Nook Simple Touch for Practiscore

[Skydiver]

I didn't want to derail the other thread about PractiScore, but also though that it would make sense to share any information and experiences with the Nook Simple Touch as used for PractiScore.

As for me, I can restate the moisture issues since the first match we did with a NST was a rainy day. Using a plain old ziplock bag doesn't work too well. (It works amazing well with a variety of Android phones, and iPhones, though.) The capacitive screen gets confused when you try to tap on locations near the edges. Trying to use the device without a ziplock bag on the other hand essentially makes the device screen ignore all input if there are enough raindrops on the screen.

A suggestion was made about trying the iLoc case for the NST to deal with the rain.

Bill Noyes noted that he has heard about heat issues with the devices. I hope that he replies to this thread with details.

Additionally, I hope that Alan Adamson replies here with a repost of the really simple way to root the NST.

Edited April 17, 2012 by Skydiver

[wgnoyes]

Well, quoting Alan who CC'ed me on that as well as many other things after last weekend's Cherokee Gun Club monthly match

We have identified a potential issue with the NOOK's in general. It appears that it you hold one in your hand all day, in directly sunlight, that the combination of the heat of your hand and the sun beating on the device, will raise the internal temperature to a point where the *calibration* of the touch display starts to flake out. We have more testing to do and we have identified a couple of potential remedies (e.g. using a clock adjust utility to turn down the processor clock speed - thereby removing some processing power and lowering the temperature generated from it). As well as some *usage* guidelines that may help. ( e.g. keep them shaded or not in use until you score a shooter, potentially creating a swap pool and swapping to a different device after 50% of a match is shot, etc.)

[wgnoyes]

...

Additionally, I hope that Alan Adamson replies here with a repost of the really simple way to root the NST.

The procedure that I followed and is also used by Alan and Chris Wren is shown here. It is NOT simple in my opinion, or more accurately, it is not WRITTEN in a simple easy to follow manner. I read this the first time and I didn't understand it, and I've been in computers since 1977. Then I read it again slowly and carefully and with hints from Chris, finally got the gist of it, and it was a cleaner procedure than what Ken Nelson does with his nooks. But it really, REALLY needs to be rewritten in a simple "do this, do that, do the other thing" manner, else the average person isn't going to stand a snowball's chance of doing this.

We used the procedure located here, http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1346748 I used the beta5-2 XUFullTouch-PART-1-START and beta5-1 XWUMFTouch-PART-2-END files.

This went pretty straight forward, but like everyone else who knows what they're doing, they make presumptions about assumed knowledge.

(FC) means Force Close. What you'll see when you open GMail is that it will give a retry message. Keep doing this until the GMail program displays the "Loading conversations" dialog (or something like that, but it's clear that it's trying to sync something) and then exits almost immediately back to the home page. I was expecting an actual Force Close dialog, where the OS tells you that it's exited unexpectedly and has a Yes/No dialog box up. I don't know how much experience you've had with Android, so I may be telling you something you already know.

To install a non-market application (like PractiScore), you'll need to go into the NookColor Application (it's provided as part of the root kit). Although the "Allow Non-Market Apps" checkbox is already checked, you'll need to un-check it then re-check it for it to work.

The web browser in this build doesn't work. As soon as you type a key in the URL box, the browser will exit. This isn't really much of a problem at the moment, and it'll be fixed in another build, but what it does mean is that you can't go straight to the PractiScore website to download the application. What I did was install DropBox from the market, use my PC to put a copy of PractiScore in DropBox, then use DropBox on the Nook to launch it. You could alternatively install AndExplorer or some other application that lets you browse the file system, put the application on the SD card, then install from the SD card.

Ideally, what is needed is a .dmg or .iso image file containing everything needed to root one of these that people can just download and write to a micro SD card, stick it in the nook, and hit start. Be aware, the successful result is NOT cosmetically polished or even pleasing, and there are some additional usability tweaks Alan and Chris employ to make the rooted nook act something like a real smartphone or tablet.

