Create / Optimize Cbz files for Kobo (software inside)

[satsuki_yatoshi]

Hello.

I've done 2 softwares to easily deal with cbr/cbz files with the kobo touch.

As Gater seems to be interested in it (and some others may be too), i've decided to make a proper thread about it.

Of course the softwares are free to use, i can send you the source code files on demand.

The first software "Satsuki All2Cbz" can batch convert pictures to cbz files:
-Archive files (zip, rar, 7-zip, tar...).
-Pdf (only the pictures inside).
-Folders (folders with picture files in it but no subfolders).

The second one "Satsuki Cbz Kobo Optimizer" can batch optimize the cbz files for kobo touch reading:
-Detect corrupted cbz files and report them.
-Choose jpg quality (to me 20% is enought for kobo but you may want to set it more or less).
-Cut double pages in single page (standard or japanese sort).
-Rename files to avoid non unicode bugs in kobo.
-Resize picture to match kobo touch width or height (for portrait or landscape reading).
-Natural sorting of files in source cbz ("1.jpg, 2.jpg, 10.jpg, 11.jpg" and not "1.jpg, 10.jpg, 11.jpg, 2.jpg").
-Optimise gamma, contrast and sharpen for easier redaing with kobo touch (with irfanview conversion profile so you can easily mod them).


Satsuki All2Cbz is written in vb6 and use 7-zip command line and p2j for cbz creation (7-zip, p2j and vb6 runtime included in installer).

Satsuki Cbz Kobo Optimizer is written in vb.net (you need to install the .net framework 4.0 to use it) and use 7-zip command line, ImageMagick and IrfanView for cbz optimisation (7-zip, ImageMagick and IrfanView included in installer).

Both software have only been tested on windows 7 (32 and 64 bits) but can theoricaly works in vista and xp


To use All2Cbz it's realy simple, just drag & drop the files (zip, pdf, 7z...) or folders in the main windows:

Then click on "Convert to cbz", you'll get the command line conversion:

When the command close itself you'll get the cbz file in the same folder as the source file or folder you drag & drop with the extention ".cbz".


To use Satsuki Cbz Kobo Optimizer, it's not realy hard too, you start by drag & drop the cbz files you want to convert in the main windows:

Then do the settings, the default setting are great for most cbz, just check the "reading format" to adapt it to your cbz.
Now just clik on Convert to optimized kobo cbz and wait.
Conversion can take some time, you will have the name of file witch is converted in the software title.
When the convertion is finished the main windows will clear itself.
The optimized cbz file will have the same name and location than the original files except they'll have a "KoboOptimized" text (for exemple if source file is "Tome 10.cbz" the optimized file will be "Tome 10.KoboOptimized.cbz")


if you want to batch rename the converted files to delete "KoboOptimized" you can use a batch rename software as antrenamer (free and opensource) :http://www.antp.be/software/renamer/fr


if you detect bugs, please reply here, i'll try to debug the software.

Known limitation / bug:
-You may have a dll register bug while installing, it's nothing, it's just that the vb6 runtime is alredy installed in another language on you computer.
-If you're not administrator in your computer, you could have bugs if you install the software in "program files", if it's appening please install the software in "my documents".


Download .net framework 4.0 (only if not in your computer): http://www.microsoft.com/download/en....aspx?id=17851
Download Satsuki.Cbz.Kobo.Optimizer (the installer contain both softwares): http://dl.free.fr/ifUOPEDQ3 or http://www.fileserve.com/file/NwvnMy....Optimizer.exe


To the forum admins: if the links in this post are against forum rules, please tell me

[jose_]

Hello
Thanks for releasing this software.
it gives better results than Calibre's epub conversion
A nice feature would be when there is a double page in the CBZ to have it rotated first the, cropped.
I made an exemple here :
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images...stitretre.jpg/

Also when using all2cbz for converting multiple files it always ask me if I want to replace the tumbs.db files

[satsuki_yatoshi]

@jose_
So if i understand you would like an option to have the same page twice, 1 time full frame but rotated, second time splitted in 2 frames.
I think you want this option to have a sort of preview of the full double page ?

For all2cbz it can do that only if there's subfolders in one archive file, could you confirm me that yours archive file have subfolders ?


----as your exemple picture is in french, here's the french version----------------

Vu que ton exemple est en français je me demande si tu n'est pas français.
Donc pour simplifier les choses je fait un résumé en VF.

