Boox Leaf 2 general discussion

[orangpelupa]

Currently, discussions about Boox Leaf 2 are being spread across multiple threads, it would be nice if it can be in 1 place.

anyway, to help to start things up, some useful links

• Leaf 2 new FW update brings customizable hardware button
  
• Leaf 2 Black/White vs Libra 2 photos (courtesy of @CrazyCoder)
  
• Leaf 2 root
  
• (please add more if you know more useful posts)

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by orangpelupa

Currently, discussions about Boox Leaf 2 are being spread across multiple threads, it would be nice if it can be in 1 place.

Why?
Leaf2 issues involve more than 1 question.

[orangpelupa]

i agree, a lot of topics are related to leaf.

unfortunately currently instead of posting them as new threads, a lot of people post them inside threads with different topics.

[Garret]

It was me who had asked how to root the device. I am not an expert at all on that so it would be nice if someone could write a tutorial.

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by Garret

It was me who had asked how to root the device. I am not an expert at all on that so it would be nice if someone could write a tutorial.

Why do you want to root?

[Renate]

Originally Posted by Garret

It was me who had asked how to root the device. I am not an expert at all on that so it would be nice if someone could write a tutorial.

There's a lot of commonality between recent models of Onyx.
Rooting of them is pretty much all the same.
There are explicit tutorials up already.

1. Enable ADB on your device
2. Get a copy of the boot image, either:
   1. Download an update and decrypt it
   2. Use EDL mode to extract the boot image from your device
3. Install Magisk.apk
4. Have Magisk process your boot image
5. Replace your boot image, either:
   1. fastboot flash boot magisk.img
   2. In a rooted recovery, dd if=magisk.img of=/dev/block/by-name/boot
   3. Use EDL mode to write the magisk image

[Garret]

I have issues with KOReader that it does not follow the rotation of the device, and the same is valid for the physical buttons. When I force the rotation on KOReader though its settings menu, the screen rotates but the physical buttons don't change accordingly.
I don't have issues with other android apps (like wallabag or feedme) but only with KOReader.

Do you know how could I solve?

[Renate]

You seem to be saying that you are using an option inside KOReader to rotate the screen.
Does that actually rotate the screen system-wise. Can you go to the system pull down and see that you're actually changing the system rotation (and not just how KOR renders privately).

The keys are mapped through framework.jar, libinputreader.so and some layout in /system/usr/keylayout.
I don't own one and I'm still unclear on what people are doing and whether they want the same button to do the same thing or whether they want a button in the same relative position to do the same thing.

[Garret]

Originally Posted by Renate

You seem to be saying that you are using an option inside KOReader to rotate the screen.
Does that actually rotate the screen system-wise. Can you go to the system pull down and see that you're actually changing the system rotation (and not just how KOR renders privately).

The keys are mapped through framework.jar, libinputreader.so and some layout in /system/usr/keylayout.
I don't own one and I'm still unclear on what people are doing and whether they want the same button to do the same thing or whether they want a button in the same relative position to do the same thing.

The option inside KOReader rotates the screen only for KOReader. So it seems like KOReader and the system "don't see each other".

I would like the botton down to be page down, and that also should follow when I rotate 180 degrees the screen. That happens systemwise and with all the applications except for KOreader as written above.

[Renate]

Originally Posted by Garret

The option inside KOReader rotates the screen only for KOReader. So it seems like KOReader and the system "don't see each other".

Well, that's a silly option on KOReader. Don't use it.
It's easy to have an option inside an app that actually changes the system rotation. Why don't you just let the accelerometer change change the rotation? That way the system knows. Or use the system pulldown to change the rotation.

Speaking of buttons always ends in confusion.
If I hold the device with the buttons on the right and I push the button nearest me to go to the next page and I rotate the device so that buttons are on the left and push the buttons nearest me to go to the next page. Then the buttons are ROTATION MAPPED. In this case the physical buttons I pushed are different.

This ROTATION MAPPING can be done in two different places. Inside Onyx custom code or in libinputreader.so. They could even negate each other.

[mergen3107]

https://github.com/koreader/koreader/issues/9223

[Renate]

As I said, the problem comes with EVERYBODY trying to rotate the buttons. If they patch KOReader for this it will screw up everybody else.

A well-behaved app doesn't try to second-guess the system. It shouldn't know how big the screen is, only how big a chunk of screen it received. Likewise for buttons.

[Garret]

It seems that the problem is Android on Onyx and all the other apps and not KOReader from what Renate writes (but I could be misunderstood ).
But anyway, it seems I have to live with that unless I root the device or patch KOReader? For curiosity, does the same happen on a Kobo Libra 2?

[Renate]

You're working with too many unknowns.
You can attack this from either side.

Preliminaries: Start with a fresh boot and don't touch the KOReader at all.
Turn on Onyx auto rotate.
Install and run UsbMode.apk in http://www.temblast.com/usbmode.htm
Hold the Leaf2 in your right hand, press the A, then the B, note what happens.
Hold the Leaf2 in your left hand, press the A, then the B, note what happens.
See diagram. The A button is always the same physical button. Likewise B.

[denisuu]

Here are some more detailed instructions on how to root the Leaf 2. I'm not sure if it's allowed to share the patched boot image on here?

1. Test if ADB and Fastboot are working, if the commands below don't work, install ADB and the Google USB drivers

PS C:\00 - Standalone\ADB> .\adb.exe devices
List of devices attached
1EED4B07        device

PS C:\> adb reboot bootloader
PS C:\>  .\fastboot.exe devices
1EED4B07        fastboot

PS C:\>  .\fastboot.exe reboot
rebooting...

finished. total time: -0.000s

2. Download decryptBooxUpdateUPX from Github
3. Right-click DeBooxUpx.py and open it in a text editor (I use VS Code), add the following to 'boox_strings = {}'

       'Leaf2': {
        "MODEL": "Leaf2",
        "STRING_SETTINGS": "okRZqgfOHft/Y5jHx1N0ECjqrc/Op/nADFj2uL7Jbuxq",
        "STRING_UPGRADE": "10Na33u5HfsCVHqjtwLrwACOW+2cz5MSnXUogONCTd9c"
    },

4. Open Powershell or CMD and run:

pip install pycryptodome

5. Download the firmware for your Boox device from Onyx's website. (or from your device)
6. Add the update.upx to the decryptBooxUpdateUPX folder and run the following command in Powershell:

python DebooxUpx.py Leaf2

7. Extract the payload.bin from the update.zip file.
8. Download Payload_Dumper and extract it (Allow it in Windows Defender or do it in a VM)
9. Put payload.bin in the payload_input and run payload_dumper.exe
10. Move the boot.img from the payload_output folder to the internal storage on your Leaf2
12. In Magisk tap: 'Install' > 'Next' > 'Select and Patch a File' > (Select your boot.img) > 'Let's Go'
13. Once complete, copy the 'magisk_patched-xxxxx_xxxxx.img to your PC
14. In Powershell run:

adb reboot bootloader

15. Wait a bit and run the following commands (with the correct image name ofcourse):

PS C:\> adb reboot bootloader

PS C:\>  fastboot devices
1EED4B07        fastboot

PS C:\> fastboot boot .\magisk_patched-25200_r3xw3.img
downloading 'boot.img'...
OKAY [  2.130s]
booting...
OKAY [  0.143s]
finished. total time: 2.274s

16. If the device successfully boots you can install the patched boot image from magisk
17. In Magisk tap: 'Install' > 'Next' > 'Direct Install (Recommended) > 'Let's Go'