yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Fire HD 8 and HD 10 Android Development] Jan4:
Hey there,

I have just installed Fire Toolbox V5.0 (Beta) on my Linux Debian 12 with Python3.11.

You asked for feedback from users, here are my small problems:

Point 1: Readme.txt

Here is written:

I unpacked my download package Fire Toolbox V5.0(Beta) for Python3.11. I checked the files Installer and start_install.sh for executability. They were already I did not have to do it first.

Maybe you can write here:

Point 2: start_install.sh

In Terminal I execute this command:

The execution looks good, but it replies to a problem:

No desktop shortcut was installed and Fire Toolbox was not started, although I selected both beforehand. However, there is a shortcut for Fire Toolbox V5.0 in the Start menu under Miscellaneous.

Point 3: Theme Terminal (default)

I like the theme and didn't change it at first.

The design is white font on a black background.

There are checkboxes with text behind them in many places in the dialog windows. If you move the mouse over this text, the text color changes from white to black. Unfortunately, the background and text are then the same color and the text becomes invisible.

This is different with the red theme. Here the color change of the text is the same, from white text to black text, which can be seen very well here.

Everything else works like a charm, as if by magic. :love:
[Fire HD 8 and HD 10 Android Development] blaacksheep:
On your points

1) The need to grant executable permissions varies with different distros. Some distros just run already, and others are more locked down and require granting them permission to execute. You can do it either with the command line, or the GUI. Both will work. It 's always best to expect that you need to grant permission. :)

2) From your traceback, it looks like the directory for Toolbox never got created so the installation probably isn't good and that's why the script failed to create the desktop shortcut. You didn't say whether the menu shortcut that was created actually worked. I suspect not. If the installation didn't work, you should probably delete the folder that should have been created at "~/.local/share/datastream/Fire Toolbox V5.0". Then verify your downloaded file is good and the checksums are right. If not, re-download it. Then try again to install it. Be careful about anticipating things. The installer is not very tolerant of doing things before you're asked to do them. It's caused me trouble in the past. Just be patient and go at the installer's pace. 🐌

3) Yeah, in the default theme, the text does disappear when you mouse over it. You can either move the mouse away while you read it, or change the theme to a different scheme to view the text. It's not an urgent problem right now, so I guess it'll get fixed when it gets fixed. Right now, Datastream33 is working on an AppImage version of Toolbox so that it will work on most any version of Linux without regard to the python version or having to install dependencies to get it running. It's coming along well and could be out soon so I try not to nitpick at the small annoyances.

Thanks for the feedback and hopefully you can get it to work. I was able to get it running on a Debian 12 VM so it should work for you. If you can't get it going, ask here and we'll try and help you out. :)
[Fire HD 8 and HD 10 Android Development] Jan4:
2)

The created menu link works.

I checked the sha256-checksum of the downloaded file and it was correct. Otherwise I would not have installed it.

I assume that everything is running correctly except for the missing shortcut on the desktop.

In the path where the desktop shortcut is to be created, another folder is appended that does not exist. this is probably the problem:

Yes, I also think that these are all minor details. I can live with that quite happily. Especially when I know that the whole thing is being put on a new footing from the ground up.

It works (y) thank you.
[Fire HD 8 and HD 10 Android Development] mikey williams:
I have a Firemax 11

Came with 8.1.3.5

Used Rethinkdns to protect and

firebox to install Google, change launcher to Nova.

Everything fine for a while (an hour or so) then for no apparent reason (not following any pattern that I can detect) it suddenly reverts to the Amazon launcher with the few seconds delay. To get it to behave I have to go to Settings/Accessibility and then toggle the detect home button press off and on again.

