Forma How can I read ePubs from EBSCOhost (academic library) on my Kobo?

[droopy]

I have ebook-borrowing privileges at the university I studied at. Their catalogue (as with most academic libaries) is with EBSCO(host). When I search for ebooks on their EBSCOhost catalogue, I can limit/filter for just ebooks. I then see some ebooks are available as "PDF full-text", whereas others are available also as "epub full-text".

How can I read these ePubs on my Kobo Forma?

UPDATE: According to Oxford University, I can get them to my Kobo through Adobe Digital Editions. So I guess I gotta find a way to get ADE working on my Linux system. But that's another question.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by droopy

How can I read these ePubs on my Kobo Forma?

UPDATE: According to Oxford University, I can get them to my Kobo through Adobe Digital Editions. So I guess I gotta find a way to get ADE working on my Linux system. But that's another question.

The easiest way to get ADE on your Linux system is to install a Windows VM and use it for that purpose. One friend of mine is doing this rather happily. Basically he followed the instructions at How to Install Windows 10 as Virtual Machine in VMware Player.

[droopy]

David, I wonder if my basic laptop can handle a Windows VM.

https://termbin.com/4154

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by droopy

David, I wonder if my basic laptop can handle a Windows VM.

https://termbin.com/4154

Should be fine for running Virtual Box, especially since you have 12 GBs of RAM.

[droopy]

thanks, downloading Windows 10 ISO now.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by droopy

David, I wonder if my basic laptop can handle a Windows VM.

https://termbin.com/4154

With an i3, not going to be fast but then ADE doesn't need fast. 16GiB of RAM should be more than enough (assuming 11.2 used and 3.62 free does add up to 16GiB total). The A-Data SSD has decent performance so shouldn't be an issue. Go ahead and have fun!

[droopy]

I followed all the steps in the tenforums link. I right-click the Windows x64 in vmplayer window, I then see a window open up, wit the words "Waiting for Connection..." then it just closes by itself.

When try to run the vmplayer in terminal, I get this:

~/Downloads $ vmplayer 
I/O warning : failed to load external entity "/etc/vmware/hostd/proxy.xml"

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 17:59:41.346: Inserting action group 'Base' into UI manager which already has a group with this name

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 17:59:41.346: Inserting action group 'WindowActions' into UI manager which already has a group with this name

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 18:00:31.282: gtk_box_gadget_distribute: assertion 'size >= 0' failed in GtkScrollbar

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 18:00:31.282: gtk_box_gadget_distribute: assertion 'size >= 0' failed in GtkScrollbar

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.423: removable-device-0: missing action removable-device-0

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.423: removable-device-1: missing action removable-device-1

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.423: removable-device-2: missing action removable-device-2

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.423: removable-device-3: missing action removable-device-3

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.423: removable-device-4: missing action removable-device-4

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.423: removable-device-0-choose-image: missing action removable-device-0-choose-image

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.424: removable-device-0-edit: missing action removable-device-0-edit

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.424: removable-device-1-choose-image: missing action removable-device-1-choose-image

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.424: removable-device-1-edit: missing action removable-device-1-edit

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.424: removable-device-2-connect: missing action removable-device-2-connect

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.424: removable-device-2-nic-bridged: missing action removable-device-2-nic-bridged

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.424: removable-device-2-nic-nat: missing action removable-device-2-nic-nat

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.424: removable-device-2-nic-host-only: missing action removable-device-2-nic-host-only

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.424: removable-device-2-edit: missing action removable-device-2-edit

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.424: removable-device-3connect: missing action removable-device-3connect

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.424: removable-device-3-edit: missing action removable-device-3-edit

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.424: removable-device-4connect: missing action removable-device-4connect

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.424: removable-device-4-edit: missing action removable-device-4-edit

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.426: removable-device-0: missing action removable-device-0

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.426: removable-device-1: missing action removable-device-1

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.426: removable-device-2: missing action removable-device-2

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.426: removable-device-3: missing action removable-device-3

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.426: removable-device-4: missing action removable-device-4

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.426: removable-device-0-choose-image: missing action removable-device-0-choose-image

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.426: removable-device-0-edit: missing action removable-device-0-edit

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.426: removable-device-1-choose-image: missing action removable-device-1-choose-image

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.426: removable-device-1-edit: missing action removable-device-1-edit

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.426: removable-device-2-connect: missing action removable-device-2-connect

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.426: removable-device-2-nic-bridged: missing action removable-device-2-nic-bridged

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.426: removable-device-2-nic-nat: missing action removable-device-2-nic-nat

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.426: removable-device-2-nic-host-only: missing action removable-device-2-nic-host-only

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.426: removable-device-2-edit: missing action removable-device-2-edit

