Calibre no longer detects Scribe after forced 5.16.3.1 update.

jerbee · 10-20-2023, 08:16 PM

I got an OTA forced update on my Scribe a few minutes ago. Since then, it isn’t detectable by Calibre and doesn’t show up on my desktop. Instead, I get a “ connected to computer, if your Kindle is not listed on your computer, go to amazon.com/connectmykindle for help”, which says to download an android updater. The android updater program *can* see the scribe, but Calibre still can’t. I’m running the most recent version (6.29).

Is this a known issue? I’m glad to donate (again) to David to keep things working.

DNSB · 10-20-2023, 09:26 PM

What OS are you using? While Windows with recent updates is able to use MTP fairly easily, both Linux and MacOS can only have one program at a time connect to an MTP device. You may want to check in the calibre forum & subforums for more of the discussion around this.

Quoth · 10-21-2023, 06:48 AM

Neither Windows or Liinux need an "Android updater" for different reasons, so that sounds like a Mac.

But DNSB is correct, the Scribe (or any MTP device) must not mount on Mac or Linux or Calibre. On Linux you can often turn off automount MTP, but not on Linux Mint using Mate & Caja. There you have to go to processes and stop (not kill, or it auto-respawns) the gvfs-mtp-volume-monitor before connecting USB cable.

If Mac or Linux, then Scribe MUST NOT show on desktop, or Finder, or Filemanagers. Do not run Android Updater.
Only newer versions of Calibre will see the Scribe as an MTP device, even if they work with actual Android gadgets, because it's not Android (MTP was actually MS for the Zune before used by Android, which is why it works better on Windows.)

jerbee · 10-21-2023, 07:48 AM

Thanks guys - it’s working again.

In case it proves helpful for someone down the road who stumbles across this thread with the same issue, I deleted Android Installer after updating to the newest version of Calibre, power cycled all devices, and now I’m able to view via Calibre (though still no icon on the desktop). I’m running Sonoma (14.0).

Quoth · 10-21-2023, 08:46 AM

No, if you had a desktop Icon on Mac or Linux (or anything not Win1x 64 bit) then Calibre can't connect!

DNSB · 10-21-2023, 11:41 AM

As @Quoth said, since you are only allowed one connection to the Scribe using MTP on Linux or MacOS, if you see it on your desktop, that's the one connection and calibre will be unable to see your Scribe.

tomsem · 10-28-2023, 01:15 AM

On Mac, I have found a command line tool that lets you copy files from and to, create new folders and delete files/folders. Maybe Linux too?

https://github.com/libmtp/libmtp

Homebrew install is

brew install libmtp

It installs a bunch of mtp-* commands, including mtp-sendfile, mtp-getfile, map-files, mtp-folders, mtp-filetree, mtp-delfile, etc.

You can use filenames or fileID (returned by mtp-files or mtp-filetree) in the commands. But it seems only to operate on one file at a time: no 'copy folder'.

Unlike GUI clients like AFT or OpenMTP or calibre, it does not connect persistently (why can't those clients drop connection after each operation?).

On Windows, you can use PowerShell commands to automate Explorer. I have not explored this yet.

So it's good news: automation is feasible. I'm planning to work on a Python wrapper to make it easier to implement some use cases (e.g. back up/restore notebooks).

Quoth · 10-28-2023, 04:00 AM

Linux caja filemanager using gvfs-mtp-volume-monitor works fine with MTP on Android (inc hidden files). In fact on Mate desktop + caja you have to stop (not kill) gvfs-mtp-volume-monitor for many android devices to see them with Calibre, though some (Sony phone but not Mars eink) work on Calibre if unmounted.

There is also a debug mode on Android and a Linux tool which is much faster for listings and transfers (ADB related?), but likely that's not available for a Scribe. That tool also allows other stuff on Android if you install an App that tells you actual filename of unwanted Android pre-installed apps.

tomsem · 10-28-2023, 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quoth

Linux caja filemanager using gvfs-mtp-volume-monitor works fine with MTP on Android (inc hidden files). In fact on Mate desktop + caja you have to stop (not kill) gvfs-mtp-volume-monitor for many android devices to see them with Calibre, though some (Sony phone but not Mars eink) work on Calibre if unmounted.

There is also a debug mode on Android and a Linux tool which is much faster for listings and transfers (ADB related?), but likely that's not available for a Scribe. That tool also allows other stuff on Android if you install an App that tells you actual filename of unwanted Android pre-installed apps.

Scribe is not running Android so ADB is not a possibility. If I can figure out how to use calibre's MTP library directly, I'll probably use that, but I also wanted to find something that didn't depend on calibre to do command line operations. Calibre is using the same libmtp library, but has a python wrapper to call the binaries directly.

Quoth · 10-29-2023, 06:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomsem

Scribe is not running Android so ADB is not a possibility.