Ce que tu voudrais comme option c'est que si le programme detecte une image double, il en fasse une copie avec une rotation de 90° et qu'il ajoute ensuite la double page séparée en 2, comme ça tu verrais d'abords l'image entière et ensuite le détail page par page ?
Je pense pouvoir ajouter cette option mais je trouve plutôt limitée a mon sens, néanmoins, je l'ajouterai si elle ne pose pas de difficulté majeure dans la prochaine version.

pour all2cbz, est-ce que tu as le même problème si tu ne met qu'une archive ? car normalement les fichiers sont supprimés entre 2 archives pour éviter les bugs.
après si tu as une archive qui est en plusieurs sous dossier (comme un dossier volume avec un sous dossier par chapitre) et que dans les sous dossier un fichier porte le même nom, ça bloquera.
au prise je pourrais facilement ajouter une option "écrasement automatique en cas de doublons" mais ça enlève toute sécurité a la conversion.

[Gater]

I start AllToCbz and Drag & Drop one .zip from my desktop in it. Then I press convert, but I get the following:

Run-time error '75'; Path/File access error

When I start AllToCbz with administrator rights I cannot drag & drop anything. I have all the newst .net framework and stuff, all new windows updates, Windows 7 64-bit.

[Edit] I installed it in My Documents and now it works.

[Edit2] I portrait mode the bubbles are barely readable, when I switch to landscape it just looks beautiful and big enough, but I cannot scroll up/down (as far as I've read it still is bugged). When I zoom im I can scroll, but then the images are just too big and scrolling takes too long. How is the best way to currently read?

[satsuki_yatoshi]

zoom just a minimum, the size won't be so big and you can scroll.
you can stay in portrait too and zoom with (the <-> zoom option in the kobo) and it's realy readable.

i hope the landscape not scrolling bug will be fixed soon ^'

[joydivision]

Bonjour ,
merci pour cette petite perle (enfin me semble t'il pas encore essayée)
Je n'arrive pas à télécharger le fichier sur free, serait-il possible de le récupérer par un autre moyen?
Merci

[satsuki_yatoshi]

lien fileserve ajouté sur le 1° post.

added fileserve mirror for the users how can't download from free.fr

[joydivision]

Un grand merci je tente le coup!

[annekenstein]

Installed both programs. (had to install into My Documents)
The All2CBZ programs seemed to work correctly.

Having problems with the Cbz Kobo optimiser (I'm using Win7 64bit) - I can drag & drop files into window, but when I click on the convert button I get this message:

Unhandled exception has occurred in your application. If you click Continue, the application will ignore this error and attempt to continue. If you click Quit, the application will close immediately.
Cannot create ActiveX component.

These are the details that show up in the error message:

See the end of this message for details on invoking
just-in-time (JIT) debugging instead of this dialog box.

************** Exception Text **************
System.Exception: Cannot create ActiveX component.
at Microsoft.VisualBasic.Interaction.CreateObject(Str ing ProgId, String ServerName)
at artok.Form1.Button1_Click_1(Object sender, EventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.OnClick(EventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.Button.OnClick(EventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.Button.OnMouseUp(MouseEventAr gs mevent)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WmMouseUp(Message& m, MouseButtons button, Int32 clicks)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.ButtonBase.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Button.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.O nMessage(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.W ndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)


************** Loaded Assemblies **************
mscorlib
Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 4.0.30319.239 (RTMGDR.030319-2300)
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.NET/Framework/v4.0.30319/mscorlib.dll
----------------------------------------
CbzKoboOptimizer
Assembly Version: 1.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 1.0.0.0
CodeBase: file:///C:/Users/Rob/Documents/Satsuki%20Cbz%20Kobo%20Optimizer/CbzKoboOptimizer.exe
----------------------------------------
Microsoft.VisualBasic
Assembly Version: 10.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 10.0.30319.1 built by: RTMRel
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.Net/assembly/GAC_MSIL/Microsoft.VisualBasic/v4.0_10.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/Microsoft.VisualBasic.dll
----------------------------------------
System
Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 4.0.30319.236 built by: RTMGDR
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.Net/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System/v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Core
Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 4.0.30319.233 built by: RTMGDR
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.Net/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Core/v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Core.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Windows.Forms
Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 4.0.30319.235 built by: RTMGDR
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.Net/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Windows.Forms/v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Windows.Forms.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Drawing
Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 4.0.30319.1 built by: RTMRel
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.Net/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Drawing/v4.0_4.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.Drawing.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Runtime.Remoting
Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 4.0.30319.1 (RTMRel.030319-0100)
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.Net/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Runtime.Remoting/v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Runtime.Remoting.dll
----------------------------------------

************** JIT Debugging **************
To enable just-in-time (JIT) debugging, the .config file for this
application or computer (machine.config) must have the
jitDebugging value set in the system.windows.forms section.
The application must also be compiled with debugging
enabled.

