can no longer add books to kobo touch

[echo.charlie]

Since I updated the firmware on my kobo touch (2.1.5), I can't add new books using calibre. I have since updated calibre to (0.9.5). When I select the books from my library >right click> send to device > (tried both main memory and card A). When I click on main memory/card A, it shows that the file size is 0.0. I know that the file is ok because I can read it on the ebook viewer. When I unplug my reader, it goes through the sync process but the books don't show. When I plug it back into the computer, the files disappear. Which could make sense since the files are 0.0. But why is it doing that? What could the problem be? My other books still show up.

[PeterT]

The driver will display the size as 0.0 until they have been processed by the Touch. I'll leave other ideas for Davidfor.

[echo.charlie]

oh ok, so when adding the files the size 0.0 is normal ( sorry i never really paid attention to it before). When I eject the device, the processing content shows up as normal. But when i check no new books are added. When I plug the device back in. At first calibre shows that under the On Device column shows the files are there, but when the jobs "get list of books on device" is finished, the "On Device column" no longer lists the books.... what could be the cause of this?

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by echo.charlie

oh ok, so when adding the files the size 0.0 is normal ( sorry i never really paid attention to it before).

As Peter said, the size shows a zero in the device list when the books are first sent over. So, it is "normal", but it is actually a bug that I haven't looked at yet.

When I eject the device, the processing content shows up as normal. But when i check no new books are added. When I plug the device back in. At first calibre shows that under the On Device column shows the files are there, but when the jobs "get list of books on device" is finished, the "On Device column" no longer lists the books.... what could be the cause of this?

There are two parts of this.

Firstly, if the book is not appearing in the library list on the Kobo device, then there is a problem with it. The "processing" screen shows the device saw new books. It processes the books and adds them to its library. If there is a problem with this, the books won't appear in the devices library. This usually means the books were badly constructed in some way. You need to work out which ones are bad, fix them and send them to the device again. Also, the processing stops on the first bad book. Any books that should have been processed after this, will not be processed.

The second part of this is when you reconnect and look at the device in calibre. The device list in calibre only shows books that are in the Kobo devices library. And hence the "on device" will only show books on the device that are also in the calibre library. What you are seeing is an effect of how the device is read for books. If you haven't stopped calibre between connections for the device, the second time it is connected the "on device" column is populated with the previous state and then fixed. In this case, because calibre sent the book and marked it as on device, but then the device didn't load it properly, it appears to be on the device for a but when the "get list of books on device" is finished, the state is corrected.

[echo.charlie]

Thanks for the responses!

Ok I've tried adding the books one at a time, (only 3 i wanted to add). Even got different files and I still get the processing content when I unplug from the computer but when I check it doesn't show anything new. I've tried adding thru the library and just under add new books. Same results.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by echo.charlie

Ok I've tried adding the books one at a time, (only 3 i wanted to add). Even got different files and I still get the processing content when I unplug from the computer but when I check it doesn't show anything new. I've tried adding thru the library and just under add new books. Same results.

You have two different things here. Adding books to the library is to add them to the calibre library. If you use those options, then the books appear in the calibre library list.

To get books to your Kobo Touch, you need to use "Send to device" when the device is connected. Then eject and disconnect the device. The device should show the processing screen and a percentage complete. When that is finished, the home screen will be displayed and the covers of the newly added books should be displayed. From what you said before, this is not happening. Is that correct?

If the above doesn't happen, when you reconnect the device to you PC and start calibre, the books will not show in the device list. This is because the Kobo driver reads the list of books the device knows about and shows them. If the processing failed for a book, and it wasn't shown when you used the device, it will not be shown in the device list.

Rereading the first post, you say the books are OK because you can read them in the calibre viewer. Unfortunately, the Kobo devices are pickier than the calibre viewer. I have had several epubs with errors in them that the viewer displayed OK, but caused my Kobo Touch to restart while reading or skip whole sections.

As the books are not getting processed correctly by the device, you should delete them from the file system of the device. Then send one to the device, disconnect it and see whether it is added to the devices library. And that you can read it. If it isn't there, connect again, remove that book and try another. That way you will find which book is causing the problem.

The alternative is to post the books or a link so someone can download them and try them. If they are copyrighted, send me a PM and I'll send an address you can email them to and I will try them.

[echo.charlie]

What i've done so far:

I followed your instructions and removed the new books from the device/mem card. And added one book, unplugged device, processing content showed up but no new books. plugged it back in removed the file and tried another one. each time it didn't work.

I tried adding books to the device's main memory and it didn't work as well.

i've even deleted the driveinfo.calibre and metadata.calibre files to see if one was corrupted. deleted both on the devices memory and memory card. same issue

i also tried with a whole new empty memory card, added books i knew worked before but no books showed up. Only ones that showed were the ones that were on the devices main memory that were there before.

any other suggestions?

[PeterT]

The two calibre files will not affect Kobo seeing the books.

Are times correct on your Touch and PC?

If on the Touch you go to Settings | Account does it show you being signed in and (optionally) Adobe Authorization ID?

[echo.charlie]

dates and times are correct on the device.

After a few tries, even the books on the mem card weren't showing up after i did a card swap, I got so frustrated with nothing to lose that I just did a factory reset on the kobo. After plugging it to the computer and adding a few books to the main memory, unplugging and letting it sync, main memory and the memory card books weren't showing up still. so i did it again and eventually the mem card books showed up. woohoo! then i pushed my luck and added the new books. and it finally showed up as well.

bahhh!

hmmm...im afraid to sync it to the server now (thru wifi & kobo server). In case it might happen again. I don't want to push my luck now that its working.... would i have to sync it?

[PeterT]

Next time, rather than trying a reset, try a signout from the Settings | Account menu; this basically drops the database on the device but leaves the side loaded ePubs on it.

[echo.charlie]

oooohhh...... good to know for next time! thanks!