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Opera Mini 5 for PPC2003 runs well on 900c, but steals all keypresses

darkNiGHTS Page Icon Posted 2019-08-29 2:03 PM
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Hey guys. Opera Mini 5 works fantastic - it's a bit surreal that most of the text based web is now accessible with my Mobilepro 900c and at decent load speeds. Confusingly, this version is newer than the Opera Mobile 8.6 - that version is circa 2006, whereas Opera Mini 5 is circa 2009. See attached photo - I just loaded BBC because that was an Opera default bookmark. I also loaded up ArsTechnica and it worked for reading articles. It doesn't have the HTTPS errors other old browsers have because it's going through Opera's servers. The bad news is this means that Opera can stop support of this at any time... At least Opera Mini exists for Android and probably uses the same servers, meaning its life should be pretty long.

The biggest issue is it appears to steal all keypresses. Alt-tab does nothing. I even pressed the app launching buttons on top of the keyboard, such as the calculator that work fine when Opera is not running, and they do not open - confirmed by closing Opera and the apps are not running in the background. Windows button does nothing.

Also, it goes on top of (almost) everything. When I first ran it, I didn't have the start menu on autohide so Opera appeared to be behind the taskbar (using the full 240px height because it's for PPC). But I couldn't click anything on the taskbar even though it was visually on top - when I clicked any part of the taskbar. I can still click dialogs that ask me if I want to use my cards on battery power.

I can at least exit the software, because it has a menu item for it. But I'd love to be able to switch back and forth between it and TextMaker.

Any WinCE pros have any ideas how to address this issue? I'm a bit of a newb, my 900c is my first HHPC device. My guess is that some utility could force Opera Mini to run at 240px minus the start menu height, so theoretically it should accept the clicks to the start menu. With all button presses being stolen, I'm guessing that eliminates some sort of 3rd party task switcher as the solution, because it probably couldn't be brought up.

Thanks for any ideas in solving this.



(opera-mini-on-900c.jpg)



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joval Page Icon Posted 2021-05-12 6:57 AM
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There is a very effective workaround: open all the programs you want to use such as word/power meter/ windows explorer/network interface/screencapture/paint/etc....then open/start opera mini and surf the net, save files, whatever. To access the other programs at anytime just press alt tab to cycle/toggle through your open programs and then do the same to return to Opera. The keys work fine when in the other programs. As I recall you can cut and paste text to PocketWord, etc. This much better than having to terminate opera when you want to check battery status, check calender/calculator. Well, you get the idea.

Combine that with the Ambicom 54L WiFi CFcard (downloads section has the Ambicom driver.cab) for $8 bucks or less on eBay and you have WPA wifi security and a faster WiFi speed.

joval

Edited by joval 2021-05-12 7:05 AM
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HPC:Fan Page Icon Posted 2021-05-13 8:51 AM
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This is the only browser that just "works". But like you said, the fact that it takes up the entire screen and doesn't allow you to access anything else unless you quit Opera is annoying. But Joval gave a good workaround that works. Thankfully, if I have Opera open on the 900c, there isn't much else I'm doing on it.
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joval Page Icon Posted 2021-05-13 1:57 PM
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HPC:Fan - 2021-05-13 12:51 AM

This is the only browser that just "works". But like you said, the fact that it takes up the entire screen and doesn't allow you to access anything else unless you quit Opera is annoying. But Joval gave a good workaround that works. Thankfully, if I have Opera open on the 900c, there isn't much else I'm doing on it.


Actually, thanks to your feedback, I just realized there is a simple MUCH BETTER WORKAROUND which will lets you start/ use any of your programs when in Opera: START WINDOWS EXPLORER (or similar file manager like total commander) BEFORE you open/start OPERA. Then use alt tab to toggle to your file manager (win explorer) and NAVIGATE TO PROGRAMS FOLDER => to individual programs (or their subfolders), click to start. This essentially substitutes for the windows Start Menu and allows you to open/close any programs on the Mobilepro! (excuse the CAPS... don't know how to use underscore text here--oops just figured it out on edit menu). Screensnap works to capture Opera screen to file (it's part of the Cmonex 4.2 ROM ugrade... a "must have' for both the 900 and 900c IMO. Thank you CMonex ... and RIch)!

Opera "works" but with no media rendering (no sound or video,etc) Press Key 8 for page down, key 2 for page up, etc. But no nagging ads at all... very peaceful in a way. Scripting? limited if any at all IMO.

Also, Netgear MA 401 pcmcia wifi card works for WPA encryption (TKIP) as well.

joval



Edited by joval 2021-05-13 2:21 PM
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joval Page Icon Posted 2021-05-15 4:10 PM
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I dusted off my MP900 and opened Windows Explorer before starting Opera-mini and found the alt-tab workaround works great!