For example:

<configuration>
<system.windows.forms jitDebugging="true" />
</configuration>

When JIT debugging is enabled, any unhandled exception
will be sent to the JIT debugger registered on the computer
rather than be handled by this dialog box.

[satsuki_yatoshi]

could you send me the cbz file you tried to convert ? so i could seen it it's related to the installation on your computer or to the cbz file with my software.
thanks

[beelze]

Hi everyone,

Just bought my kobo reader and found this useful software ! great job !

Originally Posted by satsuki_yatoshi

Known limitation / bug:

-If you're not administrator in your computer, you could have bugs if you install the software in "program files", if it's appening please install the software in "my documents".

You juste have to change rights for the current user on the folder :

Go to Program Files (x86), right click on the folder 'Satsuki Cbz Kobo Optimizer' , Properties, then :



and ok,ok,ok,ok,ok .. (you got me)


I have a request too

My collection is organized like this :

Manga folder / Volume n° X.zip / Chapter X / 00.png, 01.jpg, etc...

So, one volume contains several chapters. When I use All2CBZ, the 7-zip command extract all the file to the same temporary folder and there are name collisions.
Also I have to tell to the batch what to do when it happens.

Can you take this eventuality into your software ? Like putting a prefix to the extracted temporary files with the subfolder (chapter) number and build the CBZ with this new name ?

If not, I'll extract all my archives and use antrenamer but my CPU is very busy already with the converter

If you don't understand me, I'll be glad to exchange in french

again for your work

[Koboyashi]

Originally Posted by beelze

... You juste have to change rights for the current user on the folder :

Go to Program Files (x86), right click on the folder, Properties, then ...

Never do that! This way you undermine the Windows security drastically, because all potential malware get the same rights in that folder as you do (the current user)! - Instead, run the Installer "Satsuki.Cbz.Kobo.Optimizer.exe" as Administrator** - that's enough.

**Right-click the installer file, then left-click "Run as Administrator" in the context menu.

[beelze]

You're absoluty right. I mean manage rights on the 'Stasuki Kobo Cbz Optimizer' folder (as you can see on the screen captures)

Instead, run the Installer "Satsuki.Cbz.Kobo.Optimizer.exe" as Administrator** - that's enough.

Yes, but when you execute it, the batch cannot write to the tmp folders

But you're right, if you don't understand what you do, or install bizarre softwares, install it in 'My Documents'

[Koboyashi]

Originally Posted by beelze

... I mean manage rights on the 'Stasuki Kobo Cbz Optimizer' folder (as you can see on the screen captures) ...

Lol, I've seen that. But also all subfolders with infectable programs inside are affected. - Changing folder rights is always dangerous unless you don't know exactly what you're doing.

@satsuki_yatoshi: Please move all locations, where has to be written, to the standard system locations (user temp, application data, system temp). Thanks.

[satsuki_yatoshi]

@beezle
All2Cbz is an old software i made (it's in vb6 ...).
The problem if you have subfolder for each chapter in a single one achive, i can't be sure they're in the right order in it... but i could upgrade All2cbz (rewrite it in vb.net).

@Koboyashi
I originaly planned to do it, but as i need to redo all2cbz in vb.net an probably include it in the Kobooptimizer, i'll do it all when i'll have some free time (i'm starting in .net so any function need lots of time).
You'll need to install it as an administrator even if i localise all temps files in the $user folder.

To do:
-[Easy] Add an option for double page preview in one rotated image (asked by jose_ ).
-[Medium] Relocalize temps file to avoid bugs on non administrator account.
-[Hard] Replace imagemagick with .net code to works even if not installed as an admin.
-[Hard] Replace 7-zip command line with .net code to be able to easily support achives with subfolders in it.
-[Easy but long to do] Build all2cbz in kobo optimizer to have a all in one software.

Thanks for reporting