Kindle VNC viewer (native app, GPLv2)

[twobob]

an Old Man Very Happy:
You know I was thinking just the same thing last night. Really glad you said that.

Nice To Have:
Perhaps I should visit the mythical world of dithering (you have the 8 bit code in fbgnuboy) as this would surely benefit from that. (for both targets).


Tinned Unicorn:
My thought was also making it push "out" (the lack of native FB realtime monitoring is an annoyance - on the Non X enabled lower devices) And a Pet Unicorn, preferably that I can fold up in a small bag for easy travel

[billyfred]

That's ok Hawhill, I just wanted to know if the vnc was possible with a KPW.
One day, I might have a look at your code when I have some time.

[inedible]

Played around with getting this running on my PW today. I've got to say I'm impressed with the greyscale and the refresh rate. I never expected an eink display might actually make a very practical and useful vnc client!
So, to get this up and running, of course the paperwhite's display doesn't refresh automatically, so I needed to add eips in a while loop, but no one ever really mentioned how to implement this.
The way I did it is by adding the eips loop, with an ampersand after it, to the *top* of /mnt/us/kindlevncviewer/kvncviewer.sh like so:

#!/bin/sh
cd $(dirname "$0")
LD_LIBRARY_PATH=.
export LD_LIBRARY_PATH
while :; do eips ''; usleep 80000; done &
lipc-set-prop com.lab126.powerd preventScreenSaver 1
./kindlevncviewer -config config.lua "$@"
lipc-set-prop com.lab126.powerd preventScreenSaver 0

(I removed the "send menu twice to refresh" bit at the end, because the PW has no menu key, nor /proc/keypad)
Now, launching this from kterm overlays the vnc window on top of the terminal, and they compete for the foreground. So, ideally we should launch it from KUAL. For this I edited /mnt/us/extensions/vncviewer/menu.json like so:

{	"items": [	{"name": "VNC Connection", "priority": 1, "action": "/mnt/us/kindlevncviewer/kvncviewer.sh -password mypassword 10.0.0.2:1"}	]
}

With that in place, I can now launch vncviewer from KUAL and it connects successfully, with the following caveats:

• The colors are inverted. As a workaround, in windows vista/7/8 you can use the magnifier tool to invert the colors. I assume a fix requires a recompile since this is a viewer setting, not a server one.
• It launches in portrait mode, and the PW's 5.3.4 firmware only allows landscape mode while reading a book. As a workaround, open a book, set it to landscape, then launch kvncviewer.sh from a SSH shell (while the book is still open in landscape on your screen). I don't know of any fix to this. There's bound to be a way to set orientation from the command line, but I'll be damned if I can find info for the paperwhite. My google-fu fails me here.
• If launched from kterm, it fights with kterm over who should write to the display, so every event that gets logged overwrites the vnc window. A workaround is to launch from KUAL or SSH. I don't expect there to be a fix to this.
• No input. Touching anywhere on the screen sends an event, but it's always the same event, and it doesn't seem to affect the remote system. I assume this will require a recompile and/or a new config.lua.
• The wifi drops out somewhat frequently. I'm going to have to re-read this thread because I recall there's an existing workaround for this.
• I can't set windows server 2012 under esx to use a 1024x758 resolution no matter what I try. I've tried setting it in vmware, I've tried setting it in the windows registry, I've tried setting it from powershell, I've tried setting it from third party utilities like PowerStrip, but I'm not sure it can be done. This has nothing to do with the VNC viewer, but beware if you're planning to use this to administer or monitor a server, you will be missing 10 pixels along the bottom and therefore it will be impossible to click the start menu or charms menu. EDIT: See two posts down for workaround if you happen to have a linux machine handy.
• Note: To exit, hold the power button for 8 seconds until it goes to a white screen. Press power again to turn it back on.

