[PATCH/SCRIPT] [3.0.4] Switch to Advanced Browser as Default OS Browser

[JZ SmartMort]

Hi all,

This is my first "real" contribution to webOS and this wonderful community where I learned so much about my new Touchpad.

The patch will allow you to open URL/links with Maklesoft's Advanced Browser instead of the default webOS browser. However, the default browser will be available for usage when you install the patch. The word patch is slightly misleading because what I'm providing is a a shell SCRIPT which you have to run in a shell like XTerm or Novaterm. Below you'll find very specific information about the installation process and the caveats of using this hack.

Credits go to PatrickC of the following thread as it got me concentrating on MIME type definitions within appinfo.json files: How to make Advanced Browser the default on your HP #TouchPad?


PRE-INSTALLATION SHELL ABILITY REQUIREMENT
If you already know how to shell in via SSH or any other terminal connection then feel free to skip this section. Below I'm listing two methods for doing so but there are more choices than the below.

Method 1...

• Install Preware (not going into details). Then install XServer, XTerm and Xecutah.
• Install Advanced Browser (tested with version 1.2.6 on webOS 3.0.4 Touchpad)
• Restart Luna or reboot the device at some point after those apps are installed and before running my hack.
• Restart Luna or reboot the device at some point after those apps are installed and before running my hack.

Method 2...

• Connect the webOS device to the PC
• Install Novacom drivers for your device (not going into details)
• Open up %PROGRAMFILES%\Palm, Inc\terminal --- directory on the PC
• Run novaterm.bat file which will launch a terminal emulator and allow you to run commands on the device (like my script once you get it onto the device). Don't forget to click File>Connect.

PATCH/SCRIPT INSTALLATION

• Somehow get the script onto the device.
  • You e-mail the script to yourself and SAVE the attachment, don't try to run it.
  • You can mount the device as a drive on the PC and place it right on the root of the device which is actually /media/internal.
  • Or you can use my latest-favorite method by uploading via the wonderful app called Wifi TP File Browser
• Remove the TXT extension from the tail end of the filename... or keep as TXT, it does not really matter since Linux will run any file extension with execution permissions.
• Once the script is inside of the /media/internal directory (for ease let's say it's here) you will need to modify its execution permissions by running:
• chmod 777 /media/internal/JZ_default_browser_justtype_switch_0_4.sh
• Execute the script via a shell command. This command can be run via Xecutah>XTerm or you can run it via Novaterm --- both methods described above:
• sh /media/internal/JZ_default_browser_justtype_switch_0_4.sh
• By executing the command above my script will begin. It will not do anything until you make your selection at the prompt.
• When you upgrade this script or your version of Advanced Browser, it's probably best to re-activate the functionality again.

SCRIPT ACTIVITY EXPLANATION

• This script will modify appinfo.json file under the Advanced Browser folder specifying that this app is web-browser capable. After this is done, DEVICE INFO will open up for you and you should click the top left menu to change the DEFAULT APPLICATION for the Web Links section.
• You can also control wether Just type... search box uses Advanced Browser or the stock one.
• EVERYTHING my script does can be reversed and your stock browser can be reverted back to being the default browser.
• Why isn't this script released as a PATCH? --- Read this POST

I've tested a few dozen times by activating and deactivating the functionality and it definitely works but feedback is always welcome...

Please do not re-post this script. Things get outdated quickly and I simply don't understand when people think they can just take another's work and distribute it.

Enjoy!
JZ

[JZ SmartMort]

RETAINING FOR HISTORICAL PURPOSES
THIS IS AN OLD METHOD, USE THE SCRIPT ABOVE INSTEAD
Credits to Coreyau and his Ramblings of a Closet Geek article documenting the steps to do this in older OS levels but those theories very much apply here. I think the only things missing from his older instructions is to edit ALL language json files as that was the key to solving this puzzle in 3.0.4 version of webOS.


