Abiword as a office mobile word processor for the Pinephone?

[Peter Gamma]

Here it says:

https://abiword.en.lo4d.com/windows

«AbiWord is a full and extensive word processor with features and a feel similar to older, more classic versions of Microsoft's Word product.»

- I was able to create and store files on an SD card with Abiword on my Pinephone

- then I transferred the file on an SD card to a Ubuntu PC, modified it here with Abiword

- Then I have put the SD card back to the Pinephone and was able to edit it again with Abiword.

- This worked without issues so far when choosing the .odt format ( Open Document Format for Office Applications (ODF) ) to save files in Abiword.

- But I had issues when I have chosen the abiword filre format or the .rtf format as discussed here:

https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=18788

- The above procedure worked several times for me personally.

- Unfortunatly Abiword always want to save the file in the abiword format.

- I had to choose the .odt format every time I saved a file in Abiword.

- Is there a way to store the files by default in the .odt format in Abiword?

- I always saved the file as a new file.

- I did not test yet how it is if I save the file under the same file name as I opened the file.

[walter1950]

Here it says:

https://abiword.en.lo4d.com/windows

---
- I had to choose the .odt format every time I saved a file in Abiword.

- Is there a way to store the files by default in the .odt format in Abiword?

- I always saved the file as a new file.

- I did not test yet how it is if I save the file under the same file name as I opened the file.

lmgtfy:
Setting default file type in Abiword

Ciao
Walter

[Peter Gamma]

Thanks walter1950 for googling it for me, I found the solution, a great instruction really nice. Abiword seems to be more flexible than I thought. If I get things to work, I try this instruction later on.

I had problems writing with Abiword to the external SD card, as described here:

https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=18656

Nobody in the Pine64 forum answered this question. So i installed postmarked OS on the external SD card, booted from there and installed Abiword on it. When I then saved an Abiword file, it was saved to the external SD card. This was the only solution I could find to solve this problem. So I could take out the SD card and use it with my Ubuntu PC.

But now I have read from Walter1950 here:

https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=18788

That  Walter1950 has installed ABIWORD on Pinephone, wrote some Letters and saved it to SD-Card.

How you where able to do this Walter1950? I could not find an option in Abiword. I thought it eventually does not support it. But you managed it. How?

[Zebulon Walton]

What filesystem the SD card formatted with? If a Linux filesystem what does the protection look like on the directory you're trying to writ to? What protections are on the mount point? Maybe you need to configure umask?

[Peter Gamma]

Many interesting questions i have to check, Zebulon, thanks for the answer.

I try to make a sort of a Qtek 9000 out of my Pinephone with my Pinephone keyboard and Abiword, Gnumeric and eventually LibreOffice. I need to find an answer if I sould make a fresh install of postmarked OS on my Pinephone to use Abiword. 

Abiword has only 7 shortcuts:

https://shortcutworld.com/AbiWord/win/AbiWord_Shortcuts

I did not test it yet how good Abiword can be controlled with the keyboard. I have currently installed postmarket OS with Gnome destop on my Pinephone and I use the Pinephone keyboard.

I would like to use my device for Abiword, Gnumeric and eventually LibreOffice. I aleady tested the special keys below the number keys of the PP keyboard. They do not work and the function keys below the  number keys either.

Abiword is eventually a good starting point before customizing LibreOffice. And the Pinephone keyboard a good starting point before testing Rii i4 or i8 keyboards.

To get the maximum out of it for word processing a keyboard which has as many keys as possible which work would be highly desirable.

Postmarket OS SXMO which Pinehone developer Martin Braam uses in several of his YouTube demos supports all the keys of the Pinephone keyboard:

https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=16750

Before installing  postmarket OS SXMO on the external SD card and boot it from there I try to find an answer to Zebulon Waltons questions.

Thanks for you help Zebulon.

[walter1950]

Thanks walter1950 for googling it for me, I found the solution, a great instruction really nice. Abiword seems to be more flexible than I thought. If I get things to work, I try this instruction later on.

