How To: Get Homebrew Apps, Tweaks, & Patches Working In Less Than 5 Minutes

[grndslm]

WebOS Quick Install (WOSQI) and Preware Guide for Dummies [Like You ]

1. On your *desktopOS*... Verify Java (if already at 1.6, or "Version 6", skip to step 2).

• For Mac Users:
  • If running a version of OS X prior to 10.5 Update 1 (which doesn't support Java 1.6), then you'll want to try SoyLatte.
  • Also, run /Application/Utilities/Java/Java Preferences. Click and drag "Java SE 6" to the top of both lists and exit the program. This sets Java 1.6 as the default version.

2. On your *webOS* device... Type "webos20090606" whenever you can see any part of your background (so as to initiate a Universal Search). As soon as you're finished typing the last part, "0606", you'll then be able to select "Developer Mode Enabler", turn the switch to the "On" position, & restart your device. (HINT: Konami code also works, from Universal Search menu, in order to display Dev Mode icon -- "upupdowndownleftrightleftrightbastart")

3. Create a folder anywhere on your desktopOS, then download WebOS Quick Install (WOSQI) v4.2.3 to that folder. You can always verify that you have the newest version by checking out the first post of the WOSQI thread.

4. Plug in usb, then select "Just Charge".

5. Run WOSQI for the first time...

1. Right-click the .jar file and select "Open With > Java..." (if this works, skip to step b)
   • Vista & Windows 7 just require a typical double-click.
   • Perhaps this command line will work if you're having trouble:
     java -jar WebOSQuickInstall.jar
2. WebOS Doctor will automatically be saved in the folder you created earlier.
   • Also, make sure that you DO NOT run the Doctor; WOSQI will run the Doc only if/when you need it to restore your phone back to factory settings.
3. Open WOSQI again and choose "USB Device" when prompted. Also, select "Show DevMode app in launcher" from that same Options window, then "Close".
4. The Novacom drivers will automatically be ripped from the Doctor and [hopefully] installed to your desktopOS... and your desktopOS will possibly need to be restarted at this point [especially if it's Windows]. This is the point where the majority of problems will occur, if at all.
   • Windows Vista and 7 users will possibly need to disable their firewall in order to install Novacom.
   • After a restart, Windows users can verify Novacom is running by going to Start > Run... > "services.msc" & looking for "Palm Novacom". If it's not there, you'll need to reinstall Novacom.
   • To reinstall Novacom, in WOSQI, go to "File" > "Options" > "Attempt Novacom (re)installation", then restart your desktopOS.
   • 64-bit Windows 7 users should actually be fine with the version of Novacom included with the newest Doctors (1.3.5.1 and newer). Simply run the newest Doctor until Novacom appears to have been installed. DO NOT click the last "Next" that informs you to "Connect your phone directly to your computer with your USB cable". In fact, it would probably be best to keep your phone unplugged during this step. Again, a restart might be necessary for Windows users.
     • OBSOLETE: 64-bit Windows 7 users will need to read these steps (or maybe these) in order to get Novacom working properly. (Having problems?)
   • 64-bit Ubuntu 9.10 users will need to come up with a solution and post it here.

6. Install both Preware and Package Manager Service (PMS)...
(**NOTE** - Package Manager Service is no longer needed, as it has been rolled into Preware.)

1. Click the icon with the blue down arrow on the main WOSQI screen.
   • If you hit an error during this step, now would be the time to read the troubleshooting guide... otherwise, CONTINUE. You should have no problems if you make it this far without error(s).
2. Click the drop-down button to select the "WebOS-Internals (Pre)", or "... (Pixi)" feed.
3. Click the name of the app to find more information on it.
4. Click the checkbox to the right of the app to select it for download. Now, select both Package Manager Service (PMS) & Preware.
5. When finished selecting apps, click "Download", "Close", and "Install!".

7. Thanks for playing. Enjoy the REAL webOS!

(Continue on for VERY important notes that should only take a couple extra minutes to get across, maybe after you're done freaking out about how awesome your phone is now.)

