Kobo Touch + Calibre -- books disappearing

[corona]

Calibre worked so nicely with my Kobo original and wireless versions.

Not so much with the Kobo Touch, apparently.

I am using Calibre 8.14 and KT vers. 1.9.9.

I added two versions of a new book -- ePub and PDF -- from my Calibre library to my KT.

Neither version arrived successfully. Although the titles showed up in the KT, when I clicked on one to open it -- with Calibre, in the Calibre listing for the KT -- a window appeared saying "Adding." The book did not open. The title and other info remained in the Calibre device listing, but the filesize changed to "0.0".

If I try to open any other book with Calibre, from the KT's listing, the same thing happens. The "Adding" window appears briefly, the book does not open, and the file size goes to "0.0". The books are also now not available on the KT itself, after it's ejected.

I tried deleting the two *.calibre files in the KT, which seemed to work with a similar problem last week, but it doesn't seem to do anything now. Calibre recreates the files, but the problem remains.

I now can't add any books to the device with Calibre, and if I try to open a book in the KT, with Calibre, the book doesn't open and it disappears from the KT.

[DoctorOhh]

I have no clue, but those that might will want to know what Operating System your running.

[corona]

Windows XP.

And I'm really putting this up here so that people in general and Calibre people know about the problem. I've gone ahead and done a factory reset on my KT and started over again, but that's not a very productive way of solving the problem when it keeps on happening.

[kovidgoyal]

You need to post this in the Kobo forum. The KT is buggy as hell, there isn't anything that can be done about it in calibre.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by corona

And I'm really putting this up here so that people in general and Calibre people know about the problem. I've gone ahead and done a factory reset on my KT and started over again, but that's not a very productive way of solving the problem when it keeps on happening.

If it keeps happening touching base in the Kobo forum is a good idea.

As an interim solution you can try disabling the Kobo device plugin and connecting to the folder on the device via the Connect to Folder feature. This will treat the folder on your Kobo as a generic device and show you in the library what books are in the folder.

[kiwipippa]

Yep, this has been a problem for lots of us. I have solved it (for myself anyway) by not using the calibre "send to device" option. Instead I manually add the book to the top level of the kobo directory structure using windows explorer. Make sure you safely eject after you've done this. The other way to do it is to download the book directly onto the touch using the calibre content server and the KT browser.

Hope this helps - PM me if you need more info or post in the kobo forum.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by kiwipippa

Instead I manually add the book to the top level of the kobo directory structure using windows explorer. Make sure you safely eject after you've done this.

Have you tried the Connect to Folder feature?

[theducks]

Originally Posted by kiwipippa

Yep, this has been a problem for lots of us. I have solved it (for myself anyway) by not using the calibre "send to device" option. Instead I manually add the book to the top level of the kobo directory structure using windows explorer. Make sure you safely eject after you've done this. The other way to do it is to download the book directly onto the touch using the calibre content server and the KT browser.

Hope this helps - PM me if you need more info or post in the kobo forum.

If explore works, you should be able to use "Save to Disk" with good results (and not ever having to locate a book in the Calibre folder)

[kiwipippa]

dwanthny and theducks, thanks for the tips. The reason I don't want to use the "save to disk" option is that I don't want calibre open at all whilst my kobo is plugged in. The KT seems so temperamental when disconnecting from the PC that I use explorer only (or ADE if I absolutely have to for library books). Otherwise I get the dreaded "Factory reset" error that the kobo seems to spew up when it doesn't disconnect properly - people are speculating that files are not being closed properly. Kobo are aware of it and a firmware update should be on the way. Once this comes out, I'll use calibre to transfer my books again (via the save to option)

[theducks]

Originally Posted by kiwipippa

dwanthny and theducks, thanks for the tips. The reason I don't want to use the "save to disk" option is that I don't want calibre open at all whilst my kobo is plugged in. The KT seems so temperamental when disconnecting from the PC that I use explorer only (or ADE if I absolutely have to for library books). Otherwise I get the dreaded "Factory reset" error that the kobo seems to spew up when it doesn't disconnect properly - people are speculating that files are not being closed properly. Kobo are aware of it and a firmware update should be on the way. Once this comes out, I'll use calibre to transfer my books again (via the save to option)

I would think that if you disabled the Kobo T, Calibre plugin, that Save to Disk would be no different than Explorer because Calibre would not be accessing (metadata) the Kobo.
Welcome to the world of buggy hardware (and software). My PEz and Intel USB2.0 = corrupted PEz file system 100% of the time. Other USB 2 vendors, it is only iffy . I resorted to installing a USB 1 only board rather than disable USB2 mode on All Intel ports

[PeterT]

Originally Posted by kiwipippa

Otherwise I get the dreaded "Factory reset" error that the kobo seems to spew up when it doesn't disconnect properly

Kiwi; you should see https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...79&postcount=6 or the original post from Kobo http://getsatisfaction.com/kobo/topi...#reply_6406169

It starts to look like a red herring.....

[corona]

This is all very much appreciated, and I'm sorry to hear that the KT is "buggy as hell," to quote kovidgoyal. The original Kobo and the wireless version were pretty tame, at least in my experience.

[kovidgoyal]

Originally Posted by corona

This is all very much appreciated, and I'm sorry to hear that the KT is "buggy as hell," to quote kovidgoyal. The original Kobo and the wireless version were pretty tame, at least in my experience.

I suspect it's because the KT was a rushed release. I'm sure Kobo will sort out its problems eventually.

[kiwipippa]

Originally Posted by PeterT

Kiwi; you should see https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...79&postcount=6 or the original post from Kobo http://getsatisfaction.com/kobo/topi...#reply_6406169

It starts to look like a red herring.....

Peter, I saw this. I have stopped doing factory resets, but the error really annoys me. I live with it for a while then do the reset to get rid of it. It has been nearly a week since the last reset and I haven't had the message back. But that's because I haven't plugged into the PC much at all (once to download a library book using ADE) otherwise I am managing my books using the calibre content server over wifi

Although kobo are aware of it, it seems to be taking them a while to fix it (over a month since the first call was logged on Get Satisfaction)