I had problems writing with Abiword to the external SD card, as described here:

https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=18656

Nobody in the Pine64 forum answered this question. So i installed postmarked OS on the external SD card, booted from there and installed Abiword on it. When I then saved an Abiword file, it was saved to the external SD card. This was the only solution I could find to solve this problem. So I could take out the SD card and use it with my Ubuntu PC.

But now I have read from Walter1950 here:

https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=18788

That  Walter1950 has installed ABIWORD on Pinephone, wrote some Letters and saved it to SD-Card.

How you where able to do this Walter1950? I could not find an option in Abiword. I thought it eventually does not support it. But you managed it. How?

I use:
Pinephone Original with Mobian Trixie on internal Memory.
My SD-Card is formated as Fat32:

Jesus! Inserting a Picture here does not work :-(

Ciao
Walter

[Peter Gamma]

Thanks for sharing this walter.

Do you also use a Pinephone keyboard? And did you know that using all the keys on it requires Postmarket OS SXMO installed on it? And does Abiword on the Pinephone make any sense without the Pinephone keyboard and Postmarket OS SXMO?

[Peter Gamma]

Pinephone user alaraajavamma writes in the following thread that she has choosen Abiword for her Pinephone instead of LibreOffice:

https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?...614&page=3

Does alaraajavamma use Abiword with the Pinephone keyboard? And if so, has she Postmarket OS SXMO installed to be able to use all the Pinephone keys?

[alaraajavamma]

Pinephone user alaraajavamma writes in the following thread that she has choosen Abiword for her Pinephone instead of LibreOffice:

https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?...614&page=3

Does alaraajavamma use Abiword with the Pinephone keyboard? And if so, has she Postmarket OS SXMO installed to be able to use all the Pinephone keys?

I have the keyboard case but I don't like it at all so I am not using it. You can get it working if you want to but it is not going to be perfect.

Why I prefer abiword?
Pinephone is slow - if you use resource intense apps (like libreoffice) it will feel even more slow.

Your question about the sd card:
If you have OS installed to that sd card and you saved the file using that sd card installation there will be some permission issues if you put that sd card to another computer. Those are kind of easy to solve because most likely you have root access to both devices but those permission issues are intended.
More recommended way would be to install the OS of your choice to emmc and then use "empty" (as in no os installed = just used for file transfers) sd card where you would save the files.
How you can save the files to sd card which is inserted to PP?
Check does your file manager detect the sd card - if yes then you can just save files there - remember to use "save as.." option and then browse to that sd card with file chooser.
If your file manager does not see the sd card you might need to format it to something else - use for example gnome-disks and after formatting try again.

And if I were you I would not use sd card for that at all (because it is not easy method considering how PP was designed).
I would use some cloud syncing software. I am using Nextcloud (you can get free or almost free server easily - search from the web).
In PP I need nextcloud desktop app and then I choose what folders I would like to sync. Nextcloud desktop can live in the background and it will sync everything automatic. You can do similar thing to your PC using the same apps or use nextcloud web portal. This is way faster method and you don't tear out your sd-card or PP.

[Peter Gamma]

I am happy with the Pinephone keyboard and  I suppose the easiest way to get all the keys working is to install postmarket OS  SXMO on it since it supports all the keys:

https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=16750

pifou showed here how he get all the keys working with his PostmarketOS installation:

https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=16750

These are only four steps for a programmer but giant steps for a physiologist like I am wich I will not make.

I am currently happy with postmarketOS with Gnome desktop running from an external SD card. I can save files with Abiword to the SD card, go to my Ubuntu PC with it, modify it with Abiword there and go back to my Pinephone.

I had this system on an Android phone but after Android 4.4. Google killed this feature to write to the external card, and since then I suffer because I was completely happy with this sytem.

I will not choose Nextcloud synchronization or a private cloud or another synchronisation option.  I can have these options with an Android phone as well, but not the option to write to the external SD card. Only the Pinephone can to this and Volla Phone.

I will choose an SD card as my data carrier or nothing.