Short of creating a development environment, I have tried this on several kobo devices and it either bricks the device or, more commonly, the Kobowriter just does not open.
So, copying the KoboRoot.tar.gz file to the kobo; bricked my aura (I knew the risk and am ok but sad), does not respond on my touch (several keyboards and power supplies and power on sequences), and I am waiting for a glow to arrive to try it.
This function is so useful that I started to look into learning the Go (Golang) programming language. I would rather be writing my novels than learning to code but the possibility of days worth of battery live in a distraction free environment is attractive.
A device that accepts text on an e-ink screen, saves the results, and allows extraction of those text files is selling for six times what a kobo is selling for. If this is possible with a kobo please tell me how to do it. I have a blank computer that I can add a developmental environment to, I just need to know how. Any help would be appreciated. Give me a fish or teach me to fish. I am all ears.
It is just sad now that I don't have a device to read on, now that my reader is bricked, and nothing to write on.

Can it work on a Pocketbook as well? It does have a MicroUSB port and Linux support.

Hello,

I wanted to drop in to say I think this project is too good to go unnoticed and unloved.

I use a Qwerty keyboard and have a Kobo Libra 2 and Clara HD and the idea of being able to use one with my external keyboard is very exciting. I hope you are able to continue this project. With brands like Freewrite pricing their products so high, this workaround would be a fantastic option for people wanting to write in the sun on a smaller device.

Thanks for all your smart work.

Hello, first I want to thank you for the Kobo writer. Im not a Very tech guy but I managed to install the rooted firmware and modify a USB keyboard. And the result is awsome: a modern typewriter with eink screen for distraction free writing... beautiful and elegant solution. Im ethousiastic so Im ready to learn how to use an azerty keyboard but... maybe there is a way to insert others layouts... Im currently writing in Italian. Let me now! Thank you very much.

I have tried to build this unsuccessfully. I replaced the key.go with the following content.
Is there an easy way to build that. Step by step. I have tried the Makefile or directly the go build -o ./build/kobowriter command, but it fails all the time, due to errors.

Thanks for your help. Your thing is working nicely on Kobo touch 2.0. thanks !

//QWERTY French Canadian Keybindings created using phind.com ;-)

package event

var KeyCode = map[int]string{
	0: "KEY_RESERVED",
	1: "KEY_ESC",

	2: "1",
	3: "2",
	4: "3",
	5: "4",
	6: "5",
	7: "6",
	8: "7",
	9: "8",
	10: "9",
	11: "0",
	12: "-",
	13: "=",

	14: "KEY_BACKSPACE",
	15: "KEY_TAB",

	16: "q",
	17: "w",
	18: "e",
	19: "r",
	20: "t",
	21: "y",
	22: "u",
	23: "i",
	24: "o",
	25: "p",
	26: "[",
	27: "]",
	28: "KEY_ENTER",
	29: "KEY_L_CTRL",

	30: "a",
	31: "s",
	32: "d",
	33: "f",
	34: "g",
	35: "h",
	36: "j",
	37: "k",
	38: "l",
	39: ";",
	40: "'",

	41: "KEY_R_SHIFT",
	42: "\\",
	43: "z",
	44: "x",
	45: "c",
	46: "v",
	47: "b",
	48: "n",
	49: "m",
	50: ",",
	51: ".",
	52: "/",
	53: "KEY_R_CTRL",

	54: "KEY_KPASTERISK",
	55: "KEY_L_ALT",

	56: "KEY_SPACE",
	57: "KEY_CAPSLOCK",
	58: "KEY_F1",
	59: "KEY_F2",
	60: "KEY_F3",
	61: "KEY_F4",
	62: "KEY_F5",
	63: "KEY_F6",
	64: "KEY_F7",
	65: "KEY_F8",
	66: "KEY_F9",
	67: "KEY_F10",

	68: "KEY_NUM_LOCK",
	69: "KEY_SCROLL_LOCK",

	70: "KEY_F11",
	71: "KEY_F12",

	86: "KEY_PRINT_SCREEN",
	87: "KEY_PAUSE",
	88: "KEY_INSERT",
	89: "KEY_HOME",
	90: "KEY_PG_UP",
	91: "KEY_DEL",
	92: "KEY_END",
	93: "KEY_PG_DOWN",
	94: "KEY_RIGHT",
	95: "KEY_LEFT",
	96: "KEY_DOWN",
	97: "KEY_UP",

