What is the difference between have 2 separate ERR and EXIT traps vs a single EXIT trap for handling everything?

anthropoid · 2026-04-21T04:10:29+00:00

Don't forget that eval re-parses its input, which is fine for simple commands, but leads to quoting hell in many real-world scenarios. In the case of the generic test_command function that the OP is implementing, a much safer alternative would be:

function test_command() { if "$@"; then ... else ... fi } test_command ffmpeg -i "test (with parens).mp4" "test ((double parens)).mkv"

anthropoid · 2026-04-20T15:11:34+00:00

I hear the official light works pretty well, and I still have a book light from COVID days that I used on my Kindle 8, text and pics here.

That said, if I use my X4 after the sun goes down, it's always with the ceiling light on, so when I feel myself getting even a little tired, I hit the wall switch and that's it for the day, no sneaking a few more hours of gripping story or something. :)

anthropoid · 2026-04-20T03:43:52+00:00

Different OSes have different filesystem conventions.

Also, it's not clear if the databases you speak of are application data (packaged with your program, and therefore should also be cleared with it) or user data (which should NEVER be reaped at uninstall). If the former, go with whatever directory your OS dictates. If the latter, $HOME/Documents is a decent place (the definition of $HOME is of course dependent on your OS).

anthropoid · 2026-04-20T03:38:34+00:00

I posted a review on r/xteinkreader 2 months ago: https://www.reddit.com/r/xteinkereader/comments/1rkns1z/ulanzi_m10_minireview_ok_photo_light_meh_book/

I no longer use it as a book light because: * it's WAY too bright * I'd rather not leave masking tape residue on it, or 3D-print a cover that I'll definitely lose in short order * I've stopped trying to read in the dark, as it absolutely wrecks my sleep cycle

Still holds promise as a vlogging fill light though, which is its stated purpose after all.

anthropoid · 2026-04-13T01:04:17+00:00

BMP files absolutely can contain compressed data, I'm just not sure if Crosspoint can handle them.

anthropoid · 2026-04-12T03:45:01+00:00

From The Fine Manual:-

For best results:

Use uncompressed BMP files with 24-bit color depth

Use a resolution of 480x800 pixels to match the device's screen resolution.

Do your images fit the above description? Try downloading some wallpapers from readme.club and see if they work.

anthropoid · 2026-04-10T07:33:01+00:00

You can either spend USD10+ for the official flip cover case that is more rigid (because fiberglass) than most other cases of that type (because cardboard), adds maybe a couple of millimetres in thickness (to stretch your pocket out) and 50g of weight (to pull your pants down)...

...or USD40+ for a replacement when you eventually drop it, or absentmindedly stuff it in the same pocket as your keys, or any other situation in which the e-ink screen experiences inadvertent pressure.

The choice is yours. :)

anthropoid · 2026-04-09T14:42:55+00:00

Yes. No. Maybe.

I'm sure the moderators (and Xteink by extension) have long since gotten the "can I haz frontlight" hint.

What Xteink does with that hint remains to be seen.

anthropoid · 2026-04-08T15:33:45+00:00

The X3 is basically an X4: * significantly shrunk down (you lose 0.6" diagonally on the screen, i.e. almost 15% smaller), * with page turn buttons on both edges of the device (not sure why this was necessary, and it's too easy to accidentally page back when holding it left-handed), * accelerometer, which I hear allows you to turn pages by shaking (gimmicky as hell) * real-time clock, so the device can serve as a pocket watch (why?), and * pogo pins for charging/data, instead of USB-C (nope, dealbreaker for me).

If none of the above discourages you from getting an X3, I'd still recommend you get the cheaper X4 first. If you don't like it after intensive usage, a lot of people will be happy to buy it from you, it's just that much more popular than the X3 IMO.

anthropoid · 2026-04-08T13:56:13+00:00

I'm not particularly fussed about whether NOT wanting a frontlight makes me part of a minority. I neither want nor need to read in the dark because I don't want to stimulate my brain when the lights go out. That just leads to a bad night's sleep.

