Text Editors on Kobo

CandylandVibe · 08-04-2022, 08:37 PM

Is it possible to make and edit your own text files on any Kobo? I was thinking it'd be relatively easy to have a simple text editor, considering you can run python on it and there are many ways to make your own text editors.

Considering the Kobo has, at most, a 40% keyboard, it'd be harder to port something like emacs which needs a lot of keys for macros and multiple buttons held at once. My line of thinking is that porting a vi-based text editor would be easier to port, as modal text editors at max only need two keys held at once. Would probably still need a custom keyboard GUI, though.

Quoth · 08-05-2022, 05:34 AM

A BT keyboard works on the Sage and Elipsa, but only when the touch Keyboard might work, so not in the Notebooks, only epub Annotation.

You could make ebooks with headings, subjects, days of the week etc and annotate them.

I have a decent text editor on an Android eink (Boyue Mars, now Meebook P78) using a good BT keyboard, Jota. It's not great. Handwriting recognition on the Sage is better (I use a 3rd party "Adrawpen" model for a Microsoft Surface as it's cheaper than the kobo pen. Performs identically to the Kobo pen that came with my Elipsa).

The problem is scrolling and eink. I've never found a Wordprocessor or text editor that pages. They all treat screens like 1928 teletypes, endless paper roll. Books were invented over 2000 years ago (Codex vs Scroll).

Something more like Jota, Nano or Joe would be better than vi or emacs. But really the Advanced Notebook on Sage (will only use BT keyboard to navigate!) with handwriting recognition, export to docx or txt is far better.

I also have Jota on 10" LCD tablet and all my phones. I don't use it since getting the Sage unless I'm in a shop or such with only the phone.

rtiangha · 08-05-2022, 08:10 AM

It would be nice to have a text editor (and terminal emulator!) that could run native in nickel. As it stands, recent versions of koreader have both a decent text editor and terminal emulator and I've been using both whenever I need to make any on device edits. Dealing with the slow refresh rate is a pain, but unavoidable.

Alastair_S · 08-05-2022, 06:51 PM

The Vlasovsoft package contains a text editor (plus a terminal emulator and calculator) alongside the games. As far as I am aware only the chess program is shareware, so if you do not want the chess program you can delete it and not worry about registering the package.

The latest version is available at http://pbchess.vlasovsoft.net/en/index.html but I cannot get this text editor to see 'hidden' directories, which is a problem for me as I use the editor to edit "Kobo eReader.conf". This version (2020.12.02) https://web.archive.org/web/20210423.../en/index.html available through the Internet Archive's "Wayback Machine" does allow the text editor to see 'hidden' directories.

Incidentally, I use NickelMenu to launch Vlasovsoft.

08-04-2022, 08:37 PM	#1
CandylandVibe Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2022 Device: Kobo N905c	Text Editors on Kobo Is it possible to make and edit your own text files on any Kobo? I was thinking it'd be relatively easy to have a simple text editor, considering you can run python on it and there are many ways to make your own text editors. Considering the Kobo has, at most, a 40% keyboard, it'd be harder to port something like emacs which needs a lot of keys for macros and multiple buttons held at once. My line of thinking is that porting a vi-based text editor would be easier to port, as modal text editors at max only need two keys held at once. Would probably still need a custom keyboard GUI, though.

08-05-2022, 08:10 AM	#3
rtiangha Evangelist Posts: 428 Karma: 340045 Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: 'berta, Canada Device: Kobo Glo HD	It would be nice to have a text editor (and terminal emulator!) that could run native in nickel. As it stands, recent versions of koreader have both a decent text editor and terminal emulator and I've been using both whenever I need to make any on device edits. Dealing with the slow refresh rate is a pain, but unavoidable. Last edited by rtiangha; 08-05-2022 at 08:13 AM.

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08-05-2022, 05:34 AM	#2
Quoth the rook, bossing Never. Posts: 5,170 Karma: 46253487 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: Both Kinds: epub based makes and Kindle	A BT keyboard works on the Sage and Elipsa, but only when the touch Keyboard might work, so not in the Notebooks, only epub Annotation. You could make ebooks with headings, subjects, days of the week etc and annotate them. I have a decent text editor on an Android eink (Boyue Mars, now Meebook P78) using a good BT keyboard, Jota. It's not great. Handwriting recognition on the Sage is better (I use a 3rd party "Adrawpen" model for a Microsoft Surface as it's cheaper than the kobo pen. Performs identically to the Kobo pen that came with my Elipsa). The problem is scrolling and eink. I've never found a Wordprocessor or text editor that pages. They all treat screens like 1928 teletypes, endless paper roll. Books were invented over 2000 years ago (Codex vs Scroll). Something more like Jota, Nano or Joe would be better than vi or emacs. But really the Advanced Notebook on Sage (will only use BT keyboard to navigate!) with handwriting recognition, export to docx or txt is far better. I also have Jota on 10" LCD tablet and all my phones. I don't use it since getting the Sage unless I'm in a shop or such with only the phone.

08-05-2022, 06:51 PM	#4
Alastair_S Connoisseur Posts: 97 Karma: 585376 Join Date: Feb 2014 Device: Kobo Touch	The Vlasovsoft package contains a text editor (plus a terminal emulator and calculator) alongside the games. As far as I am aware only the chess program is shareware, so if you do not want the chess program you can delete it and not worry about registering the package. The latest version is available at http://pbchess.vlasovsoft.net/en/index.html but I cannot get this text editor to see 'hidden' directories, which is a problem for me as I use the editor to edit "Kobo eReader.conf". This version (2020.12.02) https://web.archive.org/web/20210423.../en/index.html available through the Internet Archive's "Wayback Machine" does allow the text editor to see 'hidden' directories. Incidentally, I use NickelMenu to launch Vlasovsoft.

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