[Device Plugin] Kobo Touch Extended Driver

[compurandom]

I think there's a bug in the kobo utilities backup, it's only backing up one of my devices.

[jgoguen]

Originally Posted by compurandom

I think there's a bug in the kobo utilities backup, it's only backing up one of my devices.

You should post in the thread for the Kobo Utilities plugin. davidfor writes and maintains that, not me, and this plugin doesn't have any backup capabilities.

[Barruel]

I think there is a bug in the plugin.

I have a Kobo Clara HD. Normally I download and store my books in the epub format, and the plugin converts them to kepub when it uploads them to the Clara.

But that conversion doesn't honor the settings in Preferences > Conversion > Common options. I have set there (in Look & Feel > Layout) "Remove spacing between paragraphs" and "Indent size" to 1.5 em, but the uploaded books still have spacing between paragraphs and no indent.

If I explicitly convert them to kepub, then the driver uploads that and the books have the spacing between paragraphs removed and the paragraph indented. The Kobo Touch Extended Driver should be doing the same.

Maybe I am doing something wrong...

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Barruel

I think there is a bug in the plugin.

I have a Kobo Clara HD. Normally I download and store my books in the epub format, and the plugin converts them to kepub when it uploads them to the Clara.

But that conversion doesn't honor the settings in Preferences > Conversion > Common options. I have set there (in Look & Feel > Layout) "Remove spacing between paragraphs" and "Indent size" to 1.5 em, but the uploaded books still have spacing between paragraphs and no indent.

If I explicitly convert them to kepub, then they have the spacing between paragraphs removed and the paragraph indented. The Kobo Touch Extended Driver should be doing the same.

Maybe I am doing something wrong...

You do understand how Calibre does things? That setting is used for the FIRST time default of a drivers use.
Once a new device is connected, a copy of the setting is stored in the Calibre Config folder.
Any changes need to be done by having the device connected, and selecting Configure from the DEVICE icon

[Barruel]

Originally Posted by theducks

You do understand how Calibre does things? That setting is used for the FIRST time default of a drivers use.
Once a new device is connected, a copy of the setting is stored in the Calibre Config folder.
Any changes need to be done by having the device connected, and selecting Configure from the DEVICE icon

I clearly don't understand how Calibre does things.

The default conversion settings in Calibre are default global conversion settings, right? Why should a device, new or not, bypass that?

If the driver had settings to change them, I'd understand why it doesn't honor them, but it hasn't.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Barruel

I clearly don't understand how Calibre does things.

The default conversion settings in Calibre are default global conversion settings, right? Why should a device, new or not, bypass that?

If the driver had settings to change them, I'd understand why it doesn't honor them, but it hasn't.

NO they are not Global. They are the default (template).

Once you convert, you can override on a per book (That screen at the beginning of the convert), THOSE will be saved with the books metadata for future use. (there is a button/tick) on the conversion dialog to clear previous settings and pull the current defaults.
IMHO Kovid did some brilliant application structuring that allows overrides from the as shipped or base settings.

[jackie_w]

Originally Posted by Barruel

I think there is a bug in the plugin.

I have a Kobo Clara HD. Normally I download and store my books in the epub format, and the plugin converts them to kepub when it uploads them to the Clara.

But that conversion doesn't honor the settings in Preferences > Conversion > Common options. I have set there (in Look & Feel > Layout) "Remove spacing between paragraphs" and "Indent size" to 1.5 em, but the uploaded books still have spacing between paragraphs and no indent.

If I explicitly convert them to kepub, then the driver uploads that and the books have the spacing between paragraphs removed and the paragraph indented. The Kobo Touch Extended Driver should be doing the same.

Maybe I am doing something wrong...

You're not doing anything wrong but you have misunderstood what this plugin does when creating kepubs from epubs during calibre send-to-device.

A kepub is just an epub with some "kepub bits" added. All this plugin does is add these kepub bits. In other words it's not a full calibre conversion so calibre's conversion options are not used. It's more of a transformation than a conversion.