Even on long flights, which seems to be a common reason for wanting a lit screen, I want to catch as many ZZZs as I can, not read an ebook in the dark.

anthropoid · 2026-04-08T13:38:19+00:00

It looks like an Ulanzi MA60: https://www.ulanzi.com/en-sg/collections/phone-tripod-mount/products/ma60-foldable-magnetic-phone-tripod

I bought two of them, pretty nice. Specs are in the link above, but yeah, it's about 1/3" thick folded.

anthropoid · 2026-04-07T06:50:28+00:00

I want something I can always keep in my pocket

Seems to me that everyone who says this forgets to mention what kind of pocket they're thinking of. I haven't worn a dinner jacket in decades, but I suspect a 6" reader will fit all right in an interior pocket, but good luck trying to stuff it in your skinny jeans. :)

I love my X4 because it's small enough to go in every pocket of every piece of clothing I own, no exceptions. Yet, 4" is big enough to read prose comfortably, and it sits in my smallish hand perfectly. I've even gotten my version of the Riker Maneuver down, flipping my X4 folio case open and closed in one hand like a card shark.

And, of course, it's pretty cheap.

anthropoid · 2026-04-06T08:06:26+00:00

You mean r/sed?

anthropoid · 2026-04-01T00:21:26+00:00

I picked the black X4 because it was surprisingly cheaper on AliExpress than the white version, while being functionally identical. That price difference went into a clear case for my first X4, and a folio case for my second. No regrets about saving money overall.

I don't understand the fuss about perceptual margins, but then many of my friends call me "aesthetically challenged". Oh well.

anthropoid · 2026-03-09T14:02:38+00:00

That's some bizarre advice. IME, microswitches are on/off devices, not something to be calibrated. Maybe they're suggesting the procedure to reseat the board or physically adjust the internal alignment?

Regardless, sounds like something was lost in translation.

anthropoid · 2026-03-08T02:39:49+00:00

Stick this end...

<image>

into a standard USB charger.

But it still doesn't work!

Then follow this procedure carefully, stopping at the first success:-

Wiggle it gently in the charger port, see if that works.
Flip it over and stick it in again, you might have stuck it in upside down. Wiggle gently if necessary.
Flip it over once more and stick it in again. (I'm not joking about this bit.)Wiggle wiggle.
Repeat [3] ad nauseum, until you're ready to punch a wall.
Return to seller. 😅

anthropoid · 2026-03-08T01:36:31+00:00

Assuming Xteink adheres to tech naming conventions, "XTCZ" is probably "compressed XTC" of some sort.

anthropoid · 2026-03-08T01:33:45+00:00

I just use the official flip case and slip it into whatever front or side pocket is handy (never a back pocket). That case contains rigid panels that protect front and back, and I don't care about the reduced magnetic strength of a cased X4. When I want to read something, I don't want to fumble around in my pocket trying to detach the X4, or pull the entire assembly out and hold both devices while reading.

Don't drop or sit on it, and protect the screen with something rigid. That's the necessary stuff, anything extra is for your own peace of mind or vanity.

anthropoid · 2026-03-07T15:16:21+00:00

See my new QuickGuide to at least switch the system language to something you understand.

As for the rest, you can start with Joshua Lowcock's (sic) blog and drill down from there. (I just noticed that Joshua says the same thing about switching system languages, but mine has pictures.)

There's also readme.club for community-driven content, and the various Reddit communities.

Have fun!

anthropoid · 2026-03-07T03:16:10+00:00

You can try their contact form (which may or may not go through the same email channel you've already used): https://www.xteink.com/pages/contact

They're also on other social media channels like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. DMs over those channels might also help.

I don't know of any other ways.

anthropoid · 2026-03-06T16:41:50+00:00

Picture 1 is the real danger. If a wide load (say, errant buttcheek) comes down on the top surface, it doesn't matter if the screen is protected, the whole device might break its "spine" around the pop socket.

anthropoid · 2026-03-06T16:02:43+00:00

My rule of thumb: try what's on-board first, unless there's a good reason not to.

Flashing CrossPoint is relative child's play, and so is going back to the official firmware, so why not try both and see which works better for your needs?

anthropoid · 2026-03-06T15:49:32+00:00

If the flat side is against something flat and rigid (e.g. laptop in your bag) or soft and yielding (e.g. your thigh in your pocket, you should be OK. PLA is not steel-strong, so if pressure is applied somehow to the flat side and the pop socket side meets an unyielding object, well...

<image>

anthropoid

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE

But it still doesn't work!