Forma Dropbox on Forma not all it’s cracked up to be

MGlitch · 10-08-2019, 12:52 AM

So I finally got around to trying Dropbox on my Forma. I’m somewhat disappointed to be honest.

So getting an account is easy, though Dropbox does try and steer you into one of the paid options pretty hard. It’s worth getting a referral link since it’s 500mb free for you and them.

Linking it with calibre is also easy just connect to folder and select the right one (this does have to be the one Kobo generates on your Dropbox your Forma doesn’t see anything else).

So far so good right?

Well this is where the problems set in. I’m aware Dropbox can’t read kepub files which for me doesn’t matter. I don’t want it to read them I just want it to act as a middleman from my computer or whatever device to my Forma. I would have thought this would be a no brainer for this set up. After all it has the option to download the files.

Oh boy was I wrong. The first time you try to get a particular kepub over to your Forma it asks about being sure you want to download it because Dropbox can’t open it. I was holding out some hope here. Sure it’d be a pain to do bulk transfers this way but a few books here and there? No problem really. Still better than having to have my Forma plugged into my computer send the files over, eject it, wait for it to process and then enjoy my books.

But no. I have no idea where it tries to send the kepubs, syncing briefly shows “finishing download of file name.

But nothing appears in my books and nothing seems to have been written to the Kobo (plugging it in didn’t show anything unless it’s buried somewhere).

The first time I tried this converting the books to kepub in the transfer the second time I converted them on my computer.

I then tried ePub which did work though series data wasn’t sent over, everything else seems to have been as the covers do display along with the author.

In the end this is disappointing I’m somewhat surprised Kobo wouldn’t ensure their native format would be able to transfer using this method. I can forgive the series info not syncing as even directly putting it on the Kobo requires reconnecting it I believe.

I will not be using this feature until/unless kepub is actually supported. If I’ve missed something please let me know.

mathil · 10-08-2019, 04:51 AM

I don't know about the formats, but I don't think series info can be sent over unless you use Calibre to update the database on the device?
With that said, I'm not sure what Kobo would do when approached with this kind of complaint. The kepub.epub files are a product of conversion and not something that you're actually 'supposed to have', though the developers must be aware of the conversion plugin in Calibre. The 'cloud storage' for your kepub files is supposed to be the Kobo store.

taos · 10-08-2019, 05:24 AM

Maybe it depends on the actual file extension. Do you send your kepubs as filename.kepub or filename.kepub.epub?

Gibbo · 10-08-2019, 06:52 AM

I tried with the kobocloud plugin https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...49#post3900449 and it works for my Aura One but only with .epub and .kepub.epub files.

I'm a happy puppy

davidfor · 10-08-2019, 07:37 AM

One thing that everyone keeps forgetting is that Kobo doesn't actually support sideloading kepubs for everyday reading. And, their information page for adding books via Dropbox, https://help.kobo.com/hc/en-us/artic...r-with-Dropbox, has a link to the supported formats, https://help.kobo.com/hc/en-us/articles/360017763713.

But, I'm pretty sure someone else has already tested that with the extension as .kepub.epub, the books will downloads as kepubs.

Gibbo · 10-08-2019, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidfor

But, I'm pretty sure someone else has already tested that with the extension as .kepub.epub, the books will downloads as kepubs.

Yep they do, tested it earlier with the plugin.

murraypaul · 10-08-2019, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidfor

One thing that everyone keeps forgetting is that Kobo doesn't actually support sideloading kepubs for everyday reading. And, their information page for adding books via Dropbox, https://help.kobo.com/hc/en-us/artic...r-with-Dropbox, has a link to the supported formats, https://help.kobo.com/hc/en-us/articles/360017763713.

To be fair, the first page says "You can add any supported file types to Dropbox and it will be added to your eReader after you sync."
I don't think most people would expect that 'supported file types' included Kobo's own ePub version, which apparently it doesn't, according to the second page.
I understand how that can make sense, if you understand Kobo's other positions, but it is extremely non-intuitive.
Once people understand that renaming the files works, I think this could be quite a useful feature. I could see myself using it if it was extended to other models.

NiLuJe · 10-08-2019, 10:22 AM

We've always had to rename KePubs in order to sideload them, so I'm not sure what's so surprising here?

MGlitch · 10-08-2019, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NiLuJe

We've always had to rename KePubs in order to sideload them, so I'm not sure what's so surprising here?

Not so much surprising just disappointing that Kobo wouldn’t have worked this out. Yes as David says they don’t support side loading kepub but they’ve also never officially supported Dropbox in this way.

NiLuJe · 10-08-2019, 10:27 AM

But the Dropbox support is essentially still sideloading

. You don't get sync, you just get plain wireless transfers.

