[oren64]

This is a easy way to make patches from CSS string.

From firmware 4.x a lot of code moved from libnickel.so.1.0.0 to nickel have been compressed to CSS string.

Tools:
CSS styles modifications inside nickel (Python 2 needed). By pipcat
makepatch program preferable makepatch-0.02.zip file, By GeoffR


Instructions:

1. Download thepatch-nickel-css-v02.zip and extract as folder in your PC. Windows users can extract the files extract.bat and patch.bat from "bat files for windows.zip" to that folder.
   
2. Open the file css_streams.py change the line

   pos += 4 + len_stream

   to

   pos += 3 + len_stream

   That way it can find all CSS streams contained in nickel (Thanks to jackie_w).
   
3. Download the Firmware that you what to make patches from (See here) Extrcat the nickel file from the Kobo firmware kobo-update-4.x.xxxx.zip\koboroot.tgz\usr\local\kobo\nickel, to the folder.
   
4. Execute python extract.py it will make "nickel-extracted.css" file with streams (Windows file extract.bat for easy access). For example in 4.6.9660 there 158 stream with 99 compressed.
   
   
5. Open the file nickel-extracted.css and select witch stream you want to modify, In this method we work on only one stream at a time.
   for example I will show how I made the patch `New home screen increasing cover size` for firmware 4.6.9660. I select the stream 106 and copy it to the file nickel-modified.css, make sure file is empty before.
   Spoiler:

   /* found: 106 (zlib) pos: 4c2e69 */ #mainContainer[qApp_deviceIsTrilogy=true] { qproperty-leftMargin: 26; qproperty-rightMargin: 26; qproperty-topMargin: 96; qproperty-bottomMargin: 26; qproperty-spacing: 10; } #mainContainer[qApp_deviceIsPhoenix=true] { qproperty-leftMargin: 36; qproperty-rightMargin: 36; qproperty-topMargin: 126; qproperty-bottomMargin: 36; qproperty-spacing: 14; } #mainContainer[qApp_deviceIsDragon=true] { qproperty-leftMargin: 50; qproperty-rightMargin: 50; qproperty-topMargin: 170; qproperty-bottomMargin: 50; qproperty-spacing: 20; } #mainContainer[qApp_deviceIsDaylight=true] { qproperty-leftMargin: 65; qproperty-rightMargin: 65; qproperty-topMargin: 220; qproperty-bottomMargin: 65; qproperty-spacing: 26; } #row1[qApp_deviceIsTrilogy=true], #row2[qApp_deviceIsTrilogy=true] { max-height: 280px; min-height: 280px; } #row1[qApp_deviceIsPhoenix=true], #row2[qApp_deviceIsPhoenix=true] { max-height: 346px; min-height: 346px; } #row1[qApp_deviceIsDragon=true], #row2[qApp_deviceIsDragon=true] { max-height: 488px; min-height: 488px; } #row1[qApp_deviceIsDaylight=true], #row2[qApp_deviceIsDaylight=true] { max-height: 634px; min-height: 634px; } [qApp_isFontScaleLarge=true] #row1[qApp_deviceIsTrilogy=true] { max-height: 392px; min-height: 392px; } [qApp_isFontScaleLarge=true] #row1[qApp_deviceIsPhoenix=true] { max-height: 484px; min-height: 484px; } [qApp_isFontScaleLarge=true] #row1[qApp_deviceIsDragon=true] { max-height: 683px; min-height: 683px; } [qApp_isFontScaleLarge=true] #row1[qApp_deviceIsDaylight=true] { max-height: 887px; min-height: 887px; } [qApp_isFontScaleLarge=true] #row2[qApp_deviceIsTrilogy=true] { max-height: 112px; min-height: 112px; } [qApp_isFontScaleLarge=true] #row2[qApp_deviceIsPhoenix=true] { max-height: 138px; min-height: 138px; } [qApp_isFontScaleLarge=true] #row2[qApp_deviceIsDragon=true] { max-height: 195px; min-height: 195px; } [qApp_isFontScaleLarge=true] #row2[qApp_deviceIsDaylight=true] { max-height: 253px; min-height: 253px; } [qApp_isFontScaleLarge=true] #row1col2 { qproperty-visible: false; }

