NickelMenu: An integrated launcher for Kobo eReaders

[Dirk-71]

Is use Kobo Aura One with firmware 4.38.23697. FTP is not working anymore. I don't know when it stopped working. But it did work earlier.

User: root / Password: admin

Response: 331 Specify password
command: PASS *****
Response:: 530 Login failed
Error: Critical failure: Connection to server failed

Any ideas, how to fix this?

   menu_item :main :FTP (toggle) :cmd_output :500:quiet: /usr/bin/pgrep -f "^/usr/bin/tcpsvd -E 0.0.0.0 1021"
    chain_success:skip:4
     chain_failure :cmd_spawn :quiet :exec /usr/bin/tcpsvd -E 0.0.0.0 1021 /usr/sbin/ftpd -w -t 30 /mnt/onboard
     chain_success :dbg_toast :Started FTP server for KOBOeReader partition on port 1021
     chain_failure :dbg_toast :Error starting FTP server on port 1021
     chain_always:skip:-1
    chain_success :cmd_spawn :quiet :/usr/bin/pkill -f "^/usr/bin/tcpsvd -E 0.0.0.0 1021"                  
    chain_always :dbg_toast :Stopped FTP server on port 1021

[Shohreh]

This is my first try at installing NickelMenu to take screenshots on my Kobo Clara BW with firmware 4.45.23792.

After performing the steps below, the NickelMenu contains no "Screenshot" item or something similar; After opening a book, I find no new item in the pop-up menu to let me take a screenshot. What did I do wrong? How do I take a screenshot?

1. Downloaded latest release KoboRoot.tgz, and copied it into \.kobo folder. Ejected, and disconnected: At reboot, a new NickelMenu appears
2. Reconnected, entered .adds/nm/ (there's no "nickelmenu" folder), and created a new config.txt — because it's a protected filename, Windows prevents creating a file named "config" or "config.": "Access denied."
3. Added the following lines:

menu_item :main :Take Screenshot :nickel_screenshot
menu_item :reader :Take Screenshot :nickel_screenshot

4. Saved, ejected, disconnected: The NickelMenu contains no "Screenshot" item or something similar. Opened a book: No new item in the pop-up menu.

--
Edit: Looks like it was the wrong syntax.

This does add a "Screenshot" in the main+book menus:

#menu_item :main :Take Screenshot :nickel_screenshot
#menu_item :reader :Take Screenshot :nickel_screenshot
menu_item:main:Screenshot:nickel_screenshot:capture
menu_item:reader:Screenshot:nickel_screenshot:capture

After opening a book, clicking on the "..." menu, and selecting "Screenshot", a file named "screen_001.png" is created at the root of the device.

But after copying it to Windows, and opening it, IrfanView ain't happy: "Can't read file header ! Unknown file format, empty/damaged file or file not found !"

--
Edit: Fixed. I had "Screenshots=false" in Kobo eReader.conf

1. Reboot Kobo (or you might get weird characters in the file below)
2. Connect USB cable
3. Edit .kobo/Kobo/Kobo eReader.conf:
   

   [FeatureSettings]
   ;Screenshots=false
   Screenshot=true

[xyclonei]

Originally Posted by Dirk-71

Is use Kobo Aura One with firmware 4.38.23697. FTP is not working anymore. I don't know when it stopped working. But it did work earlier.

User: root / Password: admin

Response: 331 Specify password
command: PASS *****
Response:: 530 Login failed
Error: Critical failure: Connection to server failed

Any ideas, how to fix this?

   menu_item :main :FTP (toggle) :cmd_output :500:quiet: /usr/bin/pgrep -f "^/usr/bin/tcpsvd -E 0.0.0.0 1021"
    chain_success:skip:4
     chain_failure :cmd_spawn :quiet :exec /usr/bin/tcpsvd -E 0.0.0.0 1021 /usr/sbin/ftpd -w -t 30 /mnt/onboard
     chain_success :dbg_toast :Started FTP server for KOBOeReader partition on port 1021
     chain_failure :dbg_toast :Error starting FTP server on port 1021
     chain_always:skip:-1
    chain_success :cmd_spawn :quiet :/usr/bin/pkill -f "^/usr/bin/tcpsvd -E 0.0.0.0 1021"                  
    chain_always :dbg_toast :Stopped FTP server on port 1021

I believe both, username and password, are root.

[Dirk-71]

Originally Posted by xyclonei

I believe both, username and password, are root.

No, it's not working.

[JSWolf]

@Shohreh, as soon as you are done with taking screenshots, turn it off so you don't forget to do so. Otherwise, your power button won't work for anything by screenshots.

[Shohreh]

You mean I have to edit the INI file before/after each screenshot?

That's the whole point of using NickelMenu instead of the native solution.

With the changes made above, no problem putting the Kobo to sleep.

Or did I miss something?

If "Screenshot=true" isn't allowed, how do I solve the problem I got ("Can't read file header ! Unknown file format, empty/damaged file or file not found !") ?

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Shohreh

You mean I have to edit the INI file before/after each screenshot?

That's the whole point of using NickelMenu instead of the native solution.

With the changes made above, no problem putting the Kobo to sleep.

Or did I miss something?

menu_item:main:Toggle Screenshots:nickel_setting:toggle:screenshots

This code toggles screenshots. It lets you use the power button to take screen shots. When you are done, you just toggle off screenshots. It's that easy.