(And I STILL don't understand what Youtube has to do with any of this! I get the need for a gmail account; you need that in order for the Android Market to run properly so that you can install AndExplorer and Dropbox, but Youtube?! )

Edited April 17, 2012 by wgnoyes

[Skydiver]

Yup those are the complicated instructions. These are the simpler instructions that I found in one of Adam's posts, but I can't seem to find again:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1343143

I remember later finding video of the process. (Of course I found the video after I'd gone through things the hardway.) Here's a link to one of the videos (it's the second video on the webpage): http://www.the-ebook-reader.com/nook-touch-root.html

Still a mystery why you need YouTube...

[Graham Smith]

YouTube is there to keep the framistan from becoming out of alignment. Here is a

showing what can happen.

[wgnoyes]

Yup those are the complicated instructions. These are the simpler instructions that I found in one of Adam's posts, but I can't seem to find again:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1343143

I remember later finding video of the process. (Of course I found the video after I'd gone through things the hardway.) Here's a link to one of the videos (it's the second video on the webpage): http://www.the-ebook-reader.com/nook-touch-root.html

Still a mystery why you need YouTube...

That's the first process I followed, which was recommended to me by the practiscore guys. It was not as clean a process as the other one that we're using around here. I had it up and running on that one, then decided I didn't want to have the only device rooted differently from everything else, so I tried to restore it to factory settings. Big mistake, and I ended up with a nook whose "n' button didn't work. That is, I bricked it. So on a different one, I used the process I showed above and the install was a whole lot cleaner.

(framistan.... I don't get that, it's a muppet video.)

Edited April 17, 2012 by wgnoyes

[Graham Smith]

(framistan.... I don't get that, it's a muppet video.)

You have to play it to understand.

[chaosshooter00]

Wow, that's a lot to digest. I was going to download PractiScore on my Nook, but after reading those posts, I think I'll just wait for the version for dummies. Technology is great when it works in a method the layman can understand.

[wgnoyes]

Wow, that's a lot to digest. I was going to download PractiScore on my Nook, but after reading those posts, I think I'll just wait for the version for dummies. Technology is great when it works in a method the layman can understand.

What kind of nook? We're talking specifically about the Simple Touch because of its low cost, but I think all the nooks have to be rooted before you can run regular android apps. Some stray memory also tells me there's a fundamental problem with trying to run ps on the color nooks, but I could be wrong.

[vluc]

Wow, that's a lot to digest. I was going to download PractiScore on my Nook, but after reading those posts, I think I'll just wait for the version for dummies. Technology is great when it works in a method the layman can understand.

What kind of nook? We're talking specifically about the Simple Touch because of its low cost, but I think all the nooks have to be rooted before you can run regular android apps. Some stray memory also tells me there's a fundamental problem with trying to run ps on the color nooks, but I could be wrong.

I have it on two nook colors (have not been used in matches yet) and it looks and runs fine. But have to see what happens outdoors. As a side note, I have used them outdoors as readers and tablets, and aside from some glare issues, have not seen any overheating issues.

[wgnoyes]

Did you have to root them or would they take it as is?

[vluc]

Did you have to root them or would they take it as is?

No, I rooted them. LOL, about two minutes after getting them they were rooted. Then again, I've done that to all my smartphones and my Galazy Tab as well.

[Skydiver]

Did you have to root them or would they take it as is?

No, I rooted them. LOL, about two minutes after getting them they were rooted. Then again, I've done that to all my smartphones and my Galazy Tab as well.

Off topic: LOL! Is that one of the purchase criteria: Can be rooted or jailbroken? Yes? SOLD!

Back on topic:

In my opinion, the issue with the Nook Color for scoring was screen glare and price point -- in particular price should replacements be needed. I think the screen glare can be fixed by finding the appropriate screen protector. (If somebody does find the right one, please post here.) As for the price, wait for a price drop as this model ages? Or only buy a one or two at time?

I just realized that the NST doesn't change screen orientation. KISS. Does the Nook Color change screen orientations?

[chaosshooter00]

Wow, that's a lot to digest. I was going to download PractiScore on my Nook, but after reading those posts, I think I'll just wait for the version for dummies. Technology is great when it works in a method the layman can understand.

What kind of nook? We're talking specifically about the Simple Touch because of its low cost, but I think all the nooks have to be rooted before you can run regular android apps. Some stray memory also tells me there's a fundamental problem with trying to run ps on the color nooks, but I could be wrong.

