Select text and lookup definitions

Gnom · 12-19-2013, 06:01 AM

Here are a few questions to which I couldn't find an answer, sorry if they've already been asked! It's about selecting text and looking up definitions in an effective way.

The first thing I'd like to know is: is it possible to select text spread accross two pages? More precisely, I want to start selecting text on a page and have a way to turn the page while still selecting. Either by trial and error or by looking up online, I couldn't find a way to do that.

The second thing is not so important, although I'd like it solved. When looking up definitions after selecting text, my Kobo reacts in one of two ways after a long touch allows me to enter the selection mode:
-if I select the word I want to lookup and touch anywhere else, a popup comes with the definition. If I then touch the screen again, the popup goes away and I can directly select some more text and start again (no need for a long press to enter the selection mode)
-if I select the word I want to lookup and touch anywhere else, the popup that comes contains the definition of the word at the location I touched. If I want to get the definition of a word I select, I have to use the dictionary icon, choose between the definition and translation dictionary. Then a window comes full screen with the definition. The only way to close it is to completely exit the selection mode by clicking the cross shaped button on the lower right corner.

The second mode is annoying because it requires many more clicks (and the latency of a reader screen make it even more long), and I have to exit the selection mode afterwards, so for the next word I have to loose a few more seconds entering said mode. It may look like a small issue for a user who only checks a word every once in a while, but I'm using my kobo to practice reading in my japanese study and use the dictionary every few words, so using a few more seconds one hundred times becomes a big annoyance. So I'd like to find a way to use only the first mode of selection. I think I've pinpointed the situation in which the second mode occurs: it seems it is when the page I'm reading is a chapter start or end, or contains some links or pictures (or next to a full-screen picture). I don't know why it changes the way dictionary lookup reacts, so I don't know how to prevent this issue, if somebody has any idea that would be greatly appreciated!

RobertJSawyer · 12-19-2013, 06:50 AM

To your first question, there's no way to select across a page boundary. I agree this needs to be fixed; my Amazon Kindle Keyboard lets you do this without difficulty (if you keep selecting down to the last word of the page, it turns the page automatically and lets you continue selecting).

My work around -- inelegant, but it does work -- when I need to select a passage that currently crosses a page boundary: I bring up the font menu, select a smaller font (so that the whole passage I want to select now fits on one screen), make my selection (then highlight it, or whatever). When finished, I go back to the font menu and reset the font to my normal reading size.

Gnom · 12-19-2013, 07:14 AM

Thanks for your anwser! Playing with the font size is also the workaround I'm using right now but it's not really convenient and sometimes messy, but if it's the only way I'll deal with it

davidfor · 12-19-2013, 05:42 PM

For the second problem, what firmware are you on? Kobo recently changed the selection and lookup so that the selection mode doesn't exist. You select a word, it gets highlighted and the dictionary pops up. When you press on any other text, the pop dictionary popup disappears and the selecting mode menu closes. You can still adjust the selection before saving a highlight or using the other search options. This happened with either 2.9.0 or 2.10.0.

Gnom · 12-19-2013, 07:25 PM

I will check that, thanks! I must admit I have no idea what version it's on.

Gnom · 12-20-2013, 03:49 AM

Turns out my kobo is now running on firmware 2.6.0. If I upgrade and anything goes wrong, am I write in thinking that I can downgrade by copying a backup of the .kobo folder back to the root of the kobo? I don't think there will be, but just in case...

davidfor · 12-20-2013, 06:18 AM

No, you can't do that. Or at least not only that.

If something goes wrong, you will need to do a factory reset. Part of that will install the latest firmware. For a lot of occasions where something goes wrong during an upgrade, the factory reset and upgrade works correctly.

If you decide to downgrade, then you need to connect the device, remove the new firmware files and replace them with the version you want to use.

Gnom · 12-20-2013, 07:50 AM

So, I might have gotten something wrong, but I am supposed to open the kobo desktop app and sync my kobo in order for the upgrade to take place, right? Nothing happens! I'm looking around but nothing so far...

davidfor · 12-20-2013, 07:56 AM

If there is an update available to you, then it should be downloaded and installed.

What device do you have? You haven't mentioned it and your profile is "Kobo ?". And exactly what firmware? You state "2.6.0", but I can't find any reference to that.

paola · 12-20-2013, 07:58 AM

what device do you have? With my Mini I never managed to sync with the desktop, but could over WiFi.

Gnom · 12-20-2013, 08:16 AM

Sorry, I forgot to mention it's a Kobo Touch! More precisely, the serial number is N905J28208438 and the software version is 2.6.0 (a7895c2459, 6/4/13). Syncing via wifi didn't bring any update either!

davidfor · 12-20-2013, 04:55 PM

I don't recognise that firmware version. It isn't mentioned in the firmware download links, and I don't have a copy anywhere. There were beta versions of 2.6.0, but they were not released to the general public.

