[Patch] App Catalog Show Download Count

[Dick99999]

Edit:
- - - - I have withdrawn the port of this patch to webOS 2.x given the warnings in this tread by some prime members,
- - - - and my experience with various versions of this 2.x ported patch.
- - - - PM me for the latest version I might use, if you really cannot live without download counts. However,
- - - - be prepared to loose the app catalog since reinstall that App is not easy given the comments on that issue in this thread.
End edit



Based on the patch for 1.x by PreGame, this is a version that works for 2.1 and a kind of works for webOS2.0.1, See remarks for 2.0.1 .
- - text
Remarks for 2.1
The 2.1 patch works if the Pre is not booted after installation. Further instructions will be supplied here, currently see rest of thread for the tool IPK by pcworld, required to let the Patch survive boots. That tool seems to be needed for any patch to the catalog (findapp).

Remarks for 2.0.1
It works 'A kind of' because one of the files to be patched is compressed and currently that is not patchable with Preware or Quick Install. So a manual copy is needed for 2.0.1 only.

- First apply the 2.0.1 patch by Preware or Quick Install
- Then manually save the original compressed file and copy the patched file for example by the following 2 commands through Quick Install

mv /usr/palm/applications/com.palm.app.findapps/app/controllers/compressed/details-assistant.js /usr/palm/applications/com.palm.app.findapps/app/controllers/compressed/details-assistant.js.Org

cp /usr/palm/applications/com.palm.app.findapps/app/controllers/details-assistant.js /usr/palm/applications/com.palm.app.findapps/app/controllers/compressed/details-assistant.js

2 remarks
- The manual copy also means that you might have to restore the original file manually when uninstalling the patch.
- The process does not result in a compressed patched file. That does not seem to hurt is my experience in the past 3 weeks.

- The patch for 2.1 does NOT need a manual file copy anymore
- Rewrite post for 2.1

[Dick99999]

The patch for webOS version for 2.1 does not need a manual file copy. It is a fully Preware compatible patch now.

[avnera]

i'm on 2.0.1 and it's working as advertised.
Thanks!

[robnhl]

On an ATT Pre+ with 2.1 the patch installs fine but does not persist after a device reboot. Then it requires another reboot before the patch can be reinstalled.

[fxspec06]

Can someone post a screenshot? Pretty please?

[malpha]

Originally Posted by fxspec06

Can someone post a screenshot? Pretty please?

-- Sent from my Palm Pre using Forums

[appsotutely]

Thanks so much! I'd been wondering why I couldn't see anything even though I had it installed.

[Dick99999]

Originally Posted by robnhl

On an ATT Pre+ with 2.1 the patch installs fine but does not persist after a device reboot. Then it requires another reboot before the patch can be reinstalled.

Thanks and you are right, it happens on my Pre (unlocked) too. Looks like findapps is overwritten after a boot or something a like. It is located in cryptoFS (temporary ??). Investigating .....

[pcworld]

Looks really strange.
I just searched for "findapps" in the whole file system, results:

root@ - Palm Pre:/# find ./ -name '*findapps*' 
./var/palm/data/file_.media.cryptofs.apps.usr.palm.applications.com.palm.app.findapps_0
./media/cryptofs/apps/usr/lib/ipkg/info/com.palm.app.findapps.control
./media/cryptofs/apps/usr/lib/ipkg/info/com.palm.app.findapps.list
./media/cryptofs/apps/usr/lib/ipkg/info/com.palm.app.findapps.pmmanifest
./media/cryptofs/apps/usr/palm/applications/com.palm.app.findapps
./media/cryptofs/apps/usr/palm/packages/com.palm.app.findapps
./media/internal/downloads/com.palm.app.findapps_2.0.20900_all.ipk
./usr/palm/ipkgs/findapps-icon.png
./usr/palm/ipkgs/com.palm.app.findapps_2.0.20900_all.ipk

Really interesting is the ipk in the downloads folder. I looked for it and the modification time is about the last reboot of my phone.

Maybe that means that the App Catalog-app is downloaded and installed every reboot?!