I have no idea which Nook it is. Will check into it tonight and may bring it to work tomorrow to load. What is rooting?

[vluc]

Did you have to root them or would they take it as is?

No, I rooted them. LOL, about two minutes after getting them they were rooted. Then again, I've done that to all my smartphones and my Galazy Tab as well.

Off topic: LOL! Is that one of the purchase criteria: Can be rooted or jailbroken? Yes? SOLD!

Back on topic:

In my opinion, the issue with the Nook Color for scoring was screen glare and price point -- in particular price should replacements be needed. I think the screen glare can be fixed by finding the appropriate screen protector. (If somebody does find the right one, please post here.) As for the price, wait for a price drop as this model ages? Or only buy a one or two at time?

I just realized that the NST doesn't change screen orientation. KISS. Does the Nook Color change screen orientations?

Yes, a criteria is can I do that. I don't want the drek and crap that Verizon puts on there.

As to your second question, I'm running cyanogenmod on my Nooks and they rotate with practiscore. So does my phone and galaxy tablet.

[Mark R]

I have no idea which Nook it is. Will check into it tonight and may bring it to work tomorrow to load. What is rooting?

Chaos...rooting is merely running an program that "hacks" your device and allow it to run as the Root user. Since these devices run on unix/linux type operating systems...root is the master of all users on the device. Once your device has been rooted, it will allow you to run application usually not allowed on the devices. Nook Simple Touch devices are Barnes and Nobles e-readers and they make them to allow download of e-books to be read on them. Rooting opens the OS so you can download/run non-B&N/3rd party apps such as Practiscore. New smart phones of today can also be rooted giving you FULL control of you device...but root it improperly and you get a "bricked" device...meaning you now have a brick and nothing else.

[wgnoyes]

You can also shoot yourself in the foot with rooting as far as getting legitimate software updates from your vendor and/or even voiding your device warranty. Various apple forums are filled with people's posts where they can't get software updates anymore because they jailbroke their stuff.

[chaosshooter00]

I have no idea which Nook it is. Will check into it tonight and may bring it to work tomorrow to load. What is rooting?

Chaos...rooting is merely running an program that "hacks" your device and allow it to run as the Root user. Since these devices run on unix/linux type operating systems...root is the master of all users on the device. Once your device has been rooted, it will allow you to run application usually not allowed on the devices. Nook Simple Touch devices are Barnes and Nobles e-readers and they make them to allow download of e-books to be read on them. Rooting opens the OS so you can download/run non-B&N/3rd party apps such as Practiscore. New smart phones of today can also be rooted giving you FULL control of you device...but root it improperly and you get a "bricked" device...meaning you now have a brick and nothing else.

Definitely above my pay grade. Would a "computer repair" person be able to do this and should I do it? I have a Nook tablet and simple touch I was going to load it on.

[Mark R]

I have no idea which Nook it is. Will check into it tonight and may bring it to work tomorrow to load. What is rooting?

Chaos...rooting is merely running an program that "hacks" your device and allow it to run as the Root user. Since these devices run on unix/linux type operating systems...root is the master of all users on the device. Once your device has been rooted, it will allow you to run application usually not allowed on the devices. Nook Simple Touch devices are Barnes and Nobles e-readers and they make them to allow download of e-books to be read on them. Rooting opens the OS so you can download/run non-B&N/3rd party apps such as Practiscore. New smart phones of today can also be rooted giving you FULL control of you device...but root it improperly and you get a "bricked" device...meaning you now have a brick and nothing else.

Definitely above my pay grade. Would a "computer repair" person be able to do this and should I do it? I have a Nook tablet and simple touch I was going to load it on.

Most, if not all, computer repair folks won't do it for you since if they brick it, they have to purchase a new one for you. It's not that hard as long as you follow the directions on the version/type you acquire. I root my Simple Touch Nooks in about 10 minutes each.

If you have a Nook original (first version out), it won't work for Practiscore...only Nook Simple Touches will work. The original only has a small touch pad on the bottom....the NST has an entire touch screen.

[Alan Adamson]

Looks like I have some catching up to do... I'll do that in the next day or so..