For a Touch, it should get automatically updated to 3.0.1. That has been out for long enough that everyone should get it. The choices I can think of are:

1 - Do a factory reset and see what is installed.
2 - Log out on the device. This will do a restart and go through the setup process. An upgrade should happen as part of that.
3 - Manually install 2.6.1 and then do a sync. That should do the upgrade to 3.0.1.
4 - Manually install 3.0.1.

The above is in roughly the order of loss of data and risk. The first will lose all the data but is safest. The last should not lose any data, but is the riskiest. If it doesn't work, you would have to do a factory reset. I would probably do number 3 and then 4 if the upgrade didn't happen.

Gnom · 12-20-2013, 09:47 PM

Just noticed something: the serial number is a bit different than the results google offers, N905Jxxx. I bought it in Japan so that may be what the J stands for. I didn't think the hardware would be different but it may (even just in order to control what's installed and stuff... Wouldn't surprise me coming from Rakuten -- or any [edit] japanese company).

davidfor · 12-21-2013, 02:31 AM

That might explain it. That might be a firmware version that was released in Japan only. But, the newer firmware should work on it.

Gnom · 12-21-2013, 06:22 AM

What if there's a hardware limitation? (Even a perfectly arbitrary one?) I wouldn't wanna end up with an unusable device!

12-19-2013, 06:01 AM	#1
Gnom Member Posts: 22 Karma: 490 Join Date: Nov 2013 Device: Kobo touch	Select text and lookup definitions Here are a few questions to which I couldn't find an answer, sorry if they've already been asked! It's about selecting text and looking up definitions in an effective way. The first thing I'd like to know is: is it possible to select text spread accross two pages? More precisely, I want to start selecting text on a page and have a way to turn the page while still selecting. Either by trial and error or by looking up online, I couldn't find a way to do that. The second thing is not so important, although I'd like it solved. When looking up definitions after selecting text, my Kobo reacts in one of two ways after a long touch allows me to enter the selection mode: -if I select the word I want to lookup and touch anywhere else, a popup comes with the definition. If I then touch the screen again, the popup goes away and I can directly select some more text and start again (no need for a long press to enter the selection mode) -if I select the word I want to lookup and touch anywhere else, the popup that comes contains the definition of the word at the location I touched. If I want to get the definition of a word I select, I have to use the dictionary icon, choose between the definition and translation dictionary. Then a window comes full screen with the definition. The only way to close it is to completely exit the selection mode by clicking the cross shaped button on the lower right corner. The second mode is annoying because it requires many more clicks (and the latency of a reader screen make it even more long), and I have to exit the selection mode afterwards, so for the next word I have to loose a few more seconds entering said mode. It may look like a small issue for a user who only checks a word every once in a while, but I'm using my kobo to practice reading in my japanese study and use the dictionary every few words, so using a few more seconds one hundred times becomes a big annoyance. So I'd like to find a way to use only the first mode of selection. I think I've pinpointed the situation in which the second mode occurs: it seems it is when the page I'm reading is a chapter start or end, or contains some links or pictures (or next to a full-screen picture). I don't know why it changes the way dictionary lookup reacts, so I don't know how to prevent this issue, if somebody has any idea that would be greatly appreciated! Last edited by Gnom; 12-19-2013 at 06:34 AM.

12-20-2013, 09:47 PM	#13
Gnom Member Posts: 22 Karma: 490 Join Date: Nov 2013 Device: Kobo touch	Just noticed something: the serial number is a bit different than the results google offers, N905Jxxx. I bought it in Japan so that may be what the J stands for. I didn't think the hardware would be different but it may (even just in order to control what's installed and stuff... Wouldn't surprise me coming from Rakuten -- or any [edit] japanese company). Last edited by dreams; 12-21-2013 at 02:30 AM. Reason: profane language edit by moderator

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12-19-2013, 06:50 AM	#2
RobertJSawyer Guru Posts: 733 Karma: 3911762 Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Toronto Device: Kobo Libra 2, Clara 2E, and Clara HD; Kindle PaperWhite	To your first question, there's no way to select across a page boundary. I agree this needs to be fixed; my Amazon Kindle Keyboard lets you do this without difficulty (if you keep selecting down to the last word of the page, it turns the page automatically and lets you continue selecting). My work around -- inelegant, but it does work -- when I need to select a passage that currently crosses a page boundary: I bring up the font menu, select a smaller font (so that the whole passage I want to select now fits on one screen), make my selection (then highlight it, or whatever). When finished, I go back to the font menu and reset the font to my normal reading size.