So, all in all, I'm really impressed this works at all, let alone as well as it does. I cannot wait until hawhill has some time to look at implementing the proper PW/Touch API calls for refreshing / input.
On that note, hawhill, if you're willing to accept a modest donation towards development, I have 0.1 bitcoins I'd like to donate. (Worth $24 last week, currently worth something like $9) Just provide a bitcoin address to send to, and I'd be happy to send a tip your way.

[inedible]

PS: To anyone trying to get the eips command to work: That's two single quotes (''), not a double quote (").

[inedible]

Heh, I just realized I can use a stupidly convoluted setup to get windows to use 1024x758.
Over an RDP session, the resolution gets set to whatever you resize the window to. So, simply run an rdp session over vnc!
On a linux machine, install tightvnc and rdesktop.
Edit ~/.vnc/xstartup
Comment out the line at the end that says: /etc/X11/xsession, and add a line that says:

while :; do rdesktop -f 10.0.0.10; done

(This launches an RDP connection, fullscreen, reconnecting if it gets closed or disconnected.)
Now, launch a tightvnc server with the appropriate size:

vncserver -geometry 1024x758

Now set the kindle to VNC into the linux machine and you'll end up with a fullscreen windows desktop. This is not ideal in any way, but it does in fact work.
In fact, for me it actually works with no more lag than straight VNC, though I'm using two virtual machines on the same physical box. So, they're probably connected by some crazy 100gbit internal psychic network or something; So that probably makes a difference.

[fonzie4msg]

Today I used your viewer and I have to repeat myself: Awesome work!!!!

[Cykotitan]

I am amazed by your work. I've just been experimenting on my paperwhite and I made it possible to click by editing config.lua: (bold = code added by me)

clickevent = 0
x, y = 0, 0

-- this handler will be called upon key presses (input events, actually)
function handleInput(channel, itype, code, value)
	if itype == 3 then
		if code == 57 then
			clickevent = value + 1
			if x and y then
				SendPointerEvent(x, y, 0)
			end
		elseif code == 53 then
			x = value
		elseif code == 54 then
			y = value
			if clickevent == 1 then
				SendPointerEvent(x, y, 1)
			end
		end

If anyone more experienced would like to optimize the code, feel free to do so and I'll edit my post afterwards. After all, this isn't my field in scripting.

P.S. one of the things I found hard to perform were doubleclicking. I suppose it requires 2 subsequent clicks on the same coordinates.

[inedible]

Originally Posted by Cykotitan

I am amazed by your work. I've just been experimenting on my paperwhite and I made it possible to click by editing config.lua:
...

Awesome! Thank you! That works really well.

To make it work in landscape mode I had to swap Y and X, and invert Y:

clickevent = 0
x, y = 0, 0

-- this handler will be called upon key presses (input events, actually)
function handleInput(channel, itype, code, value)
	if itype == 3 then
		if code == 57 then
			clickevent = value + 1
			if x and y then
				SendPointerEvent(y, x, 0)
			end
		elseif code == 53 then
			x = value
		elseif code == 54 then
			y = math.abs(value - 1024)
			if clickevent == 1 then
				SendPointerEvent(y, x, 1)
			end
		end
end

It seems you were also missing an "end" at the end, but otherwise that works great!

Now, if only there was a way to rotate the screen without having to SSH into it while reading a book in landscape...

[Cykotitan]

I was not missing an end, I've only pasted the partial function because it also had handling for keys (altough those are unused on KT/Paperwhite)

This was my implementation for autodetection of screen orientation, however produces wrong results if you leave the book mode in Landscape even while the dispay is not set to Landscape orientation:

f = io.popen('/usr/bin/lipc-get-prop com.lab126.winmgr orientationLock', 'r')
orient = f:read('*l')
f:close()


function handleInput(channel, itype, code, value)
	if itype == 3 and channel == 0 then
		if code == 57 then
			clickevent = value + 1
			SendPointerEvent(orient == 'U' and x or math.min(client_width, 1023)-y, orient == 'U' and y or x, 0)
		elseif code == 53 then
			x = value
		elseif code == 54 then
			y = value
			if clickevent == 1 then
				SendPointerEvent(orient == 'U' and x or math.min(client_width, 1023)-y, orient == 'U' and y or x, 1)
			end
		end

[hawhill]

Great additions! I hope I find time soon and will integrate them into the ZIP - if you are fine with that?