Thank you for this wonderful resource and any advice appreciated. Pretty well everything else works fine apart from Google Drive and Google Keep, but I understand that Google apps can be problematic.
[Fire HD 8 and HD 10 Android Development] DB126:
Drive, Keep, One and most other Google apps (and 3rd party apps thst utilize Google accounts/logins) run fine on FireOS 8.3.2.x and above. However, you will loose some app/device flexibility upgrading beyond 8.3.1.x, especially getting third party launchers to play nice with FireOS. There is no going back one you upgrade; pick your poison wisely :)
[Fire HD 8 and HD 10 Android Development] mikey williams:
Sorry. Its 8.3.1.5
[Fire HD 8 and HD 10 Android Development] Grido2:
Is there no way to backup the old OS version wirh the Fire Toolbox? And to restore it, whenever needed?
[Fire HD 8 and HD 10 Android Development] blaacksheep:
Firmware updates are NOT reversible. Even with a factory reset, it will always go back to the latest firmware you've installed. Anti-rollback techniques are present to prevent you from restoring earlier firmware. Sorry, that's just the way it is. 🤷
[Fire HD 8 and HD 10 Android Development] jhford:
I hope the housework went well. I still have the same problem, but in the interim, I uninstalled Nova 6.1.12 and reinstalled it with FTB. But that didn't help. I'm still in Amazon Launcher hell. I hope your answer is not that I have to do a factory reset and start all over. But if I did would it change my f/w 7.3.2.6 to a more recent version, and would that be a good or bad thing? Also, I now have a new problem affecting both my problematic HD 8 Plus and my non-problematic HD 7. I can't set the time. I'm in Los Angeles and I've tried everything in System > Date and Time, but the displayed time is one hour later than the actual time.

Thanks again, Betty :cool:
[Fire HD 8 and HD 10 Android Development] blaacksheep:
You can set the time by re-enabling Device Setup in Manage Amazon Apps > Manual tab > Simple (Recomended). Disabling that (which was included in the basic debloat script) stops you from being able to set the time or time zone.
[Fire HD 8 and HD 10 Android Development] jhford:
Just tried it and it failed. See photo.
[Fire HD 8 and HD 10 Android Development] blaacksheep:
You have to use the Restore Apps tab.
[Fire HD 8 and HD 10 Android Development] jhford:
Disregard the time setting issue. All fixed. My stupid mistake and my apologies. But I still want to reAndroideize my HD 8 Plus.
[Fire HD 8 and HD 10 Android Development] DB126:
Yeah - I got sloppy w/nomenclature too in my initial response (since corrected). No change to basic choice; upgrade FireOS to enable Google apps at the expense of launcher flexibility and the ability to block future Amazon/FireOS updates - if that's your thing. Latter has never really hurt me; boils down to personal preference. Just know you can not roll back to the way your tablet is now (for better or worse) if you choose to update. One way door.
[Fire HD 8 and HD 10 Android Development] blaacksheep:
Okay, what exactly isn't working on the HD8? I think you've gotten OBN working, so you should be able to have the button pull up Nova, right? Maybe from running the commands given to you by @Datastream33 , you now have 2 navigation bars? This whole expedition has been quite convoluted and I'm not sure where you are and what exactly works/doesn't work. :unsure:
[Fire HD 8 and HD 10 Android Development] jhford:
First things first. I have Rethink DNS setup on my HD 8+ using the instructions in your signature where I just noticed that they might be obsolete, because you stated "I was about to release a guide on disabling OTA updates by blocking the servers with RethinkDNS when @Datastream33 released v30 of Toolbox with a new data-restricting method of blocking them." Does that mean we don't need Rethink? Where can I find @Datastream33's "new data-restricting method" in FTB? I didn't find it. I'll get back to you after I have this issue fixed.

Thanks
[Fire HD 8 and HD 10 Android Development] blaacksheep:
I also have RethinkDNS currently installed and running on my HD8+ (2020). It is running, even though I have also added the new "restricted" download mode to my Fire tablet. The "restricted" mode is just metered network mode, where the tablet limits what it downloads because of a limited data plan. This mode does not guarantee that your tablet won't update. It just makes it much less likely to update because of the file size required for the download. It also may cause issues when streaming because the tablet thinks it's on a data-limited connection. It is not relevant to the question I asked and will not affect the discussion. It is not necessary to enable or disable this. You already have RethinkDNS set up so you're good.

Please, let's focus on your issue with the launcher/navbar. I'll ask once again:

What exactly isn't working on the HD8? I think you've gotten OBN working, so you should be able to have the button pull up Nova, right? Maybe from running the commands given to you by @Datastream33 , you now have 2 navigation bars? This whole expedition has been quite convoluted and I'm not sure where you are and what exactly works/doesn't work. :unsure:
[Fire HD 8 and HD 10 Android Development] jhford:
Should I implement the Amzn_Blklst.txt in Rethink or are they incompatible? If so, how? I didn't see anything pertinent in your signature.

Before my HD 8+ went south, it booted to Nova automatically; now it boots to Amazon Launcher and I have to force Nova Launcher. Also, some of my Android widgets will install but some won't; before all this happened all widgets were installed and ran properly. Oops I just noticed that f/w 7.3.2.9 was installed on 3/13/2024 which overwrote 7.3.2.6 even though I always turned off WiFi before rebooting.

