[GUI Plugin] Kobo Utilities

[davidfor]

Yes, that will work, and was one of the intentions of the function. The reading position is stored in calibre independent of where the book is on the device.

[auspex]

Originally Posted by davidfor

Yes, that will work, and was one of the intentions of the function. The reading position is stored in calibre independent of where the book is on the device.

Well, I know it's supposed to work, but I can not make it do so.

If I "Store" the bookmark, and immediately "Restore" it, Kobo Utilities announces success. If I delete the book from the device and then send it again, when I try to restore the bookmark, I get:

calibre, version 1.1.0
Kobo Utilities - Device library updated: Update summary:
	Books updated=0
	Books not on device=1
	Total books=1

I'd originally tried that with books in which I was fixing typos, so thought it possible that the actual location no longer existed, so this time I used an epub I've never modified, with no better result.

Once I managed to get it to work by exiting Calibre, restarting it, and restoring the bookmark, but have never been able to duplicate that.

I've attached a log showing:

• system info,
• storing bookmark,
• restoring,
• deleting and resending epub,
• failing to restore

I deleted the thousands of lines showing the collection shelves being recreated.

I'm using the KoboTouchExtended driver.

[Terisa de morgan]

Originally Posted by auspex

Well, I know it's supposed to work, but I can not make it do so.

If I "Store" the bookmark, and immediately "Restore" it, Kobo Utilities announces success. If I delete the book from the device and then send it again, when I try to restore the bookmark, I get:

calibre, version 1.1.0
Kobo Utilities - Device library updated: Update summary:
	Books updated=0
	Books not on device=1
	Total books=1

Do you disconnect the reader and connect again before sending the bokmarks? If you don't do it in that way, the book will not be in the database (it's rebuilt after disconnect) and the plugin won't find it.

So:

1.- Store bookmarks
2.- Delete book
3.- Send book
4.- Disconnect ereader
5.- Wait till home screen appear again
6.- Connect eread
7.- Restore bookmarks

If you're doing it in this way, sorry by the message.

[auspex]

Well, that particular time I hadn't, but let's check that.…

Oh, that's embarassing You're completely right.

That does however lead to the question: why do deletes happen immediately, and adds happen only when you disconnect the USB?

I think I know the answer, but it leads me to suspect the plugin is misbehaving. When I delete a book, I see the plugin issue the SQL to clean up the database, but surely if you just delete the book, it will get cleaned up by the Kobo when I unplug the USB. And that way, there's a chance that restoring a bookmark may actually work without cycling the USB (not, of course, if changes to the driver settings or a manual request to store to a different card result in the filename changing).

[Terisa de morgan]

What you propose is the best approach I've listened... To a corrupt database or a lost bookmarks You're assuming that deleting and creating a new file doesn't translate in a change in a database. I wouldn't bet on it.

[speakingtohe]

AFIK when you send a book, Kobo goes through the processing screen when you disconnect. This makes changes to the area in the database the book info is stored.

When you reconnect with out sending that book, things like series info and book location can be stored without being overwritten.

In my experience resending a book does not always overwrite reading location although sometimes it does.

I believe that is why it is done in two steps. Better safe than sorry

Helen

[davidfor]

Firstly, Terisa and Helen have it right: using calibre to delete a book will remove the database entries on the device, but sending one does not add them.

Why? Because adding the database entries is harder than deleting them. To remove the book, I simply delete the rows in various tables. Over time, I have had to change this. Kobo have added tables and I missed some in my earlier passes. Adding the rows is a completely different thing. Not only do I need to know which rows to add, I also need to know the values to used. There are values in the content table that I have no idea what they mean. jgoguen tried to do this while developing the extended driver, but gave up after a while. In fact, I think he decided having a baby was easier.

So, I leave adding the book to the database to Kobo. Calibre will send the book, but you need to disconnect and let the device process it before the plugin can restore the reading position or the driver can set the series info.

Originally Posted by auspex

I think I know the answer, but it leads me to suspect the plugin is misbehaving. When I delete a book, I see the plugin issue the SQL to clean up the database, but surely if you just delete the book, it will get cleaned up by the Kobo when I unplug the USB. And that way, there's a chance that restoring a bookmark may actually work without cycling the USB (not, of course, if changes to the driver settings or a manual request to store to a different card result in the filename changing).

I think that the current firmware will clean up the database when you book file is is removed. But, that definitely wasn't the case in the past. I'll check, but I will probably keep the current behaviour.

But, I'm not sure what you are saying. Delete the book, don't change the database, send the new reading position and then disconnect? That would result in no book on the device and probably no database entries. There is no point in restoring the reading position if you also remove the book. Or have I missed something?

If the point was you want to send a updated copy of the book, then that works depending on the changes. If there are no structure changes (spelling, grammar, or style changes), then just send it. The driver replaces the file and fixes the filesize in the database so the device doesn't see the change. But, if there is structure changes (TOC, file names in the book), then you need to delete the book and send it new. The device doesn't reprocess books for these sort of changes.

[speakingtohe]

@Davidfor and PeterT
I had a hard drive failure a week or so ago and while I did not lose book, I lost the Kobo utilities plugin among others

Today I followed instructions on first page to the letter and it took maybe 10 minutes and works better. Worked before but I was missing percent done.

IF possible I am even more impressed

Helen

[jgoguen]

Originally Posted by davidfor

jgoguen tried to do this while developing the extended driver, but gave up after a while. In fact, I think he decided having a baby was easier.

Funny you should mention that. As tired as I am and as much as I've been awake the last few nights, I think it's entirely possible that I've actually gotten more sleep with a baby than I did trying to figure out that database

I'm still convinced the answer lies in figuring out the checksum fields in some of the tables...

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by jgoguen

Funny you should mention that. As tired as I am and as much as I've been awake the last few nights, I think it's entirely possible that I've actually gotten more sleep with a baby than I did trying to figure out that database

Yep, there's something about problems like those that don't let you rest.

And congratulations to you and your better half. As you are checking in, I assume everything is going OK.

I'm still convinced the answer lies in figuring out the checksum fields in some of the tables...

Probably. But a checksum of what? Though, I am not sure if all the checksum-like fields are used any more.

[jgoguen]

Yes, everything is quite well. A lot better than I'd been expecting in fact

[tempest@de]

Congratulations Joel!

[samhy]

Congratulations to the new family!

[booklover6]

Hi. Yesterday I had to factory reset my Kobo Glo. (Then downgrade to 2.6.1). Now I can't figure out how to remove the sync tile. I did it before! I used the extended driver. And Kobo utilities in Calibre. I've connected the device multiple times, and still can't dismiss it. What step am I missing?

[PeterT]

Kobo Utilities | Dismiss Tiles from Home Screen

Select File Types and Book Tiles to dismiss

Change Database Trigger and Create or Change trigger

It's quite likely you will need to open and close a book before the change will appear on the home screen.