[wildcolor]

Just a quick question, is there a way to fix the kindle refresh rate with a good accuracy (say 1Hz) when using the vncviewer?

[wildcolor]

Originally Posted by wildcolor

Just a quick question, is there a way to fix the kindle refresh rate with a good accuracy (say 1Hz) when using the vncviewer?

??No one knows

[ekwus]

Hey Guys

Thanks for all the great work on the VNC Viewer. I've just finished hooking up my new DXG to the Raspberry Pi using USB Networking and the Kindle VNC Viewer, amazingly great work, thanks.

I do have an issue where the Viewer seems to crash out after an hour or two running and sometimes the DX reboots, leaving me back at the USB Drive Mode screen!

My gut feeling is that the screensaver is maybe kicking in but think I have switched it off and also stopped powerd and netwatchd (not sure what these do but thinking they are to do with power management)

Has anyone seem this before?

Cheers

Dave

[ekwus]

Originally Posted by ekwus

Hey Guys

Thanks for all the great work on the VNC Viewer. I've just finished hooking up my new DXG to the Raspberry Pi using USB Networking and the Kindle VNC Viewer, amazingly great work, thanks.

I do have an issue where the Viewer seems to crash out after an hour or two running and sometimes the DX reboots, leaving me back at the USB Drive Mode screen!

My gut feeling is that the screensaver is maybe kicking in but think I have switched it off and also stopped powerd and netwatchd (not sure what these do but thinking they are to do with power management)

Has anyone seem this before?

Cheers

Dave

Hey I've now checked and it happens every 40 odd minutes. When starting the VNC Viewer via telnet from the Pi (via SSH from the PC) this is what I get back after the Kindle reboots

login as: pi
pi@172.22.1.102's password:
Linux raspberrypi 3.6.11+ #474 PREEMPT Thu Jun 13 17:14:42 BST 2013 armv6l

The programs included with the Debian GNU/Linux system are free software;
the exact distribution terms for each program are described in the
individual files in /usr/share/doc/*/copyright.

Debian GNU/Linux comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY, to the extent
permitted by applicable law.
Last login: Fri Aug 2 12:01:16 2013 from pharlap.home
pi@raspberrypi ~ $ telnet 192.168.2.2
Trying 192.168.2.2...
Connected to 192.168.2.2.
Escape character is '^]'.



Welcome to Kindle!

#################################################
# N O T I C E * N O T I C E * N O T I C E #
#################################################
Rootfs is mounted read-only. Invoke mntroot rw to
switch back to a writable rootfs.
#################################################
[root@kindle root]# /etc/init.d/netwatchd stop
system: I netwatchd:def:stopping Netwatch Daemon
[root@kindle root]# /etc/init.d/powerd stop
Stopping Power Management Daemon: [root@kindle root]#
[root@kindle root]# /mnt/us/kindlevncviewer/kvncviewer.sh -password kindle 192.168.2.1:1
com.lab126.powerd failed to open lipc for preventScreenSaver event
02/08/2013 13:16:15 VNC server supports protocol version 3.8 (viewer 3.8)
02/08/2013 13:16:15 We have 2 security types to read
02/08/2013 13:16:15 0) Received security type 2
02/08/2013 13:16:15 Selecting security type 2 (0/2 in the list)
02/08/2013 13:16:15 1) Received security type 16
02/08/2013 13:16:15 Selected Security Scheme 2
02/08/2013 13:16:15 VNC authentication succeeded
02/08/2013 13:16:15 Desktop name "pi's X desktop (raspberrypi:1)"
02/08/2013 13:16:15 Connected to VNC server, using protocol version 3.8
02/08/2013 13:16:15 VNC server default format:
02/08/2013 13:16:15 32 bits per pixel.
02/08/2013 13:16:15 Least significant byte first in each pixel.
02/08/2013 13:16:15 TRUE colour: max red 255 green 255 blue 255, shift red 16 green 8 blue 0
partially updating eink display (0,0)-(822,823)

