K5 FW 5.x ScreenSavers Hack

[knc1]

Originally Posted by normanr

I was thinking about this the other day, so to this idea.

Related question: Is there a 'package manger' for kindle that would be able to checks for updates, and download & install the new packages? If so this might be a good place to plumb in a re-install option for already installed packages. In my ideal world this 'package manager' would read it's meta-data from the first post in a forum thread (eg: this thread, or NiLuJe's snapshot's thread), detect updates (attachments or links to downloads) and offer to download and install them.

There are ones small enough with light enough resource requirements that they could be used on the Kindles.
But we do not have any way to coordinate the other end (supply end) of an update packaging service.

(Well, maybe that is also possible, we might be able to use one of the "big name Linux distribution's" OBS installations.)
But who would run that? Certainly not me. Are you volunteering?

[normanr]

Originally Posted by knc1

There are ones small enough with light enough resource requirements that they could be used on the Kindles.
But we do not have any way to coordinate the other end (supply end) of an update packaging service.

(Well, maybe that is also possible, we might be able to use one of the "big name Linux distribution's" OBS installations.)
But who would run that? Certainly not me. Are you volunteering?

I was just thinking something integrated with KAUL. The menus would look something like:

• Update (refresh metadata from online)
• Upgrade All (download, unpack & install updated packages)
• Installed Packages > submenu with list of installed packages
  • each package offers: upgrade (if available), uninstall (if possible)
• All Packages > submenu with list of all packages
  • each package offers: install/(uninstall?)

Using a big name package system / manger feels like overkill, (even though you do get a lot for free - once the basics are figured out). I was thinking just very simple wget/curl/sed/md5 based shell scripts (and no not volunteering at this time)

[RandomGiraffe]

Hello lovely helpful people! My successfully jailbroken (with your help) PW3 was running the screensaver hack beautifully in cover mode, but for some unknown reason has stopped working, apart from for one book... It worked fine for book 1, but on starting book 2 the book 1 cover remained as the screensaver. I was very patient but no joy so I cleared the cover cache and restored defaults using the KUAL menus, then switched cover mode back on. It tells me it hasn't yet processed a book despite the fact I have opened a book, left it open for ages, and exited to home as per the FAQ. Strangely, if I open book 1 it does change to its cover back to that but is then stuck with that one again despite opening another book... Aaaargh! Please help.

[knc1]

Originally Posted by RandomGiraffe

Hello lovely helpful people! My successfully jailbroken (with your help) PW3 was running the screensaver hack beautifully in cover mode, but for some unknown reason has stopped working, apart from for one book... It worked fine for book 1, but on starting book 2 the book 1 cover remained as the screensaver. I was very patient but no joy so I cleared the cover cache and restored defaults using the KUAL menus, then switched cover mode back on. It tells me it hasn't yet processed a book despite the fact I have opened a book, left it open for ages, and exited to home as per the FAQ. Strangely, if I open book 1 it does change to its cover back to that but is then stuck with that one again despite opening another book... Aaaargh! Please help.

Go to the "Device Info" panel in settings and check what firmware version you are now running.
It sounds like you have had a firmware update from Amazon.
And you know you have to re-install all of your add-ins (except for the jail break) after an Amazon update.

And/Or -

Are these the same identical book files now as when it was last working?
Or are these all recently added KFX book files?

[RandomGiraffe]

Yeah I installed the update myself after JB, then installed Python & the screensaver package so it's not that.

Hmm these are recently downloaded books. The one that would still work was from before - but now I deleted it and redownloaded it, it doesn't work. Also I noticed the cover has completely changed since I last had it on my PW3 so I guess Amazon updated it to kfx. So does the screensaver package just not work for kfx format books?

[RandomGiraffe]

Originally Posted by RandomGiraffe

Yeah I installed the update myself after JB, then installed Python & the screensaver package so it's not that.

Hmm these are recently downloaded books. The one that would still work was from before - but now I deleted it and redownloaded it, it doesn't work. Also I noticed the cover has completely changed since I last had it on my PW3 so I guess Amazon updated it to kfx. So does the screensaver package just not work for kfx format books?

Just found this so will give it a go... https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...postcount=2516

[knc1]

Originally Posted by RandomGiraffe

Yeah I installed the update myself after JB, then installed Python & the screensaver package so it's not that.

Hmm these are recently downloaded books. The one that would still work was from before - but now I deleted it and redownloaded it, it doesn't work. Also I noticed the cover has completely changed since I last had it on my PW3 so I guess Amazon updated it to kfx. So does the screensaver package just not work for kfx format books?

