Skinning/Themes for the Cool-er ebook reader.

codeMonkey · 11-26-2009, 05:43 PM

I've put together a simple firmware modification for the Cool-er reader that allows you to quickly apply skins/themes.
Once the modification has been applied you can re-skin the reader with your own images without having to reflash.

>> Kewl-ER <<
>> SkinMod <<

I'm not a great designer, but I've put up an example skin.

Hopefully if we have some talented designers out there we can have some really nice themes for our readers

Quick instructions:
Download the latest version of kewl-er. Unzip this and place the backdoor.sh script on your reader's internal memory (not the SD card).
Download the latest version of skinMod. Unzip this and place the skinMod.sh script next to the backdoor script.
Download an example skin (e.g. Penguins!). Rename this to skin.tgz and place it next to the backdoor script.
Disconnect your reader from your computer.
Re-boot the reader.

codeMonkey · 01-04-2010, 10:26 AM

Just to let anyone know, I've been working on some changes to this recently.
The main page has moved to here for the kewl-er project.
skinMod is now a plugin for this - it's page can be found here.

lilila · 01-14-2010, 01:29 PM

Thanks, I like the script and it works well. I mean it works flawlessly on my Astak mentor lite with COOL-ER firmware.

codeMonkey · 01-14-2010, 01:55 PM

Glad it's working well for you!

There are some updates planned hopefully sometime this weekend - I'll post here when they're ready.

sassanik · 01-18-2010, 10:30 PM

Has anyone with some graphics skills come up with some pretty themes/skins? If so would you care to share them? I fear my graphic design skills are sadly lacking.

Amy

codeMonkey · 01-19-2010, 04:35 AM

Hi Amy

Unfortunately not - I did a little work last weekend on a MobileRead-based theme that might appeal to more people, but I'm not much of a graphic designer either, so it's still going slowly whilst I'm juggling that with other things.

I've also got some good ideas for modifications to make it easier for people to test out their own designs, but it's still a little way off at the moment.

If you have any ideas for any designs, or even just pictures you'd like to see on your own reader let me know and I'll see what I can do.

andygates · 01-31-2010, 07:45 PM

Okay, that's slick. I'M INFESTED WITH PENGUINS! THE HORROR! It's all... Tuxey!

*ahem*

I'll see what I can do about making/finding some pretties. Ex Libris classicalpants comes to mind. Anyone fancy a mock iPad one?

Cath · 02-02-2010, 03:31 PM

I want penguins!

Unfortunately it doesn't seem to work on the December firmware

The kewler and skin mods seem fine, but the skin wasn't applied, and instead I've got a skin.tgz listed in my library. I don't have the reader with me right now, but if I open that file it gives me some sort of version error.

codeMonkey · 02-02-2010, 03:38 PM

I'll have to check it with the new firmware - I'm surprised that the .tgz file shows up in the library - will definitely need to investigate shortly.

andygates · 02-04-2010, 08:43 AM

Does the native firmware really just automatically run backdoor.sh out of the box? That's... weird and cool. And so very hackable.

codeMonkey · 02-04-2010, 09:09 AM

Yep. So far all of them do it automatically.

andygates · 02-05-2010, 03:56 AM

That's magnificent. I'm having trouble packing my test skin up for use though - newbie error I'll betcha. I tar the files, then gzip the tarball, but it fails to find the version (1119) - there's a \.\ folder difference between my tgz's and yours. Any tips? (XP / 7zip here)

Cath - The skins have a little text file indicating which firmware versions they are compatible with; the Penguins skin has indicators for 0828 and 1119 but not 1229, which is the firmware you're using. cM can add that to his release, or you can unpack it, add it and repack it, or I'd do it except that I'm having the aforementioned packing problem.