SCRIPT ACTIVITY EXPLANATION

• The script will make an emergency backup of the stock browser in its current state with whatever patches you may have applied. For obvious reasons this backup will NEVER be removed by my script and you will have to manually remove it if you wish.
• Then it will move the stock browser into a different folder name after which it will change the Application ID (in a few places for international languages). This way you can still retain the original browser and use it as you please from the Launcher.
• Then it will COPY Maklesoft's Advanced Browser from the user apps into the stock apps folder and give it the same folder name as the original browser. After which I change the Application ID to what the original stock browser had.
• EVERYTHING my script does can be reversed and your stock browser will simply be copied back from the emergency backup location.
• After a restart of Luna or a reboot, Advanced Browser will be your system default web browser.

KNOWN ISSUES & CAVEATS

• The Advanced Browser that was copied into the stock browser's folder does not seem to save preferences. It does save favorites but not preferences for some reason. If you change a preference though, it does work until Advanced Browser exists. Please let me know if you have a solution.
  • Fixed some of this with v0.2 by providing an automated workaround for changing preferences, specifically: Full Screen and Open Tabs In Background.
  • This is completely fixed if you use Advanced Browser 1.2.7
• When the script is enabled you will have two icons in the Launcher and actually two copies of Advanced Browser on the device. One will be the original installation and the other will be the fake replacement of the stock browser.
  • Addressed somewhat in v0.2 by renaming the copied app to "Advanced Browser (def)" and the stock browser name "Web" into "HP Browser".
• Just type... search box will use Advanced Browser once the hack is installed. For me this is a good thing!
  • If you DO NOT want to use hack script in this article and would rather only change the Just type... box to use Advanced Browser, you can use this PATCH to get that working in 3.0.4

[JZ SmartMort]

reserved2

[JZ SmartMort]

Originally Posted by JZ SmartMort

KNOWN ISSUES & CAVEATS

• The Advanced Browser that was copied into the stock browser's folder does not seem to save preferences. It does save favorites but not preferences for some reason. Please let me know if you have a solution.

While I have not fully figured out how to save preferences I at least wrote an option into my script to flip the Full Screen setting (in BrowserApp.js file) for folks that desire it like me. Version 0.2 of the script will be coming soon with this enhancement.

Now I'm looking for the rest of the settings and how to flip them on an off like Private Browsing and Open Tabs In Background.

Thanks!
JZ

[hoopsta1423]

awesome, might actually buy advanced browser now. Didn't want to waste the money without this functionality, but if this works correctly theres no reason to stay with the stock browser

Just bought AB and this patch works wonderfully! thanks again =D

[JZ SmartMort]

Version 0.2 is available on the first post of this thread and has fixes I've been desperately needing myself here's a list...

1. Renamed the "copied" Advanced Browser to "Advanced Browser (def)" for visual differentiation from the regular Advanced Browser. Also renamed the stock browser from the generic "Web" to "HP Browser".
2. Full Screen and Open Tabs In Background can now be set in my script because saving preferences does not work well in the copied Advanced Browser (def). May also want to try setting the desired setting in the regular Advanced Browser to see if the copied version respects that setting. I care about these two settings more than others and they were hack-friendly thanks to this article.
3. A dynamic menu is presented depending on what the script was able to sense.
4. Better organization of the menu presented and the script code itself.

Thanks!
JZ

[hoopsta1423]

any special instructions for installing v2? do we need to go back to stock browser first?

[JZ SmartMort]

Originally Posted by hoopsta1423

any special instructions for installing v2? do we need to go back to stock browser first?

Good question!

• I change the names of Adv Browser and stock browser and this happens during ACTIVATION phase. If you want the new/easier to identify names in the Launcher then you can just press A to activate/re-activate or if you want to be really clean you can DEACTIVATE and activate again.
• If you don't care about the app name in the Launcher then the new script will only give you the preference capability (Full Screen & Open Tabs In Background). No need to re-activate if preferences is the only thing you're after.