[EDIT] Something weird just happened. I picked the tablet up and it started to reboot and displayed a message that it was going to do an update. I held down the power button to stop the reboot and checked the f/w and it was still 7.3.2.9. But now it's finishing the update which I can't seem to stop. Well, it's still running 7.3.2.9, but the new System Updates message states that 7.3.2.9 (PS7329.3842N/3842 is ready to install and I can either install the update now or it will update automatically later. Damn.
[Fire HD 8 and HD 10 Android Development] blaacksheep:
The Amazon blocklist is NOT needed with RethinkDNS. Rethink DNS blocks by app, not by a blocklist of IP adresses.

I don't believe that further updates will remove any additional functionality from your control after f/w v7.3.2.2. Further updates mostly reset your customizations and add additional nuisance icons (like device dashboard) that will need additional tools to remove. I'm not sure how you got the initial update that caused your troubles, but it's done and we must move on.

You can possibly prevent the update (which I believe is just a minor update that will mostly replace Amazon apps that have been updated), but in the end, it won't matter. You already have the latest version of their f/w and they've moved on to FireOS 8 now, so if it were me, I'd just let it update.

If I remember correctly, OBN will automatically start on bootup. It will display the Fire Launcher because that's what FireOS does. Pressing the button once will switch to Nova Launcher. I said in my guide that it wasn't a perfect solution, but that it was free and did MOST of what we wanted. You could write a script in Automate to make the Nova Launcher come up automatically (perhaps with a slight delay), but no one complained about it when I suggested using OBN.
[Fire HD 8 and HD 10 Android Development] jhford:
Thank you very much. What should I do about my Launcher and Widget issues, factory reset, and try to reinstall everything the way I did originally if by some miracle I can remember all the steps?
[Fire HD 8 and HD 10 Android Development] blaacksheep:
I don't believe a factory reset will do much for you at this point. You say some widgets work and some don't. You also stated that you are using Nova 6 because 7 was incompatible with your widgets. I have to ask - how many widgets are you running? I have 1 (Weawow) that provides clock and weather, AND it runs on Nova 7 just fine.
[Fire HD 8 and HD 10 Android Development] jhford:
Probably about 10-12 which has been fine also for well over a year and is still fine on my slow HD 7. BTW, I tried to run the update manually, but it wouldn't execute. So, I'm running f/w 7.3.2.9 on the HD 8+.
[Fire HD 8 and HD 10 Android Development] blaacksheep:
I'm not a big widget user, myself. Each widget is another running app and more than a couple running apps on a tablet with 2-3 GB RAM is just asking for stalling, freezing, and just plain slow operation. I can't imagine running 10-12 widgets (apps) on my Fire tablets simultaneously. The amount of memory management and swapping ZRAM that's going on is dizzying. To me, it sounds like you need a tablet with 6 GB of RAM just for your base system. I don't know what kind of voodoo mojo you used to make that run smoothly before your update.

Well, lets take each widget one at a time and try to make them work. Pick the one you want/miss the most, tell me where to get it (Play store?), and I'll try it on Nova 7 on my HD 8+. Also, remind me which version of Nova 6 you are running and I'll revert my HD 10 to that and try it too. 🤞

Edit: Wow. I didn't know it, but Nova launcher v8 is out in beta. we'll have to check that out for compatibility, too. :)
[Fire HD 8 and HD 10 Android Development] jhford:
Hmm. Nova 8 Beta. In the meantime, "Nice Simple Photo Widget" v. 1.5.1 doesn't work in Nova 7. Also, the Gmail widget won't setup at all, and I'm sure it's not a Nova problem, because I could always set it up before whatever happened to my HD 8+ happened. Both apps are available in the Play Store.
[Fire HD 8 and HD 10 Android Development] blaacksheep:
Hmm... I searched the Playstore for "Nice Simple Photo Widget" and "Nice Simple Photo", but came up with nothing. I then searched apkmirror.com for the same with the same results. You'll have to tell me where to get it.

Gmail widget I already have, so I pulled it up and put it on the homescreen on my HD 8+ running Nova 7. Works fine.

