[GUI Plugin] Kobo Utilities

[melovesflying]

It's weird but ever since updating to the latest version of the plugin and Calibre itself, and I think even the version before it, automatically backing up my Kobo Aura has become inconsistent. I've set it to make backups daily upon connecting the device but sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Same goes when I changed the setting to automatically backup every time my Aura is connected. I wonder how I can resolve this.

[emperorskeeter]

Originally Posted by DNSB

??? Within Calibre, you can add fractional numbers to series. In one series I have, about half the entries are whole numbers for books and fractional numbers for short stories that are part of the series. This is done manually by editing the series number from the edit metadata option.

So I have stuff like:
Book 1.00
Book 1.25
Book 1.50
Book 2.00
Book 2.50
Book 3.00 ...

Right, I can do that in Calibre. When I'm in the Kobo library, I select the books in the series and then Manage Series Info to add subtitles, I can only add whole numbers.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by melovesflying

It's weird but ever since updating to the latest version of the plugin and Calibre itself, and I think even the version before it, automatically backing up my Kobo Aura has become inconsistent. I've set it to make backups daily upon connecting the device but sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Same goes when I changed the setting to automatically backup every time my Aura is connected. I wonder how I can resolve this.

I'll have a look at the code and see what I can see. But, some thoughts:

Is the backup job being run all the time? If the backup is configured, the job will be run and that decides if a backup is needed. And how long is it taking? A thought is that it is doing the backup but for some reason deciding it is the one to be deleted when removing the older files.

Do you have a normal time of day for the connect? An error in the date checking would be the obvious reason. Or not handling timezone correctly. But date calculation error wouldn't explain the missing backups for the every connect option.

Could you give me a file listing from the directory the backups go to? Maybe I can see a pattern for what is missing.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by emperorskeeter

Right, I can do that in Calibre. When I'm in the Kobo library, I select the books in the series and then Manage Series Info to add subtitles, I can only add whole numbers.

Given that the Kobo Utilities work with Calibre, why not use Calibre's metadata editor? Also not quite sure what you mean by "in the Kobo library"?

[melovesflying]

Originally Posted by davidfor

I'll have a look at the code and see what I can see. But, some thoughts:

Is the backup job being run all the time? If the backup is configured, the job will be run and that decides if a backup is needed. And how long is it taking? A thought is that it is doing the backup but for some reason deciding it is the one to be deleted when removing the older files.

Do you have a normal time of day for the connect? An error in the date checking would be the obvious reason. Or not handling timezone correctly. But date calculation error wouldn't explain the missing backups for the every connect option.

Could you give me a file listing from the directory the backups go to? Maybe I can see a pattern for what is missing.

It has been configured to run automatically (daily) when my Aura is connected. What I do is I connect it to my Mac and then open Calibre, which then detects it. But I guess about 5 out of 7 times, it doesn't do the backup even if there has been no backup for the day yet. I tried opening my Calibre first and then connecting my Aura but the result is the same. Even if I change my setting to backup upon connect and then restart Calibre to reflect this change, the backup doesn't work.

Before, it only takes seconds but now, when it works, I guess about ~3 minutes. I don't have a fixed time when I connect it. My database is okay (just checked it). The backups, when they work, don't have the CORRUPT text so I guess all is well on my Aura. I checked the timezone and there is also no issue with it. File directory is Users/*myHD*/Documents/Kobo.

I can't recall if it happened before the plugin had the issue wherein I had to re-add my Aura to the list of devices to make it work after a Calibre update (I posted about this, too) or after that. But I think it was after. Here's a screenshot of the settings I've always used:



*mods, sorry Idk how to make the attachment into a thumbnail.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by melovesflying

It has been configured to run automatically (daily) when my Aura is connected. What I do is I connect it to my Mac and then open Calibre, which then detects it. But I guess about 5 out of 7 times, it doesn't do the backup even if there has been no backup for the day yet. I tried opening my Calibre first and then connecting my Aura but the result is the same. Even if I change my setting to backup upon connect and then restart Calibre to reflect this change, the backup doesn't work.

OK, that gives some more details to look at.

Before, it only takes seconds but now, when it works, I guess about ~3 minutes.

That was what I was expecting.

I don't have a fixed time when I connect it.

Not even a rough time? I normally connect after dinner during the week. It's roughly a two hour time slot.

My database is okay (just checked it). The backups, when they work, don't have the CORRUPT text so I guess all is well on my Aura.

Good as that eliminates a possibility.

I checked the timezone and there is also no issue with it.