Conclusion: slow internet connection = slow boot time ?!!!
[edit: can't be the case at least if no WiFi connection is available and your SIM card has a PIN)

Not a smart decision from HP!

[robnhl]

Originally Posted by pcworld

Looks really strange.
I just searched for "findapps" in the whole file system, results:

root@ - Palm Pre:/# find ./ -name '*findapps*' 
./var/palm/data/file_.media.cryptofs.apps.usr.palm.applications.com.palm.app.findapps_0
./media/cryptofs/apps/usr/lib/ipkg/info/com.palm.app.findapps.control
./media/cryptofs/apps/usr/lib/ipkg/info/com.palm.app.findapps.list
./media/cryptofs/apps/usr/lib/ipkg/info/com.palm.app.findapps.pmmanifest
./media/cryptofs/apps/usr/palm/applications/com.palm.app.findapps
./media/cryptofs/apps/usr/palm/packages/com.palm.app.findapps
./media/internal/downloads/com.palm.app.findapps_2.0.20900_all.ipk
./usr/palm/ipkgs/findapps-icon.png
./usr/palm/ipkgs/com.palm.app.findapps_2.0.20900_all.ipk

Really interesting is the ipk in the downloads folder. I looked for it and the modification time is about the last reboot of my phone.

Maybe that means that the App Catalog-app is downloaded and installed every reboot?!

Conclusion: slow internet connection = slow boot time ?!!!

Not a smart decision from HP!

I doubt it is downloaded every time, but maybe. A test could be to disable all network connections and reboot then check the times.

-- Sent from my Palm Pre using Forums

[malpha]

I looked and it does appear as though the app is downloaded and installed everytime you reboot your phone. Did a reboot last night, check the times in the directory this morning, did a reboot just now and it was reinstalled again.

-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1885 Dec 16 04:10 sources.json
.....
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 32768 Mar 8 09:44 javascripts
drwxr-xr-x 4 root root 32768 Mar 8 09:44 images
drwxr-xr-x 6 root root 32768 Mar 8 09:44 weave
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 32768 Mar 8 09:44 stylesheets

(as you see, the sources file reverted to its original state)

Deleted the findapps ipk in the downloads directory and it was redownloaded and reinstalled again. It apparently redownloads regardless of whether you had the ipk to begin with or not.

-rwxrwxrwx 1 root root 1214466 Mar 8 09:52 com.palm.app.findapps_2.0.20900_all.ipk

drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 32768 Mar 8 09:52 javascripts
drwxr-xr-x 4 root root 32768 Mar 8 09:52 images
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 32768 Mar 8 09:52 stylesheets
drwxr-xr-x 6 root root 32768 Mar 8 09:52 weave

Crazy.

[pcworld]

I did a reboot without having an internet connection.
The modification time of /media/internal/com.palm.app.findapps_2.0.20900_all.ipk did change. It was copied from /usr/palm/ipkgs/com.palm.app.findapps_2.0.20900_all.ipk - that's where the ipk is located.
ls -la in /usr/palm/ipkgs:

root@ - Palm Pre:/usr/palm/ipkgs# ls -la
drwxr-xr-x    2 root     root          4096 Feb  2 02:55 .
drwxr-xr-x   18 root     root          4096 Feb  2 02:52 ..
-rw-r--r--    1 root     root       1214466 Feb  2 02:55 com.palm.app.findapps_2.0.20900_all.ipk
-rw-r--r--    1 root     root          5880 Feb  2 02:55 findapps-icon.png
-rw-r--r--    1 root     root           241 Feb  2 02:55 manifest.json

That means that the ipk is not redownloaded every time, it is just copied to /media/internal/downloads every reboot and reinstalled.
February 2 is the date where the doctor I used was built by HP.
webosdoctorp101ueude-wr.jar/resources/recoverytool.config:

RecoveryToolBuildNumber=296
RecoveryToolBuildTime=02/02/11 02:33 <-----------------
VersionStr=HP webOS 2.1.0
RomBuildNumber=284
...

