Getting Started: Homebrew Apps, Patches, and Themes

[milominderbinder]

This article has now been published. Please see:

Getting Started: Homebrew Apps, Patches, and Themes with WebOS Quick Install

Please post requests for help or questions in the forums:

● WebOS Quick Install - for help using WebOS Quick Install.

● Preware - for help using Preware.

● Music Player (Remix)

Follow the How to Use Preware for Homebrew Apps, Patches, and Themes to download directly to your Pre or Pixi without using a USB cable.

Also here are the links for the Patches that let you add a hundred features in your Palm. The best part is that they are as easy to install as a Homebrew App. Dozens of patches are featured in the articles There's a Patch for That (Part 1), Part 2, and Part 3 plus here is a full list of patches.

To verify that you have novacom running:

windows xp: go to start, run, and type services.msc
Vista or 7: start button, type services.msc

You should see "Palm Novacom" listed.

- Craig

[milominderbinder]

Now comes a bunch of placeholders for more images.

Please post any comments or suggestions about the article above!

The next article will be on Preware.

Thanks,

Craig

[milominderbinder]

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[milominderbinder]

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[milominderbinder]

Would you try out these instructions and let me know how they work?

- Craig

[Shadavis08]

you could just for newbs sake post directions for screen shooting on the pre and how to post on the threads . i olny say this because i had a hard time figuring it out my self.

[wcarlson40]

Awesome, great summary. Looking forward to the Preware section. Perhaps it would be helpful to comment in the previous section on the difference between WebOS QuickInstall and Preware.... I think this is a common confusion that keeps people from even starting in the first place (they don't know which one they need)

[Shadavis08]

is there no one else to give their two cents ?? lol sorry just bumping

[maxima2k53]

it looks good to me

[Colonel Angus]

Looks great! A must read for any Pre owner, needs to be a sticky to keep it up top. I will definitely use the link to educate those who request instruction. Great work! Thank you

[Templarian]

Looks good, but I feel this method is a little dated. I know it says look forward to a Preware article... wouldn't just using Preware from the start solve all the hassle (I believe Preware has standalone installers now, which would make it easier)?

The "Quick" Install while nice just seems dated for normal users, and the patches are getting converted quickly now for new versions.

[Colonel Angus]

Originally Posted by Templarian

Looks good, but I feel this method is a little dated. I know it says look forward to a Preware article... wouldn't just using Preware from the start solve all the hassle (I believe Preware has standalone installers now, which would make it easier)?

The "Quick" Install while nice just seems dated for normal users, and the patches are getting converted quickly now for new versions.

I agree that using Preware is easier but this is the way that most would use to load Preware. Just another way to get the same result. I think it's great that milominderbinder took the time and effort to do this

[Shadavis08]

how else would they load preware anyways without a big headache lol

[cas_esq]

Here are my thoughts, for whatever they're worth:

I agree that a quick explanation of the difference between Preware and Quick Install is warranted at the beginning. You can note that both require an initial USB hookup.

Considering the confusion that continues to reign among a small number of posters, I hope the instruction to type the konami code into the "start screen" is sufficient. It should be, but some people surprise me.

Also, the code should be typed onto the phone's start screen (not the Pre's, since you're writing for the both Pre and the Pixi). Same with the instruction to connect the USB cable to the computer and select "Just Charge" when prompted by the phone.

Typo: Remix has 25 features the basic Music Player is missing! oeat these steps to add more Homebrew Apps.

In the Getting Help section, could you mention how helpful it is for help requests to include basic information about the problem and what the OP has done to address it? Just basic stuff like version info, detailed descriptions of what they've done ("I then selected USB drive" makes it so easy to help), and a description of fixes already attempted.

Thanks for taking the time to compile this information. And thanks for seeking my comments.

[Achill3s]

Unless I misread it:

The konami code or "webos20090606" also works to bring up the hidden devmode icon.

3. It should note somewhere in this step that both WebOS QI and WebDR need to be in the same folder or directory, otherwise WebOS QI will continue to prompt the user that they need WebDR and whether or not they would like to download it now even after they've already done so.

I don't know about dated? Some people feel more comfortable with HUGE menus stating exactly what they do, ie WebOS QI Tweaks menu. Also, how else would you install Preware without WebOS Quick Install? It also covers the top tweaks wanted by users that Palm did not include in the stock OS (Text forwarding, battery percent icon, 4x4 icons, text counter & text timestamps, etc)

[cas_esq]

Originally Posted by Achill3s

Also, how else would you install Preware without WebOS Quick Install?

Preware has it own installers at Index of /.

[egaudet]

Application:Preware - WebOS Internals

[Colonel Angus]

Originally Posted by cas_esq

Preware has it own installers at Index of /.

This is true but I believe this thread/ article will be beneficial to many.

C/P

"Can you give feedback and ideas for improvement? My hope is that this article will give full instructions so that we will have fewer frustrated posts in the threads. So please give your corrects, and ideas to improve wording, layout, images, etc. What is this leaving out?

I will fix image sizing once the wording and content are ready.

Thanks, - Craig "

[cas_esq]

Originally Posted by Colonel Angus

This is true but I believe this thread/ article will be beneficial to many.

Of course it will.


Craig:

Another thought. I know this is meant to be a basic primer, but have you considered including a brief set of instructions for users who might want to try out patches being developed in the forums before they're finalized/packaged for Preware? A quick and dirty explanation of how to "drag and drop" patches using Quick Install might be beneficial.

[egaudet]

Originally Posted by cas_esq

Of course it will.


Craig:

Another thought. I know this is meant to be a basic primer, but have you considered including a brief set of instructions for users who might want to try out patches being developed in the forums before they're finalized/packaged for Preware? A quick and dirty explanation of how to "drag and drop" patches using Quick Install might be beneficial.

As well as ensuring that people understand that once the patch makes it to webos-patches feed, they will not match the package id of the drag-and-drop'd patch. Thus the drag-and-drop'd install will need to be uninstalled if the user wants to use the webos-patches package to get the additional benefits of screenshots, category, maintainer, updates etc...