Ebooks not appearing on Kobo Libra 2

[MaitreNicodeme]

Hello,

I reset my Kobo Libra 2 to give it to my daughter.

I handed over my account, which does not include any books.
I then connected the e-reader to Calibre, which contains my library of books (on a NAS).
I send a book to the e-reader, I disconnect the e-reader before removing the cable but the metadata is not updated and the book does not appear in the library on the e-reader.

I tried to install the KoboUtilities plugin, I tried to install NickeMenu (with a menu to search / import new books) but nothing to do, the e-reader does not display the book.

Under Calibre I configured the driver as follows:
Kobo > Kobo and Kobo Touch players.
I even installed the KoboTouchExtended driver, but to no avail.

I should point out that the book that I send to the e-reader is an ePub, which can be read on another Libra 2 (my wife's).

Please help me! I must be missing something...

Thank you in advance.

[DNSB]

Either the KoboTouch or the KoboTouchExtended driver would be the correct one to use (enable only one of them!). The Kobo driver was for the old D-pad non-touch versions and should be disabled.

Where are you sending the books to on your Kobo? For my uses, I set the savetemplate in the KoboTouch/TouchExtended driver to:

Ebooks/{author_sort:sublist(0,1,&)}/{title} - {authors:sublist(0,1,&)}

Ebooks is a directory in the root of the Kobo's exposed storage, under that directory, a directory based on the first author sort value is created and then the book file is created with the name based on the title and the first entry in the author list. That is the purpose of the sublist which just keeps the file paths shorter.

Do not store ebooks in the root of the exposed storage. That FAT32 volume has a limited number of directory entries and any long file names will chew those up with a good deal of enthusiasm.

I would suggest installing the Kobo Utilities plugin and using it's Database => Check database function to check your ereader's database.

OYAH, DO NOT STORE YOUR LIBRARY ON A NAS.

It is a question of when not if you will be posting a message about your library being corrupted.

In the calibre FAQs, see I am getting errors with my calibre library on a networked drive/NAS?.

On the SQLite website, check out SQLite Over a Network, Caveats and Considerations.

[MaitreNicodeme]

First of all, thank you for taking the time to respond to me.

The ebooks are sent to the root of the e-reader, in directories bearing the names of the authors. I have never touched this setting.
I just tested, but the result is the same. The ebook is no longer at the root of the e-reader but in an Ebooks directory, but it is still not visible on the e-reader (although I can see it clearly in Windows Explorer...)

Really the problem seems to be updating the metadata on the eReader. I no longer see the little progress bar indicating its update on the Libra 2...

Can you tell me how to disable the Kobo driver and leave only the KoboTouch / KoboTouchExtended drivers please?

I take note of your remark about storing the library on the NAS, I will move it right away.

Oh yes, and I already checked the database via KoboUtilities, and it tells me that the database is clean.
I have already reset the e-reader 3 times, I don't think the problem is with the database. Or Caliber corrupts it immediately...

[DNSB]

The Kobo reader device interface shouldn't be an issue whether it is enabled or disabled so I wouldn't worry about that driver since it is only for the original and Kobo WiFi readers. Having both the KoboTouch and KoboTouchExtended drivers enabled can cause issues. In the Plugins section of calibre's preferences, I would search for KoboTouch. At this point in time due to issues with the KoboTouchExtended driver when converting to kepub on the fly, I would recommend using the KoboTouch driver. So if the KoboTouchExtended is not greyed out, click on it and then enable/disable plugin. If the KoboTouch is greyed out, then select it and click on enable/disable plugin. You can also do this from the KoboUtilities Driver menu item.

On the second page of the KoboTouch/KoboTouchExtended driver configuration, check and make sure that Do not treat replacements as new books is unchecked.

Then I would suggest manually removing the books sent to your Kobo and then power cycling it.

After the power cycle, pick one book in calibre and open it with calibre's editor and run bugcheck on it (icon on the editor's toolbar that looks like a bug with an ! on it's back). If there are any errors, you can try fix automatically. If that looks happy, then open the book in calibre's viewer just to make sure that it is viewable. After that, send the book to your Kobo. Check that it is in the correct directory and the filename ends in .epub from Windows Explorer. Safely eject your Kobo and see if the importing screen (black screen with a bar starting at 6%) comes up.

[Quoth]

Make Explorer show file extensions. By default it doesn't, which is stupid for an OS that uses file extensions (Unlike Windows, MacOS and Linux can "work" without a file having an extension).

[MaitreNicodeme]

It seems to be a firmware issue...

I looked at the others Libra 2 we had at home and the one that didn't give me any problems was in an earlier firmware.

I downgraded the Libra 2 which was causing me problems to 4.37.21586 and I reconnected it to Caliber (in version 7.23). I uploaded the same ePub as yesterday and when I disconnected the e-reader, I got the metadata updated !
The book didn't appear immediately on the home page but I found it without problem in the library. I was able to start reading it and it appears on the home page in the started books.

I quickly deactivated WiFi synchronization. Unless Kobo releases a new firmware that corrects this problem, otherwise it will stay in 4.37...

Thank you all for your responses. I wish you a wonderful holiday season!

[MaitreNicodeme]

Oh, for information, the firmware that was causing me problems is 4.38.23171.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by MaitreNicodeme

Oh, for information, the firmware that was causing me problems is 4.38.23171.

I don't enable WiFi on Kindle or Kobo. I update via download

Kobo https://pgaskin.net/KoboStuff/kobofirmware.html

(But never install a FW older than the ereader)

Kindle (you can't go backwards). https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/custo...MQC26VQQMM8XSW

[Knox]

enable parental controls?The new version has updated the rules
• Your eReader will now prevent sideloaded books and documents from being added to My Books while parental controls are enabled

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by MaitreNicodeme

Oh, for information, the firmware that was causing me problems is 4.38.23171.

4.38.23171 is not a problem. It works perfectly well for adding eBooks.

What exactly are you doing?

[MaitreNicodeme]

So :
I reset the e-reader.
I installed the latest Calibre update (7.23) on the PC.
The e-reader was in version 4.38.23171.
I plug the USB-C cable into the e-reader. I plug the other side into the PC.
I click on the e-reader on the message to connect it to the PC.
The e-reader is detected (opening in Windows 11 Explorer, visible under Calibre).
I select the book I want to send to the e-reader, I click on the "Send to device" button.
The task is performing well. I see it in the task table (one line for sending the book to the device, one line for sending the metadata to the device).
Under Windows Explorer, I can clearly see the file copied to the e-reader (in a directory in the name of the author).
I click on “Device > Eject Device”.
The e-reader returns to the home screen. No metadata import bar, no book available in the home screen, no book available in the book list.

I downgraded the firmware to version 4.37. I did exactly the same thing again and there the metadata import bar appeared and once it disappeared, I saw the book on the e-reader.

If I do something wrong, please let me know, because I'm having exactly the same problem with my brand new Libra Color...

[MaitreNicodeme]

Originally Posted by Knox

enable parental controls?The new version has updated the rules
• Your eReader will now prevent sideloaded books and documents from being added to My Books while parental controls are enabled

Damn...

I just read your post, I deactivated parental controls on the Libra Color, I tried to import the book and it happened by itself...

Thank you for this information, I think it will also solve the problem on the Libra 2. It will teach me how to read the firmware release notes...

Many thanks for this relevant information

[rashkae]

I think this could have been handled *much* better and less opaque by Kobo, like, for example, a pop up prompting you for your code when new documents are detected.