Apps under Open With on long press in Library

[Pajamaman]

I have installed, uninstalled and reinstalled various reading apps on a Nova Pro. The trouble is, some reading apps don't show up on the Open With list of apps when I do a long press on a book in the Library. They showed up before, then I uninstall and reinstall and they no longer appear. Is there a way to edit the apps listed under Open With?

[pazos]

Originally Posted by Pajamaman

I have installed, uninstalled and reinstalled various reading apps on a Nova Pro. The trouble is, some reading apps don't show up on the Open With list of apps when I do a long press on a book in the Library. They showed up before, then I uninstall and reinstall and they no longer appear. Is there a way to edit the apps listed under Open With?

Maybe the list of apps is (re)done once at boot. Have you tried to turn your ereader off and on again? (force-closing the launcher and starting it again should work too, if that's possible)

[Pajamaman]

Yes, I've done that. No change. Currently when on long click in

1. the Library, it shows just neoreader
2. the storage folder view, neoreader and alreader.

So the open with options are inconsistent between storage and library.

I previously had this problem with Koreader in Library view (Koreader disappeared after I uninstalled and reinstalled it.)

Edit:

I just installed Alreader on another Onyx Nova and Alreader shows in Storage and Library Open with options.

The Open with behavior seems unpredictable and inconsistent in general. Which is inconvenient as the Onyx Library is the default and dominant interface, and appears not to work well when wanting to switch between reading apps. I may ultimately install a different file explorer, or a even a different launcher. But if you are invested in the main Library view and use more than one app, uninstall and reinstall at your peril.

[joandr]

Yes you are right, same observation for me on Nova & Mars with AlreaderX. The solution that works well : install Explorer from Speed Software (on Google Play), the option "Open with" works perfectly it shows AlreaderX (and all the apps) and you can check "always perform the selected action for this type of file" so next time it remains the same in the Library view.

[pazos]

The problem that I see with self-backed apps that Onyx make is that they're not following standards (and whichever they choose works worse than the common way of doing things on android)

Speed Software FMs (explorer and root explorer) show how most apps should work. They use methods as showcased in android basic samples: https://developer.android.com/traini...#StartActivity

Other software, like CC, build their own file picker, but work as intended as they're still relying on PackageManager and intent features.

What Onyx does could be whatever. They did broke most guidelines (physical back button instead of home, custom key mapping...) and I have a few reports they're not using intents/startActivity on a few things (namely to start dictionary app when you query a definition).

A good way to discover if intents are used at all is to install Intent Intercept from Fdroid, enable it and see what happens when you long press a book on your library.

[Pajamaman]

Thank you for your insights. I think I may eventually overhaul the whole way I navigate and open books on the Onyx.

@joandr
I am using Alreader, not AlreaderX. Are you familar with Alreader? Can you tell me the differences between Alreader and AlreaderX? I'm not sure if I should upgrade.

[joandr]

@Pajamaman.
I used Alreader several years ago on a smartphone, I then abandoned it (for Moon) on the e-readers because the "Chapters x" was framed on the left as well as the first page (the one with Title), to center them I must check "use the internal style of the ebook" but then the displayed font was not the one chosen on my e-reader. (I try to remenber but it's a bit old). I hope to be clear English is not my language (french). AlreaderX corrects all that : the fist page is well centered, the "Chapters x" too, the menus are simpler and clearer. there is a setting for eink. I found it so good that I gave up Moon bought 4 years ago. Try it, it's worth it. It's a free beta but with no problems, AlR X is much better than AlR.

[Pajamaman]

I didn't experience your problems with Alreader, but I'll try AlreaderX. Thx.

[Pajamaman]

Brief update: The library was offering the Alreader option, but suddenly stopped listing it. Nothing changed, it just vanished...

I'm now going to start looking for other ways to search and browse books. I have es browser but it doesn't look good on e-ink. I'll try Explorer next.

[ottischwenk]

For epub I do not use the built-in library or the NeoReader, but Caliber Companion and the AlReader.

[Pajamaman]

Yes, CC occurred to me.

I will make a decision about the best way to organize books.

I will either find a simple, elegant explorer type solution with a good Search function, or restructure my messy folder structure, or go with a dedicated book organizer like CC.

But the Onyx library is dead to me. It's very poor and very buggy, not at all suited to large collections and doesn't accommodate multiple readers.

I might even say to hell with the Onyx UI and install Relaunchx.

[Pajamaman]

Solved this. Appps that are frozen do not appear under open with. Unfreeze them via the snowflake icon in the app screen.

No idea why my apps freeze without my volition. But there it is.

[Question Mark]

Originally Posted by Pajamaman

No idea why my apps freeze without my volition. But there it is.

It may be a battery/RAM saving or a security feature. It happens on my Hisense A5 phone, too.

On your Onyx device, if you go to Settings and the select Applications, you will discover the option "Freeze the third-party Apps in the background by default".

I have left that option unchecked and none of my seldom used apps seem to be frozen so you may want to see if that box is checked or unchecked on your device.

[Pajamaman]

Yes, it was checked. Thx for your input.

[Pajamaman]

A further point about the Onyx library feature. When one does a search, the search results offer no open_with option. So if you have a large number of books, and wish to use an alternate reader, the library becomes useless.