Kindle VNC viewer (native app, GPLv2)

[thatworkshop]

@hawhill: Is adding support for 8bpp difficult? (aimed for KT)

Error: 4BPP is supported for now

[hawhill]

I don't think so, since the amount of code I had to write at all is quite limited. In fact, it's probably even less code for an 8bit version (8bit uchar is a C type, 4bit high/low nybbles are not).

Then, there still aren't input features yet... (and those would be very different from a K3 to a Kindle Touch...)

Edit: Just had a short look. It's basically a shorter version of the rfb16ToFramebuffer4 function that's missing. Plus a bit of switching logic in main(). However, I'm not very tempted to implement that myself - I can't test it over here.

[arikfunke]

I have been waiting for a program just as this!

It works great but I am unsure of one thing: should this support forwarding inputs from the kindle to the host?

If I push any button on the kindle, the kindle framework "bleeds" through.

[hawhill]

Yep, that's unfortunately the state of things. I've not yet found the time to implement keyboard input. Only a few bits are missing (depending on how symbols/virtual keys are going to be implemented). I think today might be a good day to get back to that :-)

[arikfunke]

Great! I just wanted to hear that I was not simply too dense to get it working properly. - However, if you feel motivated to do some coding, may I offer my personal "wish-list" for input?

Given that the screen refresh is not too fast, I am not sure many people will be using it as a replacement for a normal keyboard but rather to send single keys to control one particular application? What you you think? How do you intend to use it?

--- As an asside:
I want to use kindlevncviewer on a sailing boat: I have a laptop that runs some navigation & mapping software. Unfortunately it needs to be plugged into the boat's communication network, is "heavy", does not like to get wet and is not sunlight-readible. - So it has to remain in the cabin.

I want to use kindlevncviewer to display the mapping software when I am outside. However I would like to send keys to pan the map for example, or to zoom in/out.
---------

For me it would thus be great if one could define "input macros". E.g. when pressing the key "l" I would like kindlevncviewer to send 10 times the key "left arrow".

Also very useful would be the possibility to link mouse-click commands to a key. E.g. key "a" --> "single mouse click on host display at position (X,Y)"

This would allow creating "keyboard shortcuts" for controlling a particular application without having to go into windows menus, wait for refreshes, etc.

What do you think?

[hawhill]

I think once again I'll interface the application with Lua and make all of this configurable... Then there's the possibility to have macros and stuff.

[hawhill]

Input handling is in place now. Current version now in the first posting in this topic. Ha, I already implemented half of it and forgot about it.

Edit "config.lua" to suit your needs (and special keyboard layouts). Sorry, you need to learn a slight bit of Lua to do that. But don't worry, it's a language which doesn't present big hurdles when starting with it.

If you build nice keyboard layouts, just publish them here.

[PoP]

Originally Posted by hawhill

...
If you build nice keyboard layouts, just publish them here.

Just for fun, I have coded a layout more or less matching Matan's myts terminal:

Sym+Key are currently unassigned. Scrolling up/down is not implemented.

[arikfunke]

@hawhill

Input handling via lua is really a great idea! I love how easy it is to modify!

One question though: Is there an easy way to determine screen orientation, e.g. for programming the four-way button?

Distinguishing between portrait and landscape should be easy enough with client_height and client_width, but one still does not know "which" landscape: keys on the left or on the right.

[dave2008]

Originally Posted by arikfunke

@hawhill

Input handling via lua is really a great idea! I love how easy it is to modify!

One question though: Is there an easy way to determine screen orientation, e.g. for programming the four-way button?

Distinguishing between portrait and landscape should be easy enough with client_height and client_width, but one still does not know "which" landscape: keys on the left or on the right.

Hi arikfunke,

We have rotation detection in kindlepdfviewer, you can checkout this file:
https://github.com/hwhw/kindlepdfvie...aster/keys.lua

Then you can adjust the key code according to the mode. kindlepdfviewer even use lua to build its own UI, lots of fun to hack with

[hawhill]

Good point. I think a fellow developer on the PDF reader project implemented something like this there: https://github.com/hwhw/kindlepdfvie...aster/keys.lua line 181 onwards.

It's probably overkill to ask for the setting upon each key press, so this could be done once, e.g. by putting it on global level (i.e. not in a function).

That's the nice thing when you use a programming language as configuration language :-)

Edit: Ah, dave beat me to it. That's often the case lately :-P (it's a good thing...). Yep, my preference for Lua had its effect on both projects. It's just so damn easy to integrate into C code and really helps people to realize complex szenarios.

[dave2008]

Originally Posted by hawhill

It's probably overkill to ask for the setting upon each key press, so this could be done once, e.g. by putting it on global level (i.e. not in a function).

Ha, you are right.

Originally Posted by hawhill

Edit: Ah, dave beat me to it. That's often the case lately :-P (it's a good thing...). Yep, my preference for Lua had its effect on both projects. It's just so damn easy to integrate into C code and really helps people to realize complex szenarios.

LOL, because I have more free time than you

[Hypernova]

Hi. First thing first: thanks hawhill for your great work!

I'm quite happy with my setup on DXG. There is two problems that bother me though

1. I can't quit the viewer. LP Shift+v+q does not work, neither the home button. The only way I can quit the viewer now is to ssh into my kindle and do the killall manually
2. The Page BCK works but FW doesn't. I know this sounds weird, but it really is. I think a lot of special keys doesn't work as well. The joystick for example.

Here's the part of config.lua that I modified.

elseif code == KEY_PGBCK then SendKeyEvent(XK_Page_Up, pressed)
elseif code == KEY_PGFWD then SendKeyEvent(XK_Page_Down, pressed)

I think this two issue are probably related. My guess would be the fact that I'm on 3.2.1 on DXG. Can anyone help me?

[hawhill]

I'd say: debug it :-) insert some print() statements in the code to see if it gets triggered. Or just print out the variable "code", e.g.

print(code)

(you would need to run the viewer from a terminal to see that output, however)

But before that: Did you comment out the line in the configuration file that sets K3 specific codes? It's on top of the config file.

[Hypernova]

Originally Posted by hawhill

I'd say: debug it :-) insert some print() statements in the code to see if it gets triggered. Or just print out the variable "code", e.g.

print(code)

(you would need to run the viewer from a terminal to see that output, however)

But before that: Did you comment out the line in the configuration file that sets K3 specific codes? It's on top of the config file.

I didn't. Totally didn't see that. All is good now. Thank you!