Native Kindle Menu for Paperwhite (1 & 2) and Touch

[Aeris]

Kindle Menu v. 1.7b:

Kindle Menu for kindle Touch and PW1 is finally ready, YAY!

First of all, I want to say a big "Thank you!!!!" to Twobob and Eureka: without their help and wisdom, my little dream would never come true! (If you are curious to know how this project was born, you could give a glance here and here)

Now, let's talk about the app.

What does Kindle Menu do?

- Bundles and launches all the best apps for Kindle (according to my arbitrary opinion :P).
- Provides some useful shortcuts (light toggle, wifi toggle, screen saver prevention toggle, etc.)
- Shows up instantly, saving your precious time
- Bundles a task manager
- Provides a shortcut for launching KUAL, and a KUAL-like faster launcher too
- Provides a "slide to show" function, like Android: just slide your finger from the top bar to make Kindle Menu show (this features lasts "only" until you reboot the device or the framework)
- Works in both landscape and portrait mode

How to install it?
Just extract everything from the .zip archive into your Kindle main directory.
In order to use Kindle Menu, you will need to install also: Jailbreak, KUAL and its prerequisites

How to launch it?
Once installed, you can launch Kindle Menu from KUAL (KUAL -> Kindle Menu -> Show Kindle Menu), or, always from KUAL, enable the slide-on-topbar shortcut to launch it with a finger slide (KUAL -> Kindle Menu -> Enable status bar shortcut). This shortcut will persist until you reboot the device or the framework. This is the recommended, fastest way to launch Kindle Menu.

CHANGELOGS:

1.7b
- Removed little delay in hiding Koreader & Midori icons if not installed

1.7
- Fixed "topbar disappearing ifwhen koreader is launched while not installed" bug
- Fixed "Midori & Koreader icons showing even if not installed" bug

1.6d
- Fixed "Kindle Menu not closing after launching Notes or Reminder" bug
- Fixed blank screen when launching JBpatch, Collection Manager or KUAL from advanced tools

1.6c
- Fixed "custom shortcuts" compatibility issues with some scripts
- Fixed unneeded screen rotation to portrait mode while using "Kindle-series" apps

1.6b
- Used a trick to remove almost all the ghosting on PW1 after Kindle Menu loading

1.6
- NEW APP ADDED: KindleReminder 0.1
It's basically a to-do app. It is a little simple at the moment... maybe I'll add some new functionalities when I have some time . Screenshots below
- Added "firmware version" to "info" dialog
- Moved some icons; added KindleNotes icon
- Added a little error notification to Kindle Notes
- Fixed matchbox-keyboard "stay-in-memory" bug

Previous versions:

Spoiler:

1.5
- Force portrait mode when launching apps from custom shorcuts / extensions
- Faster extension tool code
- Really faster KOReader loading time
- Added light toggle notification
- Fixed KUAL entry for Collection Manager and JBPatch
- Fixed calendar layout for 31 days months
Fixes to RBGpaint app:
- Changed default canvas size on Kindle PW
- New drawings are now saved in /images folder by default, hence appearing in Kindle Gallery

1.4b
- Fixed a little bug of non-closing Kindle Menu when launching custom shorcuts
(bug introduced in v 1.4)

1.4
- NEW APP ADDED: KindleTask 0.1
I made this tiny new app (10kb) to replace in a native way Yad task manager,
that didn't work on PW2. Screenshot below.
- Overall speed improvement , especially in app launching. I fixed a little bottleneck that didn't see before
- Fixed alert timing small issue
- Battery button now works as an ON/OFF switch, not ON only (like it did before instead)
- Fixed kterm layout when launched from landscape mode
- Recoded some javascript for better performances and readability
- Faster method to add your custom shorcuts with icons. Please refer to the brand new guide below in this post.