(Or you could go back to the 1119 firmware)

codeMonkey · 02-05-2010, 05:42 AM

Hi Andy

I think there are some differences between the way that 7zip creates tgz files and the way that the gnu tar does - i've just had a quick check but gnu tar doesn't seem to work very well under Windows at the moment. I'll have another look at lunch - see if I can get something working because I'm guessing most people are going to be using Windows, and I'd love to get some more skins out there in the wild

Note: I've updated the first post in this thread with the latest versions - there's a copy of the penguins skin that has the 1229 tag there. I'm also currently implementing some other changes from suggestions by cyberman and ytrushkov, so the next version should hopefully be a bit tidier. Now I just need to figure out how to delete the two old posts near the top of this thread to make sure other people don't get confused with versions.

codeMonkey · 02-05-2010, 03:53 PM

I've had a play with 7zip today, and it seems the problem is that the version of busybox on the Cool-ER can't handle the tar files produced by 7zip.
The gnu version of tar for Windows has problems, but the one in UnxUtils works.
I've grabbed tar, gzip and gunzip out of UnxUtils and put them here to get around the problem.

codeMonkey · 02-06-2010, 11:10 AM

Links in the first post have been updated with the latest version to handle the newest firmware - there are still other modifications intended when I get the chance, but for now this will do.

Just re-tested it on my reader - it still works nicely

11-26-2009, 05:43 PM	#1
codeMonkey Zealot Posts: 125 Karma: 26758 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: UK Device: Cool-ER (running pocketbook firmware), Nokia N800, Nokia N900	Skinning/Themes for the Cool-er ebook reader. I've put together a simple firmware modification for the Cool-er reader that allows you to quickly apply skins/themes. Once the modification has been applied you can re-skin the reader with your own images without having to reflash. >> Kewl-ER << >> SkinMod << I'm not a great designer, but I've put up an example skin. Hopefully if we have some talented designers out there we can have some really nice themes for our readers Quick instructions: Download the latest version of kewl-er. Unzip this and place the backdoor.sh script on your reader's internal memory (not the SD card). Download the latest version of skinMod. Unzip this and place the skinMod.sh script next to the backdoor script. Download an example skin (e.g. Penguins!). Rename this to skin.tgz and place it next to the backdoor script. Disconnect your reader from your computer. Re-boot the reader. Attached Thumbnails Last edited by codeMonkey; 02-06-2010 at 10:37 AM. Reason: updated links for the latest firmware version.

01-18-2010, 10:30 PM	#5
sassanik Guru Posts: 774 Karma: 1211741 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Oregon Device: EB1150, iPhone, Cool-er Purple, Pocketbook 360, Kindle Fire	cool designs? Has anyone with some graphics skills come up with some pretty themes/skins? If so would you care to share them? I fear my graphic design skills are sadly lacking. Amy

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01-04-2010, 10:26 AM	#2
codeMonkey Zealot Posts: 125 Karma: 26758 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: UK Device: Cool-ER (running pocketbook firmware), Nokia N800, Nokia N900	Just to let anyone know, I've been working on some changes to this recently. The main page has moved to here for the kewl-er project. skinMod is now a plugin for this - it's page can be found here.

01-14-2010, 01:29 PM	#3
lilila Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: sony 505, Netronix EB600	Thanks, I like the script and it works well. I mean it works flawlessly on my Astak mentor lite with COOL-ER firmware.

01-14-2010, 01:55 PM	#4
codeMonkey Zealot Posts: 125 Karma: 26758 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: UK Device: Cool-ER (running pocketbook firmware), Nokia N800, Nokia N900	Glad it's working well for you! There are some updates planned hopefully sometime this weekend - I'll post here when they're ready.

01-19-2010, 04:35 AM	#6
codeMonkey Zealot Posts: 125 Karma: 26758 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: UK Device: Cool-ER (running pocketbook firmware), Nokia N800, Nokia N900	Hi Amy Unfortunately not - I did a little work last weekend on a MobileRead-based theme that might appeal to more people, but I'm not much of a graphic designer either, so it's still going slowly whilst I'm juggling that with other things. I've also got some good ideas for modifications to make it easier for people to test out their own designs, but it's still a little way off at the moment. If you have any ideas for any designs, or even just pictures you'd like to see on your own reader let me know and I'll see what I can do.