8. Now that you know how to install apps from the feeds...

• Installation Options
  • You can install other apps using the same method in WOSQI if you'd like, but you could use Preware to do everything OTA while you're AFK. But if you already know what you want after you've Doctored your Pre... WOSQI is clearly quicker, as the name implies. They each have their places for sure.
• Tweaks
  • Explore the rest of WOSQI. Make sure to check out the "Tweaks" listed under the "Tools" drop-down menu. Some tweaks are not available in Preware, such as iPhone user agent switcher, Web browser ad blocker, & Improved auto-correct dictionary. At the same time, I would not touch any tweaks on the premise that they're "closed-source patches"... but to each his own.
• Alpha Patches
  • If you absolutely must have some super-new feature in development on the forum or actually care to be an alpha/beta patch tester, you can install these .patch files found on the forum. You can save a .patch file to your computer, and then in WOSQI click the "+" button to add it and then click Install. Done! When these patches are accepted into Preware, it *might* be best to uninstall the alpha patch and reinstall it using either WOSQI or Preware so that the Package Manager can automatically handle your updates for the patch.
• Removing Packages
  • Similar to installation options, you can use both WOSQI and Preware to remove packages. To remove packages in WOSQI, simply go to "Tools" --> "Device Management", while the phone is plugged into the USB port... and all installed packages/patches will be listed to select from.
• DANGER WILL ROBINSON
  • It's also important to know that you will need to remove certain things before each WebOS update, and you have to remove them in a certain order:
    themes -> tweaks -> patches. Themes and tweaks will need to be removed manually, but you can accomplish this last step (removing patches) automatically by downloading & running Emergency Patch Repair (EPR). The WebOS Repair Utility should *only* be run as a LAST RESORT if EPR does not work for you. If you only use patches, then you can possibly do this after an update if you somehow forget that YOU NEED TO DO THIS BEFORE EACH webOS UPDATE.
  • UPDATE: This is no longer the case for the vast majority of patches, thanks to "Auto Update Patch Technology (AUPT)". Removing Uberkernel is highly suggested, however. If you'd like to be on the safe side, run EPR just in case, but it shouldn't be as dire as it was prior to AUPT.

9. Donations to rwhitby with WebOS-Internals, Jason Robitaille with Canuck Software, and countless other devs are obviously encouraged. You know you wouldn't really love your Pre if it weren't for them, so give it up.

[kill_Dano]

installing novaterm for quickinstall to function on a 64bit windows 7 install is very hard and will take longer then 5 minutes. They are talking about opening the code of a file and changing lines and saving back and stuff like that. crazy hard.

[grndslm]

Yes.. Win7 and OS X both seem to be fairly problematic. Win7 for sure, tho.

I'm really not sure what the problem is with either one of them... so if somebody could break down the steps to getting Novacom (or is it Novaterm?) to work with Win7... it could definitely save people a lotta time!!

Heck, even Ubuntu 9.10 has issues with installing Novacom. Those "dumbed-down" steps would be greatly appreciated!!

[grndslm]

K! Linked to the newest version of WOSQI. Made a buncha minor changes. Added the Mac-specific Java tips. Added the link to the Win 7 thread. And have made a request for an Ubuntu 9.10 user to explain how s/he got Novacom working properly.

[Fuu]

Originally Posted by kill_Dano

installing novaterm for quickinstall to function on a 64bit windows 7 install is very hard and will take longer then 5 minutes. They are talking about opening the code of a file and changing lines and saving back and stuff like that. crazy hard.

i think it took like 2-3 minutes.
it was hard to find that you need to edit the files if you run on win7 64bit, but editing and stuff just takes a minute!


Edit:
i think what's missing is a profile for WebOS Doctor for a GSM Pre.
as an example, i killed my PDF-App by installing the landscape patch (on WebOS 1.1.3) and have no idea how to get it back. running Doctor with Sprint or Bell Config may kill the phone ;-)

btw: engadget /2009/11/17/adobe-flash-player-10-1-beta-is-out-multi-touch-and-video-accel/

not allowed to post links ... omg :x

[grndslm]

- added a mirror for wosqi
- changed the win 7-novacom specific instructions to see the wiki
- cleaned up step 8

[Stryker412]

I'm having an issue on Win 7. I get to step 5c however I am never prompted for the device. If I try to go into device management the Pre is not detected.

[Stryker412]

Nevermind, I did it on my XP machine and everything worked great. Thanks!

[grndslm]

Originally Posted by Stryker412

I'm having an issue on Win 7. I get to step 5c however I am never prompted for the device. If I try to go into device management the Pre is not detected.

It never prompts you to chose between USB Device or Emulator??

