CSS not correctly applied after shutdown and reopening

[JLB14]

⚠️[Problem solved thanks to Semwize]⚠️

Hi guys,

When I shutdown my Kobo Forma, start it again, and reopen the .epub I was reading, line-height property adjusted by the slider isn't properly applied (see by yourselves, two attached pictures showing what happens).

I don't find any long-term solution, considering I already removed any line-height property of the book by conversion (double-checked the book stylesheet, no line-height property remaining).
I did find a temporary solution, which is touching anything on the Kobo slider, forcing the epub reader to refresh, and everything is back to normal (until next shutdown).

Did I miss something ? Thanks for any help.

[JSWolf]

Why are you shutting down your Forma?

[JLB14]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Why are you shutting down your Forma?

Less energy allegedly consumed (despite not supposed to, my Aura One, even in flight mode, tended to drain very quickly in sleep mode, and shutting it down after reading sessions solved that issue).
I assumed it'd be the same with the Forma.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by JLB14

Less energy allegedly consumed (despite not supposed to, my Aura One, even in flight mode, tended to drain very quickly in sleep mode, and shutting it down after reading sessions solved that issue).
I assumed it'd be the same with the Forma.

Not an issue with my Libra, so try just putting your Forma to sleep for a while and see what happens.

[JLB14]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Not an issue with my Libra, so try just putting your Forma to sleep for a while and see what happens.

I'll surely do that, thanks for the advice.
Otherwise, no idea why the Kobo config file (and inherent line-height value) isn't properly applied, for line-height only, when opening an epub ?

[PeterT]

Just curious as to whether or not you have any patches or modifications to the Kobo firmware installed?

[JLB14]

Originally Posted by PeterT

Just curious as to whether or not you have any patches or modifications to the Kobo firmware installed?

I do indeed, last firmware and patched

[PeterT]

Sigh. So what patches ARE installed? For all we know it might be an issue with one of the patches?

[JLB14]

Originally Posted by PeterT

Sigh. So what patches ARE installed? For all we know it might be an issue with one of the patches?

Sigh. You didn't ask for it in your previous message.
By the way, I did check my enabled / disabled patches too, before posting, and I didn't see anything irregular.
Nonetheless, I gladly post my patches' list (please see the two attached files).

[PeterT]

I've no interest in applying patches. I'd suggest you unpatch and test again

[Semwize]

@JLB14

Try changing the font and testing again. This could be due to the line-height of the font.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by JLB14

Hi guys,

When I shutdown my Kobo Forma, start it again, and reopen the .epub I was reading, line-height property adjusted by the slider isn't properly applied (see by yourselves, two attached pictures showing what happens).

I don't find any long-term solution, considering I already removed any line-height property of the book by conversion (double-checked the book stylesheet, no line-height property remaining).
I did find a temporary solution, which is touching anything on the Kobo slider, forcing the epub reader to refresh, and everything is back to normal (until next shutdown).

When you change the font and other settings, the change is stored in two places. One is in the database and will be used for that book whenever you open it. The other is in the config file and will be used for the next book that you open that does not have saved font settings.

What happens if:

• You close and reopen the book without powering off.
• Close and open a new book with similar stylesheet.
• Close the book, open another book and close that and then open this book.
• Close the book, power off the device and then power it on and open the book.
• You change all three settings even if you change them back to the original values.

For all the above, it should use the changed settings. The behaviour you are seeing is suggesting that the changes are not being saved. Or not being saved properly.

Are there any other problems that are noticeable after the poweroff? Such as losing the reading position or books disappearing. The problem you describe could be related to a database corruption. There could be an issue with the database that is preventing the settings being saved for the book in the database. When this happens, when you reboot the device and the database is read, old data is read from the database leading to issues like you are seeing. If this is the case for you, it suggests you had previously set the line height for the book and it is using that rather than getting it from the config file.

You can test the database by connecting to a PC and using an SQLite database manager. These will have a tool to do it. Or, if you are a calibre user, my Kobo Utilities plugin has the function.

[JLB14]

Originally Posted by davidfor

When you change the font and other settings, the change is stored in two places. One is in the database and will be used for that book whenever you open it. The other is in the config file and will be used for the next book that you open that does not have saved font settings.

What happens if:

• You close and reopen the book without powering off.
• Close and open a new book with similar stylesheet.
• Close the book, open another book and close that and then open this book.
• Close the book, power off the device and then power it on and open the book.
• You change all three settings even if you change them back to the original values.

For all the above, it should use the changed settings. The behaviour you are seeing is suggesting that the changes are not being saved. Or not being saved properly.

Are there any other problems that are noticeable after the poweroff? Such as losing the reading position or books disappearing. The problem you describe could be related to a database corruption. There could be an issue with the database that is preventing the settings being saved for the book in the database. When this happens, when you reboot the device and the database is read, old data is read from the database leading to issues like you are seeing. If this is the case for you, it suggests you had previously set the line height for the book and it is using that rather than getting it from the config file.

You can test the database by connecting to a PC and using an SQLite database manager. These will have a tool to do it. Or, if you are a calibre user, my Kobo Utilities plugin has the function.

Thanks for your answer.
I've done what you suggested, let me give you the results, point by point :

1) Back to home, and reopen -> CSS OK.
Back to home, set as unread, reopen -> CSS OK.
2) Back to home, new book freshly transferred and never read, neither transferred before -> CSS OK.
3) Book 1, Book 2, Book 3, Book 2, Book 1 -> CSS OK for all.
4) After shutdown, same issue for all, but correct it for one, then all are OK (touching "deactivate alignment", for example).
5) After doing all the recommended changes, same problem after shutdown.

I thought too it was database related, so yesterday I logged out, rebuilding the database, and it changed nothing.

I've just checked the database integrity with Calibre, and it's perfectly fine.

[JSWolf]

The suggestion is to do what everyone else does and don't shutdown. Put your Forma to sleep. I never shut down my H2O. I just put it to sleep when I am done using it. I've had my H2O for 6 years 5 months.

[JLB14]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The suggestion is to do what everyone else does and don't shutdown. Put your Forma to sleep. I never shut down my H2O. I just put it to sleep when I am done using it. I've had my H2O for 6 years 5 months.

I will change my old habits, and proceed like that (as previously mentioned, Aura One had issues with sleep mode, that's why I did that, "just in case").