As the Cmonex 4.2 ROM includes Pocket DOS (easily accessible on Win Explorer) you can access Control Panel window/items by typing "control panel" at the command prompt.

I don't have a fix yet for logging on HPC:Factor due to it's captcha image verification, too bad. Maybe C:Amie can provide some secure alternative means of logging on with Opera-mini.

joval

posted once again on my Jornada720/ethernet/Stefan's_Devuan/RasPi hybrid!
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darkNiGHTS Page Icon Posted 2021-05-15 4:24 PM
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joval - 2021-05-13 1:57 PM

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HPC:Fan - 2021-05-13 12:51 AM

This is the only browser that just "works". But like you said, the fact that it takes up the entire screen and doesn't allow you to access anything else unless you quit Opera is annoying. But Joval gave a good workaround that works. Thankfully, if I have Opera open on the 900c, there isn't much else I'm doing on it.


Actually, thanks to your feedback, I just realized there is a simple MUCH BETTER WORKAROUND which will lets you start/ use any of your programs when in Opera: START WINDOWS EXPLORER (or similar file manager like total commander) BEFORE you open/start OPERA. Then use alt tab to toggle to your file manager (win explorer) and NAVIGATE TO PROGRAMS FOLDER => to individual programs (or their subfolders), click to start.

Nice teamwork! Took almost two years but glad the topic was necroed and successfully brought to life.

This works great.
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joval Page Icon Posted 2021-05-15 7:45 PM
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darkNiGHTS - 2021-05-15 8:24 AM

Nice teamwork! Took almost two years but glad the topic was necroed and successfully brought to life.

This works great.


I was just roaming around the forums when I saw your old post, which got me thinking!!

EVEN BETTER: Click on MY COMPUTER (on left hand top corner of desktop), Control Panel link is there as well as programs files folder.

CMonex ROM has small tweaks in control panel...can change system fonts which==> can really improve/change Opera mini fonts. I'm not quite sure what I did but Opera had a pop-up menu saying checking fonts with progress bar , took a few minutes... now instead of hard to read Ascii/courier-like font has attractive smoother shaded /weighted truetype fonts!!!!

To think... you started this all 2 yrs ago! Glad you like. It is a nice browser with HTTPS:// access especially with a WPA wifi card, instant on or off...the Cmonex ROM is great! Enjoy!


joval (on his J720/Devuan/RasPi Hybrid).
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CE Geek Page Icon Posted 2021-05-16 2:23 AM
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You have the patience of a saint, darkNiGHTS.
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joval Page Icon Posted 2021-05-21 4:49 PM
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DarkNiGHTS,

Thanks to your old post I'm back to using my MP900c's to surf the net and save files for offline viewing via Opera mini5. Prior to this I used them as Date Time clocks around the house and learn ECMA/ Javascript and occasionaly on a WEP low security subnet I'd turn on short term.

Although a few months back I found the Ambicom WL54 WiFi cards cheap on ebay and could now setup WPA, I found Opera mini awkward to use as noted in your post. Now I'm surfing the net and enjoying it knowing I can multitask, check battery level, take screenshots,etc ( using Cmonex custom ROM WincCE.net 4.2 v2.1). I can read posts on Hpcfactor easily, but can't login due to no captcha rendering on Opera mini. Hope another option permits login somday... from what I understand captcha "secure login" is easily defeated by bots and kinda increasingly useless/worthless ( but I digress...).

I never realized that the Netgear MA401 WiFi cards I've had for many years also offer WPA encryption TOO! This came to light when netware and Stephan mentioned it in their Linux/Debian posts. I tried it out on MP900 CMonex WinCe.net 4.2 and they work great... just plug in the card, a pop-up asks for the driver , enter "prismnds.dll" (the Cmonex custom ROM has the driver included I think...otherwise just download the driver from the downloads section. Use the one 2577.cab not the net4.cab from the unzipped prism folder).

I do a lot of posting using my Jornada 720 running Devuan Ethernet linked to a Raspberry Pi 3 or 4 which is great but really takes time to boot up and multiple logins are necessary. The beauty of the MP900c is its able to access the web all by itself, has instant on and off to save battery life. With smalltweaks app in control panel (again Cmonex custom ROM) you can set battery warning, cruise the net, download a webpage and save it in Opera, then to save battery by turning off WiFi simple by perssing the power key to cycle off and back on.... the battery warning comes up asking to power up WiFi slot... click no and you can now read your webpage without wasting power to the hungry WiFi card. Then toggle power again and choose yes to power up WiFi card again.

It's really working out quite well!

Joval ( from his Samsung tablet this time)

Edited by joval 2021-05-21 4:53 PM
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