Instructions for patching firmware 4.20.14601

[geek1011]

This patch thread is for firmware 4.20.14601 (30c2f5c348a74f67a162021a5d8cad7d4893b088):

Instructions for patching on Windows, Linux, or macOS with kobopatch:

1. Download the Kobo firmware release
   You can find the download links here here.
2. Download and extract the patch zip
   Download and unzip kobopatch_4.20.14601.zip from here.
3. Copy the firmware file to the src folder
   Copy the original firmware you just downloaded into the kobopatch src folder.
4. Install the firmware if needed
   Install the firmware on your kobo BEFORE proceeding with the next steps. You can do this by extracting the contents of the firmware zip into the .kobo folder and ejecting.
5. Choose your patches from the files in the src folder
   Enable patches in the files in the src folder (or use the overrides in kobopatch.yaml to keep your options separate).
6. Run kobopatch
   Double-click kobopatch.bat on Windows, or run ./kobopatch.sh on Linux or macOS. On macOS, you can drag it into the terminal and press enter (you may need to go to System Preferences - Security and Privacy - General to confirm that you actually want to run it).
7. Install the patches by copying KoboRoot.tgz into the .kobo folder of your device
   If the patching succeeded, a file named KoboRoot.tgz will be created in the out folder. Copy it to the .kobo folder of your device. Safely remove your device once you are finished. On Linux, you may have to press Ctrl+H to show the .kobo folder.

Download

[geek1011]

Changes to the kobopatch zip:
v66 (2020-08-19): Fixed "Don't uppercase header/footer text" patches not applying to percent read text (geek1011).
v63 (2020-07-08): New "Increase page navigation history" patch (geek1011).
v60 (2020-05-01): New bulgarian keyboard patch (Svens), updated kobopatch to v0.15.0 (geek1011).
v59 (2020-03-14): Updated "My 24 line spacing values" patch, fixed running on Cygwin, removed unnecessary "Change pop-up footnote font-family" (it's now built-in) and "Change dicthtml strings to micthtml" (there's now a built-in method) patches.
v58 (2020-03-03): Initial release for 4.20.14601. See the release notes for more info.

Missing patches:
- None!

Notes about this firmware version:
- There is now a Series tab in My Books. To use this with sideloaded books, you must either wait for the updated Calibre plugin or use seriesmeta from kepubify v3.1.0+ to generate the SeriesID column.
- Images in dictionaries have been fixed!
- You can now override built-in dictionaries and prevent them from being overwritten during sync by setting them as read-only.

New patches in this version:
- Customise Header back button (jackie_w)

[geek1011]

reserved

[rtiangha]

It might be the late night clouding the brain on this end, but does the KePub stylesheet additions libnickel patch work for anyone? No matter what option I enable, ReplaceString fails to find the specified bytes.

[fer1803]

there is any way to install the patch without having to manually edit the files of the new version? That is to say use the src files from previous versions to use the same patches that we already have installed? thanks in advance!

[geek1011]

Originally Posted by rtiangha

It might be the late night clouding the brain on this end, but does the KePub stylesheet additions libnickel patch work for anyone? No matter what option I enable, ReplaceString fails to find the specified bytes.

That should have worked... I thought I tested it. Try changing the instruction for the commented out replacements to FindReplaceString, and remove the Offset.

Here:

KePub stylesheet additions:
  - Enabled: no
  - Description: Makes room to add some additional CSS to the default KePub stylesheet.
    # See replacement CSS below for examples.
  - FindBaseAddressString: ".KBHighlighting, .KBSearchResult {"
  - ReplaceString: {Offset:   0, Find: ".KBHighlighting, .KBSearchResult { background-color: #C6C6C6 !important; } \t",                                                                         Replace: ".KBHighlighting,.KBSearchResult{background-color:#C6C6C6!important}.KBSearch", MustMatchLength: yes}
  - ReplaceString: {Offset:  76, Find: ".KBSearchResult, .KBAnnotation, .KBHighlighting { font-size: 100% !important; -webkit-text-combine: inherit !important; } \t",                          Replace: "Result,.KBAnnotation,.KBHighlighting{font-size:100%!important;-webkit-text-combine:inherit!important}.KBAnnotation[writingM", MustMatchLength: yes}
  - ReplaceString: {Offset: 199, Find: ".KBAnnotation[writingMode=\"horizontal-tb\"] { border-bottom: 2px solid black !important; } \t", Replace: "ode=\"horizontal-tb\"]{border-bottom:2px solid black!important}.KBAnnotation[writingMode=\"ver", MustMatchLength: yes}
  - ReplaceString: {Offset: 290, Find: ".KBAnnotation[writingMode=\"vertical-rl\"] { border-right: 2px solid black !important; } \t",      Replace: "tical-rl\"]{border-right:2px solid black!important}.KBAnnotation[writingMode=\"vertical-lr", MustMatchLength: yes}
  - ReplaceString: {Offset: 378, Find: ".KBAnnotation[writingMode=\"vertical-lr\"] { border-left: 2px solid black !important; }",          Replace: "\"]{border-left:2px solid black!important}/******************************************/", MustMatchLength: yes}
    #
    # Replacement value: CSS string of exactly 44 characters in length:
    #
    # Example 1: Make full justification the default:
# - FindReplaceString: {Find: "/******************************************/", Replace: "body{text-align:justify                    }", MustMatchLength: yes}
    #
    # Example 2: text-rendering:optimizeSpeed: Disables kerning, but fixes some
    # rendering problems that affect fully justified text.
# - FindReplaceString: {Find: "/******************************************/", Replace: "body{text-rendering:optimizeSpeed          }", MustMatchLength: yes}
    #
    # Example 3: text-rendering:optimizeLegibility: Enables ligatures, but causes
    # some additional rendering problems for fully justified text.
# - FindReplaceString: {Find: "/******************************************/", Replace: "body{text-rendering:optimizeLegibility     }", MustMatchLength: yes}
    #
    # Example 4: Make KePub font sizes match ePub font sizes: ePubs render with
    # 1.5 times the font size of KePubs by default. With this enabled they match.
# - FindReplaceString: {Find: "/******************************************/", Replace: "#book-inner{font-size:1.5em                }", MustMatchLength: yes}