The goal of my script is for you to NEVER re-activate anything. However, we know that's the perfect world and we don't live in one

Thanks!
JZ

[hoopsta1423]

works great thanks again :-)
any way to make swipe from left/right open the sidebar and stick like opening tabs in the background?

[KCIsaac]

as a just incase, how do you uninstall this patch?
the usual way through preware?
or some commands?
(I only know beginner regular expressions )

[JZ SmartMort]

Originally Posted by KCIsaac

as a just incase, how do you uninstall this patch?
the usual way through preware?
or some commands?
(I only know beginner regular expressions )

Above I mention that everything in this script is reversable... meaning my script comes with the DISABLE feature which will simply put back WHATEVER stock browser you had installed under /usr/palm/applications/com.palm.app.browser at the time you enabled my script.

No need to do anything manual, just activate and if you don't like run the de-activate option on the menu.

Thanks!

[KCIsaac]

where does one go to disable the patch?
the command line?
or in the preferences of advanced browser?

[TheRealBeesley]

Any idea how I can copy my bookmarks from my purchased copy of advanced browser into what is now my "default" advanced browser? The bookmarks did not carry over for me.

Thanks

[T-Pad]

Originally Posted by JZ SmartMort

PRE-INSTALLATION SHELL ABILITY REQUIREMENT
Method 1...
Method 2...

Isn't there also a Method 3? I have installed OpenSSH on my TouchPad and am using WinSCP when shell access is required.

[JZ SmartMort]

Originally Posted by T-Pad

Isn't there also a Method 3? I have installed OpenSSH on my TouchPad and am using WinSCP when shell access is required.

You're absolutely correct but you're an obvious candidate for skipping that section anyway

[JZ SmartMort]

Originally Posted by KCIsaac

where does one go to disable the patch?
the command line?
or in the preferences of advanced browser?

Remember that this is purely a script so the answer is command-line for pretty much any disabling or enabling of the functionality.

Thanks!

[JZ SmartMort]

Originally Posted by TheRealBeesley

Any idea how I can copy my bookmarks from my purchased copy of advanced browser into what is now my "default" advanced browser? The bookmarks did not carry over for me.

Thanks

Honestly, not sure... the problem is that the internal DB's for com.maklesoft.browser are not accessible because I rename Advanced Browser's ID over to the stock com.palm.app.browser and that ID is referenced all over via the keyword "this" and I can't just blindly change all "this" references to com.maklesoft.xxx

So the answer is manually for now and probably will not see a fix for that coming due to the priority and my minor knowledge of programming for webOS.

Thanks!

[JZ SmartMort]

Originally Posted by hoopsta1423

works great thanks again :-)
any way to make swipe from left/right open the sidebar and stick like opening tabs in the background?

Your request was the hardest... however, I got it working by overriding the javascript functions in 1.2.6 so my app is where you had to make that left/right slide option.

So I finally got it working and at some point rebooted my Touchpad just to be surprise with a new Advanced Browser 1.2.7 release. How fun

It took me a few hours to find the significant pieces to override. HOWEVER, 1.2.7 works way better when it comes to saving preferences and all other settings. Once I found those key places to modify.

Anyway, expect the version of my script with 1.2.7 support plus I retained the left/right slide enhancements for folks still running 1.2.6

I'm uploading my new script in a sec.

Thanks!
JZ

[JZ SmartMort]

Version 0.3 is available on the first post of this thread below is a list of fixes...

FOR THIS VERSION YOU SHOULD RE-ACTIVATE THE SCRIPT if you already have it activated. I also highly recommend new version of Advanced Browser.

1. Advanced Browser 1.2.7 compatibility.
2. 1.2.7 saves preferences without any issues so a very positive move for us using Advanced Browser as our default.

Thanks!
JZ

[hoopsta1423]

awesome news, going to try it out when i get home from work

edit....works perfectly !!