The basics of my rooting is as follows...

use this reference. - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1346748

I take a 2G microSD card, and I first WinImage the CWM file onto it, then I mount it on my PC and I copy the beta5 files, including the unroot file. Then I put the latest practiscore on the SD as well.

Then I just follow the bouncing ball for the 3 or 4 steps required.

I'm tracking down one issue that may exist on a 1.1.2 (latest NOOK firmware) upgrade... I've done 2 of them with only one glitch that I'll explain later, but I need to check a couple of things to see if I can resolve that issue with a simple tweak after the fact.... NOTE, it's a non-impacting glitch, but would be nice to not have it.

More later.

Alan

[Graham Smith]

I've been using computers for far too long and I know how difficult it can be to write a set of instructions that are easy to follow. But there are a few things that should always be included, particularly when it comes to telling people (in advance) what they are going to need to complete a project.

For example, how large a micro-SD card you need. I have an old one that is 128MB - apparently, that's not big enough.

Should the micro-SD card be formatted or not. I'm guessing not. If it is already formatted, will the program overwrite that when it puts the ISO image on?

[Alan Adamson]

I've been using computers for far too long and I know how difficult it can be to write a set of instructions that are easy to follow. But there are a few things that should always be included, particularly when it comes to telling people (in advance) what they are going to need to complete a project.

For example, how large a micro-SD card you need. I have an old one that is 128MB - apparently, that's not big enough.

Should the micro-SD card be formatted or not. I'm guessing not. If it is already formatted, will the program overwrite that when it puts the ISO image on?

Opps, I never meant my *simple* instructions to be the correct ones, and if you read the rooting instructions from top to bottom it will tell you a 2G SD is needed at a minimum. But yes there are nuances.

If I get some time in the next couple of days, I'll try to give you a blow by blow.... Or if you like, I'm happy to root anyones that wants one... Just let me know and you can either have a refurb shipped to me or send me yours. It takes me about 20 mins to do one. (darn reboots and all)

Alan

Edited April 30, 2012 by Alan Adamson

[Mark R]

You also have to be aware that some older SD cards are not fast enough (data transfer rates) to write the ISO image onto the card. I used a 4 gb Class 10 and an external write/reader...the internal write/reader in my system was not fast enough either. The slower SD cards are in class 2,4 where the faster SD cards are in class 6 and 10. I never noticed it, but if you look closely on the card and/or package, it has a class number on them. The class 10 works fine for the ISO image write.

[Graham Smith]

Opps, I never meant my *simple* instructions to be the correct ones, and if you read the rooting instructions from top to bottom it will tell you a 2G SD is needed at a minimum.

Sorry Alan, I was not referring to your brief synopsis. I was referring to the links to the two or three different sites (like the XDA one) that have been posted so far.

Having written a lot of technical manuals and software user guides and thousands of posts to technical web sites and emails, I understand that it's not possible to explain everything. For example, on the XDA site under the heading of "What it does" is the phrase "Enables ADB via uRamdisk". I'm sure that the majority of people who routinely read that forum know what that means but I don't. That right there is a clue that perhaps these are not the best instructions for me to try and follow.

I think what I am getting at here is that we are all kind of playing follow the leader here and trying to just walk in the foot prints of those who have gone before. Those who know where the rocks are in the swamp that you need to step on and the alligators to avoid.

Those who know what they are doing are doing a great job of trying to help the others along - I would expect no less of the folks here. But it would be nice if someone would write up a clear, detailed, complete, step by step guide to setting up PractiScore on Device X.

<<off soapbox>>

[Graham Smith]

On to the practical aspect of actually USING the software once it is installed.

There does not seem to be a concise list of "How To" instructions for actually using PS on a Nook. The actual scoring process is documented because it's pretty much the same on the Nook as on iOS. But putting things on and getting things off is not so clear.

Before the match:

--Transfer and import the master db file

--Transfer and import a registration file

After the match:

--Export and transfer the registration file

--Export and transfer the scores

As far as I know, the EzWinScore side of these things is covered in the existing documentation.

It may be that the only issue is the actual transfer mechanism. Everything else may be straight forward.

Is it as simple as moving the data via an SD card?