisingly accurate.

In fact, I actually just discovered that using the two buttons on the pen, I am able to both erase and draw with a thick line width! So problem solved I guess

Quoth · 02-01-2023, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mar71n

Well, the fact is that I am able to use a pen that is pretty much the equivalent to the Surface Pen, and it works! It is much more precise than a normal capacitive rubber stylus or a finger, and as I mentioned earlier, it is surprisingly accurate.

In fact, I actually just discovered that using the two buttons on the pen, I am able to both erase and draw with a thick line width! So problem solved I guess

I just checked as I have a Libra original and a Libra 2.
The Libra 2 obviously has a digitiser, because the Kobo pen works. The button nearer tip does fat and other button does erase.

The Libra, which is very similar but older does not have a digitiser, neither a Kobo Pen or Surface Pen works at all.

The Pen will highlight on the Libra 2, but not the original Libra.

Perhaps Kobo will release the Notebook feature later for the Libra 2.

The Pen doesn't work on a Nia or H2O original either.

So you made an interesting discovery. I'd already tried other Kobo models (not expecting it to work), but I'd not tested the Libra 2 which I most recently got, because I assumed it would have the Notebooks if there was a digitiser.

I can verify neither kind of Wacom Pen/Stylus works on any Kobo.

Quoth · 02-01-2023, 03:23 PM

I just put a PDF on the Libra2 same as on the Sage, that is image based.

On the Sage you can scribble / write / draw on the PDF. You can't on the Libra 2.

The Sketchpad is hidden on the Sage & Elipsa but DevModeOn adds it and it does work with the pen.

Mysterious.

Cootey · 02-01-2023, 04:09 PM

Fascinating! It looks like you're both right! The doodle app isn't much to write home about, but if you add a Kobo pen to the mix, you might get a better experience with that app. There are other threads on here where ppl discuss third party pens that work with the Sage and Elipsa. I'd recommend looking for them so that you don't invest too much while experimenting with your Libra 2

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

Mar71n · 02-01-2023, 04:46 PM

Yes, as I mentioned earlier, I use the Renaisser Raphael 520C (designed to work with MS Surface). Its very nice. As an affordable alternative to other MPP stylus, I can thoroughly recommend it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quoth

Perhaps Kobo will release the Notebook feature later for the Libra 2.

Yes, I do hope so!

Still, if anyone knows of any interesting ports of drawing related apps, that would work on the Libra 2, please let me know.

By the way, I also came across this video demonstrating someone using an MS Surface Pen with a Libra 2

elinkser · 02-01-2023, 11:51 PM

If it's just for doodling, check out the plato app! Surprised nobody mentioned the neat little drawing app included in it. It is more fun than the kobo one.

Mar71n · 02-02-2023, 04:57 AM

Thanks! I'll check it out!

Quoth · 02-02-2023, 05:54 AM

My MS Surface compatible pen, bought for Sage, is nearly identical to the Kobo model, but 1/2 the price. About 1/8th price of official MS. But the Kobo Pen has come down in price a lot and at least spare tips are still available.

The Apple Pencil doesn't work. Though a 1/3rd party 1/9th price Pencil works on an iPad. You can install the Nebo that Sage uses on iPad, models that work with a Pencil, though it's not quite the same.

tk421 · 03-03-2023, 10:11 AM

Just came accross this thread.

Surprised that the Kobo Libra 2 has hidden Microsoft Pen Protocol support.

Has anyone tested the new Clara 2E to see if it has that hidden feature as well?

Using the Clara 2E with a Kobo or Surface pen and the Sketch Pad app would make it a very enticing buy for me.

Thanks in advance.

Quoth · 03-03-2023, 02:32 PM

It's very limited. You can save (creates an svg that can be copied by USB) but not reload to edit. The svg documents do appear in view only mode in My Books.
Don't get a rechargeable pen or one with BT for One Note
The cheapest MS Surface pen I got was £23. They keep vanishing off Amazon.
But the Official Kobo Pen has come down a lot. Nearly 1/2 original price.
I've used Wacom since 1990s and had both kinds.
I've tested a 3rd party (Ciscle brand) Apple Pencil on an iPad.
A rechargeable MS /Kobo compatible pen is about 300 hours use, 100 to 400 complete equivalent charge cycles and can't be replaced. At 1/2 life about 150hours. Will self discharge.

The Alkaline AAAA cell is as low as 25c, some 9V packs have 6 inside (but the spud is negative!) and lasts over 1500 hours, about 6 months. It will last nearly 10 years in a cool drawer.

The Wacom (like Bamboo) and Wacom EMR are trickier to use, more complex and powered from the screen or drawing digitiser.

