[Device Plugin] Kobo Touch Extended Driver

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by jgoguen

I suspect it's a database flag. I've taken a copy of my Glo database at 2.8.1 and the Aura database at 2.9.0, and made sure the Aura database had KePubs from Kobo in it, so hopefully there's something I can do. It may just take a while to figure anything out

While I don't like that Kobo did this, I keep saying that this plugin enables accessing a renderer that Kobo doesn't want us to access, using files the renderer was never intended to handle converted to a (likely) incomplete and inaccurate facsimile of the native Kobo format, all by adding books in a way Kobo has no obligation to support. For now, I'll just be happy that they didn't break KePub sideloading entirely

Kobo's statement to the beta list was that the stats didn't work properly for sideloaded books. I never saw a problem, so I don't know.

I have had very a quick look in the database and couldn't see anything that I thought was safe to fiddle with. The possibilities include the userid, ContentURL the contentId and maybe accessibility. I'd be tempted to use the contentId. Anything not starting with "file" would get the stats. Fairly easy and also something that can't be beaten by fiddling with the database.

[jgoguen]

I wouldn't expect stats to work properly for side loaded KePubs where the source ePub was mangled in some way that isn't compatible with Kobo's assumptions about how a KePub is laid out. Unfortunately, that does seem to be a number of books even from major publishers.

If they really are hiding stats from side loaded KePubs because stats don't work on books that aren't supported and shouldn't be there anyway... it seems to me they're just trying to annoy people. If they wanted to actually deal with the "problem" of things not working properly with side loaded KePub files, why not prevent them from using the renderer? I don't like that explanation. Maybe there's more to it but as-is it sounds like an excuse.

Dear Kobo, please don't actually block us from accessing the KePub renderer. Pretty please

[samhy]

Re sideloaded kepub: I can't really explain why, but in my twisted mind having this ability made me buy more ebooks from Kobo. I still buy ebooks from other sellers, but not that much, expect a very great deal.
But if from now on sideloaded ebooks can't use the kepub renderer, I might start reading only regular epub ebooks (so not bought at Kobo store).

[jgoguen]

We're still using the ACCESS renderer, it's just stats that Kobo has blocked us from using.

[samhy]

Originally Posted by jgoguen

We're still using the ACCESS renderer, it's just stats that Kobo has blocked us from using.

Yep the stats not the renderer, sorry for my misunderstanding

[BobC]

Originally Posted by jgoguen

I wouldn't expect stats to work properly for side loaded KePubs......

If they really are hiding stats from side loaded KePubs because stats don't work on books that aren't supported ....... it seems to me they're just trying to annoy people.

I have never seen any complaints about the stats "not working" on sideloaded kepubs so I don't know where they are coming from here. The more usual approach is simply "that's not supported". So Kobo have expended time and effort in specifically disabling a feature that many of us like - clearly someone doesn't understand the concept of "Brand and Reputation" .

As far as the stats themselves are concerned there is no way they can be totally accurate anyway - how long it will take me to read a page or chapter depends not only on the number of characters/words but also the construction of the text - an action book can be consumed much quicker than, say, a classical text where you need to re-read sentences (sometimes two or three times) to properly understand what is happening. However the relative times needed by each chapter within a book is often useful for me to decide whether to start the next chapter or close up and get some shut-eye.

BobC

[tlaine]

Originally Posted by BobC

So Kobo have expended time and effort in specifically disabling a feature that many of us like - clearly someone doesn't understand the concept of "Brand and Reputation" .
BobC

After having the new Aura for only a couple of days, IMHO, it seems quite clear that Rakuten knows exactly where they're taking Kobo.

[jgoguen]

That doesn't mean they understand Brand or Reputation. Unless they're trying to rebrand and/or change Kobo's reputation, which is possible I suppose.

[taming]

We in the beta at one time saw stats for all sideloaded books, including epubs. It was when the stats for epubs went away that the remark about them being inaccurate was made by Kobo. This was not said when whatever changes were made which now keep the kepub conversion stats from showing up.

I was one of the people providing stats information to Kobo for sideloaded books. Now remember, this was many months ago, not with the new FW or with beta FW post 2.8.1. Reading epubs, I was seeing things like relatively short books (less than 400 pages in the paper editions) initially stating that it would take 20+ hours to read the book. I'd read for an hour, and it was then 12 hours. Maybe read another 15 minutes and it would say 4.3 hours. The numbers were all over the place. It was this kind of stats problem which led to them not being presented for epubs.

The current issue regarding the extended driver kepub stats was first mentioned using a beta FW on July 30. I did not see any followup from Kobo giving a reason why this change happened.

[jgoguen]

Interesting, I've seen similar issues with purchased KePubs. I thought it was the device being smart and estimating how long it would take based on my current average per-page time in that book.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by taming

The current issue regarding the extended driver kepub stats was first mentioned using a beta FW on July 30. I did not see any followup from Kobo giving a reason why this change happened.

There was a comment from Kobo immediately after this this version about why the stats had been removed for sideloaded kepubs.

[taming]

Thanks, David, I found it. That is exactly what was said when they pulled stats from epubs.

FWIW, I have no reason to believe they go out of their way to reduce the functionality of the extended driver. Heck, they have things set up so people can change/work with their FW in a variety of ways. I definitely can't begin to see what Rakutin's ownership could possibly have to do with the current FW not playing nicely with the extended driver at the moment. Hopefully Joel will be able to restore that functionality for us.

I sometimes forget that calibre is a 3rd party product and that Kobo (or any of the device manufacturers) don't really have any reason to pay much attention to what is done with it--certainly not if they are making changes for other reasons related to their own development plans.

[FJames]

I had the Kobo Extended driver installed, but it seems to have disappeared in the recent Calibre updates. What should I be installing now with Calibre 1.40 (to support my Aura HD)?

[jgoguen]

You should reinstall KoboTouchExtended. If the plugin disappeared, you must have had a version installed that required a calibre version later than what you had. There was a version published briefly that would probably have satisfied this scenario, cause I forgot to update the minium calibre version before publishing.

If you're just looking for Aura HD support, you don't actually need this driver. This gives you KePub versions on your device, but the main driver is fully capable of supporting the Aura HD and the newer Aura device if you just want plain ePub.

[FJames]

Ah, that must have been it, thanks. I updated last week and updated the plugin as well. Must have gotten a mismatched version.

While I'm quite satisfied with the regular driver, I actually like the kepub features.