[Shohreh]

Turns out I was missing a ; to comment out the False line, so I guess the second line was the effective one:

[FeatureSettings]
ExcludeSyncFolders=(\\.(?!kobo|adobe).*?|([^.][^/]*/)+\\..+)
ExportHighlights=true
Screenshot=true
Screenshots=false

→

[FeatureSettings]
ExcludeSyncFolders=(\\.(?!kobo|adobe).*?|([^.][^/]*/)+\\..+)
ExportHighlights=true
Screenshots=false

And the PNG file error is now gone.

Still, using the set below, I can simpy use NM > Screenshot, no need for the power button:

menu_item:main:Screenshot:nickel_screenshot:capture
menu_item:reader:Screenshot:nickel_screenshot:capture

What's the difference with this?

menu_item:main:Toggle Screenshots:nickel_setting:toggle:screenshots
menu_item:reader:Toggle Screenshots:nickel_setting:toggle:screenshots

Same thing, just a different way?

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Shohreh

Turns out I was missing a ; to comment out the False line, so I guess the second line was the effective one:

[FeatureSettings]
ExcludeSyncFolders=(\\.(?!kobo|adobe).*?|([^.][^/]*/)+\\..+)
ExportHighlights=true
Screenshot=true
Screenshots=false

→

[FeatureSettings]
ExcludeSyncFolders=(\\.(?!kobo|adobe).*?|([^.][^/]*/)+\\..+)
ExportHighlights=true
Screenshots=false

And the PNG file error is now gone.

Still, using the set below, I can simpy use NM > Screenshot, no need for the power button:

menu_item:main:Screenshot:nickel_screenshot:capture
menu_item:reader:Screenshot:nickel_screenshot:capture

What's the difference with this?

menu_item:main:Toggle Screenshots:nickel_setting:toggle:screenshots
menu_item:reader:Toggle Screenshots:nickel_setting:toggle:screenshots

Same thing, just a different way?

One shows the screenshot toggle from the main menu. The other from the reader app menu. They function the same.

[Shohreh]

Thanks for the clarification

--
Edit: Turns out those lines require rebooting the Kobo after taking screenshots, or IrfanView complains with #"Can't read file header ! Unknown file format, empty/damaged file or file not found !" — I notice the same problem with .kobo\KoboReader.sqlite, where copying the file without rebooting first can generate an error when opening it with sqilte3.exe ("database disk image is malformed" and "Runtime error : UNIQUE constraint failed"): Maybe Kobo only updates files once in a while.

#NOK requires reboot
menu_item:main:Screenshot:nickel_screenshot:capture
menu_item:reader:Screenshot:nickel_screenshot:capture

OTOH, this works fine:

#OK toggles the power button on/off to take screenshots
menu_item:main:Toggle Screenshots:nickel_setting:toggle:screenshots
menu_item:reader:Toggle Screenshots:nickel_setting:toggle:screenshots

[xyclonei]

Originally Posted by Dirk-71

No, it's not working.

I remember it was admin/admin before and then a few firmware versions back, they switched it to root/root.

[Dirk-71]

Originally Posted by xyclonei

I remember it was admin/admin before and then a few firmware versions back, they switched it to root/root.

Does it work for you? I tried all kind of combinations. Nothing worked.

[DNSB]

On my current version, using SSH, I was asked to set a password the first time I connected.

[Shohreh]

Even when using those settings in NM's config, I still get either the error message or botched files when copying/moving them to the computer after just plugging the Kobo to the computer.

The only way to avoid those problems, is to reboot before copying/moving the files. Could it be the files are in a dubious state when not rebooting, like KoboReader.sqlite?

Is there a simpler solution?

[Dirk-71]

Originally Posted by DNSB

On my current version, using SSH, I was asked to set a password the first time I connected.

Meanwhile I got it working and will summarise, how to prepare the readers for a FTP-Connection.

Preparation for ALL readers

1. Connect the device via usb with your computer
2. Make hidden files and folders visible (Windows: Explorer-Settings / Mac: CMD + SHIFT + .)
3. rename ssh-disabled to ssh-enabled in folder .kobo
4. Disconnect USB
5. Reboot your device

Next steps for newer models: Libra 2, Clara BW, Sage, etc....

1. Open your Terminal

2. ssh root@<IP-Address of your reader>

3. Now you will be asked to make a new password and retype it
4. 
5. If you get the message "Bad password: too short", you can ignore it. You can go ahead.
6. This password can be used now to establish a FTP-connection with user root

Next steps for older models: Aura ONE, Aura H2O, etc...

1. You don't have to make a new password via SSH. It's not working.
2. For FTP simply use for user: root and for password: admin

Final step - Disable SSH

1. Once you have tested the FTP-connection works fine, you should disable ssh
2. Connect the device via usb with your computer
3. rename ssh-enabled to ssh-disabled in folder .kobo
4. Disconnect USB
5. Reboot your device
6. In case you are facing issues with the FTP-connection, simply keep SSH enabled
   

You forgot your password? Only relevant for newer models!

1. Connect the device via usb with your computer
2. rename ssh-enabled to ssh-disabled in folder .kobo
3. Reboot your device
4. rename ssh-disabled to ssh-enabled in folder .kobo
5. Disconnect USB
6. Reboot your device
7. Now you can make a new password

FTP not working anymore? Just repeat the steps as described here

1. If you did reset your reader, it may be FTP doesn't work anymore
2. Same may apply in case of a firmware update
3. Simply go through the whole process again
4. In case you are facing issues with the FTP-connection, simply keep SSH enabled all the time
5. Check whether your NickelMenu is installed and configured properly

This is how it works. I have tested it myself.