The four kinds of electronic stylus for digitisers are incompatible
1a) Kobo & basic model for MS Surface 3 and later (without BT). MS bought the company that developed it. Different makes may use different tips.
1b) A more advanced MS Pen that also has BT and a BT based button for One Note. Seems daft.
2) Original Wacom, used on drawing digitisers and some laptops like Lenovo X201.
3) Wacom EMR. Used on Kindle Scribe, reMarkable and some others.
4) Apple Pencil. Many 3rd party models.

Some gadgets and some stylus/pens may do more than one system.

Some rechargeable models use inductive charging rather than USB. An even worse gimmick.
Some are magnetic for various phones/tablets. Avoid for ereader as it may affect Sleep sensor.

Some positions of pen near a device will wake pen and waste battery or cause spurious drawing.

tk421 · 03-03-2023, 04:02 PM

Thanks for the reply.

I am aware of the different pen protocols. I think Wacom EMR is the best and most versatile. It's the protocol Samsung uses on their Galaxy phones and tablets, and they used it on their Chromebooks as well. Now they have to support USI which is a bummer...

MPP has gotten a lot better with the arrival of the slim pen 2. Diagonal lines show far less jitter, the tilt function is more sensitive, and the initial activation force is low enough to be realistic. It's closing the gap with Wacom EMR.

I'm planning on getting a Kindle Scribe later, since the latest update has made it a true contender in the enotes race. But I like to use Kobo as an ereader just so I am no stuck in the Amazon ecosystem. Kobo has fixed annotaions syncing in the US and Canada (mostly fixed) so it's a viable option now.

If the Kobo Clara 2E supported the Surface pen or Kobo pen I would almost certainly buy one. It would be a true pocket scratchpad.

Has anybody tried a Surface or Kobo pen on the new Clara 2E? I am thinking of buying one just to test.

02-01-2023, 09:10 AM	#1
Mar71n Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2023 Device: Kobo Libra 2	Sketching on the Libra 2 Hi, im new here. I use the build-in beta Sketch Pad to doodle on my Libra 2, but im wondering if anything similar exists, that has more features? Like choosing line width, erase, or use gray tones? Ive been looking around but can't seem to find anything. So, I wonder if anyone has tried experimenting with this? I know nothing about developing for Kobo, but at one point I came across some Qt docker on Github that seems to include something called Scribble, but again, I don't now anything about how to build or run this. It still left me curious, though. I know there are other devices out there that can do this better, but Im not really looking to get a new device, just want to see if anything is available on the Libra 2.

03-03-2023, 02:32 PM	#14
Quoth Still reading Posts: 14,030 Karma: 105092227 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper	It's very limited. You can save (creates an svg that can be copied by USB) but not reload to edit. The svg documents do appear in view only mode in My Books. Don't get a rechargeable pen or one with BT for One Note The cheapest MS Surface pen I got was £23. They keep vanishing off Amazon. But the Official Kobo Pen has come down a lot. Nearly 1/2 original price. I've used Wacom since 1990s and had both kinds. I've tested a 3rd party (Ciscle brand) Apple Pencil on an iPad. A rechargeable MS /Kobo compatible pen is about 300 hours use, 100 to 400 complete equivalent charge cycles and can't be replaced. At 1/2 life about 150hours. Will self discharge. The Alkaline AAAA cell is as low as 25c, some 9V packs have 6 inside (but the spud is negative!) and lasts over 1500 hours, about 6 months. It will last nearly 10 years in a cool drawer. The Wacom (like Bamboo) and Wacom EMR are trickier to use, more complex and powered from the screen or drawing digitiser. The four kinds of electronic stylus for digitisers are incompatible 1a) Kobo & basic model for MS Surface 3 and later (without BT). MS bought the company that developed it. Different makes may use different tips. 1b) A more advanced MS Pen that also has BT and a BT based button for One Note. Seems daft. 2) Original Wacom, used on drawing digitisers and some laptops like Lenovo X201. 3) Wacom EMR. Used on Kindle Scribe, reMarkable and some others. 4) Apple Pencil. Many 3rd party models. Some gadgets and some stylus/pens may do more than one system. Some rechargeable models use inductive charging rather than USB. An even worse gimmick. Some are magnetic for various phones/tablets. Avoid for ereader as it may affect Sleep sensor. Some positions of pen near a device will wake pen and waste battery or cause spurious drawing. Last edited by Quoth; 03-03-2023 at 02:39 PM.

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02-01-2023, 09:16 AM	#2
Quoth Still reading Posts: 14,030 Karma: 105092227 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper	Not on any Kobo, except Sage & Elipsa using the Kobo (or some MS Surface) Pens. The touch interface is too low a resolution for decent sketching anyway even if you had a better application. The Sage and Elipsa don't use touch for drawing but a special digitiser layer under the screen. On them the touch is only use for normal finger operations. The regular sketchpad is hidden on the Sage & Elipsa as the Basic Notebook or Advanced Notebooks are far far better.