Does it ever install Novacom? Did you see step 5d that explains how to deal with Novacom?

[JBK617]

if I follow your steps for install on a Win7 Machine, I don't have to run the MSI for Novacom it will run when I start WOSQI the 1st time?

[grndslm]

I have no Windows machine, so I have no idea what needs to be done.

Read all of step 5d. If you can make sense of that, then please paraphrase so that it can be rewritten. I'm trying to make this as easy as possible to understand.

[wkj]

My problem is installing Quick Install. My java is up to date. I followed your steps up to #5. I get an error stating

"Could not find the main class: C\users\.....\WebOSQuickInstall.jar. Progam will exit."

I've double clicked, Open with, and command line. Same error everytime.

Not sure what else to do. What size is the 2.9 version of WOSQI? Mine is 1.99gb.

wkj

[grndslm]

1.99 GB??!??! Great Scott!!

Try using the download link above (or the mirror) and grab it again. Mine's only 2.0 MB.

[wkj]

LOL.....sorry..meant 2 mb....got QI to run via command prompt, but when I restarted and chose USB option there was no "show developer...." option or close option, just the main window, three buttons on the side and a pic of the pre with an "install" option.

Novacom did not install and there is no "reinstall" option under options. Click on options and the dos window just throws up lines of code

I'll try the msi extraction with Orca tomorrow. OR.....how can I uninstall QI and start fresh?

Thanks so far for your help.

[grndslm]

I think most people with Win7 will have to do the msi extraction. It seems like I've read a few stories of people who have avoided it, but maybe they were high when they did it Happens to me all the time.

You're right about the window not having the "Show Developer Mode" option on that window, but you'll see it on that Options window as soon as you look for it. But I just wanted to get across to you that you can't really "uninstall" WOSQI. You uninstall WOSQI by deleting that one file. It's all contained in there. If you want to "upgrade" WOSQI, you just delete the old and DL the new one... or just rewrite the old one with the new one. Done!

When you go into that "File" -> "Options" menu option, you should definitely see the "Attempt Novacom (re)installation". If you don't see that... please tell me how you got it to show up so that others will have an easier time.

[wkj]

SUCCESS!!

What I ended up doing was disabaling my firewall. That enabled QI to access the Novacom drivers. That gave me the Re-install Novacom option and the Show Dev launch option.

Maybe you could add the firewall bit in your excellent instructions? Also, do you know of a way to eliminate having to run QI through the command prompt? I won't use it much since I have Preware, but it could be helpful knowing in the future.

Thanks so much again for your help and awesome instructions.

wkj

[grndslm]

Originally Posted by wkj

What I ended up doing was disabaling my firewall. That enabled QI to access the Novacom drivers. That gave me the Re-install Novacom option and the Show Dev launch option.

Very nice! I'm sure Vista might be the same way for some. I'll definitely add that.

Originally Posted by wkj

Maybe you could add the firewall bit in your excellent instructions? Also, do you know of a way to eliminate having to run QI through the command prompt? I won't use it much since I have Preware, but it could be helpful knowing in the future.

That's why I avoid using Windows for reasons like this. It should definitely open with a double-click in Win7, but I'm sure there's some way you can make a shortcut to the entire command with full path: "java -jar C:\where\ever\on\harddrive\WOSQI.jar". Somethin' like that.

Originally Posted by wkj

Thanks so much again for your help and awesome instructions.

No problem. Thanks a lot for finding a hole in my "awesome instructions". I'm sure that will save some people a great deal of time!

[FAtristain]

Well, I have gotten WOSQI installed and working. Installed several apps, etc., but I just don't get it where to get Novacom and/or how to install it.

Can anyone lead me as to where to find the file to download?

As I mentioned I've Mac OS X. I just don't find the file nor the instruccions as to how to install it.

BTW, I tried the File --> Options --> Attempt Novacom Re-install, but it does not do anything. Am I missing anything here.

PS: I have fileCoaster and Preware installed too.

Thanks,

Fedman

[wkj]

i'm not a mac guy, but if you are installing apps and what not then the novacom drivers have been installed and working good. In windows, if there are no issurs with the steps above, then everything did what it was supposed to.

wkj

[grndslm]

Originally Posted by FAtristain

BTW, I tried the File --> Options --> Attempt Novacom Re-install, but it does not do anything. Am I missing anything here.

Yup... you're missing that the program is doing its job properly.