Actually I was thinking that I might have messed up the date calculation because of the timezone. I haven't checked whether the code is working on local or GMT time.

File directory is Users/*myHD*/Documents/Kobo.

I assume the "*myHD*" is a name with no unusual character in it.

I can't recall if it happened before the plugin had the issue wherein I had to re-add my Aura to the list of devices to make it work after a Calibre update (I posted about this, too) or after that. But I think it was after. Here's a screenshot of the settings I've always used:

That looks like what I would expect.

[davidfor]

I have been looking at this, and can't see why it is happening. But, I did think of something that could help.

The next time this happens, could you run calibre in debug mode? The log should show what is happening and give me an idea of why it doesn't do the backup.

[melovesflying]

Originally Posted by davidfor

I have been looking at this, and can't see why it is happening. But, I did think of something that could help.

The next time this happens, could you run calibre in debug mode? The log should show what is happening and give me an idea of why it doesn't do the backup.

How do I run it in debug mode (I'm using a Mac)? Btw, rough estimate when I use Calibre is either during afternoons (around 5-6 pm) or late in the evening (around 10pm-12 am). And the *myHD* is just a placeholder for my actual hard drive's name, because I'm using my real name for that and no characters included. Appreciate all the help.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by melovesflying

How do I run it in debug mode (I'm using a Mac)?

Click on the little arrow that is part of the preferences button and select "Restart in debug mode". Calibre will restart and display a message about debug mode and the log. Do the tests and close calibre. When it does, it will display the log file. That's what I want to see. Either post it here, or send it to me in a PM.

Btw, rough estimate when I use Calibre is either during afternoons (around 5-6 pm) or late in the evening (around 10pm-12 am).

Any chance that when it run in the late evening connection, it doesn't the next day?

And the *myHD* is just a placeholder for my actual hard drive's name, because I'm using my real name for that and no characters included. Appreciate all the help.

That's what I thought.

[melovesflying]

Originally Posted by davidfor

Click on the little arrow that is part of the preferences button and select "Restart in debug mode". Calibre will restart and display a message about debug mode and the log. Do the tests and close calibre. When it does, it will display the log file. That's what I want to see. Either post it here, or send it to me in a PM.

Any chance that when it run in the late evening connection, it doesn't the next day?

Yes, that happens. I'll give you the log once I encounter again the error. Tried doing it today but Calibre did the backup automatically.

[emperorskeeter]

Originally Posted by emperorskeeter

Love the plugin and thanks for all the hard work.

I would love to be able to add ".X" to the series. For example:
Book 1
Book 2
Book 3
Book 3.1
Book 4

As it is now, you can only add whole numbers to the series.

Thanks.

Figured this out. I never noticed the right and left arrows in the manage series information window before.

Thanks for this feature!

[iostrym]

Hi,

Just to be sure that I've well understood this plugin. With this I could be able to modify a tag in calibre and have this modification done in the kobo without deleting the file in the kobo and reimporting it. right ?

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by iostrym

Hi,

Just to be sure that I've well understood this plugin. With this I could be able to modify a tag in calibre and have this modification done in the kobo without deleting the file in the kobo and reimporting it. right ?

Pretty much, yes. If you are modifying the metadata and not the file data, a delete and re-import is not needed. Change the series name or numbering? Select the ebooks in Calibre and update their metadata.

[davidfor]

@iostrym: As DNSB said, yes, but it is limited to the metadata that the Kobo firmware stores in the internal database. The update metadata function updates the database, not the books. The metadata that can be updated is title, author, series, ISBN, comments/synopsis, language, publisher and published date. That is from memory, so I might have missed something, but tags are not something the Kobe ereaders use.

If want to update the actual books, just send them again. As long as the structure of the books do not change, there is no problem. The driver does an update of the database to make sure the device doesn't see it as changed book. The changes that could cause problems are changes to the ToC, the names of the internal files or adding or removing a file. In those cases you should remove the book first and then send it again. Changes such as fixing spelling or styles or the metadata won't cause a problem.

[iostrym]

Thanks fort the answer. You said that I could send the file again in kobo. Then even without using kobo utilities plug in. What is the rule then for the file to replace the old one in kobo ? Only same filename ? Even if ISBN tag is different ? I said that because I use sometime isbn as a version number to differentiate big PDF file that I have annoted and I want to be able to version them.

If I have correctly understood, only filename and TOC modification could make kobo see the book as a new book. Right ? What about calibre ? If everything is identical except ISBN, it should be able to store them both in library. Right ?