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.426: removable-device-3connect: missing action removable-device-3connect

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.426: removable-device-3-edit: missing action removable-device-3-edit

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.426: removable-device-4connect: missing action removable-device-4connect

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.426: removable-device-4-edit: missing action removable-device-4-edit

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.429: removable-device-0: missing action removable-device-0

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.430: removable-device-1: missing action removable-device-1

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.430: removable-device-2: missing action removable-device-2

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.430: removable-device-3: missing action removable-device-3

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.430: removable-device-4: missing action removable-device-4

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.430: removable-device-0-choose-image: missing action removable-device-0-choose-image

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.430: removable-device-0-edit: missing action removable-device-0-edit

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.430: removable-device-1-choose-image: missing action removable-device-1-choose-image

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.430: removable-device-1-edit: missing action removable-device-1-edit

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.430: removable-device-2-connect: missing action removable-device-2-connect

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.430: removable-device-2-nic-bridged: missing action removable-device-2-nic-bridged

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.430: removable-device-2-nic-nat: missing action removable-device-2-nic-nat

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.430: removable-device-2-nic-host-only: missing action removable-device-2-nic-host-only

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.430: removable-device-2-edit: missing action removable-device-2-edit

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.430: removable-device-3connect: missing action removable-device-3connect

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.430: removable-device-3-edit: missing action removable-device-3-edit

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.430: removable-device-4connect: missing action removable-device-4connect

(vmplayer:8265): Gtk-WARNING **: 18:00:31.430: removable-device-4-edit: missing action removable-device-4-edit

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by droopy

I followed all the steps in the tenforums link. I right-click the Windows x64 in vmplayer window, I then see a window open up, wit the words "Waiting for Connection..." then it just closes by itself.

I've never tried vmplayer. I've only used Virtual Box, which is probably not as robust as vmplayer, but I think it's easier to set up. It should be in your repository.

[geek1011]

Originally Posted by rcentros

I've never tried vmplayer. I've only used Virtual Box, which is probably not as robust as vmplayer, but I think it's easier to set up. It should be in your repository.

Don't even bother with virtualbox. Use virt-manager, which is also in your repository. It has better guest performance for Windows and QEMU is better integrated with the host. For guest integration, use the SPICE guest additions. And, for even better disk performance, install the virtio drivers and change the disk from SATA emulation to VirtIO.

[DrLimu]

Originally Posted by DNSB

The easiest way to get ADE on your Linux system is to install a Windows VM and use it for that purpose. One friend of mine is doing this rather happily. Basically he followed the instructions at How to Install Windows 10 as Virtual Machine in VMware Player.

I installed ADE 4.5 in Wine just the other day and for me it was easier than setting up a VM, just 5 or 6 commands in the terminal using workarounds found on WineHQ. The fonts don't look very good and I occasionally get error messages before starting, but downloading epubs from .acsm files and transferring library books to my Kobo works, and that's pretty much all I use ADE for anyway.

[droopy]

DrLimu, thanks for your comment. I was following the workarounds too on WineHQ, but ADE crashes on me. Which Linux distro are you using? Can you tell me what terminal commands exactly, from start to finish, you used? Thanks.

I double-clicked ADE_4.5_Installer.exe, and I get this:

Here's the "backtrace.txt" file that I was given an option to save:

Unhandled exception: page fault on read access to 0x00000000 in 32-bit code (0x10001559).
Register dump:
 CS:0023 SS:002b DS:002b ES:002b FS:0063 GS:006b
 EIP:10001559 ESP:0033fcf8 EBP:004072f0 EFLAGS:00210a06(  R- --O I   - -P- )
 EAX:00000000 EBX:00000000 ECX:0043a020 EDX:00000000
 ESI:00165fc0 EDI:00422ec0
Stack dump:
0x0033fcf8:  004037d7 00000001 00000000 00403b05
0x0033fd08:  00000001 7b461e70 0042a400 00429000
0x0033fd18:  00000000 00000001 39dc67dd 00429000
0x0033fd28:  0040351d 004035b3 0033fed8 00000000
0x0033fd38:  7b63d000 7b63d000 00000000 00000022
0x0033fd48:  00000000 0042902c 00000000 00000000
Backtrace:
=>0 0x10001559 EntryPoint+0xffffffff() in system (0x004072f0)
0x10001559 EntryPoint+0xffffffff in system: testl	%eax,0x0(%eax)
Modules:
Module	Address			Debug info	Name (109 modules)
PE	  400000-  43a000	Deferred        ade_4.5_installer
PE	10000000-10006000	Export          system
ELF	7ac00000-7ac86000	Deferred        riched20<elf>
  \-PE	7ac10000-7ac86000	\               riched20
ELF	7b400000-7b7f8000	Deferred        kernel32<elf>
  \-PE	7b420000-7b7f8000	\               kernel32
ELF	7bc00000-7bd00000	Deferred        ntdll<elf>
  \-PE	7bc10000-7bd00000	\               ntdll
ELF	7c000000-7c004000	Deferred        <wine-loader>
ELF	7ca87000-7cadb000	Deferred        libgssapi_krb5.so.2
ELF	7cadb000-7caf3000	Deferred        libresolv.so.2
ELF	7caf3000-7cb28000	Deferred        libk5crypto.so.3
ELF	7cb28000-7cc04000	Deferred        libkrb5.so.3
ELF	7cc33000-7cc3c000	Deferred        libffi.so.6
ELF	7cc3c000-7ccc7000	Deferred        libgmp.so.10
ELF	7ccc7000-7ccfd000	Deferred        libhogweed.so.4
ELF	7ccfd000-7cd39000	Deferred        libnettle.so.6
ELF	7cd39000-7cd4e000	Deferred        libtasn1.so.6
ELF	7cd4e000-7cecf000	Deferred        libunistring.so.2
ELF	7cecf000-7ceee000	Deferred        libidn2.so.0
ELF	7ceee000-7d03c000	Deferred        libp11-kit.so.0
ELF	7d03c000-7d1d2000	Deferred        libgnutls.so.30
ELF	7d1d5000-7d1da000	Deferred        libkeyutils.so.1
ELF	7d1da000-7d1e7000	Deferred        libkrb5support.so.0
ELF	7d1e7000-7d201000	Deferred        kerberos<elf>
  \-PE	7d1f0000-7d201000	\               kerberos
ELF	7d201000-7d238000	Deferred        ws2_32<elf>
  \-PE	7d210000-7d238000	\               ws2_32
ELF	7d238000-7d263000	Deferred        iphlpapi<elf>
  \-PE	7d240000-7d263000	\               iphlpapi
ELF	7d263000-7d294000	Deferred        netapi32<elf>
  \-PE	7d270000-7d294000	\               netapi32
ELF	7d2eb000-7d2f0000	Deferred        libcom_err.so.2
ELF	7d2f0000-7d325000	Deferred        secur32<elf>
  \-PE	7d300000-7d325000	\               secur32
ELF	7d36b000-7d3c9000	Deferred        oleacc<elf>
  \-PE	7d370000-7d3c9000	\               oleacc
ELF	7d3c9000-7d3e1000	Deferred        dwmapi<elf>
  \-PE	7d3d0000-7d3e1000	\               dwmapi
ELF	7d3e1000-7d50a000	Deferred        oleaut32<elf>
  \-PE	7d400000-7d50a000	\               oleaut32
ELF	7d50a000-7d533000	Deferred        propsys<elf>
  \-PE	7d510000-7d533000	\               propsys
ELF	7d533000-7d54d000	Deferred        apphelp<elf>
  \-PE	7d540000-7d54d000	\               apphelp
ELF	7d54d000-7d5bb000	Deferred        setupapi<elf>
  \-PE	7d560000-7d5bb000	\               setupapi
ELF	7d5bb000-7d5f3000	Deferred        uxtheme<elf>
  \-PE	7d5c0000-7d5f3000	\               uxtheme
ELF	7d5f3000-7d5fa000	Deferred        libxfixes.so.3
ELF	7d5fa000-7d606000	Deferred        libxcursor.so.1
ELF	7d606000-7d619000	Deferred        libxi.so.6
ELF	7d619000-7d61d000	Deferred        libxcomposite.so.1
ELF	7d61d000-7d62a000	Deferred        libxrandr.so.2
ELF	7d62a000-7d636000	Deferred        libxrender.so.1
ELF	7d636000-7d63d000	Deferred        libxxf86vm.so.1
ELF	7d63d000-7d641000	Deferred        libxinerama.so.1
ELF	7d641000-7d64b000	Deferred        librt.so.1
ELF	7d64b000-7d666000	Deferred        libbsd.so.0
ELF	7d666000-7d66d000	Deferred        libxdmcp.so.6
ELF	7d66d000-7d671000	Deferred        libxau.so.6
ELF	7d671000-7d69d000	Deferred        libxcb.so.1
ELF	7d69d000-7d7e7000	Deferred        libx11.so.6