   
   
6. I edit the stream in nickel-modified.css file by reduces the left and right margin and save the file.
   Spoiler:

   /* found: 106 (zlib) pos: 4c2e69 */ #mainContainer[qApp_deviceIsTrilogy=true] { qproperty-leftMargin: 10; qproperty-rightMargin: 10; qproperty-topMargin: 96; qproperty-bottomMargin: 26; qproperty-spacing: 10; } #mainContainer[qApp_deviceIsPhoenix=true] { qproperty-leftMargin: 12; qproperty-rightMargin: 12; qproperty-topMargin: 126; qproperty-bottomMargin: 36; qproperty-spacing: 14; } #mainContainer[qApp_deviceIsDragon=true] { qproperty-leftMargin: 16; qproperty-rightMargin: 16; qproperty-topMargin: 170; qproperty-bottomMargin: 50; qproperty-spacing: 20; } #mainContainer[qApp_deviceIsDaylight=true] { qproperty-leftMargin: 20; qproperty-rightMargin: 20; qproperty-topMargin: 220; qproperty-bottomMargin: 65; qproperty-spacing: 26; } #row1[qApp_deviceIsTrilogy=true], #row2[qApp_deviceIsTrilogy=true] { max-height: 280px; min-height: 280px; } #row1[qApp_deviceIsPhoenix=true], #row2[qApp_deviceIsPhoenix=true] { max-height: 346px; min-height: 346px; } #row1[qApp_deviceIsDragon=true], #row2[qApp_deviceIsDragon=true] { max-height: 488px; min-height: 488px; } #row1[qApp_deviceIsDaylight=true], #row2[qApp_deviceIsDaylight=true] { max-height: 634px; min-height: 634px; } [qApp_isFontScaleLarge=true] #row1[qApp_deviceIsTrilogy=true] { max-height: 392px; min-height: 392px; } [qApp_isFontScaleLarge=true] #row1[qApp_deviceIsPhoenix=true] { max-height: 484px; min-height: 484px; } [qApp_isFontScaleLarge=true] #row1[qApp_deviceIsDragon=true] { max-height: 683px; min-height: 683px; } [qApp_isFontScaleLarge=true] #row1[qApp_deviceIsDaylight=true] { max-height: 887px; min-height: 887px; } [qApp_isFontScaleLarge=true] #row2[qApp_deviceIsTrilogy=true] { max-height: 112px; min-height: 112px; } [qApp_isFontScaleLarge=true] #row2[qApp_deviceIsPhoenix=true] { max-height: 138px; min-height: 138px; } [qApp_isFontScaleLarge=true] #row2[qApp_deviceIsDragon=true] { max-height: 195px; min-height: 195px; } [qApp_isFontScaleLarge=true] #row2[qApp_deviceIsDaylight=true] { max-height: 253px; min-height: 253px; } [qApp_isFontScaleLarge=true] #row1col2 { qproperty-visible: false; }

   
   
7. I execute python patch.py (Windows file patch.bat for easy access). It will generate a new nickel file with the changes I made in the name "nickel-modif".
   
   
8. Download makepatch-0.02.zip and extract as folder in your PC. Windows users can extract the file makepa32.bat from "bat files for windows.zip" to that folder.
   
9. I copy the files "nickel" and "nickel-modif" to that folder. Execute the file makepa32 (nickel=oldfile, nickel-modif=newfile). (Windows file makepa32.bat for easy access).
   It will create patch `New home screen increasing cover size`.
   
   To copy the patch in windows, right click frame > Edit > Mark, mark the patch, press enter to copy.
   
10. The patch is ready, copy the patch to file nickel.patch.

To make a patch from the same nickel file repeat steps 5-10.