f-droid and other apps on onyx boox note pro?

[anarcat]

Hi!

Just got the new Onyx Note Pro and i'm pretty excited! The user interface is a bit disappointing, to be honest, as there are many odd things. For example, I couldn't quite figure out how to access the files on the device from my computer: my Linux machine can't see the files in MTP mode. PTP works, but only sees the "DCIM" and "Pictures" folders and none of the other folders. Sometimes neither mode work.

I was able to upload the F-Droid.apk file on the machine with one of those modes, anyways. And I was able to install the app once I ticked the "untrusted apps" setting. But the f-droid app doesn't show up in the "apps" section, which I find quite confusing. It makes it very diffucult to start that app, to put it mildly. The only way I found to start the app is to go to the "recent apps" button on the top right and it just happens to still be running there. I don't know how I would restart it without that button.

Any suggestions on how to deal with third-party apps on the Onyx devices?

Edit: I found out about RelaunchX but I'm not sure I'm ready to totally ditch the builtin launcher...

Edit 2: I'm also curious to hear if people managed to "root" the device and install the F-Droid OTA app that allows f-droid to run without the "untrusted apps" hack and (incidentally) automatically upgrade apps.

[stjoe]

I use Solid Explorer on my Nova Pro and can see all folders and files including those on root directory

[anarcat]

Originally Posted by stjoe

I use Solid Explorer on my Nova Pro and can see all folders and files including those on root directory

I split off this question in another thread to keep this about f-droid.

I installed more apps on the e-reader and notice they *are* showing up in the app list. For some reason I can't explain, only F-Droid doesn't show up... Even Yalp Store shows up...

Any idea why?

Update: I finally did the inevitable and lost F-Droid from the list of recent apps. It's surprisingly hard to start an app in Android if it doesn't show up in a launcher, let me tell you that. I had to actually transfer the APK of ANOTHER launcher (I picked App Launcher from the great Simple Mobile Tools series and then install THAT and THEN I was able to start F-Droid again. Phew!

(I didn't use RelaunchX because it grabs one of the intents that makes the device prompt for the launcher app every time you go back to the homepage. There's no way to get rid of that dialog, as far as I can tell, which makes the launcher unusable... The Simple App Launcher doesn't have that problem and shows up in the regular App listing...)

[taos]

Originally Posted by anarcat

I installed more apps on the e-reader and notice they *are* showing up in the app list. For some reason I can't explain, only F-Droid doesn't show up... Even Yalp Store shows up...

Any idea why?

Did you by chance see two apps named "Calculator" under Apps, one with a "C" in a circle as logo, the other with mathematical operators (+-×÷) in the icons? Since the update to 2.1.x (I think at least) F-Droid is "disguised" as the one with the C...

[franzli]

Originally Posted by anarcat

I

(I didn't use RelaunchX because it grabs one of the intents that makes the device prompt for the launcher app every time you go back to the homepage. There's no way to get rid of that dialog, as far as I can tell, which makes the launcher unusable... The Simple App Launcher doesn't have that problem and shows up in the regular App listing...)

I'm not sure I understand which problem you are encountering with RelaunchX, but just to confirm that I've been using it on my Note since the beginning and have no trouble at all getting to Fdroid

[anarcat]

Originally Posted by franzli

I'm not sure I understand which problem you are encountering with RelaunchX, but just to confirm that I've been using it on my Note since the beginning and have no trouble at all getting to Fdroid

RelaunchX itself works. The problem is it grabs some intent ('homepage'? 'launcher'?) that makes it so I get a popup that asks me to choose a launcher every time I go back to the homepage. It wouldn't be so bad in itself if I could punch the "always" button, but the only button I see in the dialog is "Just once" which means that dialog shows up continuously until I uninstall the darn thing.

I don't have the device handy right now otherwise I'd make a screenshot...

[Nausicaa]

I like to use KDE connect to transfer files: linux on desktop and also phone to phone on wifi. I suggest MiXplorer for your explorer.

[franzli]

Originally Posted by anarcat

RelaunchX itself works. The problem is it grabs some intent ('homepage'? 'launcher'?) that makes it so I get a popup that asks me to choose a launcher every time I go back to the homepage. It wouldn't be so bad in itself if I could punch the "always" button, but the only button I see in the dialog is "Just once" which means that dialog shows up continuously until I uninstall the darn thing.



I don't have the device handy right now otherwise I'd make a screenshot...

Oh, now I understand, thanks. That's strange, I think I also get this popup when I reboot the device, but in my case I can then simply choose always.
Only issue for me is that for some reason hitting the home button typically gets me to the recents screen and only the second tap on home actually gets me to home. Might be some wrong setting on my side though.

[altruizine]

Originally Posted by anarcat

RelaunchX itself works. The problem is it grabs some intent ('homepage'? 'launcher'?) that makes it so I get a popup that asks me to choose a launcher every time I go back to the homepage. It wouldn't be so bad in itself if I could punch the "always" button, but the only button I see in the dialog is "Just once" which means that dialog shows up continuously until I uninstall the darn thing.

I ran into this as well (Firmware 2.1.2). Fortunately, I found a workaround: Once I had an alternative launcher running, I could start the stock Android settings app. And right there in its main menu, I found a setting called “Home”, in which I could select the launcher I wanted. Since I've done this, the launcher-selection screen hasn't come up again.