Only after you fix it for the newest of kfx formats:
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...postcount=2516

[RandomGiraffe]

Originally Posted by knc1

Only after you fix it for the newest of kfx formats:
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...postcount=2516

I have now tried that but still see the "The ScreenSaver Hack is currently in 'cover' mode, but hasn't yet successfully processed a book cover" message. I have again tried resetting screensaver behaviour to default, clearing the cache and restarting the framework. Anything else I can try? Is it worth uninstalling the screensaver and Python apps to reinstall? I seem to recall seeing that one never needs to use the uninstall files, but I can't think of what else to do now.

[knc1]

Leave everything alone and read some books.

I do recall some comments about having to open, and keep open, one or more books.
I do not recall the details.

In addition to the above, reading some books will give these problem report posts a chance to be noticed by a user of the screen saver add-in.
(I don't use it myself.)

[dhdurgee]

Originally Posted by RandomGiraffe

I have now tried that but still see the "The ScreenSaver Hack is currently in 'cover' mode, but hasn't yet successfully processed a book cover" message. I have again tried resetting screensaver behaviour to default, clearing the cache and restarting the framework. Anything else I can try? Is it worth uninstalling the screensaver and Python apps to reinstall? I seem to recall seeing that one never needs to use the uninstall files, but I can't think of what else to do now.

I have found on occasion that the screen saver stops updating with the book covers and find in those situations a full restart of the KT2 is required to get it working again. You might also want to enable verbose mode which will display messages letting you know what the screensaver is up to.

Dave

[RandomGiraffe]

Originally Posted by knc1

Leave everything alone and read some books

Well what do you know, I took your advice and it's started working again. Thanks, as always!

[RandomGiraffe]

Originally Posted by knc1

Only after you fix it for the newest of kfx formats:
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...postcount=2516

Would be useful if that info could be added to the first post in this thread, ie the one with installation instructions etc, to prevent noobs like me from asking again and again.

[knc1]

Originally Posted by RandomGiraffe

Would be useful if that info could be added to the first post in this thread, ie the one with installation instructions etc, to prevent noobs like me from asking again and again.

Either the post owner (NiLuJe) or the forum moderator (NiLuJe) could edit the post.
But both versions of NiLuJe are away at school.

[knc1]

Originally Posted by normanr

Related question: Is there a 'package manger' for kindle that would be able to checks for updates, and download & install the new packages? If so this might be a good place to plumb in a re-install option for already installed packages. In my ideal world this 'package manager' would read it's meta-data from the first post in a forum thread (eg: this thread, or NiLuJe's snapshot's thread), detect updates (attachments or links to downloads) and offer to download and install them.

Originally Posted by knc1

There are ones small enough with light enough resource requirements that they could be used on the Kindles.
But we do not have any way to coordinate the other end (supply end) of an update packaging service.

Originally Posted by normanr

I was just thinking something integrated with KAUL. The menus would look something like:

• Update (refresh metadata from online)
• Upgrade All (download, unpack & install updated packages)
• Installed Packages > submenu with list of installed packages
  • each package offers: upgrade (if available), uninstall (if possible)
• All Packages > submenu with list of all packages
  • each package offers: install/(uninstall?)

Using a big name package system / manger feels like overkill, (even though you do get a lot for free - once the basics are figured out). I was thinking just very simple wget/curl/sed/md5 based shell scripts.

I have stumbled onto something that we might be able to base a Kindle package management on.
One of its selling points (it isn't for sale, it is free, that is just a figure of speech) is that it provides remote package management without the installation of any specialized software on the client.
I.E: All of the 'computation and programming' happens on the centralized distribution point.

That claim is only possible because the assumed client environment is a "complete" Linux installation, not an "embedded" Linux installation.

The main assumption is that the clients have ssh (server) installed.
If limiting our audience to the touchscreen Kindles - -
We already have packages to add that to either (or both) the 'main' and the 'diags' systems.

It wouldn't be practical to use the system I stumbled on "out of the box" but a Kindle specialized implementation of its ideas and operation seems possible.

The client end of the management is based on the feature of ssh that it can execute a scripting (provided by the central point) on the remote client.
And do so under the control of public key authentication, controlled by the owner of the client device.

If you have our USB networking package installed and enabled over the USB cable (the default) to your PC, you can demo that feature for yourself ->
Assuming all install defaults, enter (on your pc):

ssh root@192.168.15.244 "ls -l /mnt/us/documents"

If you don't have pubkey auth installed, it will ask you for root's password, but after providing that, the quoted command will be run on the remote (from the PC, that is, the Kindle) device.

The point is, the quoted command was run on (and the results returned from) the Kindle, not on the PC.
And from that viewpoint, no programming was required on the Kindle.

There are a number of modifications that would be required to the system for use to manage packages (under the owner's control) on Kindles, but I think it would be doable.

[radamo]

Thanks knc1 for the replacement kfxmeta.py file. The SS hack is the main reason for my jailbreak. So happy to keep it functioning properly.