	100: "KEY_ALT_GR",

	103: "KEY_UP",
	105: "KEY_LEFT",
	106: "KEY_RIGHT",
	108: "KEY_DOWN",

	111: "KEY_DEL",

	183: "KEY_F13",
	184: "KEY_F14",
	185: "KEY_F15",
	186: "KEY_F16",
	187: "KEY_F17",
	188: "KEY_F18",
	189: "KEY_F19",
	190: "KEY_F20",
	191: "KEY_F21",
	192: "KEY_F22",
	193: "KEY_F23",
	194: "KEY_F24",
}

var KeyCodeMaj = map[int]string{
	2: "!",
	3: "@",
	4: "#",
	5: "$",
	6: "%",
	7: "^",
	8: "&",
	9: "*",
	10: "(",
	11: ")",
	12: "_",
	13: "+",

	16: "Q",
	17: "W",
	18: "E",
	19: "R",
	20: "T",
	21: "Y",
	22: "U",
	23: "I",
	24: "O",
	25: "P",
	26: "{",
	27: "}",


	30: "A",
	31: "S",
	32: "D",
	33: "F",
	34: "G",
	35: "H",
	36: "J",
	37: "K",
	38: "L",
	39: ":",
	40: "'",
	43: "|",
	44: "Z",
	45: "X",
	46: "C",
	47: "V",
	48: "B",
	49: "N",
	50: "?",
	51: ".",
	52: "/",
}

var KeyCodeAltGr = map[int]string{
	3: "~",
	4: "$",
	5: "ù",
	6: "µ",
	7: "•",
	8: "§",
	9: "ç",
	10: "à",
	11: "°",
	12: "+",
	13: "=",

	16: "æ",
	17: "œ",
	18: "€",
	19: "£",
	20: "®",
	21: "©",
	22: "°",
	23: "²",
	24: "³",
	25: "¹",
	26: "½",
	27: "¬",

	30: "@",
	31: "ß",
	32: "¿",
	33: "÷",
	34: "¡",
	35: "»",

	37: "|",
	38: "«",
	39: "≠",

	41: "`",

	43: "|",
	44: "}",
	45: "|",
	46: "€",
	47: "“",
	48: "‘",
	49: "…",
	50: "·",
	51: "–",
	52: "—",
}

Dear @olup,

I finally put my hand on a machine where I was able to install Linux.

I have successfully built the KOReader Cross Compile ToolChains , by running the gen-tc.sh file, which took more than 2 hours:

[INFO ]  Build completed at 20240118.201720
[INFO ]  (elapsed: 131:19.72)
[INFO ]  Finishing installation (may take a few seconds)...
[131:21] / 
[INFO ]  =================================================================
[INFO ]  Build done. Please add /home/user/x-tools/arm-kobo-linux-gnueabihf/bin to your PATH.
[INFO ]  =================================================================
~/Downloads/kobowriter-main/build ~/Downloads/kobowriter-main
~/Downloads/kobowriter-main
[INFO ]  =================================================================
[INFO ]  The x-compile.sh script can do that (and more) for you:
[INFO ]  * If you need a persistent custom sysroot (e.g., if you intend to build a full dependency chain)
[INFO ]    > source /home/user/Downloads/kobowriter-main/refs/x-compile.sh kobo env
[INFO ]  * If you just need a compiler:
[INFO ]    > source /home/user/Downloads/kobowriter-main/refs/x-compile.sh kobo env bare

I have run the:

source /home/user/Downloads/kobowriter-main/refs/x-compile.sh kobo env bare
* Setting environment up . . .

* Environment has been set up for the KOBO TC, enjoy :)
* Not using our custom sysroot! :)

to set up the environment.