[geek1011]

Originally Posted by fer1803

there is any way to install the patch without having to manually edit the files of the new version? That is to say use the src files from previous versions to use the same patches that we already have installed? thanks in advance!

If you switch to using overrides and copying your direct changes to another file, you would be able to just copy the new files over the old.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by geek1011

That should have worked... I thought I tested it. Try changing the instruction for the commented out replacements to FindReplaceString, and remove the Offset.

Here:

KePub stylesheet additions:
  - Enabled: no
  - Description: Makes room to add some additional CSS to the default KePub stylesheet.
    # See replacement CSS below for examples.
  - FindBaseAddressString: ".KBHighlighting, .KBSearchResult {"
  - ReplaceString: {Offset:   0, Find: ".KBHighlighting, .KBSearchResult { background-color: #C6C6C6 !important; } \t",                                                                         Replace: ".KBHighlighting,.KBSearchResult{background-color:#C6C6C6!important}.KBSearch", MustMatchLength: yes}
  - ReplaceString: {Offset:  76, Find: ".KBSearchResult, .KBAnnotation, .KBHighlighting { font-size: 100% !important; -webkit-text-combine: inherit !important; } \t",                          Replace: "Result,.KBAnnotation,.KBHighlighting{font-size:100%!important;-webkit-text-combine:inherit!important}.KBAnnotation[writingM", MustMatchLength: yes}
  - ReplaceString: {Offset: 199, Find: ".KBAnnotation[writingMode=\"horizontal-tb\"] { border-bottom: 2px solid black !important; } \t", Replace: "ode=\"horizontal-tb\"]{border-bottom:2px solid black!important}.KBAnnotation[writingMode=\"ver", MustMatchLength: yes}
  - ReplaceString: {Offset: 290, Find: ".KBAnnotation[writingMode=\"vertical-rl\"] { border-right: 2px solid black !important; } \t",      Replace: "tical-rl\"]{border-right:2px solid black!important}.KBAnnotation[writingMode=\"vertical-lr", MustMatchLength: yes}
  - ReplaceString: {Offset: 378, Find: ".KBAnnotation[writingMode=\"vertical-lr\"] { border-left: 2px solid black !important; }",          Replace: "\"]{border-left:2px solid black!important}/******************************************/", MustMatchLength: yes}
    #
    # Replacement value: CSS string of exactly 44 characters in length:
    #
    # Example 1: Make full justification the default:
# - FindReplaceString: {Find: "/******************************************/", Replace: "body{text-align:justify                    }", MustMatchLength: yes}
    #
    # Example 2: text-rendering:optimizeSpeed: Disables kerning, but fixes some
    # rendering problems that affect fully justified text.
# - FindReplaceString: {Find: "/******************************************/", Replace: "body{text-rendering:optimizeSpeed          }", MustMatchLength: yes}
    #
    # Example 3: text-rendering:optimizeLegibility: Enables ligatures, but causes
    # some additional rendering problems for fully justified text.
# - FindReplaceString: {Find: "/******************************************/", Replace: "body{text-rendering:optimizeLegibility     }", MustMatchLength: yes}
    #
    # Example 4: Make KePub font sizes match ePub font sizes: ePubs render with
    # 1.5 times the font size of KePubs by default. With this enabled they match.
# - FindReplaceString: {Find: "/******************************************/", Replace: "#book-inner{font-size:1.5em                }", MustMatchLength: yes}

That seems to have worked. It did allow the patches to be applied.