I suggested that. MTP without Android gives the disadvantages of Android 4.x and later and none of the advantages.

10-20-2023, 08:16 PM	#1
jerbee Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2018 Device: Kindle Voyage	Calibre no longer detects Scribe after forced 5.16.3.1 update. I got an OTA forced update on my Scribe a few minutes ago. Since then, it isn’t detectable by Calibre and doesn’t show up on my desktop. Instead, I get a “ connected to computer, if your Kindle is not listed on your computer, go to amazon.com/connectmykindle for help”, which says to download an android updater. The android updater program can see the scribe, but Calibre still can’t. I’m running the most recent version (6.29). Is this a known issue? I’m glad to donate (again) to David to keep things working.

10-28-2023, 01:15 AM	#7
tomsem Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,478 Karma: 26425959 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: USA Device: iPhone 15PM, Kindle Scribe, iPad mini 6, PocketBook InkPad Color 3	On Mac, I have found a command line tool that lets you copy files from and to, create new folders and delete files/folders. Maybe Linux too? https://github.com/libmtp/libmtp Homebrew install is brew install libmtp It installs a bunch of mtp-* commands, including mtp-sendfile, mtp-getfile, map-files, mtp-folders, mtp-filetree, mtp-delfile, etc. You can use filenames or fileID (returned by mtp-files or mtp-filetree) in the commands. But it seems only to operate on one file at a time: no 'copy folder'. Unlike GUI clients like AFT or OpenMTP or calibre, it does not connect persistently (why can't those clients drop connection after each operation?). On Windows, you can use PowerShell commands to automate Explorer. I have not explored this yet. So it's good news: automation is feasible. I'm planning to work on a Python wrapper to make it easier to implement some use cases (e.g. back up/restore notebooks). Last edited by tomsem; 10-28-2023 at 01:19 AM.

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10-20-2023, 09:26 PM	#2
DNSB Bibliophagist Posts: 35,498 Karma: 145557716 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Vancouver Device: Kobo Sage, Forma, Clara HD, Lenovo M8 FHD, Paperwhite 4, Tolino epos	What OS are you using? While Windows with recent updates is able to use MTP fairly easily, both Linux and MacOS can only have one program at a time connect to an MTP device. You may want to check in the calibre forum & subforums for more of the discussion around this.

10-21-2023, 06:48 AM	#3
Quoth the rook, bossing Never. Posts: 11,169 Karma: 85874891 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper11	Neither Windows or Liinux need an "Android updater" for different reasons, so that sounds like a Mac. But DNSB is correct, the Scribe (or any MTP device) must not mount on Mac or Linux or Calibre. On Linux you can often turn off automount MTP, but not on Linux Mint using Mate & Caja. There you have to go to processes and stop (not kill, or it auto-respawns) the gvfs-mtp-volume-monitor before connecting USB cable. If Mac or Linux, then Scribe MUST NOT show on desktop, or Finder, or Filemanagers. Do not run Android Updater. Only newer versions of Calibre will see the Scribe as an MTP device, even if they work with actual Android gadgets, because it's not Android (MTP was actually MS for the Zune before used by Android, which is why it works better on Windows.)

10-21-2023, 07:48 AM	#4
jerbee Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2018 Device: Kindle Voyage	Thanks guys - it’s working again. In case it proves helpful for someone down the road who stumbles across this thread with the same issue, I deleted Android Installer after updating to the newest version of Calibre, power cycled all devices, and now I’m able to view via Calibre (though still no icon on the desktop). I’m running Sonoma (14.0).

10-21-2023, 08:46 AM	#5
Quoth the rook, bossing Never. Posts: 11,169 Karma: 85874891 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper11	No, if you had a desktop Icon on Mac or Linux (or anything not Win1x 64 bit) then Calibre can't connect!

10-21-2023, 11:41 AM	#6
DNSB Bibliophagist Posts: 35,498 Karma: 145557716 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Vancouver Device: Kobo Sage, Forma, Clara HD, Lenovo M8 FHD, Paperwhite 4, Tolino epos	As @Quoth said, since you are only allowed one connection to the Scribe using MTP on Linux or MacOS, if you see it on your desktop, that's the one connection and calibre will be unable to see your Scribe.

10-28-2023, 04:00 AM	#8
Quoth the rook, bossing Never. Posts: 11,169 Karma: 85874891 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper11	Linux caja filemanager using gvfs-mtp-volume-monitor works fine with MTP on Android (inc hidden files). In fact on Mate desktop + caja you have to stop (not kill) gvfs-mtp-volume-monitor for many android devices to see them with Calibre, though some (Sony phone but not Mars eink) work on Calibre if unmounted. There is also a debug mode on Android and a Linux tool which is much faster for listings and transfers (ADB related?), but likely that's not available for a Scribe. That tool also allows other stuff on Android if you install an App that tells you actual filename of unwanted Android pre-installed apps.