01-31-2010, 07:45 PM	#7
andygates Member Posts: 20 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: UK Device: Cool-er	Okay, that's slick. I'M INFESTED WITH PENGUINS! THE HORROR! It's all... Tuxey! ahem I'll see what I can do about making/finding some pretties. Ex Libris classicalpants comes to mind. Anyone fancy a mock iPad one?

02-02-2010, 03:31 PM	#8
Cath Enthusiast Posts: 29 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Kindle Basic 2014	I want penguins! Unfortunately it doesn't seem to work on the December firmware The kewler and skin mods seem fine, but the skin wasn't applied, and instead I've got a skin.tgz listed in my library. I don't have the reader with me right now, but if I open that file it gives me some sort of version error.

02-02-2010, 03:38 PM	#9
codeMonkey Zealot Posts: 125 Karma: 26758 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: UK Device: Cool-ER (running pocketbook firmware), Nokia N800, Nokia N900	I'll have to check it with the new firmware - I'm surprised that the .tgz file shows up in the library - will definitely need to investigate shortly.

02-04-2010, 08:43 AM	#10
andygates Member Posts: 20 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: UK Device: Cool-er	Does the native firmware really just automatically run backdoor.sh out of the box? That's... weird and cool. And so very hackable.

02-04-2010, 09:09 AM	#11
codeMonkey Zealot Posts: 125 Karma: 26758 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: UK Device: Cool-ER (running pocketbook firmware), Nokia N800, Nokia N900	Yep. So far all of them do it automatically.

02-05-2010, 03:56 AM	#12
andygates Member Posts: 20 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: UK Device: Cool-er	That's magnificent. I'm having trouble packing my test skin up for use though - newbie error I'll betcha. I tar the files, then gzip the tarball, but it fails to find the version (1119) - there's a \.\ folder difference between my tgz's and yours. Any tips? (XP / 7zip here) Cath - The skins have a little text file indicating which firmware versions they are compatible with; the Penguins skin has indicators for 0828 and 1119 but not 1229, which is the firmware you're using. cM can add that to his release, or you can unpack it, add it and repack it, or I'd do it except that I'm having the aforementioned packing problem. (Or you could go back to the 1119 firmware)

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02-05-2010, 05:42 AM	#13
codeMonkey Zealot Posts: 125 Karma: 26758 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: UK Device: Cool-ER (running pocketbook firmware), Nokia N800, Nokia N900	Hi Andy I think there are some differences between the way that 7zip creates tgz files and the way that the gnu tar does - i've just had a quick check but gnu tar doesn't seem to work very well under Windows at the moment. I'll have another look at lunch - see if I can get something working because I'm guessing most people are going to be using Windows, and I'd love to get some more skins out there in the wild Note: I've updated the first post in this thread with the latest versions - there's a copy of the penguins skin that has the 1229 tag there. I'm also currently implementing some other changes from suggestions by cyberman and ytrushkov, so the next version should hopefully be a bit tidier. Now I just need to figure out how to delete the two old posts near the top of this thread to make sure other people don't get confused with versions.

02-05-2010, 03:53 PM	#14
codeMonkey Zealot Posts: 125 Karma: 26758 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: UK Device: Cool-ER (running pocketbook firmware), Nokia N800, Nokia N900	I've had a play with 7zip today, and it seems the problem is that the version of busybox on the Cool-ER can't handle the tar files produced by 7zip. The gnu version of tar for Windows has problems, but the one in UnxUtils works. I've grabbed tar, gzip and gunzip out of UnxUtils and put them here to get around the problem.

02-06-2010, 11:10 AM	#15
codeMonkey Zealot Posts: 125 Karma: 26758 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: UK Device: Cool-ER (running pocketbook firmware), Nokia N800, Nokia N900	Links in the first post have been updated with the latest version to handle the newest firmware - there are still other modifications intended when I get the chance, but for now this will do. Just re-tested it on my reader - it still works nicely