Tuhi

Tuhi is a GTK application that connects to and fetches the data from the Wacom ink range (Spark, Slate, Folio, Intuos Paper, ...). Users can save the data as SVGs.

Tuhi is the Māori word for "to draw".

Supported Devices

Devices tested and known to be supported:

• Bamboo Spark
• Bamboo Slate
• Intuos Pro Paper

Building Tuhi

To build and run Tuhi from the repository directly:

 $> git clone http://github.com/tuhiproject/tuhi
 $> cd tuhi
 $> meson builddir
 $> ninja -C builddir
 $> ./builddir/tuhi.devel

Tuhi requires Python v3.6 or above.

Installing Tuhi

To install and run Tuhi:

 $> git clone http://github.com/tuhiproject/tuhi
 $> cd tuhi
 $> meson builddir
 $> ninja -C builddir install

Run Tuhi with:

 $> tuhi

Tuhi requires Python v3.6 or above.

Flatpak

 $> git clone http://github.com/tuhiproject/tuhi
 $> cd tuhi
 $> flatpak-builder flatpak_builddir org.freedesktop.Tuhi.json --install --user --force-clean
 $> flatpak run org.freedesktop.Tuhi

Note that Flatpak's containers use different XDG directories. This affects Tuhi being able to remember devices and the data storage. Switching between the Flatpak and a normal installation requires re-registering the device and previously downloaded drawings may become inaccessible.

License

Tuhi is licensed under the GPLv2 or later.

Registering devices

For a device to work with Tuhi, it must be registered first. This is achieved by holiding the device button for 6 or more seconds until the blue LED starts blinking. Only in that mode can Tuhi detect it during Searching and register it.

Registration sends a randomly generated UUID to the device. Subsequent connections must use that UUID as identifier for the tablet device to respond. Without knowing that UUID, other applications cannot connect.

A device can only be registered with one application at a time. Thus, when a device is registered with Tuhi, other applications (e.g. Wacom Inkspace) cannot not connect to the device anymore. Likewise, when registered with another application, Tuhi cannot connect.

To make the tablet connect again, simply re-register with the respective application or Tuhi, whichever desired.

This is not registering the device with some cloud service, vendor, or other networked service. It is a communication between Tuhi and the firmware on the device only. It is merely a process of "your ID is now $foo" followed by "hi $foo, I want to connect".

The word "register" was chosen because "pairing" is already in use by Bluetooth.

Packages

Arch Linux: tuhi-git

Device notes

When following any device notes below, replace the example bluetooth addresses with your device's bluetooth address.

Bamboo Spark

The Bluetooth connection on the Bamboo Spark behaves differently depending on whether there are drawings pending or not. Generally, if no drawings are pending, it is harder to connect to the device. Save yourself the pain and make sure you have drawings pending while debugging.

If the device has no drawings available:

• start bluetoothctl, commands below are to be issued in its interactive shell
• enable discovery mode (scan on)
• hold the Bamboo Spark button until the blue light is flashing
• You should see the device itself show up, but none of its services

  [NEW] Device E2:43:03:67:0E:01 Bamboo Spark
  

• While the LED is still flashing, connect E2:43:03:67:0E:01

  Attempting to connect to E2:43:03:67:0E:01
  [CHG] Device E2:43:03:67:0E:01 Connected: yes
  ... lots of services being resolved
  [CHG] Device E2:43:03:67:0E:01 ServicesResolved: yes
  [CHG] Device E2:43:03:67:0E:01 ServicesResolved: no
  [CHG] Device E2:43:03:67:0E:01 Connected: no
  

  Note how the device disconnects again at the end. Doesn't matter, now you have the services cached.
• Don't forget to eventually turn disable discovery mode off (scan off)

Now you have the device cached in bluez and you can work with that data. However, you cannot connect to the device while it has no drawings pending. Running connect and pressing the Bamboo Spark button shortly does nothing.

If the device has drawings available:

• start bluetoothctl, commands below are to be issued in its interactive shell
• enable discovery mode (scan on)
• press the Bamboo Spark button shortly
• You should see the device itself show up, but none of its services

  [NEW] Device E2:43:03:67:0E:01 Bamboo Spark
  

• connect E2:43:03:67:0E:01, then press the Bamboo Spark button

  Attempting to connect to E2:43:03:67:0E:01
  [CHG] Device E2:43:03:67:0E:01 Connected: yes
  ... lots of services being resolved
  [CHG] Device E2:43:03:67:0E:01 ServicesResolved: yes
  [CHG] Device E2:43:03:67:0E:01 ServicesResolved: no
  [CHG] Device E2:43:03:67:0E:01 Connected: no
  

  Note how the device disconnects again at the end. Doesn't matter, now you have the services cached.
• connect E2:43:03:67:0E:01, then press the Bamboo Spark button re-connects to the device The device will disconnect after approximately 10s. You need to start issuing the commands to talk to the controller before that happens.
• Don't forget to eventually turn disable discovery mode off (scan off)

You must run connect before pressing the button. Just pressing the button does nothing unless bluez is trying to connect to the device.

Warning: A successful communication with the controller deletes the drawings from the controller, so you may not be able to re-connect.