I have to ask if you are aware of how the widgets in Nova 7 work. They're different from Nova 6. You just long-press a blank spot on the screen and then pull up the widget drawer to find the Gmail widget. You long-press the widget and drag it to wherever you want it on your homescreen. I appologize if you already know that, but it works fine on my (and I assume most others') tablet. :unsure:
[Fire HD 8 and HD 10 Android Development] jhford:
Nice Simple Photo Widget - Apps on Google Play

A photo widget that supports semi-transparency and optional frame of any color

play.google.com

Also, I'm an inveterate RSS user and have used the Greader widget for years to make my devices pseudo-automatic (it's really a pull and not a push) knowledge machines. But Google killed it and I can no longer add new subscriptions. I'm going to try exporting the OPML file adding a subscription and importing the file. Example:
[Fire HD 8 and HD 10 Android Development] Jumbo100:
Hey @jhford

Re: "Flogging dead horses"

Some of your widget issues may be that the widgets are outdated and are no longer supported by the current FireOS/Google Play infrastructure.

Here's the Nice Simple Photo Widget entry from your Play Store link from a f/w 7.3.2.9 device (This software hasn't been updated since 2016 ! ) :
[Fire HD 8 and HD 10 Android Development] Jumbo100:
Some current RSS readers to replace long-gone Google Reader:

The top five RSS readers for keeping up with your news feeds

Use one of these RSS apps to read your daily news.

www.theverge.com

Who killed Google Reader?

Google Reader was supposed to be much more than a tool for nerds. But it never got the chance.

www.theverge.com

BTW, the RSS screenshot look like it's from an Android phone/tablet (or an old Fire HDX 7/8.9 ?) with a SIM card and not a current Amazon Fire device; may not be relevant to current discussion.
[Fire HD 8 and HD 10 Android Development] jhford:
I don't think so, because I religiously update all my Play Store apps except, of course, Nova.

Have you tried any of these RSS readers?
[Fire HD 8 and HD 10 Android Development] jhford:
That's the way my Simple Photo Widget performed before something happened to my HD 8+. So, it has to be my setup. They all work properly on my HD 7. Thanks for your help.
[Fire HD 8 and HD 10 Android Development] Jumbo100:
1. To reiterate, Nice Simple Photo Widget has not been updated since 2016 and may be incompatible with current f/w.

2. I have Freedly (free) installed , but I rarely use it.
[Fire HD 8 and HD 10 Android Development] jhford:
Oh, I see. So, you think that my f/w being updated to 7.3.2.9 caused the incompatibility. However, I can't even setup Google Gmail, Google Keep Notes, and My Stock Portfolio widgets.
[Fire HD 8 and HD 10 Android Development] Jumbo100:
When you say "HD 7" , are you referring to Fire HDX 7(2013, 3rd Gen) ?

If you're projecting that setup onto o a current Fire tablet , then there is little/no chance of much comparability.

IMHO, forget trying to use the old setups on your newer devices, and concentrate on the current FTB protocols.

This is one arena where "you can't go home again" !
[Fire HD 8 and HD 10 Android Development] blaacksheep:
I agree with Jumbo100. Don't get "stuck" on using certain apps or certain configurations. These will inevitably change compatibility with newer OS's, some will be abandoned, and they will all be replaced with newer ways to do things. I hate change as much as the next guy, but it's coming whether we like it or not.

This whole procedure is like pulling teeth, trying to force a square peg in a round hole, (insert your favorite cliche here).

I went to the Play store and was unable to pull that app up on my tablet. I went to it on my browser on my computer and found it, but when I signed in, it said it wasn't compatible with any of my devices. Undaunted, I used a 3rd party app downloader and downloaded the apk file anyway. I installed it on my Fire 8+ (2020) and could not access the widget to attach it to my homescreen. Not compatible.

Also, there are any number of RSS readers that would most likely fill your requirements. like Jumbo100 said, "You can't go home again". 🤷
[Fire HD 8 and HD 10 Android Development] Jumbo100:
FWIW, I think your f/w 7.3.2.9 setup is totally "borked" , given all the "tinkering" you, @Datastream33 and @blaacksheep have done . All valiant efforts but unfortunately leaves your device rather unstable.

Maybe it's time to "start from scratch" and do a clean factory reset. @blaacksheep has given you the roadmap.

You'll be starting from f/w 7.3.2.9 and will need some of the FTB workarounds, but it's straight forward . Just don't conflate procedures from your earlier setups. Just follow the "noob" route per OP #1 and ignore any previous preconceptions of process ... No shortcuts !

