Kobo Start Menu 08

[marp68]

That could of course be an option.

When installed, I only tried Koreader for reading pdf, which was much better than in nickel. But I didn't try reading epub or doing administrative or organizational things. Before install it again, could you please just inform me a bit.

Does calibre and Koreader work the same way as with calibre and nickel? I kind of got used to and like reading from nickel, and also done a lot of things through calibre, like collections, annotations, bookmarks, reading stat, metadata etc.

Is it possible to see the collections, annotations, synopsis made and used in nickel and calibre? Does all functions in calibre and, for example, Kobo Utilities, work as well and the same way when using Koreader?

EDIT: if i do something in nickel, like reading, does the progress show if I open the book in Koreader the next time?

EDIT: is it possible to connect to PC and calibre from within Koreader directly, or must one first switch to nickel?

Sorry for asking, but I have made a factory reset, transferred all books and customized the device all over again to use nickel. Before installing KSM and Koreader again I would like to know that I have more to win than to loose by installing KSM and Koreader again.

Or would installing Koreader the old way, through .tgz file and start it from within Nickel by the png icon be an option. Just to be able to better read pdf? Since it's the KSM8 that causes the problem.

EDIT: Except that I liked the idea of the KSM8 very much for the simplicity to add other things and features. Really nice work.

[marp68]

Heureka!

Found this, but first I thought that it only applied to KSM mode, but when I tried nightmode on nickel (after installing KSM8 again), the nightmode toggle worked again. I'm using nightmode_build13H20,though.

Originally Posted by tshering

In order to install the night mode hack and the screensaver hack just follow the usual procedure (copy the KoboRoot.tgz to .kobo). Both packages contain install routines that are superfluous when used with KSM, but that must not bother you.
The referred version of the screen saver seems not to work under FW 3.13.1. (Edit: for FW 3.15.0 and newer use the screen saver version you can findhere.)

Since update 2 (of KSM 07), there is a configuration manu available.
In order to enable the screensaver hack select in (KSM home) "configure", in the section [nickel]:
nickelpreload="/opt/cfw/preload/hook.so"
to enable night mode:
nickelpreload="/root/screenInv.so"
to enable both:
nickelpreload="/opt/cfw/preload/hook.so /root/screenInv.so"

I recommend this to be included in the installation instructions for KSM8, since there are a lot of people using nightmode in nickel

[johnnyb]

Originally Posted by Ken Maltby

The Switch to KOReader PNG is included in the KSM8 "kbmenupngs" folder, so you should still be able to set the options for it in KSM8.

Luck;
Ken

Nice, thank you!
(Is there also a way to go back? From koreader to Nickel?)

[Ken Maltby]

Originally Posted by johnnyb

Nice, thank you!
(Is there also a way to go back? From koreader to Nickel?)

I don't use Nickel, but I think that if you start KOReader that way, when you exit KOReader you return to Nickel.

Luck;
Ken

[Alan_S]

Originally Posted by marp68

Does calibre and Koreader work the same way as with calibre and nickel?

I don't use calibre, so I can't help you in this regard. Maybe better to ask in threads for calibre and/or koreader?

But, some things I know:

I organize my books "naturally", in directories, as koreader use them, not DB, at least not at the moment. I'm glad for it.

Koreader and nickel doesn't share data in any way, except light status (latest versions).

If you want to connect to PC, you need to use KSM (USB options). It doesn't work directly from koreader.

[Ken Maltby]

There are a number of ways that KOReader works with calibre, including wirelessly. KSM not only provides a good way to launch KOReader and the Vlasovsoft Launcher with Coolreader and games & utilities. It, KSM, also provides tweaks to benefit Nickel.

KOReader isn't trying to work like Nickel, it offers an optional way to do things. It doesn't do collections, or use a database to manage the ebook files.

Luck;
Ken

[Ebri]

But in koreader Search you can explore tags and series if I remember correctly, on the basis of the calibre hidden file about file properties (so only works if upload is done by calibre), which is quite useful (for me . I use calibre for uploading books (though separately for nickel and koreader, the latter contains all my books, the earlier only what I would read in the near future).