02-01-2023, 09:26 AM	#3
Mar71n Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2023 Device: Kobo Libra 2	Ok, thanks for the reply. While the Sage and Elipsa are surely better for sketching and note taking, I would argue that using a suitable pen, it is actually entirely possible to sketch fairly precise on the Libra 2. I use the Renaisser Raphael 520C and that is perfectly fine. It's actually surprisingly accurate.

02-01-2023, 01:16 PM	#4
Quoth Still reading Posts: 14,030 Karma: 105092227 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper	Only the Sage and Elipsa support a real pen. The things with a rubber tip as a stylus for phone/tablet only give same resolution as a finger. The capacitive touch is only just good enough to use menus, keyboard and you find if font too small you can't easily highlight. The Pen uses a digitiser inside the Sage & Elipsa that is probably higher resolution than a pixel. The other models have no digitiser.

02-01-2023, 02:57 PM	#5
Mar71n Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2023 Device: Kobo Libra 2	Well, the fact is that I am able to use a pen that is pretty much the equivalent to the Surface Pen, and it works! It is much more precise than a normal capacitive rubber stylus or a finger, and as I mentioned earlier, it is surprisingly accurate. In fact, I actually just discovered that using the two buttons on the pen, I am able to both erase and draw with a thick line width! So problem solved I guess

02-01-2023, 03:23 PM	#7
Quoth Still reading Posts: 14,030 Karma: 105092227 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper	I just put a PDF on the Libra2 same as on the Sage, that is image based. On the Sage you can scribble / write / draw on the PDF. You can't on the Libra 2. The Sketchpad is hidden on the Sage & Elipsa but DevModeOn adds it and it does work with the pen. Mysterious.

02-01-2023, 04:09 PM	#8
Cootey Absentminded Reader Posts: 1,324 Karma: 7387565 Join Date: Apr 2017 Device: Kobo Mini, Libra Colour & Elipsa; Kindle Paperwhite 3 & 4; iOS apps	Fascinating! It looks like you're both right! The doodle app isn't much to write home about, but if you add a Kobo pen to the mix, you might get a better experience with that app. There are other threads on here where ppl discuss third party pens that work with the Sage and Elipsa. I'd recommend looking for them so that you don't invest too much while experimenting with your Libra 2 Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

02-01-2023, 11:51 PM	#10
elinkser Addict Posts: 239 Karma: 146236 Join Date: Oct 2022 Device: Kobo Clara HD	If it's just for doodling, check out the plato app! Surprised nobody mentioned the neat little drawing app included in it. It is more fun than the kobo one.

02-02-2023, 04:57 AM	#11
Mar71n Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2023 Device: Kobo Libra 2	Thanks! I'll check it out!

02-02-2023, 05:54 AM	#12
Quoth Still reading Posts: 14,030 Karma: 105092227 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper	My MS Surface compatible pen, bought for Sage, is nearly identical to the Kobo model, but 1/2 the price. About 1/8th price of official MS. But the Kobo Pen has come down in price a lot and at least spare tips are still available. The Apple Pencil doesn't work. Though a 1/3rd party 1/9th price Pencil works on an iPad. You can install the Nebo that Sage uses on iPad, models that work with a Pencil, though it's not quite the same.

03-03-2023, 10:11 AM	#13
tk421 Member Posts: 10 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2015 Device: Kobo Aura HD	Just came accross this thread. Surprised that the Kobo Libra 2 has hidden Microsoft Pen Protocol support. Has anyone tested the new Clara 2E to see if it has that hidden feature as well? Using the Clara 2E with a Kobo or Surface pen and the Sketch Pad app would make it a very enticing buy for me. Thanks in advance.

03-03-2023, 04:02 PM	#15
tk421 Member Posts: 10 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2015 Device: Kobo Aura HD	Thanks for the reply. I am aware of the different pen protocols. I think Wacom EMR is the best and most versatile. It's the protocol Samsung uses on their Galaxy phones and tablets, and they used it on their Chromebooks as well. Now they have to support USI which is a bummer... MPP has gotten a lot better with the arrival of the slim pen 2. Diagonal lines show far less jitter, the tilt function is more sensitive, and the initial activation force is low enough to be realistic. It's closing the gap with Wacom EMR. I'm planning on getting a Kindle Scribe later, since the latest update has made it a true contender in the enotes race. But I like to use Kobo as an ereader just so I am no stuck in the Amazon ecosystem. Kobo has fixed annotaions syncing in the US and Canada (mostly fixed) so it's a viable option now. If the Kobo Clara 2E supported the Surface pen or Kobo pen I would almost certainly buy one. It would be a true pocket scratchpad. Has anybody tried a Surface or Kobo pen on the new Clara 2E? I am thinking of buying one just to test.