Play chess on firmware 3.15

[traycold]

hi all,
in this version chess is no more available on "extras" menu. Anyway, as pointed out by some users, Kobo only removed the way to launch the game, and not the game itself: infact, if the tile "Chess" was present on the homepage at the moment of the firmware upgrade, it was not removed and they can still launch the game.
Unfortunately, it's not possible to launch chess for the other users not having chess tile on homepage.

So my idea was to manually change the content of the tile to re-enable the chess game.

Warning: applying this modification ther is the risk of corrupting the Kobo database that stores data about: book progress, statistics, and so on. Please do not proceed until you are confident on what you are doing and in any case make a backup of the database file (KoboReader.sqlite).
I take no responsibility on any damage this procedure may cause to your ebook-reader.


It's a very simple procedure, applicable to any kobo on firmware 3.15 (even though I just tried it on my kobo glo), but requires some knowledge with command line tools.

• First of all, create a tile on the homepage launching any of the extra present in the settings / beta features. For instance sudoku.
  Be sure that you have now a tile called "sudoku" on the homepage.
• Connect the kobo to the PC
• For safety reason, make a backup of the file <koboDrive>/.kobo/KoboReader.sqlite (so that you can recover it in case something goes wrong during this procedure)
• Open the file <koboDrive>/.kobo/KoboReader.sqlite with the Sqlite3 editor software you prefer (for instance SQLiteSpy for Win, but there are many free editors for any platform)
• In the table "Activity", find the row with Id=sudoku, and change the value of Id=chess; save the modified DB
• Disconnect the Kobo, now you should have a tile with the chess

Simplified procedure, using Sqlite3 command line tool:

1. Be sure that you have the sudoku tile on the homepage (if you don't have it, just play a sudoku game and it should appear)
2. make a backup of the file <koboDrive>/.kobo/KoboReader.sqlite (so that you can recover it in case something goes wrong during this procedure)
3. Download Sqlite3 command line for win, linux or mac
4. Create a folded on your PC and put into it:
   • The executable Sqlite3 files you downloaded
   • The sql file attached to this message (chess.txt)
   • The kobo DB file (<koboDrive>/.kobo/KoboReader.sqlite) copied from Kobo
5. Open a shell, go the folder you created and launch this command:
   

   sqlite3 KoboReader.sqlite < chess.sql

6. Copy the patched KoboReader.sqlite file back to kobo (overwriting existing file)
7. Disconnect kobo and you should have the chess tile on homepage

Hope this may be useful.

In principle the procedure could be further simplified creating an update file (KoboRoot.tgz) that completely automates the DB update; but honestly I don't have time to do it by myself (and make the tests to be sure it works without messing the reader).

[Bobbe]

Yes! It worked!
With your method I put all the extra's on my new Glo HD, one by one!

I'm very happy to be able to play chess and solitaire again!

[cly]

It's work first way,this is very simple way,Thank you I am Very happy.I can Play Chess

[cxu123]

I can not find the row with Id=sudoku in Activity table. Do you have an example for this row in Activity table? I can try to add one.

[PeterT]

Remember this assumes you have launched Sudoku first (and that is one of the installation steps).

Remember that this won't work on a Glo HD.

[Bobbe]

Originally Posted by PeterT

Remember this assumes you have launched Sudoku first (and that is one of the installation steps).

Remember that this won't work on a Glo HD.

O, yes! It does work on Glo HD!
Just Launch the internet browser first, and later, when editing the database, instead of changing 'sudoku' into 'chess', you change 'internet' (or was it browser, I can't remember) into 'chess'.

After that I saved the file, disconnected Glo HD, and there was the Chess tile on the Home screen. I followed the same procedure to get the starting tiles back, one by one, for Rushhour, Solitaire, Sketch, and Sudoku. I have them all working on my brandnew Glo HD! Fantastic!

[cxu123]

Originally Posted by PeterT

Remember this assumes you have launched Sudoku first (and that is one of the installation steps).

Remember that this won't work on a Glo HD.

I am using Glo HD. I finally made it work by creating a new row with Id=chess, Type=Extras, Action=2. It is a bit risky to create a new row in Activity table.

Run brower first and then change the Id to chess would be better than what I did. I didn't realize this method until I see Bobbe's reply.

[Ksquared]

Thanks! I just got an Aura and wanted to see Chess. Your procedure worked well.

[nicopilami]

For people who are not very technical, I tried to put you ideas into easy steps here

Thanks a lot once more

Nico

[tshering]

Let me add that KSM 07 users have a further (easy) possibility; see this post.

[Atilla]

Thank you traycold it worked great on Kobo Touch with 3.18.0

[surquizu]

In fw 3.19.5613 it is not working now. The tile off chess appear on the home screen , but it isn't opens the game.

[davidfor]

I noticed that when I was adding this function to the Kobo Utilities. I meant to ask if other saw it, but forgot about it. Something must have changed that the chess depended on. I doubt it was something deliberate to stop chess. More likely something changed elsewhee and the chess library hasn't been updated to work.

[tshering]

Originally Posted by davidfor

I doubt it was something deliberate to stop chess. More likely something changed elsewhee and the chess library hasn't been updated to work.

Almost all references to chess have disappeared from libnickel.

[markyisri]

Still doesn't work on FW 4.2.

I think it is gone for good.