You cardiologist will appreciate the reduction in your stress/anxiety level !
[Fire HD 8 and HD 10 Android Development] blaacksheep:
Mine too! 😌
[Fire HD 8 and HD 10 Android Development] jhford:
Fire 7 12th Gen f/w 8.3.2.1.
[Fire HD 8 and HD 10 Android Development] Jumbo100:
Oops ... We're not on the same page here ! ☹️

Conversation is running in circles between concurrent issues on several different devices . ("Who's of 1st base" )

So to clarify, please confirm the current situation:

Device 1 : Fire 7 (2022, 12th Gen ) f/w 8.3.2.1 (note it's not an HD model)

Device 2 : Fire HD 8 Plus (2020, 10th Gen) f/w 7.3.2.9

(Is that right ? or are there other devices involved ?)

Mods on Device 1 and Device 2 will take different approaches because of different model generations and different f/w. You know all this ... You've done it all before ... at least once.

Both your devices have different issues and should be treated independently. In any event, trying to apply old solutions from previous/other models and other f/w just complicates the discussion. We've discussed all the solutions; they're just not being applied in the right places. (ie. "Right diagnosis ... wrong patient" ).

So where do you want to start ? What mods do you specifically want ? Easy once you get the procedural sequences right.

One device at a time please ! 😉
[Fire HD 8 and HD 10 Android Development] jhford:
Device 1 : Fire 7 (2022, 12th Gen ) f/w 8.3.2.1 (note it's not an HD model)

Device 2 : Fire HD 8 Plus (2020, 10th Gen) f/w 7.3.2.9

The above is correct, but I'm not sure where to find the year of the f/w in System. Device 1 doesn't need anything other than a faster processor. 🤗 Both are running Nova 6.2.12 because many of my preferred widgets are incompatible with Nova 7 but run perfectly with Nova 6. Before the debacle occurred to Device 2, they were facially and operationally indistinguishable and very close to pure Android. But now Device 2 is stuck in Amazon Launcher hell. BTW, I wrote this reply using Device 1. What else would you like to know? And, again, thanks for your help.
[Fire HD 8 and HD 10 Android Development] Jumbo100:
Thanks for clarification.

Device 1 : Fire 7 (Gen 12) : good to go 👍

Device 2 : Fire 8 (Gen 10) : could use some work. Problems with with app Launchers not easily resolvable at this stage. As suggested , a factory reset would probably fix everything if you can tolerate the hassle . Go easy on "debloating" if you redo your system. Overexuberant debloating may have been part of you initial woes. Blocking OTA f/w updates not a major concern with f/w 7.3.2.9 , although it's still good FTB "hygiene".

If Nova Lauchner 6 works for you , go with it, although some of your older widgets may be incompatible with current f/w and may need to be replaced.

Still a liitle in awe of your problem solving perseverance ... the soul of a true tech "hacker" 😀
[Fire HD 8 and HD 10 Android Development] jhford:
I'm sorry @blaacksheep, but don't blame me. @Jumbo100 wrote that in post 14,238, above, and I just copied and pasted it into my post so that he would know that we were both on the same page. 🤗
[Fire HD 8 and HD 10 Android Development] jhford:
What is the purpose of the "Attach files" link?
[Fire HD 8 and HD 10 Android Development] Jumbo100:
Sorry ... Inadvertent "cut and paste" from onscreen keyboard. Edited out.
[Fire HD 8 and HD 10 Android Development] jhford:
I used the classic Nexus7 2013 "deb" tablets prior to my foray into Amazon Tablets which were pure Android and rootable. So, XDA has a forum for ccustom N7 ROM devs. One of the great things about the N7 was creating Nandroid backups which the user copied everything including the ROM and all apps and their data to a zip file which could be restored in an emergency. Too bad we can't do that with Amazon tablets.
[Fire HD 8 and HD 10 Android Development] Fireball3:
I have a FireTab HD10 debloated with this tool.

I'm using the Nova launcher but I can't add widgets. Any advice/workaround what to do?
[Fire HD 8 and HD 10 Android Development] PhilipF8_2010:
There was an update recently for my Fire Tablet 8 (2020) so it re-added a couple of Amazon apps again, but by using the Fire Toolbox they've been removed.

And hey, there's only two now (Appstore + Help) rather than three, so it's getting closer to zero. Heh.

These budget tablets are actually really good, it's just annoying they come bundled with garbage apps and ads that the user didn't agree to (thankfully the internet is here to help).
[Fire HD 8 and HD 10 Android Development] quangmsc:
After following the instruction, when I try to install Google Sheets (or Docs, etc.) in Google Play Store, the process of 'Pending, verified by Play Protect' keeps going indefinitely. Please help because I want to install Google sheets on this Fire HD 2017. Thank you.