1.3b
- Fixed Exstensions launcher issues with some script ("light toggle OFF
on wakeup" excluded. For now, just don't launch it from Kindle Menu)

1.3
- Added Extensions launcher. Just click on "more apps" to access it and browse/launch all your installed extensions!
- KUAL launch button moved to "advanced tools"
- Cleaned and optimized some code here and there
- Kindle Gallery doesn't change anymore the status bar title
- Some interface minor fixes

1.2
- Fixed non-appearing menu bug, introduced in v 1.1
- Fixed support for more then 4 custom shorcuts. Now you can add
up to 30 shorcuts
- Better support for shorcuts scripts. Now, before launching the script,
Kindle Menu will enter the script folder, just like KUAL does
- If Midori and KOreader has not been installed, their entry is removed
from Kindle Menu

1.1
- Added Custom Shortcuts launcher
Now you can easily make custom shortcuts to .sh files, adding new rows to the file custom_shortcuts.txt in /extensions/kindlemenu/ folder
- Removed light-control icons from Kindle Touch (not needed)
- New notification method (now it doesn't write anymore into the status bar)
- In KindleNotes, click on the notification bar make it disappear instantly

1.0
- To avoid confusion, from now the bundle-pack zip will be only available
- Fixed layout problems for KindleNotes on Touch
- Resized advanced tools window
- KindleNotes update to v. 0.3 (changelog)
- Layout fine-tuning
- Visual feedback to scrollbars

0.9
- Updated KindleNotes to v. 0.2.
[Better performances, editable notes gathered in notes folder]
[Your old Kindle Notes notes will be removed after this update!]

0.8
- NEW APP ADDED: KindleNotes 0.1
Supported gestures:
- Swipe-right: bigger fonts
- Swipe-left: smaller fonts
- Double tap: default fonts
- Added JBPatch and Collection Manager in "complete bundle"
- Added advanced tools (Toggle USBnet, launch Jbpatch, etc.)
- added swipe-to-close function (swipe up from the six buttons in the bottom)
- Bigger scrollbars in info screen
- Minor improvements

0.7
- Updated Gacultator app

0.6
- NEW APP ADDED: Kindle Gallery 1.5
- improvements in app loading scripts
- semplified whiteboard apps to avoid some possible bugs
- slightly better graphic, with shadow boxes
- minor improvements

0.5
- Fixed koreader start glitch (hopefully on both PW and KT)
- Added system info app to the traybar

0.4
- Added javascript calendar ("calendarview")
- Visual feedback for bottom buttons

0.3
- fixed app icons artifacts
- inactive buttons grayed out
- add a common.css stylesheet for easier css customizations
- renamed some buttons and changed ImageViewer app icon
- scrollbars layout prepared for future use (i.e. "overflow:scroll" elements)

0.2
- Fixed Kindle Touch landscape layout (thanks to Thomass)

0.1b
- Fixed Kindle Touch portrait layout (thanks to Thomass)

0.1 - First version

KINDLE MENU APP BUNDLE:
- Collection Manager - by Ixtab
- Explorer by Anakod
- Galculator by Twobob
- Gargoyle by Baf
- JBPatch by Ixtab
- KindleGallery by Aeris
- KindleNotes by Aeris
- Kindle Menu (main app) by Aeris
- Kterm by Baf
- Leafpad by Baf
- Rgbpaint by Twobob
- KindleTask by Aeris
- KindleReminder by Aeris

APPS THAT YOU CAN DOWNLOAD SEPARATELY:
- Midori: a great web browser for Kindle, download it here
- KOReader: the best pdf reader for Kindle, download it here
These apps are simply too big to be embedded in the package.

Guide: How to add your custom app launcher to Kindle Menu:

Spoiler:

If you don't need to add an app launcher with icon, simply edit the file custom_shortcuts.txt in /extensions/kindlemenu/ folder. If instead you want to make a nice-looking launcher with icon, like default ones, follow these instructions:

Copy-paste this code immediatly after the line <div id="appContainer"> in the file /extensions/kindlemenu/bin/kindlemenupage.html:

<div class="appOuter" onclick="default_run('/your/complete/path/to/script/goes/here.sh',0)">
            <div class="appIcon" style="background-image:url('icons/youricon.jpg');"></div>
            <div class="appName">Your app name</div>
</div>

Now, replace:
- /your/complete/path/to/script/goes/here.sh with the complete path to your app script
- 0 with 1 only if you must force the app to run in portrait mode even when you are reading in landscape (some need that)
- youricon.jpg with the name of your app icon, that you must place in the folder /extensions/kindlemenu/bin/icons
- Your app name with the app name that you want to show up in Kindle Menu

Save the file, and you are done!

IMPORTANT: Remember to backup your modifications before every update of Kindle Menu, because they will be overwritten!

