[HELP] Need an advice on editor in BOOX MAX Carta

[rickyzhang]

I bought a bluetooth foldable keyboard (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1). I want to use MAX Carta as text editor to write notes.

But I can't find a good text editor Android App. I love vim so I tried Vim Touch. It works great except the cursor is so big. Although the cursor doesn't blink by default, it is quite irritating to see the slow ghost image flashing moving to next position on the screen.

I want to ask if anyone uses any e-ink friendly text editor that support external keyboard?

TIA

[Kumabjorn]

I use a word processor called WPS, it is the only one I've found that works, but text editors for programming shouldn't be a problem, they all have reasonable small footprints and require little resources.

[rickyzhang]

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

I use a word processor called WPS, it is the only one I've found that works, but text editors for programming shouldn't be a problem, they all have reasonable small footprints and require little resources.

You mean WPS office (https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...ce_eng&hl=en)?

It is not compatible with Android 4.04. I wish I could get Google Docs so that I don't need to worry about where to get it from Mac/PC

[mdp]

Originally Posted by rickyzhang

You mean WPS office (https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...ce_eng&hl=en)?

It is not compatible with Android 4.04. I wish I could get Google Docs so that I don't need to worry about where to get it from Mac/PC

Not compatible? I am pretty sure I installed one of the latest WPS Office versions on the Max Carta, for testing reasons. But (the forum is full of me mentioning) I use the former versions (namely 5.7 and 5.12), when it was "commercially" called Kingsoft Office - technically, still named WPS (it is in fact cn.wps.moffice_eng).
Note that it may be slow following some problem in some versions of the Onyx Firmware, I opened a bug but got no reply yet. I plainly believe that Onyx should take good care that WPS - the best I found - works well on their tablets: many people are interested in using Office Automation software on EPD tablets. And I did use it, a LOT.

For plain-text editing, I use QuickEdit.

External keyboards: Android supports keyboard use natively, and pretty completely: most keyboard shortcuts work - [CTRL]+[A], [CTRL]+[X|C|V], [CTRL]+[Z|Y] etc., and in software products (Kingsoft itself) other may be implemented like [CTRL]+[F] etc.

[mdp]

BTW: I thought about writing one myself, but then resolved it was a bad idea: standard tools like Kingsoft did work well and must work well. Useless to reinvent the wheel because of a nail in the tire.

Nonetheless, if a (open source, for licensing reason) more lightweight product were identified, that already works well on the Onyx firmware, I would gladly spend time to optimize it - and put some features in that I like to have.

It would be an asset if the editor supported rich text editing.

[rickyzhang]

No, it was not compatible with Android 4.04. I have checked it triple times. You may have Android 4.4 or WPS just ditch support for 4.04.

I will give a try on QuickEditor.

Speaking of WPS, the first release of WPS is developed by one young genius Chinese who programmed in a hotel for two months. It ran under DOS. It was a must-install app for every computer in China at that time. I remember my first computer bought in 1996 installed WPS in DOS as well, even though I runs Windows 95 most of the time.

[rickyzhang]

I tried QuickEditor. It is simple and great! But the only thing I don't quite like is the blinking cursor. Although its cursor is smaller and lighter color than Vim touch. It would be great if it is non-blinking.

@mdp, how easy it is to reverse the apk and fix blinking cursor?

[Kumabjorn]

Originally Posted by rickyzhang

No, it was not compatible with Android 4.04. I have checked it triple times. You may have Android 4.4 or WPS just ditch support for 4.04.

Yes, it does, but it won't install from Google Play Store, you need to install it directly from an APK package.

[rickyzhang]

@Kumabjorn Before I search WPS on Internet, can you tell me what the cursor looks like in WPS?

1. Is the cursor blinking?
2. Is the cursor a large rectangle like Vim Touch or a vertical line like QuickEdit?

The flashing cursor with ghost imaging is a deal breaker for me to use Max Carta as editor. Maybe I should not use it as text editor.

[Kumabjorn]

It is a line and it disappears if the device is idle.

[mdp]

Originally Posted by rickyzhang

what the cursor looks like in WPS?
1. Is the cursor blinking?
2. Is the cursor a large rectangle like Vim Touch or a vertical line like QuickEdit?

The flashing cursor with ghost imaging is a deal breaker for me to use Max Carta as editor. Maybe I should not use it as text editor.

For those many months in which I edited on Kingsoft daily and massively, since to modify the cursor specs in the Kingsoft code appeared as a humongous task, I "simply" coded an app which:
-- would remove focus from Kingsoft by placing a transparent layer on top of it
-- would be called by a keyboard shortcut (e.g. [CMD]+[H], for "Hide")*
-- would close on tap (it's a big transparent button)
Of course, starting it from the shortcut hides the cursor on the editor (which "goes in the background" but still shows the page.

I am in the office ATM, I can share later

*Your BT keyboard has most probably a [Command] key, with some other name, which is very useful on Android because you can use it to start applications. You define those application launching shortcuts from an interface which you can start from the adb console, since for some reason it is hidden in the settings. I posted the 'am' command somewhere in the forum, cannot check right now

[mdp]

Originally Posted by rickyzhang

@mdp, how easy it is to reverse the apk and fix blinking cursor?

Probably not that difficult, but as I wrote earlier, it is not a good idea to publish a hack of a modified closed-source apk, and I find it preferable that we invest effort in something solid. I do not remember QuickEdit to be open. A good product, granted, but if we modify it than it remains with us - a pity. Identify a good alternative and I'm in.

[mdp]

Originally Posted by rickyzhang

use Max Carta as editor. Maybe I should not use it as text editor.

The MaxCarta has the numbers to be the Mother of all text editors.
It would be a pity not to use it that way.
(I bought it chiefly to use it that way, for when my next batch of massive editing will come)

[rickyzhang]

@mdp You are the man! I almost gave it up.

[mdp]

Originally Posted by rickyzhang

No, it was not compatible with Android 4.04. I have checked it triple times. You may have Android 4.4 or WPS just ditch support for 4.04.

Android 4.4 on the first batch of T68 years ago? Ricky, that's pretty difficult to mistake ; )
Look, I just google'd for "kingsoft office download android", a link to the downloads page of kingsoftstore.com came out, there are a number of links there and one of them shows '5.12' on it, which is the version I noted above...

Originally Posted by rickyzhang

Speaking of WPS,

That's very interesting... I'll check for info. Maybe I will try to contact him/them...