Kobo Start Menu

[Ken Maltby]

Originally Posted by tshering

Thank you for this information. However, I am not quite sure how to use this information. The content of the koreader.sh is the same as it was in koreader_kobo.sh, isn't it.


Looks great to me. I could make some good use of it. Another thing I would welcome is, if input.lua could check the Kobo Touch model, if this is the decisive information, and handle the reversal of the x/y coordinates.

I cannot see how this effects whether koreader is or is not reopening the last read book, if settings.reader.lua got lost? Or did you refer to some other point?

I noticed pazos's "changes" at github and while it makes sense for the project to go in that direction, having a separate script to call reader.lua in the Start Menu is very handy. No matter what name you give it. Yes, the content and function is the same, the "kobo" distinction is being removed because the code for the different device families is being consolidated into their own folders.

pazos:
The way you have posted this, both here and at Github, makes me wonder if you were unaware that reader.lua already has the arguments that you talking about? In fact one of the benefits of having a koreader launching script in kbmenu is that the arguments that I have applied to reader.lua remain in place, when updating koreader. I have provided reader.lua with the path to my library on the external uSD, as it's first argument for a long time now.

Having the "Start in last open file" as an option in koreader's menu is much more convenient, than doing it by changing the reader.lua argument (although that works, as well), Having my Start Menu koreader_kobo.sh with my reader.lua argument as I want it has had no apparent effect on the koreader option, works fine.

As to the mini crashing, I would look to some impact from the recent "Mini Only" firmware update.

Luck;
Ken

[tshering]

This is an update for Kobo Start Menu 04.
I tested it on a Kobo Touch (model B) running FW 2.6.1, and a Kobo Touch (model C) running FW 3.4.1 (EDIT: and 3.5.0; and 3.8.0).

New features:

• start and stop USBNet from the USB menu
  
  Spoiler:

  USBNet needs vlasovsoft. For instructions on how to make USBNet work on windows see these instructions. To make telnet work install KevinShort's package. For telnet you can simply use windows's own telnet (if you are a windows user that means). On how to install and enable it on Windows 8 and 8.1 see for instance these instructions.
• start coolreader in portrait or landscape mode directly from the home menu (this has some severe limitations, cf. this post and those following)
  
  Spoiler:

  • select "coolreader" > "start coolreader" in order to start coolreader in portrait mode
  • select "coolreader" > "start coolreader ls" in order to start coolreader in landscalpe mode

  (Note: In the first version I uploaded, this did not work with the most recent version of Coolreader, which is part of pbchess-1.2.6.39_kobo.zip. If you have already installed the first version, you can find the necessary changes in this post.)
  There are some known limitations: 1) trying to open the front light menu freezes the device 2) having page update interval set to a value other than 1 freezes the device.
• switch between nickel and koreader
  Spoiler:

  • select "koreader additions" > "koreadernickelloop.sh" or "koreader additions" > "nickelkoreaderloop.sh"
  • switch from koreader to nickel by exiting koreader
  • switch from nickel to koreader by opening switchtokoreader.png
  • return from nickel to the start menu by opening exit_nickel.png
• "browser" can displays png and bmp files, when in "read" mode
• user can control some items of the home menu

Installation:

• extract the folder kbmenupngs, and the file KoboRoot.tgz from the archive
• launch nickel on your device and connect (via nickel) to your computer
• merge the new folder kbmenugpngs with .kbmenugpngs of your device (in other words: copy switchtokoreader.png to the folder kbmenugpngs)
• safely eject the reader, go into the library and open switchtokoreader.png to make sure it has been processed by nickel (note: go into the library, it might not be sufficient if you open switchtokoreader.png from the home screen only)
• connect to the computer and copy KoboRoot.tgz to .kobo
• (after the device has restarted) select "handle update" > "install update"
• after the device has updated, select "scripts" > "activate" > "set runmenu settings.shm" > "always"
• select "return home"

Koreader and Coolreader (vlasovsoft) have of course to be available on the device in order to be used. For installing these readers see the instructions by Ken Maltby.