TODO LIST:

Spoiler:

- Clean up the code, extrapolating most used functions etc.
- Add the possibility to easily add customized shorcuts DONE
- Add a permanent installation shortcut
- Implement a way to switch between running apps (? doubts for the low amount of RAM...)
- Bundle the app "Osmo", when ready, and others
- Hide tray icons on uncompatible device (ex. light toggle on KT)
- Add an alarm app with notifications while reading
- Add a simple note-taking form DONE
- Add a "last update check" that downloads this thread html page, scan it and return to the user the last version number of Kindle Menu
- Fix the "shortcuts vanishing when launching Koreader from Kual" issue using an automated patch
- FIX LAYOUT ISSUES ON TOUCH

KNOWN BUGS:
- On KT FW5.1.2., when Kindle Menu is launched the keyboard appears [link]
- On KT, pressing the home button while Kindle Menu is in landscape mode causes layout problems [link]
- "More apps" launcher doesn't work with Toggle Light OFF on Wakeup script.

Kindle Menu on Github:
https://github.com/AerisDev/KindleMenu


DOWNLOAD KINDLE MENU - COMPLETE BUNDLE v.1.7b

Enjoy!

NOTE: I need Kindle Touch and PW2 testers because I don't own these devices...

[Aeris]

I will keep here all the download files to track them better.

VERSIONS DATABASE:

[knc1]

PM twobob
There may be a KUAL project device available.

[Aeris]

Originally Posted by knc1

PM twobob
There may be a KUAL project device available.

What do you mean?

[icantbebothered]

Works on a touch with some sizing issues which seem fairly easy to fix. Awesome app, by the way.

[thomass]

Originally Posted by Aeris

P.S.: I desperatly need Touch tester because I've not that device...

Thanks, loved the status bar shortcut,
on Touch all functions are ok, but there are some visual defects :

[Aeris]

Just a second and I should be able to fix them... I'll pm you the modified html
PS please sand me also a screenshot of landscape mode! (call it from a book while reading it in landscape)

[Aeris]

Ok, please try to delete the following rows from the file
/mnt/us/extensions/kindlemenu/bin/stylesheets/portrait.css

#appContainer{
margin:0 auto;
width:100%;
height:170pt;
}

Ah no damn wait i've just seen what I've written eheh.. I tought that the margin wasn't 100%, don't mind...

If someone that has touch wanna play with this, you must only try to lower the bold value in the code below (again in /mnt/us/extensions/kindlemenu/bin/stylesheets/portrait.css):

.appOuter{
border: 1pt solid #2c2c2c;
height:73pt;
width: 58.1pt;
background-color:#2c2c2c;
display:block;
margin: 5pt 0pt 0pt 3.42pt;
float:left;
display:block;
-webkit-border-radius:3pt;
-webkit-user-select:none;
}

Try to set it to 2pt etc.

Regarding the taskmanager, we'll wait for Twobob

[thomass]

Originally Posted by Aeris

Just a second and I should be able to fix them... I'll pm you the modified html
PS please sand me also a screenshot of landscape mode! (call it from a book while reading it in landscape)

this one occur when I press home button on landscape mode:


fix didn't change anything, this ones are on landscape mode:

[twobob]

He's saying I will keep my eye out for a kindle touch for you.
Or - funds willing - buy one and send it to you. I did have a look around.

There is currently £8 GBP in the "devices" fund. (and that is from one donation in the last 4 months) That isn't likely to buy a PW2 in a hurry. but I will keep my eye out for a cheap Kindle Touch - My devices guy comes again on Thursday so I will see what the current going rate is.

I would just like to add that I personally have donated more than 50% to every device the fund has ever bought (including stepk's) just in case anyone thought I was actually making any money....

Perhaps one day we will hit enough funds to a) be able to buy a PW2 and b) donate the leftovers to a worthy cause. That day is not likely to come soon though.

[thomass]

Originally Posted by Aeris

Ah no damn wait ...

If someone that has touch wanna play with this..

will try

[twobob]

Originally Posted by thomass

fix didn't change anything, this ones are on landscape mode:

Looks like the Task Manager is correct?
It should be... I spent quite a few hours testing it last night..

admittedly not extensively on the Touch.

[twobob]

hmmm... it tested as perfect on the touch (last night) before the addition of the extra buttons on the bottom...

*head scratch*

[thomass]

Originally Posted by twobob

Looks like the Task Manager is correct?

Yes, it works correctly. I can kill processes with it.

[twobob]

ah cool. one less headache.

I'll double check it on the touch for "layout" nevertheless