After installing golang-go via apt, when I run the make file, I have the following error:

make
CGO_ENABLED=1 GOARCH=arm GOOS=linux CC=arm-kobo-linux-gnueabihf-gcc CXX=arm-kobo-linux-gnueabihf-g++ go build -o ./build/kobowriter
go: downloading github.com/MarinX/keylogger v0.0.0-20210528193429-a54d7834cc1a
go: downloading github.com/asaskevich/EventBus v0.0.0-20200907212545-49d423059eef
go: downloading github.com/fogleman/gg v1.3.0
go: downloading github.com/shermp/go-fbink-v2 v1.20.2
go: downloading github.com/matoous/go-nanoid/v2 v2.0.0
go: downloading github.com/matoous/go-nanoid v1.5.0
go: downloading github.com/skip2/go-qrcode v0.0.0-20200617195104-da1b6568686e
go: downloading github.com/golang/freetype v0.0.0-20170609003504-e2365dfdc4a0
go: downloading golang.org/x/image v0.0.0-20210628002857-a66eb6448b8d
# github.com/olup/kobowriter/screener
screener/screen.go:90:9: too many arguments in call to fb.ClearScreen
	have (*gofbink.FBInkConfig, *gofbink.FBInkRect)
	want (*gofbink.FBInkConfig)
screener/screen.go:125:25: not enough arguments in call to fb.Refresh
	have (number, number, number, number, *gofbink.FBInkConfig)
	want (uint32, uint32, uint32, uint32, gofbink.HWDither, *gofbink.FBInkConfig)
screener/screen.go:161:43: too many arguments in call to s.fb.ClearScreen
	have (*gofbink.FBInkConfig, *gofbink.FBInkRect)
	want (*gofbink.FBInkConfig)
screener/screen.go:166:59: too many arguments in call to s.fb.ClearScreen
	have (*gofbink.FBInkConfig, *gofbink.FBInkRect)
	want (*gofbink.FBInkConfig)
make: *** [Makefile:3: build] Error 2

I can try to correct these small errors in the code, but I am wondering if I am not doing something else wrong.

Thank you.

Power buttons work fine but the touch screen doesn't seem to want to work

Hello

I use perixx PERIBOARD-409 with kobowriter and keyboard is not detected.
Kobowriter start correctly with logitech k120.

Is this issue a driver issue?
Is there a way to fix that?

After putting the patched Koboroot file in a Aura H2O 2nd gen, it booted into XCSoar but with a vertically flipped screen.

I enabled (I think) USB OTG, then rebooted - which bricked the device.

This seems to be a known issue on some XCSoar versions http://gethighstayhigh.co.uk/kobo-self-build/

Hello

I downloaded your custom XCSoar archive from https://github.com/olup/kobowriter/releases, and I successfully started kobowriter.
However, display orientation is not landscape. Is there a way to change this?

Hey there !

I don't know how to contact you. I'm very interested in your program cause Freewrite and Pomera is awfully expensive. The only issue is that I don't really understand the HOW to do this, and especially the first step : "First you need to download and build the koxtoolchain on your development computer. This toolchain, once built, will let you build Go programs that can run on the KOBO."
Secondly, the keyboard need to be connected to the Kobo and to a battery ?
And, lastly, when you writed something, your text file, where does it go ? In the Kobo's memory ?

thank you.

Hi!
First thank you for your work. It seems interesting, especially that you found a way to do that whereas the brand itself has not been able to release such extension yet!
Now that this code is out for 2 years, do you (or does anybody) have any feedback on models on which it already worked or not ?

Thanks,
Vic

The README has a placeholder for a demo video. It would be great to see how this thing performs before buying the parts.

Hello,
was it nessecary to change something in the Coe of the XCSoar build/Kernel. Or did you took it as it was and added your
Typewriter programm?

Best Regards
Christoph

Hi I like so much your project but I've a Kindle 8th gen (base model). Do you think that your guide/sw works on ? I've seen that the koxtoolchain supports kindle devices. Have you some ideas about ?

Thank you in advance

I'm unable to get tke Kobo (Glo) to recognize the usb keyboard. I've got a splitter powered by the mains adapter (also tried with a powerbank), and a bunch of regular, functioning usb keyboards.

The keyboard lights up if I plug the splitter in the kobo last, but I can't get Kobowriter to start.

Any idea?

Hello

I have copied the archive in my .kobo directory. XCSoar start correctly. However, Kobowriter app is missing from tools menu.

I downloaded archive from from this link https://xcsoar.org/download/
I have enabled OTG-USB.
I have KOBO GLO HD.