Setting the values for the image viewer (only for the playfuls):

Spoiler:

Especially owners of other devices than the Touch (and maybe the Mini) will have to set the preferred image width in the user settings. Use "scripts" > "tests" > "image_tests" > "findoptimgwidth.sh" to find the optimal value for width. You will see that the value is preset to 500, increase this value by selecting one of the numbers, to decrease the value toggle add/substract and select the approprate numbers, then press show image. Repeat this as often, until the picture fits nicely into the frame. Note down the determined value, this will be the value for ksmImageWidthPortrait in usersettings.txt.
Go back to the home menu and toggle the rotation so that the display is landscape. (To do this you have to set enablerotation in usersettings.txt to true [= uncomment].) Determine the optimal display width for landscape in the same way you did for portrait. The determined value will be the value of ksmImageWidthLandscape.
I would consider a value as optimal if the image fits exactly the width of the frame (without causing the horizontal scroll bar to appear as long as there is no vertical scroll bar [Depending on the aspect ratio this is of course not possible with every image]). It would be nice if you could share your values here so that I can insert them into the presettings.

Note: You can close the image viewer by touching the center part of the screen and then press the button "close," which appears at the bottom (note: "zoom in" and "zoom out" do not yet work for images, but only for text). Page up and down by touching the right or left part of the screen.

Do not install this package without having Kobo Start Menu 04 installed.
As always: USE THIS PACKAGE AT YOUR OWN RISK!

New (2014.06.26): Some devices have been reported to freeze when left idle for some time. Look here for a possible solution.
New (2014.07.17): There is now an additional update that takes into account the reduced effective screen size of the Aura.
NEW (2014.08.19): Please use this script for better integration of koreader.

[WS64]

One more observation about my crashes...
When I go to start menu, then USB and enable USB support while the computer is connected there are no crashes at all. I can go to Koreader and and read or wait, no crash. As soon as I unplug the reader from the computer the reader crashes at the next waiting period.
This was still done with the old version, now I'm gonna install the new one.

[Markismus]

Originally Posted by tshering

This is an update for Kobo Start Menu 04.

Works like a charm!

[tshering]

Originally Posted by WS64

One more observation about my crashes...
When I go to start menu, then USB and enable USB support while the computer is connected there are no crashes at all. I can go to Koreader and and read or wait, no crash. As soon as I unplug the reader from the computer the reader crashes at the next waiting period.
This was still done with the old version, now I'm gonna install the new one.

Did you also try to connect by usb cord to the computer without enabling usb support? I am thinking of a power problem.

[WS64]

Question to the installaion of number 4...
I do NOT have a folder kbmenugpngs, am I supposed to have one?
Anyway, I can copy the folder there.
But the next point does not make any sense. switchtokoreader.png is now in the folder .kobo\kbmenu\kbmenugpngs which Nickel does not process, so neither will the reader find any updates nor will I be able to open the png from Nickel.

[WS64]

Originally Posted by tshering

Did you also try to connect by usb cord to the computer without enabling usb support? I am thinking of a power problem.

Just tried it: no crash!
then unplugged, wait 2 minutes: crash
That was still on the old version...

Btw, I replaced the internal SD card of my Mini with a 16GB one. This might of course lead to a power problem that other devices don't have.

[tshering]

Originally Posted by WS64

Question to the installaion of number 4...
I do NOT have a folder kbmenugpngs, am I supposed to have one?
Anyway, I can copy the folder there.
But the next point does not make any sense. switchtokoreader.png is now in the folder .kobo\kbmenu\kbmenugpngs which Nickel does not process, so neither will the reader find any updates nor will I be able to open the png from Nickel.

The folder should have been installed with the main package. It should be in the root of the user partition (at the same level as .kobo rather than inside of .kobo), otherwise nickel does not process it. Thank you for pointing out the wrong instructions, I have corrected them now.

[Ken Maltby]

Originally Posted by WS64

Question to the installaion of number 4...
I do NOT have a folder kbmenugpngs, am I supposed to have one?
Anyway, I can copy the folder there.
But the next point does not make any sense. switchtokoreader.png is now in the folder .kobo\kbmenu\kbmenugpngs which Nickel does not process, so neither will the reader find any updates nor will I be able to open the png from Nickel.