If you want to patch the app catalog you have to replace the ipk from /usr/palm/ipkgs with an empty one. I'll give this a try.

[robnhl]

Originally Posted by pcworld

I did a reboot without having an internet connection.
The modification time of /media/internal/com.palm.app.findapps_2.0.20900_all.ipk did change. It was copied from /usr/palm/ipkgs/com.palm.app.findapps_2.0.20900_all.ipk - that's where the ipk is located.

<snip>

That means that the ipk is not redownloaded every time, it is just copied to /media/internal/downloads every reboot and reinstalled.

<snip>

I can confirm. A reboot with no SIM or WiFi connection enabled results in the ipk appearing in the downloads folder.

[pcworld]

Originally Posted by robnhl

I can confirm. A reboot with no SIM or WiFi connection enabled results in the ipk appearing in the downloads folder.

Did you try what happens when you have WiFi enabled and reboot your phone?
Does the modification time of the ipk in /usr/palm/ipkgs change?

[malpha]

Originally Posted by pcworld

Did you try what happens when you have WiFi enabled and reboot your phone?
Does the modification time of the ipk in /usr/palm/ipkgs change?

No, it doesn't change. It's listed as Feb 1.

Edit: If you delete the file in /usr/palm/ipkgs, then it doesn't appear to redownload, remove, and reinstall it again.

[robnhl]

Originally Posted by pcworld

If you want to patch the app catalog you have to replace the ipk from /usr/palm/ipkgs with an empty one. I'll give this a try.

So, I replaced /usr/palm/ipkgs/com.palm.app.findapps_2.0.20900_all.ipk with an 0 byte file (touch com.palm.app.findapps_2.0.20900_all.ipk), rebooted and the App Catalog wouldn't open. So, it looks like an empty file won't work.

Seems like the /usr/palm/ipkgs/com.palm.app.findapps_2.0.20900_all.ipk file will have to be modified or the script that reinstalls the App Catalog on each boot will need to be removed.

[pcworld]

A solution that may or may not work to make the app catalog patchable:
Get terminal access (novaterm, ...) and enter the following commands:

cd /usr/palm/ipkgs
mv com.palm.app.findapps_2.0.20900_all.ipk com.palm.app.findapps_2.0.20900_all_OLD.ipk

Now extract the attached file and send the ipk via Quick Install to /usr/palm/ipkgs (not install it!), or put it on the USB partition and move it: "mv /media/internal/com.palm.app.findapps_2.0.20900_all.ipk /usr/palm/ipkgs"
Now apply the download count patch and do a full reboot of your phone (not only Luna restart), and tell us if the patch is still working.
(Note: I didn't test this yet!)

If you want to revert this:

cd /usr/palm/ipkgs
rm com.palm.app.findapps_2.0.20900_all.ipk
mv com.palm.app.findapps_2.0.20900_all_OLD.ipk com.palm.app.findapps_2.0.20900_all.ipk

If this works there could be a self-installing/removing ipk created which will be dependency of all app catalog patches.

[malpha]

Originally Posted by robnhl

So, I replaced /usr/palm/ipkgs/com.palm.app.findapps_2.0.20900_all.ipk with an 0 byte file (touch com.palm.app.findapps_2.0.20900_all.ipk), rebooted and the App Catalog wouldn't open. So, it looks like an empty file won't work.

Seems like the /usr/palm/ipkgs/com.palm.app.findapps_2.0.20900_all.ipk file will have to be modified or the script that reinstalls the App Catalog on each boot will need to be removed.

I think the script that does this will have to be removed or modified. I deleted the file entirely, but while the App Catalog folder hasn't been modified since deletion, it won't open up either.

[pcworld]

Originally Posted by malpha

I think the script that does this will have to be removed or modified. I deleted the file entirely, but while the App Catalog folder hasn't been modified since deletion, it won't open up either.

Look for the post before yours. This could work.

[malpha]

Originally Posted by pcworld

Look for the post before yours. This could work.

Aren't you just creating an empty ipk like the last person? I'll try it though.