Broadcast message from root (Fri Aug 2 14:00:37 2013):

The system is going down for reboot NOW!

Broadcast message from root (console) (Fri Aug 2 14:00:39 2013):

We're switching back to USB MS, so if you're wondering why your terminal is frozen, go read the docs!

[knc1]

Originally Posted by ekwus

Hey I've now checked and it happens every 40 odd minutes. When starting the VNC Viewer via telnet from the Pi (via SSH from the PC) this is what I get back after the Kindle reboots

login as: pi
pi@172.22.1.102's password:
Linux raspberrypi 3.6.11+ #474 PREEMPT Thu Jun 13 17:14:42 BST 2013 armv6l

The programs included with the Debian GNU/Linux system are free software;
the exact distribution terms for each program are described in the
individual files in /usr/share/doc/*/copyright.

Debian GNU/Linux comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY, to the extent
permitted by applicable law.
Last login: Fri Aug 2 12:01:16 2013 from pharlap.home
pi@raspberrypi ~ $ telnet 192.168.2.2
Trying 192.168.2.2...
Connected to 192.168.2.2.
Escape character is '^]'.



Welcome to Kindle!

#################################################
# N O T I C E * N O T I C E * N O T I C E #
#################################################
Rootfs is mounted read-only. Invoke mntroot rw to
switch back to a writable rootfs.
#################################################
[root@kindle root]# /etc/init.d/netwatchd stop
system: I netwatchd:def:stopping Netwatch Daemon
[root@kindle root]# /etc/init.d/powerd stop
Stopping Power Management Daemon: [root@kindle root]#
[root@kindle root]# /mnt/us/kindlevncviewer/kvncviewer.sh -password kindle 192.168.2.1:1
com.lab126.powerd failed to open lipc for preventScreenSaver event
02/08/2013 13:16:15 VNC server supports protocol version 3.8 (viewer 3.8)
02/08/2013 13:16:15 We have 2 security types to read
02/08/2013 13:16:15 0) Received security type 2
02/08/2013 13:16:15 Selecting security type 2 (0/2 in the list)
02/08/2013 13:16:15 1) Received security type 16
02/08/2013 13:16:15 Selected Security Scheme 2
02/08/2013 13:16:15 VNC authentication succeeded
02/08/2013 13:16:15 Desktop name "pi's X desktop (raspberrypi:1)"
02/08/2013 13:16:15 Connected to VNC server, using protocol version 3.8
02/08/2013 13:16:15 VNC server default format:
02/08/2013 13:16:15 32 bits per pixel.
02/08/2013 13:16:15 Least significant byte first in each pixel.
02/08/2013 13:16:15 TRUE colour: max red 255 green 255 blue 255, shift red 16 green 8 blue 0
partially updating eink display (0,0)-(822,823)

Broadcast message from root (Fri Aug 2 14:00:37 2013):

The system is going down for reboot NOW!

Broadcast message from root (console) (Fri Aug 2 14:00:39 2013):

We're switching back to USB MS, so if you're wondering why your terminal is frozen, go read the docs!

Hmm...
That listing shows that powerd was stopped before lipc could process the 'prevent screen saver' event.

Try it the other way around, I.E: Doing the 'prevent screen saver' prior to stopping any of the system services.

But 40 minutes?
That sounds more like something is running out of memory, triggering the OOM Killer, that leads to a forced re-boot.
(^ ^ ^ ^ BFG)