MGlitch · 10-08-2019, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mathil

I don't know about the formats, but I don't think series info can be sent over unless you use Calibre to update the database on the device?
With that said, I'm not sure what Kobo would do when approached with this kind of complaint. The kepub.epub files are a product of conversion and not something that you're actually 'supposed to have', though the developers must be aware of the conversion plugin in Calibre. The 'cloud storage' for your kepub files is supposed to be the Kobo store.

Yeah I’m okay with series info and such not sending over. It’s bothersome but as noted even directly transferring to a Kobo requires the database to have scanned the book first. So I wasn’t really thinking that this would work with calibre to Dropbox to kobo.

Less true on the second part they clearly now allow cloud storage on Dropbox. Yes the file is in this case a product of conversion but it’s still a format that kobo itself can read. In my opinion they should allow it.

I’d known there was some work around but I couldn’t remember it at 1am and google wasn’t being nice.

I may use it going forward but I stand by my initial impression that it’s a feature that could be improved upon. Much like overdrive when it initially launched on the KA1.

ratinox · 10-08-2019, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NiLuJe

But the Dropbox support is essentially still sideloading

. You don't get sync, you just get plain wireless transfers.

It's official sideloading, kinda like pulling in books (or whatever) from iCloud Drive on an iPad rather than using iTunes.

davidfor · 10-08-2019, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MGlitch

Not so much surprising just disappointing that Kobo wouldn’t have worked this out. Yes as David says they don’t support side loading kepub but they’ve also never officially supported Dropbox in this way.

You didn't actually say what you put onto Dropbox. If you didn't use ".kepub.epub", then what did you use? Kobo doesn't use an extension at all for kepubs from the store. Using "kepub" as an extension in calibre is, as far as I remember, a calibre thing only. And came about only to allow us to add them to calibre because calibre couldn't treat ".kepub.epub" as different from ".epub".

MGlitch · 10-08-2019, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidfor

You didn't actually say what you put onto Dropbox. If you didn't use ".kepub.epub", then what did you use? Kobo doesn't use an extension at all for kepubs from the store. Using "kepub" as an extension in calibre is, as far as I remember, a calibre thing only. And came about only to allow us to add them to calibre because calibre couldn't treat ".kepub.epub" as different from ".epub".

It would have been whatever calibre sends them as with only the base settings. Though if I recall the kobo output and kobo extended touch can’t save as kepub.epub it’d need to be done by the user. If I’m wrong I’ll happily eat a bit of crow. I’d confirm what sent over but I removed them from Dropbox and I’m not near that computer, it was likely just.kepub given that it didn’t work

NiLuJe · 10-08-2019, 12:00 PM

As @davidfor just said, nothing ever feeds you a .kepub, certainly not Kobo itself.

Calibre only uses it *internally* as a file extension if you happen to store KePubs in your library, a decision which I suspect was made purely for simplicity's sake.

As soon as you Send To Device, it's sent as a .kepub.epub. Which I'm pretty sure is also another Calibre convention: I haven't checked, but I suspect that even without a kepub mention in the filename, your device would figure out it's a KePub and not a straight ePub

.

Code:

Calibre Library:
'/home/niluje/Calibre/Douglas Adams/The Ultimate Hitchhiker'\''s Guide to the Galaxy (79)/The Ultimate Hitchhiker'\''s Guide to the Gal - Douglas Adams.kepub'

->

Device:
/mnt/onboard/Adams, Douglas/Ultimate Hitchhiker_s Guide to the Galaxy, The - Douglas Adams.kepub.epub

(Because, again, Kobo's own KePubs don't even *have* a file extension).

Code:

A bunch of files whose name if just an UUID with no extension in /mnt/onboard/.kobo/kepub

10-08-2019, 12:52 AM	#1
MGlitch Wizard Posts: 2,845 Karma: 22003124 Join Date: Aug 2014 Device: Kobo Forma, Kobo Sage, Kobo Libra 2	Dropbox on Forma not all it’s cracked up to be So I finally got around to trying Dropbox on my Forma. I’m somewhat disappointed to be honest. So getting an account is easy, though Dropbox does try and steer you into one of the paid options pretty hard. It’s worth getting a referral link since it’s 500mb free for you and them. Linking it with calibre is also easy just connect to folder and select the right one (this does have to be the one Kobo generates on your Dropbox your Forma doesn’t see anything else). So far so good right? Well this is where the problems set in. I’m aware Dropbox can’t read kepub files which for me doesn’t matter. I don’t want it to read them I just want it to act as a middleman from my computer or whatever device to my Forma. I would have thought this would be a no brainer for this set up. After all it has the option to download the files. Oh boy was I wrong. The first time you try to get a particular kepub over to your Forma it asks about being sure you want to download it because Dropbox can’t open it. I was holding out some hope here. Sure it’d be a pain to do bulk transfers this way but a few books here and there? No problem really. Still better than having to have my Forma plugged into my computer send the files over, eject it, wait for it to process and then enjoy my books. But no. I have no idea where it tries to send the kepubs, syncing briefly shows “finishing download of file name. But nothing appears in my books and nothing seems to have been written to the Kobo (plugging it in didn’t show anything unless it’s buried somewhere). The first time I tried this converting the books to kepub in the transfer the second time I converted them on my computer. I then tried ePub which did work though series data wasn’t sent over, everything else seems to have been as the covers do display along with the author. In the end this is disappointing I’m somewhat surprised Kobo wouldn’t ensure their native format would be able to transfer using this method. I can forgive the series info not syncing as even directly putting it on the Kobo requires reconnecting it I believe. I will not be using this feature until/unless kepub is actually supported. If I’ve missed something please let me know.