Do you know if he 4.19 Sickel patch still works or does it have to be reworked? This is the 4.19 patch.

sickel reboot timeout (20 sec):
  - Enabled: no
  - Description: increases sickel reboot time if no ping from 10s to 20s
  - PatchGroup: sickel reboot timeout
  - ReplaceBytes: {Offset: 0x0035E0, FindH: 42 F2 10 71, ReplaceH: 44 F6 20 61}
  - ReplaceBytes: {Offset: 0x0035F2, FindH: 42 F2 10 71, ReplaceH: 44 F6 20 61}
  - ReplaceBytes: {Offset: 0x00383E, FindH: 44 F6 20 61, ReplaceH: 49 F6 40 41}
      
sickel reboot timeout (30 sec):
  - Enabled: yes
  - Description: increases sickel reboot time if no ping from 10s to 30s
  - PatchGroup: sickel reboot timeout
  - ReplaceBytes: {Offset: 0x0035E0, FindH: 42 F2 10 71, ReplaceH: 47 F2 30 51}
  - ReplaceBytes: {Offset: 0x0035F2, FindH: 42 F2 10 71, ReplaceH: 47 F2 30 51}
  - ReplaceBytes: {Offset: 0x00383E, FindH: 44 F6 20 61, ReplaceH: 4E F6 60 21}

[Semwize]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Sickel patch

Spoiler:

sickel reboot timeout (20 sec):
  - Enabled: no
  - Description: increases sickel reboot time if no ping from 10s to 20s
  - PatchGroup: sickel reboot timeout
  - ReplaceBytes: {Offset: 0x0035F8, FindH: 42 F2 10 71, ReplaceH: 44 F6 20 61}
  - ReplaceBytes: {Offset: 0x00360A, FindH: 42 F2 10 71, ReplaceH: 44 F6 20 61}
  - ReplaceBytes: {Offset: 0x003856, FindH: 44 F6 20 61, ReplaceH: 49 F6 40 41}
      
sickel reboot timeout (30 sec):
  - Enabled: no
  - Description: increases sickel reboot time if no ping from 10s to 30s
  - PatchGroup: sickel reboot timeout
  - ReplaceBytes: {Offset: 0x0035F8, FindH: 42 F2 10 71, ReplaceH: 47 F2 30 51}
  - ReplaceBytes: {Offset: 0x00360A, FindH: 42 F2 10 71, ReplaceH: 47 F2 30 51}
  - ReplaceBytes: {Offset: 0x003856, FindH: 44 F6 20 61, ReplaceH: 4E F6 60 21}

try

geek1011,
Extra dictionaries also do not show the size (except the full name) and offer to synchronize them (download) ...

And works great I have 6 Extra dictionaries installed.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Semwize

Spoiler:

sickel reboot timeout (20 sec):
  - Enabled: no
  - Description: increases sickel reboot time if no ping from 10s to 20s
  - PatchGroup: sickel reboot timeout
  - ReplaceBytes: {Offset: 0x0035F8, FindH: 42 F2 10 71, ReplaceH: 44 F6 20 61}
  - ReplaceBytes: {Offset: 0x00360A, FindH: 42 F2 10 71, ReplaceH: 44 F6 20 61}
  - ReplaceBytes: {Offset: 0x003856, FindH: 44 F6 20 61, ReplaceH: 49 F6 40 41}
      
sickel reboot timeout (30 sec):
  - Enabled: no
  - Description: increases sickel reboot time if no ping from 10s to 30s
  - PatchGroup: sickel reboot timeout
  - ReplaceBytes: {Offset: 0x0035F8, FindH: 42 F2 10 71, ReplaceH: 47 F2 30 51}
  - ReplaceBytes: {Offset: 0x00360A, FindH: 42 F2 10 71, ReplaceH: 47 F2 30 51}
  - ReplaceBytes: {Offset: 0x003856, FindH: 44 F6 20 61, ReplaceH: 4E F6 60 21}

try

Thank you. No errors when patching.

[geek1011]

Originally Posted by Semwize

geek1011,
Extra dictionaries also do not show the size (except the full name) and offer to synchronize them (download) ...

And works great I have 6 Extra dictionaries installed.

Yes, that's due to a half-fix (on Kobo's part) of the spaces in names issue. @jackie_w and I are aware of it and are looking into it. Everything else works perfectly, though, and Kobo did make quite a few other full bugfixes.

[Fenrag]

Thank you very much for the patch, it's a shame that the 'My 24 line spacing values' doesn't work. I had gotten very used to him. Hopefully you can make it work.

[MGlitch]

Have you had any luck with a patch to get the dictionary to open to full screen without the intermediary step of tapping a button?

[rtiangha]

I don't think the Change dicthtml strings to micthtml libnickel patch actually works, although it patches in successfully.

I use English as my main language and the only languages that appear in the dictionary drop down are English and French and I can do look ups in both languages. However, the Settings menu says I have no dictionaries installed (0MB). Yet looking in the database, both the Installed and IsSynced columns all say 'true'. The files are all still there in micthtml format.

Uninstall the patch, rename everything back to dicthtml and everything works as expected.

[fer1803]

I have installed the new patch, and I have activated the same ones that I had installed with the previous version, among them those that affect the margins in kpub, but I do not know why, in kepub there is much more space in both the lower margin and in the superior, leaving practically a blank line in both, in the previous firmware it did not happen to me, why can it be?