[GUI Plugin] Kobo Utilities

[nebcanuck]

There are two tiles that I would like to remove in particular: recommendations and the new categories tile. The latter is particularly annoying to me because it takes up a huge amount of space and doesn't do anything worth doing. I don't see a way to remove either of these with the current plugin; am I right that this functionality isn't possible currently, and if so is there any plan on adding this option?

[meeera]

Originally Posted by nebcanuck

There are two tiles that I would like to remove in particular: recommendations and the new categories tile. The latter is particularly annoying to me because it takes up a huge amount of space and doesn't do anything worth doing. I don't see a way to remove either of these with the current plugin; am I right that this functionality isn't possible currently, and if so is there any plan on adding this option?

Can you not just dismiss them manually with a long-press?

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by nebcanuck

There are two tiles that I would like to remove in particular: recommendations and the new categories tile. The latter is particularly annoying to me because it takes up a huge amount of space and doesn't do anything worth doing. I don't see a way to remove either of these with the current plugin; am I right that this functionality isn't possible currently, and if so is there any plan on adding this option?

"Recommendations" is already on the dismiss tiles dialog. I thought I had code for the new categories tile ready for the next update, but, I don't appear to. To add it, I need the type used in the database for the tile and the title used on the home screen. I think the type is "CategoryFTE", but I can't convince any of my devices to display it.

In any case, as meeera said, a long press on the category tile should display the menu and you can dismiss it from there. Or, it should disappear off the home page as other tiles for books or other things are added.

[nebcanuck]

Originally Posted by davidfor

"Recommendations" is already on the dismiss tiles dialog. I thought I had code for the new categories tile ready for the next update, but, I don't appear to. To add it, I need the type used in the database for the tile and the title used on the home screen. I think the type is "CategoryFTE", but I can't convince any of my devices to display it.

In any case, as meeera said, a long press on the category tile should display the menu and you can dismiss it from there. Or, it should disappear off the home page as other tiles for books or other things are added.

Thanks. Somehow I missed the recommendations option. I am aware of the long press option but the categories tile is frustratingly persistent in returning. I will just keep letting it slide off the screen with usage for now but definitely hope there's some breakthrough on finding the code!

[AJvK]

Hello David,

It's been a while since I had any troubles with my Aura HD / calibre setup, but today I had a double shelves issue after Syncing. I deleted the duplicate shelves through the Kobo Utilities plugin and that worked great, except somehow in the process of trying different Utilities options the naming of all my books got screwed - I had it set with a plugboard to create abbreviated and numbered titles (if that makes any sense) so that all series would be sorted chronologically instead of alphabetically. Now all my books have the 'standard' names again... Is there any way to undo this, short of deleting everything and re-uploading?

[davidfor]

That sounds like you used the "Update metadata in device library" function. That will copy the current metadata from the library to the database on the device. It use the raw data, not the plugboard version. Changing that is buried somewhere on my TODO list.

Deleting and adding the books again will fix it. But, the "Update metadata in device library" function only changes the database, not the actual. Logging off from the device and logging in again will reload the metadata from the books on the device into the database. What you could do is:

- Take a backup of the database in case you don't like the results.
- If you are reading any purchased kepubs, do a sync to make sure the current status is on the server.
- Use the utilities store function to store the reading status for the sideloaded books.
- Log out on the device.
- Log back in on the device.
- All the sideloaded books will added to the library and any purchased books downloaded.
- Check that the titles are what you want.
- When you connect to calibre, the shelves should be repopulated.
- Use the utilities restore function to restore the reading status for the sideloaded books.

If you don't like the result, restore the backup to the device and it will be back where you started.

I did something like the above over the weekend. I was doing some testing and corrupted the database. Of course, if I had backed up the database first, it would have been easy.

[speakingtohe]

Originally Posted by davidfor

That sounds like you used the "Update metadata in device library" function. That will copy the current metadata from the library to the database on the device. It use the raw data, not the plugboard version. Changing that is buried somewhere on my TODO list.

Deleting and adding the books again will fix it. But, the "Update metadata in device library" function only changes the database, not the actual. Logging off from the device and logging in again will reload the metadata from the books on the device into the database. What you could do is:

- Take a backup of the database in case you don't like the results.
- If you are reading any purchased kepubs, do a sync to make sure the current status is on the server.
- Use the utilities store function to store the reading status for the sideloaded books.
- Log out on the device.
- Log back in on the device.
- All the sideloaded books will added to the library and any purchased books downloaded.
- Check that the titles are what you want.
- When you connect to calibre, the shelves should be repopulated.
- Use the utilities restore function to restore the reading status for the sideloaded books.

