Kindle 2 Clock Webpage

[knc1]

Originally Posted by knc1

Hmm...
My memory may be wrong about the wifi/3G -
The "small screen" DX/DXG, that is the K2, may have been like the DX(G) in hardware also (without wifi).
- - - -

Yup - memory error.

From the teardown board pictures I could find, no signs of Wifi on the board. It is 3G only.

[space_escalator]

In a nail-biter between Lato and Roboto Condensed, the victor for most preferred clock goes to... Roboto Condensed!

There were a lot of fonts to try out in that list, but it seemed like the most clock-viable were at the top. Nice how they did that.

Also, I've changed my mind. I like having the weekday unabbreviated. It balances visually with the unabbreviated month.

[knc1]

Great!
Now you have communicated a solid idea of what you want the end result to be like.

Now. . . .

We try to figure out how to do it.

The first path I think I would examine . . . .
The K2 isn't known for its processor power or vast realms of RAM.....

Once every minute, wake up -
Ensure nothing else can write to the screen -
Get current time (from the Kindle, and once every xyz times, from the NTP network - adjust Kindle time as required) -
Both are text replies -
Format text as required, write directly to the frame buffer, trigger a screen update (which might make it flash once a minute - we will just have to see about that) -
Refine as required.

I think the "Kindle as a weather display" (the one without a local server, only a network source) works like that.
I recall twobob building the rendering programs for that project.

Find, and review that entire project thread.
Maybe we can re-use most of what they found for the K2 (I think that was for either the K4 or the K5).

[space_escalator]

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=200621
This is the mentioned forum thread about a server-less weather station. Reading it now.

[knc1]

Originally Posted by space_escalator

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=200621
This is the mentioned forum thread about a server-less weather station. Reading it now.

Thanks for the link!

I have only read the first page of posts, seems it is done in Python.
I don't do the big snake, but there are people here who do.

And I think what they are doing is turning the data (from weather underground) into a screensaver image.
Your project is simpler but it is always easier to remove code than to invent it.

We may have to re-build whatever software(s) they end up using.
The K2 uses the iMX30 SoC (may need to re-build targeting that cpu).
That part I know a little bit about (I'm no twobob, but I can fake it).

- - - -

I even checked today on a recent Lua binding to LibCairo - Cairo supports a framebuffer surface (and also a png one, I think).
I don't know when Lab126 started shipping Lua on the Kindles, but if it isn't on the K2, we can put it there (Lua is much lighter weight than Python - a good thing for a K2).

- - - -

If you happen to have a link to information on the serial port of the K2 (other than the one linked to from the K2 index) . . . . .

[space_escalator]

Ok, so I've read the weather station thread, but it strikes me that a huge portion of it is difficulties due to using python on kindle. These may be even more difficult on the k2 (though I don't really know anything.) It seems to me that a simple clock may not need anything so fancy. It may not even need images, since the characters in the clock are fonts anyway.

Unfortunately, I am a programming greenhorn. My only experience is with java. What should my next step be to aid this project?

knc1: what sort of platform are you thinking of currently? html and javascript? installing debian and running something on that? Kindlet? Python?

[knc1]

Do it on the K2 -
Use Lua(.org) rather than Python -
Use a binding to the Cairo library -
This one looks good enough: http://www.dynaset.org/dogusanh/

Either write a screensaver image or write it to the display buffer (Cairo can do either).
We don't need graphics (which Cairo can also do) - just need to position and render alpha-numeric strings in a specified font (which Cairo can do).

And, Cairo may already be on the K2.

= = = =

If your familar with Java, perhaps this will help understand Cairo:
http://cairographics.org/cairo-java/
We may or may not want the Pango library also.

[space_escalator]

How would I check if lua and/or cairo are already on the device?

[knc1]

you have telnet access?
type:
lua

if it comes up, you get out by entering:
os.exit()

and libcairo.* will be in either /lib or /usr/lib or maybe /usr/local/lib if its there.

Ah, a bit of cairo/java/pango example - last example on this page:
http://java-gnome.sourceforge.net/do...gInExposeEvent

Although we will be drawing on a png surface or a framebuffer surface rather than a pdf surface.

[NiLuJe]

Do check that cairo actually handles low bitdepth fb devices first, that may not be a given.

[space_escalator]

[root@kindle root]# lua
-sh: lua: not found
[root@kindle root]#

[space_escalator]

Originally Posted by knc1

Ah, a bit of cairo/java/pango example - last example on this page:
http://java-gnome.sourceforge.net/do...gInExposeEvent

broken link :/

[NiLuJe]

Yep, lua came in w/ FW 5.x, for X & awesome.

[brianinmaine]

I never had a Kindle 2, what window manager does it use? Is there no way to use a simple app like dclock:
http://opencircuitdesign.com/~tim/programs/dclock/
I know it was compiled for the Touch, I would like to know if it could work for the 2?
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=222206

[knc1]

Originally Posted by space_escalator

broken link :/

Works for me.
How are you trying to use it?
A copy and paste?

http://java-gnome.sourceforge.net/do...gInExposeEvent