If you use the 'Kepub Output' plugin to do an epub (or any other format) to kepub conversion into your library, then that is a full calibre conversion and hence the conversion options are used.

[Barruel]

Originally Posted by jackie_w

A kepub is just an epub with some "kepub bits" added. All this plugin does is add these kepub bits. In other words it's not a full calibre conversion so calibre's conversion options are not used. It's more of a transformation than a conversion.

If you use the 'Kepub Output' plugin to do an epub (or any other format) to kepub conversion into your library, then that is a full calibre conversion and hence the conversion options are used.

Crystal clear explanation. Thank you, sir.

Now the question is: is it possible to force the driver to do a full Calibre conversion instead of just adding the kepub bits?

Best regards.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Barruel

Crystal clear explanation. Thank you, sir.

Now the question is: is it possible to force the driver to do a full Calibre conversion instead of just adding the kepub bits?

Best regards.

It is not possible to force the driver to do a full conversion before the KePub conversion. That's what the KePub input/output/metadata plugins are for.

[Barruel]

Originally Posted by theducks

NO they are not Global. They are the default (template).

Once you convert, you can override on a per book (That screen at the beginning of the convert), THOSE will be saved with the books metadata for future use. (there is a button/tick) on the conversion dialog to clear previous settings and pull the current defaults.

I know that and I also know how to reset such conversion settings. That means that Calibre stores conversion settings on a per book basis, not on a per device basis. You stated the latter a few posts back.

The global/default detail is enlightening, though. Thanks.

[Barruel]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

It is not possible to force the driver to do a full conversion before the KePub conversion. That's what the KePub input/output/metadata plugins are for.

I see. Can such an option be added? The driver seems to be already unpacking the book to add the kepub bits, so it won't change much the process of adding the books to the device.

[jackie_w]

Originally Posted by Barruel

Crystal clear explanation. Thank you, sir.

You're welcome. BTW it's 'madam' not 'sir'.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Barruel

I know that and I also know how to reset such conversion settings. That means that Calibre stores conversion settings on a per book basis, not on a per device basis. You stated the latter a few posts back.

The global/default detail is enlightening, though. Thanks.

It DOES store device settings. This is where what format PRIORITY gets stored.
Take a look in the config folder (it is obvious there). I have 4 device profiles that are there (I did delete the one for a device I no longer have a working version)

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Barruel

I see. Can such an option be added? The driver seems to be already unpacking the book to add the kepub bits, so it won't change much the process of adding the books to the device.

That's what the other KePub plugins are for. You can use them to do the conversion you want.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by Barruel

Crystal clear explanation. Thank you, sir.

Now the question is: is it possible to force the driver to do a full Calibre conversion instead of just adding the kepub bits?

Yes, it is possible to force a full conversion when doing a send-to-device. In fact, this is a function built-in to calibre. If you send a book to a device, and you do not have a format the device support, then the book will be converted before sending it. The driver for each device has a list of supported devices. Changing this, will change what is sent.

For Kobo devices, as they do support epubs, you have to change the configuration in the driver to not include epubs and have kepub at the top of the list of supported formats. You also need to install the Kepub Output plugin and Kepub Metadata writer plugin. After that, any epub sent to a Kobo device will be converted to kepub before sending to the device. This conversion will use the default conversion options. The kepub will be added to the library. If you send the book to a Kobo device again, the kepub version will be used.

Originally Posted by Barruel

I see. Can such an option be added? The driver seems to be already unpacking the book to add the kepub bits, so it won't change much the process of adding the books to the device.

Which was an explicit decision when the extended driver was created. It is done on the principal of minimal changes to the book. It assumes the epub is already suitable (not DRM, no errors, formatted how the reader wants it). Then it makes only the changes needed for the book to work as a kepub. If more than this is needed, the plugins needed for conversion exist and can be used.

The drivers do support adding extra CSS to the stylesheets in the epubs. This can be used to change indent or there parts of the style. That may do what you want, but, it will depend on the epub and the classes it uses.