12-19-2013, 07:14 AM	#3
Gnom Member Posts: 22 Karma: 490 Join Date: Nov 2013 Device: Kobo touch	Thanks for your anwser! Playing with the font size is also the workaround I'm using right now but it's not really convenient and sometimes messy, but if it's the only way I'll deal with it

12-19-2013, 05:42 PM	#4
davidfor Grand Sorcerer Posts: 24,905 Karma: 47303824 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Sydney, Australia Device: Kobo:Touch,Glo, AuraH2O, GloHD,AuraONE, ClaraHD, Libra H2O; tolinoepos	For the second problem, what firmware are you on? Kobo recently changed the selection and lookup so that the selection mode doesn't exist. You select a word, it gets highlighted and the dictionary pops up. When you press on any other text, the pop dictionary popup disappears and the selecting mode menu closes. You can still adjust the selection before saving a highlight or using the other search options. This happened with either 2.9.0 or 2.10.0.

12-19-2013, 07:25 PM	#5
Gnom Member Posts: 22 Karma: 490 Join Date: Nov 2013 Device: Kobo touch	I will check that, thanks! I must admit I have no idea what version it's on.

12-20-2013, 03:49 AM	#6
Gnom Member Posts: 22 Karma: 490 Join Date: Nov 2013 Device: Kobo touch	Turns out my kobo is now running on firmware 2.6.0. If I upgrade and anything goes wrong, am I write in thinking that I can downgrade by copying a backup of the .kobo folder back to the root of the kobo? I don't think there will be, but just in case...

12-20-2013, 06:18 AM	#7
davidfor Grand Sorcerer Posts: 24,905 Karma: 47303824 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Sydney, Australia Device: Kobo:Touch,Glo, AuraH2O, GloHD,AuraONE, ClaraHD, Libra H2O; tolinoepos	No, you can't do that. Or at least not only that. If something goes wrong, you will need to do a factory reset. Part of that will install the latest firmware. For a lot of occasions where something goes wrong during an upgrade, the factory reset and upgrade works correctly. If you decide to downgrade, then you need to connect the device, remove the new firmware files and replace them with the version you want to use.

12-20-2013, 07:50 AM	#8
Gnom Member Posts: 22 Karma: 490 Join Date: Nov 2013 Device: Kobo touch	So, I might have gotten something wrong, but I am supposed to open the kobo desktop app and sync my kobo in order for the upgrade to take place, right? Nothing happens! I'm looking around but nothing so far...

12-20-2013, 07:56 AM	#9
davidfor Grand Sorcerer Posts: 24,905 Karma: 47303824 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Sydney, Australia Device: Kobo:Touch,Glo, AuraH2O, GloHD,AuraONE, ClaraHD, Libra H2O; tolinoepos	If there is an update available to you, then it should be downloaded and installed. What device do you have? You haven't mentioned it and your profile is "Kobo ?". And exactly what firmware? You state "2.6.0", but I can't find any reference to that.

12-20-2013, 07:58 AM	#10
paola Wizard Posts: 2,840 Karma: 5843878 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: UK Device: Pocketbook Pro 903, (beloved Pocketbook 360 RIP), Kobo Mini, Kobo Aura	what device do you have? With my Mini I never managed to sync with the desktop, but could over WiFi.

12-20-2013, 08:16 AM	#11
Gnom Member Posts: 22 Karma: 490 Join Date: Nov 2013 Device: Kobo touch	Sorry, I forgot to mention it's a Kobo Touch! More precisely, the serial number is N905J28208438 and the software version is 2.6.0 (a7895c2459, 6/4/13). Syncing via wifi didn't bring any update either!

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12-20-2013, 04:55 PM	#12
davidfor Grand Sorcerer Posts: 24,905 Karma: 47303824 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Sydney, Australia Device: Kobo:Touch,Glo, AuraH2O, GloHD,AuraONE, ClaraHD, Libra H2O; tolinoepos	I don't recognise that firmware version. It isn't mentioned in the firmware download links, and I don't have a copy anywhere. There were beta versions of 2.6.0, but they were not released to the general public. For a Touch, it should get automatically updated to 3.0.1. That has been out for long enough that everyone should get it. The choices I can think of are: 1 - Do a factory reset and see what is installed. 2 - Log out on the device. This will do a restart and go through the setup process. An upgrade should happen as part of that. 3 - Manually install 2.6.1 and then do a sync. That should do the upgrade to 3.0.1. 4 - Manually install 3.0.1. The above is in roughly the order of loss of data and risk. The first will lose all the data but is safest. The last should not lose any data, but is the riskiest. If it doesn't work, you would have to do a factory reset. I would probably do number 3 and then 4 if the upgrade didn't happen.

12-21-2013, 02:31 AM	#14
davidfor Grand Sorcerer Posts: 24,905 Karma: 47303824 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Sydney, Australia Device: Kobo:Touch,Glo, AuraH2O, GloHD,AuraONE, ClaraHD, Libra H2O; tolinoepos	That might explain it. That might be a firmware version that was released in Japan only. But, the newer firmware should work on it.

12-21-2013, 06:22 AM	#15
Gnom Member Posts: 22 Karma: 490 Join Date: Nov 2013 Device: Kobo touch	What if there's a hardware limitation? (Even a perfectly arbitrary one?) I wouldn't wanna end up with an unusable device!