If you don't like the result, restore the backup to the device and it will be back where you started.

I did something like the above over the weekend. I was doing some testing and corrupted the database. Of course, if I had backed up the database first, it would have been easy.

Interesting. I was wondering what could have happened to the plugboard data.

Still it is a useful functionality in some cases perhaps. I always have my author sort in the plugboard and have had on occasion a hell of a time matching things up.

I'd like to see an automatic database backup, just on the off chance that things go wrong. I wouldn't care if I had hundreds of backups.

Still love the kobo utilities even if I seldom use my Kobos.

Helen

[AJvK]

Originally Posted by davidfor

That sounds like you used the "Update metadata in device library" function. That will copy the current metadata from the library to the database on the device. It use the raw data, not the plugboard version. Changing that is buried somewhere on my TODO list.

Deleting and adding the books again will fix it. But, the "Update metadata in device library" function only changes the database, not the actual. Logging off from the device and logging in again will reload the metadata from the books on the device into the database. What you could do is:

- Take a backup of the database in case you don't like the results.
- If you are reading any purchased kepubs, do a sync to make sure the current status is on the server.
- Use the utilities store function to store the reading status for the sideloaded books.
- Log out on the device.
- Log back in on the device.
- All the sideloaded books will added to the library and any purchased books downloaded.
- Check that the titles are what you want.
- When you connect to calibre, the shelves should be repopulated.
- Use the utilities restore function to restore the reading status for the sideloaded books.

If you don't like the result, restore the backup to the device and it will be back where you started.

I did something like the above over the weekend. I was doing some testing and corrupted the database. Of course, if I had backed up the database first, it would have been easy.

NICE! It took a while, mainly because I had to install a mandatory update when logging in to my Kobo account, and communication errors between the Aura HD and calibre afterwards, but after that was sorted it turned out the steps you described worked perfectly!

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by speakingtohe

I'd like to see an automatic database backup, just on the off chance that things go wrong. I wouldn't care if I had hundreds of backups.

After corrupting the database twice in the last week (my fault) without a recent backup the first time, I think I will add this. My thoughts are:

- Backup the database the first time the device is connected each day
- Timestamp in the form of YYYYMMDDHHSS will be added to the file name.
- The configuration will be to turn it on, where to store the backup, and how many to keep.
- Keep a minimum of two copies, but allow "manual management".
- The backup will run after the device connection jobs, but before the reading status store and the ... jobs.

How does that sound to everyone?

Still love the kobo utilities even if I seldom use my Kobos.

[PeterT]

Any point in adding a database integrity test, and optionally NOT saving a backup if it is corrupted?

[PeterT]

Also, how to handle the case where a user has multiple Kobos?

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by PeterT

Any point in adding a database integrity test, and optionally NOT saving a backup if it is corrupted?

I had that in the back of my mind while I was writing it. Alternatively, something to check the driver jobs finished correctly. But, it was part of the reason for a minimum of two backups. That way, the previous one should still be OK.

Originally Posted by PeterT

Also, how to handle the case where a user has multiple Kobos?

That I hadn't thought of, but it's a good point. This needs a configuration per device, or adding something to the backup file name to distinguish them.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by nebcanuck

Thanks. Somehow I missed the recommendations option. I am aware of the long press option but the categories tile is frustratingly persistent in returning. I will just keep letting it slide off the screen with usage for now but definitely hope there's some breakthrough on finding the code!

Try https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...9&postcount=79 to get rid of the categories tile. I think the reason I am having trouble getting it to display is that it is supposed to display once and then go away. Adding the entry seems to get rid of it permanently.

[jgoguen]

What about using the serial number to distinguish multiple devices? Could allow for per-device "restore last good DB" too.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by jgoguen

What about using the serial number to distinguish multiple devices? Could allow for per-device "restore last good DB" too.

The Reading List plugin already does it somehow. I'll be looking at that. But, the serial number is probably the way to do it.

Two ways I can think of to use the serial number is create a sub-directory in the selected location that looks something like "modelname-serailnumber". Or adding that as a part of the file name. I want the model name in there as that makes it easy for the people with different devices.

I wasn't planning to add any restore code. The issue is that it would be replacing the database that calibre had read to get the book list. I don't to think about the bug report when someone restored a database and then did some actions that modified the database. They could still do this while calibre is running, but that is already out of my control. Adding something to display the last good DB with some instructions (starting with close calibre), might be the way to go.