NickelClock: Show time while reading

[sherman]

Hi Folks

I've made some significant changes to NickelClock this Easter, and I would love a couple of testers with the new devices who have had troubles with unwanted/distracting flashes while updating.

If you're one of those people, can you please try the attached test build?

Just install/upgrade as usual. There are a couple of new settings that have been added. You can add these yourself, or let NickelClock update your settings file automatically.

In the [Clock] and [Battery] groups, there is a new setting called Update, which can be set to one of Immediate or ContentChange. The Immediate option behaves like it always has, updating the clock or battery whenever the time or battery level changes. The ContentChange option only updates when the contents of the screen changes (eg: open menu, or turn page).

I have switched to using custom clock and battery widgets, so can you please test if the Immediate option still causes unwanted flashing?

You can also customize the format of how time is displayed. See this link from Qt about the possible formatting options.

Another change is that the battery icon should now work in dark mode.

[sherman]

Just a heads up, having used the test version on my Forma this evening, that the clock stops updating after a while.

Anyone who tests this will probably want to reinstall 0.3.3 afterward until I can figure out a fix.

[fogice]

Ooh, I'm looking forward to that ContentChange option. I stopped using NickelClock on my Libra 2, because I thought it might be causing freezes, and removing it seemed to have reduced the freezes. I can't test it now, though, I'm about to go on vacation and need to keep things stable.

[jackie_w]

Tested on a Libra Colour fw 4.45.23646. Tests also restricted to clock display because changes to battery% are so much slower and unpredictable.

Originally Posted by sherman

I have switched to using custom clock and battery widgets, so can you please test if the Immediate option still causes unwanted flashing?

Yes, in Immediate mode there is still flashing under the same circumstances as previously (e.g. after a dictionary look-up).

In ContentChange mode, there is a flash (if the displayed time needs to change) even if Page Refresh is set to 1. On page turn the expected whole-page-flash happens immediately followed by a separate NickelClock time-flash.

As previously, flashing is cleared by exiting then re-opening the book.

Originally Posted by sherman

Another change is that the battery icon should now work in dark mode.

I didn't understand this. What problem occurs with the battery icon in dark mode?

[sherman]

Originally Posted by jackie_w

Tested on a Libra Colour fw 4.45.23646. Tests also restricted to clock display because changes to battery% are so much slower and unpredictable.



Yes, in Immediate mode there is still flashing under the same circumstances as previously (e.g. after a dictionary look-up).

In ContentChange mode, there is a flash (if the displayed time needs to change) even if Page Refresh is set to 1. On page turn the expected whole-page-flash happens immediately followed by a separate NickelClock time-flash.

As previously, flashing is cleared by exiting then re-opening the book.

Is it an improvement over the previous version in any way? My current strategy is to update the clock/battery widgets when a QPaintEvent is sent to the ReadingView.

Originally Posted by jackie_w

I didn't understand this. What problem occurs with the battery icon in dark mode?

The icon colours were never inverted when in dark mode, making it fairly useless.

[fogice]

OK, I can't stay away from new shiny stuff.

ContentChange mode is not working properly for me. I expect it to update every time I turn the page (unless the page takes me less than a minute to read, of course). When I read the first time, the time was stuck at the initial time for about 15 minutes until I noticed it hadn't changed. I tapped to open the menus and see the Kobo official time, and when I returned, the extension time was corrected. It worked for a while, then got stuck again.

I closed the book sleepcover, came back hours later, and the time was stuck where it had been when I had closed the book earlier. Checking Kobo time did not release it. Going to the Home Screen and reopening the book brought the extension time back to correct, and it continued to update as I read.

Let me know how I can help you troubleshoot this.

Kobo Libra 2, firmware 4.38.23648

[sherman]

Originally Posted by fogice

OK, I can't stay away from new shiny stuff.

ContentChange mode is not working properly for me. I expect it to update every time I turn the page (unless the page takes me less than a minute to read, of course). When I read the first time, the time was stuck at the initial time for about 15 minutes until I noticed it hadn't changed. I tapped to open the menus and see the Kobo official time, and when I returned, the extension time was corrected. It worked for a while, then got stuck again.

I closed the book sleepcover, came back hours later, and the time was stuck where it had been when I had closed the book earlier. Checking Kobo time did not release it. Going to the Home Screen and reopening the book brought the extension time back to correct, and it continued to update as I read.

Let me know how I can help you troubleshoot this.

Kobo Libra 2, firmware 4.38.23648

Hi thanks for testing.


I did make a follow-up post saying the time stops updating after a while. I'm not yet sure why this is happening though.

[Apollyon202]

Originally Posted by sherman

Hi thanks for testing.


I did make a follow-up post saying the time stops updating after a while. I'm not yet sure why this is happening though.

I have a Libra 2. I'm using only Immediate mode, but - as you said - after a while it gets stuck. The only thing that unstucks it is closing and reopening a book. I'm keeping it though, as I can finally have a battery icon in dark mode now, lol.

[Apollyon202]

Originally Posted by Apollyon202

I have a Libra 2. I'm using only Immediate mode, but - as you said - after a while it gets stuck. The only thing that unstucks it is closing and reopening a book. I'm keeping it though, as I can finally have a battery icon in dark mode now, lol.

Reverted to v0.3.3. A bit suspicious that v0.3.3-4 might have caused some battery drain.

[sherman]

Hi all

I've released v0.4.0-beta1.

Changes since last test version

I have reverted most of the changes from the previous test version. The Update setting is gone. It didn't solve the flashing issue so I didn't see the point in keeping it.

I have switched back to the original TimeLabel, as the custom one stopped updating the time after a while.

New Features

A proper fix for the flashing on colour Kobo ereaders has been implemented. A huge thanks to @mon on Github who figured out what was happening and submitted a fix (with disclosed AI assistance). See the PR for all the details. TLDR, kobo sets an eink refresh mode hint when opening the dictionary on colour devices, but never clears it when closing the dictionary.

A new battery widget has been implemented. The battery icon displays properly in dark mode. I've also cropped the battery icon to remove excess margins.

[jackie_w]

@sherman, I can confirm no more flashing on a Libra Colour after a dictionary lookup. Thanks very much

[jillmess]

Originally Posted by jackie_w

@sherman, I can confirm no more flashing on a Libra Colour after a dictionary lookup. Thanks very much

Ditto on my Clara Colour. Thank you.

[sherman]

Thanks for the feedback. I'll wait a few days before removing the beta label just in case someone discovers something wrong.

[PeterT]

I've passed this info onto Kobo development