10-08-2019, 12:00 PM	#15
NiLuJe BLAM! Posts: 13,480 Karma: 26012494 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Paris, France Device: Kindle 2i, 3g, 4, 5w, PW, PW2, PW5; Kobo H2O, Forma, Elipsa, Sage, C2E	As @davidfor just said, nothing ever feeds you a .kepub, certainly not Kobo itself. Calibre only uses it internally as a file extension if you happen to store KePubs in your library, a decision which I suspect was made purely for simplicity's sake. As soon as you Send To Device, it's sent as a .kepub.epub. Which I'm pretty sure is also another Calibre convention: I haven't checked, but I suspect that even without a kepub mention in the filename, your device would figure out it's a KePub and not a straight ePub . Code: Calibre Library: '/home/niluje/Calibre/Douglas Adams/The Ultimate Hitchhiker'\''s Guide to the Galaxy (79)/The Ultimate Hitchhiker'\''s Guide to the Gal - Douglas Adams.kepub' -> Device: /mnt/onboard/Adams, Douglas/Ultimate Hitchhiker_s Guide to the Galaxy, The - Douglas Adams.kepub.epub (Because, again, Kobo's own KePubs don't even have a file extension). Code: A bunch of files whose name if just an UUID with no extension in /mnt/onboard/.kobo/kepub Last edited by NiLuJe; 10-08-2019 at 12:49 PM.

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10-08-2019, 04:51 AM	#2
mathil Evangelist Posts: 440 Karma: 287725 Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Europe Device: Kobo Aura H2O/Glo HD/Libra 2, Kindle PW3/PW5	I don't know about the formats, but I don't think series info can be sent over unless you use Calibre to update the database on the device? With that said, I'm not sure what Kobo would do when approached with this kind of complaint. The kepub.epub files are a product of conversion and not something that you're actually 'supposed to have', though the developers must be aware of the conversion plugin in Calibre. The 'cloud storage' for your kepub files is supposed to be the Kobo store.

10-08-2019, 05:24 AM	#3
taos Connoisseur Posts: 90 Karma: 11069 Join Date: Feb 2012 Device: Sony PRS-T1, Kobo Glo HD	Maybe it depends on the actual file extension. Do you send your kepubs as filename.kepub or filename.kepub.epub?

10-08-2019, 06:52 AM	#4
Gibbo Guru Posts: 776 Karma: 2475053 Join Date: May 2007 Device: Galaxy Tab A (2019) - iPhone 11 - KA1 - Onyx Boox Nova Pro	I tried with the kobocloud plugin https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...49#post3900449 and it works for my Aura One but only with .epub and .kepub.epub files. I'm a happy puppy

10-08-2019, 07:37 AM	#5
davidfor Grand Sorcerer Posts: 24,906 Karma: 47303748 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Sydney, Australia Device: Kobo:Touch,Glo, AuraH2O, GloHD,AuraONE, ClaraHD, Libra H2O; tolinoepos	One thing that everyone keeps forgetting is that Kobo doesn't actually support sideloading kepubs for everyday reading. And, their information page for adding books via Dropbox, https://help.kobo.com/hc/en-us/artic...r-with-Dropbox, has a link to the supported formats, https://help.kobo.com/hc/en-us/articles/360017763713. But, I'm pretty sure someone else has already tested that with the extension as .kepub.epub, the books will downloads as kepubs.

10-08-2019, 10:22 AM	#8
NiLuJe BLAM! Posts: 13,480 Karma: 26012494 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Paris, France Device: Kindle 2i, 3g, 4, 5w, PW, PW2, PW5; Kobo H2O, Forma, Elipsa, Sage, C2E	We've always had to rename KePubs in order to sideload them, so I'm not sure what's so surprising here?

10-08-2019, 10:27 AM	#10
NiLuJe BLAM! Posts: 13,480 Karma: 26012494 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Paris, France Device: Kindle 2i, 3g, 4, 5w, PW, PW2, PW5; Kobo H2O, Forma, Elipsa, Sage, C2E	But the Dropbox support is essentially still sideloading . You don't get sync, you just get plain wireless transfers.

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