Gen3 Can't open newly-added books on device

Seqkat · 12-30-2011, 06:57 AM

I am using an old Gen3 (using firmware 1.0), which was given to me by someone who upgraded to various Kindles without using the Cybook a lot. It had various books already on it, which all work fine. This Christmas I tried to add some new books from Project Gutenberg - ran them through Calibre to make sure the formats matched up correctly, and installed them on the device seemingly with no problems. However, I can't actually open any of them on the device - when I try, it just freezes entirely and the reader has to be reset.

There appears to be absolutely no difference between these files and the old ones which were already on the device, so I am absolutely mystified as to why there is a problem. Would a firmware upgrade help? Or does anyone have any suggestions for things I might have missed?

Jellby · 12-30-2011, 08:34 AM

The Gen3 tends to crash if it encounters something too big to handle, and if it's an early version, "too big" is quite small. Make sure the text is split in sufficiently small chunks (~300KB) and remove or shrink any large image (especially the cover).

Seqkat · 12-30-2011, 09:32 AM

Thanks for your quick response - I did wonder about that, but it's happening on files of all sizes (incl. one of only 182KB), and it doesn't have any problems opening a much larger file that was already on the reader. These books also don't seem to have cover images or any other images in them at all, so it doesn't seem to be a problem with those.

Billi · 12-30-2011, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seqkat

I am using an old Gen3 (using firmware 1.0)

Have you tried upgrading? I don't know if it helps with your problem but it is worth anyway.

Quote:

This Christmas I tried to add some new books from Project Gutenberg - ran them through Calibre to make sure the formats matched up correctly

Have you tried using the original Gutenberg files, without the Calibre conversion? Or some mobi or prc files from our Patricia Clark Library here?

Quote:

There appears to be absolutely no difference between these files and the old ones which were already on the device, so I am absolutely mystified as to why there is a problem.

What about the file names? Are they - in general - the same? Maybe your Gen3 doesn't like blanks in them or they are too long.

Seqkat · 12-30-2011, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Billi

Have you tried using the original Gutenberg files, without the Calibre conversion? Or some mobi or prc files from our Patricia Clark Library here?

I have - neither made any difference.

Quote:

What about the file names? Are they - in general - the same? Maybe your Gen3 doesn't like blanks in them or they are too long.

Yes - I even renamed a few just to make them match older files on the device.

Actually I have found a solution, 'though it's really bizarre - if I open the book in the mobi pocket reader program first, send it to the device, open it through the program on the device, then disconnect the device, they work. It turns out that somehow, it's loading more than one book at a time which causes issues. Also if any of these steps is skipped, it doesn't work. I realise that this sounds vaguely ridiculous - is it likely that this is just because it's a very old and now slightly mercurial e-reader? Or is this a problem that anyone recognises?

Billi · 12-31-2011, 05:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seqkat

It turns out that somehow, it's loading more than one book at a time which causes issues. Also if any of these steps is skipped, it doesn't work. I realise that this sounds vaguely ridiculous - is it likely that this is just because it's a very old and now slightly mercurial e-reader? Or is this a problem that anyone recognises?

The reason may be that the firmware 1.0 didn't have folder mode, only library mode which means that it has to include all the new books into the internal database and doing it with more than one book "overcharges" the device. But anyway - you've found a solution - great!

HarryT · 12-31-2011, 07:12 AM

If it's running the v1.0 firmware, you really should upgrade the firmware. That firmware version had the most horrendous bugs in it, as I well remember myself. I'm sure that the new firmware will fix your problems.

vishcompany · 12-31-2011, 06:59 PM

+1 what Harry said. I never ever had this kind of problem with my Gen.3. Do the update. Ver. 1.5/1.6 is for mobi, ver. 2.0/2.1 is for epub files.

12-30-2011, 06:57 AM	#1
Seqkat Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2011 Device: Cybook Gen3	Can't open newly-added books on device I am using an old Gen3 (using firmware 1.0), which was given to me by someone who upgraded to various Kindles without using the Cybook a lot. It had various books already on it, which all work fine. This Christmas I tried to add some new books from Project Gutenberg - ran them through Calibre to make sure the formats matched up correctly, and installed them on the device seemingly with no problems. However, I can't actually open any of them on the device - when I try, it just freezes entirely and the reader has to be reset. There appears to be absolutely no difference between these files and the old ones which were already on the device, so I am absolutely mystified as to why there is a problem. Would a firmware upgrade help? Or does anyone have any suggestions for things I might have missed?

12-30-2011, 09:32 AM	#3
Seqkat Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2011 Device: Cybook Gen3	Thanks for your quick response - I did wonder about that, but it's happening on files of all sizes (incl. one of only 182KB), and it doesn't have any problems opening a much larger file that was already on the reader. These books also don't seem to have cover images or any other images in them at all, so it doesn't seem to be a problem with those. Last edited by Seqkat; 12-30-2011 at 09:37 AM.

12-31-2011, 07:12 AM	#7
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 54,668 Karma: 26165759 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Touch, PW, Fire HD, iPad 3, iPhone 4, Samsung Tab 2 7 + More	If it's running the v1.0 firmware, you really should upgrade the firmware. That firmware version had the most horrendous bugs in it, as I well remember myself. I'm sure that the new firmware will fix your problems. __________________ Harry Currently proofreading The Poison Belt, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

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12-30-2011, 08:34 AM	#2
Jellby frumious Bandersnatch Posts: 5,150 Karma: 2505637 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Spaniard in Sweden Device: Cybook Orizon	The Gen3 tends to crash if it encounters something too big to handle, and if it's an early version, "too big" is quite small. Make sure the text is split in sufficiently small chunks (~300KB) and remove or shrink any large image (especially the cover).

12-31-2011, 06:59 PM	#8
vishcompany Addict Posts: 282 Karma: 138550 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Gen3(†); PB302(↓); PRS-350; T1	+1 what Harry said. I never ever had this kind of problem with my Gen.3. Do the update. Ver. 1.5/1.6 is for mobi, ver. 2.0/2.1 is for epub files.


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