ELF	7d7e7000-7d7fc000	Deferred        libxext.so.6
ELF	7d7fd000-7d811000	Deferred        shfolder<elf>
  \-PE	7d800000-7d811000	\               shfolder
ELF	7d811000-7d829000	Deferred        userenv<elf>
  \-PE	7d820000-7d829000	\               userenv
ELF	7d82b000-7d8bb000	Deferred        winex11<elf>
  \-PE	7d840000-7d8bb000	\               winex11
ELF	7d939000-7d96b000	Deferred        libexpat.so.1
ELF	7d96b000-7d9b6000	Deferred        libfontconfig.so.1
ELF	7d9b6000-7d9d5000	Deferred        libz.so.1
ELF	7d9d5000-7da0f000	Deferred        libpng16.so.16
ELF	7da0f000-7dacc000	Deferred        libfreetype.so.6
ELF	7dafb000-7db1f000	Deferred        imm32<elf>
  \-PE	7db00000-7db1f000	\               imm32
ELF	7db1f000-7db65000	Deferred        usp10<elf>
  \-PE	7db30000-7db65000	\               usp10
ELF	7db65000-7dca2000	Deferred        comctl32<elf>
  \-PE	7db70000-7dca2000	\               comctl32
ELF	7dca2000-7dd27000	Deferred        rpcrt4<elf>
  \-PE	7dcb0000-7dd27000	\               rpcrt4
ELF	7dd27000-7de82000	Deferred        ole32<elf>
  \-PE	7dd40000-7de82000	\               ole32
ELF	7de82000-7dea6000	Deferred        shcore<elf>
  \-PE	7de90000-7dea6000	\               shcore
ELF	7dea6000-7df15000	Deferred        shlwapi<elf>
  \-PE	7deb0000-7df15000	\               shlwapi
ELF	7df15000-7e8d7000	Deferred        shell32<elf>
  \-PE	7df20000-7e8d7000	\               shell32
ELF	7e8d7000-7e950000	Deferred        advapi32<elf>
  \-PE	7e8e0000-7e950000	\               advapi32
ELF	7e950000-7ea7f000	Deferred        gdi32<elf>
  \-PE	7e960000-7ea7f000	\               gdi32
ELF	7ea7f000-7ec88000	Deferred        user32<elf>
  \-PE	7ea90000-7ec88000	\               user32
ELF	7ec88000-7ec9c000	Deferred        libnss_files.so.2
ELF	7ec9c000-7ecb7000	Deferred        libnsl.so.1
ELF	7ecb7000-7ecc5000	Deferred        libnss_nis.so.2
ELF	7ecc5000-7eccf000	Deferred        libnss_compat.so.2
ELF	7eecf000-7efd1000	Deferred        libm.so.6
ELF	7efe6000-7f000000	Deferred        version<elf>
  \-PE	7eff0000-7f000000	\               version
ELF	f7b57000-f7b5c000	Deferred        libdl.so.2
ELF	f7b5c000-f7d38000	Deferred        libc.so.6
ELF	f7d38000-f7d57000	Deferred        libpthread.so.0
ELF	f7d86000-f7f3d000	Dwarf           libwine.so.1
ELF	f7f3f000-f7f67000	Deferred        ld-linux.so.2
Threads:
process  tid      prio (all id:s are in hex)
0000000e services.exe
	00000020    0
	0000001b    0
	00000013    0
	00000010    0
	0000000f    0
00000011 winedevice.exe
	00000018    0
	00000017    0
	00000016    0
	00000012    0
00000019 plugplay.exe
	0000001d    0
	0000001c    0
	0000001a    0
0000001e winedevice.exe
	00000025    0
	00000022    0
	00000021    0
	0000001f    0
00000023 explorer.exe
	00000028    0
	00000027    0
	00000026    0
	00000024    0
00000029 (D) Z:\home\me\Downloads\ADE_4.5_Installer.exe
	0000002b    0
	0000002a    0 <==
System information:
    Wine build: wine-4.0
    Platform: i386 (WOW64)
    Version: Windows 7
    Host system: Linux
    Host version: 4.15.0-66-generic

[JSWolf]

It's issues like these is why Windows is just plain the best platform for eBooks.

[droopy]

I got ADE working in VirtualBox in my LinuxMint. Used 32bit Windows10, and enabled virtualization from the Bios. From the ADE in VirtualWin10, I was able to import the books into Calibre, and then I will add them to my Kobo Forma. Solved! (Finally )

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by droopy

I got ADE working in VirtualBox in my LinuxMint. Used 32bit Windows10, and enabled virtualization from the Bios. From the ADE in VirtualWin10, I was able to import the books into Calibre, and then I will add them to my Kobo Forma. Solved! (Finally )

Sounds good. Looks like persistence paid off. I might have to look into either VirtualBox or Wine and get ADE working on my desktop computer (Linux Mint 19.1).

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

It's issues like these is why Windows is just plain the best platform for eBooks.

Yeah, but then you have to use Windows! I would rather find a workaround and keep Linux.