I have the "kbmenupngs" folder in the root directory, it is the one that you are first in when you open the "KOBOeReader" drive in Windows. Not the .kobo folder which is "hidden".

Luck;
Ken

[tshering]

Originally Posted by Markismus

Works like a charm!

I am glad it is working!

[WS64]

Now I installed the new version.
First issue, when i go to Nickel, then go to Library, then click on next page I am immediately back in Start Menu, why is that? No way to go to the second page of my library...

And unfortunately I now seem not to have any way left to use Koreader, even when I start through Nickel with the old png (not your 90 degree turned one) my reader crashes.
When I use your turned one it does not start Koreader but switches back to Start Menu. When I start Koreader then it crashes after a while.
I even changed "set runmenu settings.shm" to "never", but it does not help.
Any ideas?

[pazos]

@Ken Maltby: I'm aware that reader.lua can be called with some arguments, but when we call koreader (from shell, from start menu or from fmon) we normally don't call the reader.lua itself, but the koreader.sh script, which in kindles does:

./reader.lua $@ 2>crash.log

this means that if you call koreader.sh without arguments in a kindle koreader boot with last opened document ($@ == "")

in kobos koreader.sh does:

./reader.lua /mnt/onboard/ 2>crash.log, ignoring all arguments passed away.

If we wish to keep both files the same as possible calling koreader.sh on kobos without arguments will open koreader with last opened document, and for have the standard behaviour right now we need to call:

koreader.sh /mnt/onboard


I can't explain myself in english very well

[tshering]

Originally Posted by Ken Maltby

As to the mini crashing, I would look to some impact from the recent "Mini Only" firmware update.

Cyphox seems to have had this problem already with earlier FWs, cf. this post. I am running the "Mini only" firmware and (usually) do not have this problem.
As for the koreader start script you worded my thoughts.

[tshering]

Originally Posted by WS64

Now I installed the new version.
First issue, when i go to Nickel, then go to Library, then click on next page I am immediately back in Start Menu, why is that? No way to go to the second page of my library...

Only a guess: If for some reason (sort order?) switchtokoreader.png is on the second page of your library and nickel has not yet created all image files that it normally creates for a book, nickel would try to create a thumb image of the book when you go to the second page and therefore access it. This triggers fmon and switchtokoreader.sh is started. switchtokoreader.sh does basically nothing but kill nickel. Therefore, you get back to the start menu. Try renaming switchtokoreader.sh in \.kobo\kbmenu\fmonsh\ to something different, for instance _switchtokoreader.sh. This should solve your problem with the library. At a later point, if you have already accessed the second page of your library, you can rename the _switchtokoreader.sh to its original name to regain its function.

[tshering]

Originally Posted by WS64

And unfortunately I now seem not to have any way left to use Koreader, even when I start through Nickel with the old png (not your 90 degree turned one) my reader crashes.

Did you associate the old png to the script that starts koreader via the kobo start menu? If not it should have no effect at all. Or did you do it in any other way?

Originally Posted by WS64

When I use your turned one it does not start Koreader but switches back to Start Menu. When I start Koreader then it crashes after a while.
I even changed "set runmenu settings.shm" to "never", but it does not help.
Any ideas?

I see, I should have mentioned this in the installation instructions: If you start nickelkoreaderloop.sh or koreadernickelloop.sh (you find them in the home menu > "koreader additons") you can switch from one reader to the other. The turned koreader image will bring you from nickel to the koreader. If however you started nickel not by one of these two scripts, it will you bring back to the menu.

Originally Posted by WS64

When I start Koreader then it crashes after a while.

This seems to be the "normal" behaviour that you reported before.

Originally Posted by WS64

I even changed "set runmenu settings.shm" to "never", but it does not help.
Any ideas?

Try to open .kobo/kbmenu/runsettings.txt with a unix-style edtor and look whether never has got actually written to it, if not write it yourself.

runmenu=never

if this does not help, deactivate the menu by reinstalling FW 3.4.1. After copying the files to .kobo (select "handle update" > "install update")