[oldhasbeen]

Originally Posted by Alan_S

Your post is interesting and you're possibly on something important.

About battery drain, it is on and off thing, but KSM isn't culprit, as KSM also should be in background if you start nickel, the same way it is when you start koreader.

It is koreader thing, there's no battery drain with CoolReader and nickel.

What actually happens I don't know, but I wrote a bit on my experience on koreader thread (it's a general thread, so it's hard to point to certain posts) and in this thread specifically: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=270306

Best course would be if you open topic on koreader's github page: https://github.com/koreader/koreader/issues

Maybe things you found out could help koreader get better for all of us (I hope so).

I have investigated further and opened that topic now on GitHub.

[Alan_S]

I just saw your topic on GitHub, it's great, with very useful info and hope this will help resolve battery issues we have with koreader on kobos.

[tshering]

Originally Posted by marp68

Heureka!

Found this, but first I thought that it only applied to KSM mode, but when I tried nightmode on nickel (after installing KSM8 again), the nightmode toggle worked again. I'm using nightmode_build13H20,though.

...

I recommend this to be included in the installation instructions for KSM8, since there are a lot of people using nightmode in nickel

You are right. The information is not easy to find. I wonder how many people might have tried to get nightmode running under KSM 08 and failed.

So here it is: After installing the nightmode hack and/or this screensaver hack, you have to enable it/them with the help of the configuration menu.
In order to enable the screensaver hack select in (KSM home) "configure", in the section [nickel]:
nickelpreload="/opt/cfw/preload/hook.so"
to enable night mode:
nickelpreload="/root/screenInv.so"
to enable both:
nickelpreload="/opt/cfw/preload/hook.so /root/screenInv.so"

[tshering]

Attention: This patch is for KSM 08 only! Do not install it, when you are running another version of KSM!

What started as a patch for Aura One and Aura Edition 2 has become a patch for all models that run on firmware 4.2.8432 (or higher). It would be appropriate to provide an updated version of KSM 08. But things are still changing. I think it is better to wait until KOReader has adopted to using framebuffer with 32 bit depth, since this might again require some change in KSM. Until then please install the patches that I will provide here.

For Aura One and Aura Edition 2, it seems advisable to update to the latest firmware (at the point of writing this post http://download.kobobooks.com/firmwa...e-4.0.7523.zip) before installing KSM 08.Otherwise you might get problems with the usb connection.

First install KSM 08 from the first post of this thread (follow the instructions you will find there), and only then install this patch by following the instructions below.

It turned out that this patch (KSM08_ext_aura_one_04g.zip ) does not work for Aura H2O Edition 2. It turned out that there is no touch driver available for this model. Until such a driver is available, KSM will not work on H2O Edition 2. For the time being do not pay attention to the following spoiler.

Spoiler:

Especially for Aura H2O Edition 2
Since on the Aura H2O Edition 2, the KSM screen is flipped without the patch and it is therefore difficult to interact with KSM, I recommend that you install the patch as described here. By default, KSM is started every second time when you power on the device, and then nickel (the standard user interface) is launched automatically if there is no user interaction for the first 20 seconds or so. Every other time nickel is started directly (without KSM appearing on the screen). When an update/patch is installed from within KSM, user action is needed. If an update/patch is installed without KSM, no user action is needed/possible. Therefore, we will try to install the patch at such a time that user interaction is not needed:

• extract KoboRoot.tgz from the archive uploaded to this post
• power circle your device until KSM is running
• wait until nickel starts automatically after 20 seconds or so
• connect your device via USB to your pc
• copy the extracted KoboRoot.tgz into .kobo of your device
• safely eject and disconnect your device (the device will automatically reboot after some seconds; if it does not, power it off and then on again)
• wait until the device installs the patch and reboots into KSM

Play around a little to see whether there is no rotation problem. For instance, select "tools" to open the tools menu, and then select "retun home" to return to the home screen. "Start nickel" and then return to KSM by "opening" the book "exit_nickel.png." If everything works as expected:

• select "tools" > "activate" > "set runmenu settings.msh" > "always"

Please give your feedback to help me improve the experience for other users. I am also interested in which font size would be nice for the KSM menu entries.

In the vlasovsoft forum you mind find news about the driver here.

For other devices than Aura H2O Edition 2

• extract the KoboRoot.tgz from archive uploaded to this post
• copy the extracted KoboRoot.tgz into .kobo of your device (If you cannot connect to the pc from within KSM, connect from within nickel.)
• safely eject and disconnect your device
• select (in KSM home) "handle update" > "install update" (do not select "install partial update")
• wait until the device has rebooted

Be aware that the archive uploaded to this post should only be used if KSM 08 is already successfully installed on the device. [Edit: If the sequence of installation steps is unclear to you, have a look at this post.]
Be also aware that the new models have less reset and recover options than some of the older models had. You can brick your device by modifying its software.

[Edit: I have removed the archive KSM08_ext_aura_one.zip, and will replace it by an improved version.
Edit 2: I have uploaded a new version (v2). This version solves the wifi problem. Edit 3: v2b solves the wifi problem and the usb problem. Edit 4: v2c fixes "enable usb like nickel", adds a fallback to prevent the usb connection problem we had with the KA1 with future models. Edit5: v3b is an (incomplete/not working) update for FW 4.2.8283; Edit 6: v3c replaces v3b; Edit 7: v4b improved handling for crashes of KOReader; Edit 8: v4c solves the rotation problem on H2O and other devices in FW 4.2.8432; Edit 9: v4d: backwards compatibility concerning wifi; Edit 10: (hopefully) fixes rotation problem for H2O and other devices in nickel-koreader-switch/koreader-nickel-switch; adds possibility to "restart nickel"; Edit 11: v4f removes the "restart nickel" code, which was introduced in v4e, to prevent possible complications; Edit 12: v4g addresses the rotation problem on Aura H2O Edition 2, some minor changes; Edit 13: v5b: backwards compatibility of usb connect; further minor changes; ; Edit 14: v5b2: removes bug concerning dropbeare]

You can install KSM08_ext_aura_one_05b.zip also over any older KSM08_ext_aura_one version (including v5b).

[mmihelic]

Good morning tshering,

I just wanted to let you know that there are indeed issues with the current KSM08 and the Aura One. They are being discussed in the issues' tracker of the Koreader.

For the first problem regarding the WLAN operation, please, take a look at this comment, specifically:
https://github.com/koreader/koreader...ment-245678986

The second one does not seem to be caused by the KSM08, but you might want to take a look. It is related to the power management:
https://github.com/koreader/koreader/issues/2239

Other than that, the KSM08 works on the Aura One.

I thank you for your work. Me and my wife enjoy using the KSM08 on our devices.

Kind regards, Matej.

[makruiten]

Hi,

I'm new to this, as I bought my first Kobo device only yesterday. It's the Kobo Aura One. I installed KSM per the instructions in the first post, but I'm unable to enable usb from within KSM. If I try to execute the enable usb script, nothing happens. Therefore I cannot update to the Aura One ext. Any idea?

[mmihelic]

Hi,

Just switch to Nickel from the main menu and plug in the reader. Download the v4 firmware ZIP from a message in this forum and unpack it to the .kobo folder. On unplugging the USB Nickel will upgrade the firmware, and you will lose the access to the KSM. However, now you can simply install the KSM08 again, and it should work fine - it did for me. What won't be working is the Wireless from within the KSM.
-- Regards, Matej.

[makruiten]

Thank you. I should have been more clear: KSM works just fine, except that if I want to upgrade to the newer build for the Aura One (to fix wifi and enlarge fonts), I'm unable to because the usb connection doesn't work from within KSM. I've already reverted to the stock firmware by installing the v4 like you said. Maybe it was just a coincidence. As I understand it, I cannot upgrade to a newer KSM from within Nickel, can I?