Firmware 2.6.1b

[Uschiekid]

Originally Posted by paola

forgive the naive question: how does one do that?

Click on the arrow found at the right of the KoboUtilities icon. In the popup menu is "Database", hover over that and a side menu comes out, and it gives two options ...something like Check database and Backup database. So do the check. If it says "ok", then all is good, otherwise there is corruption.

[John F]

My Glo just updated to 2.6.1. I don't have a sync tile on my homescreen.

Although I do have an ugly Seach box that I can't dismiss.

[speakingtohe]

Originally Posted by jackastor

That utility while it may be useful is perhaps the most dangerous utility out there. it plays with your Kobo data base and you run the risk of servere corruption leading to many hours of frustration. Use it at your own risk.

But, but, I love the utility far more than the Kobo database. Must use utility, must use utility

Helen

[jackastor]

Originally Posted by PeterT

Jack... Sigh... Why do you have this reaction to calibre, and to add-ons within calibre.

All the dismissal of an icon from the home screen requires is a single SQL update to change the value of a column for a given row in the Activity table from false to true. This is done either manually by the user in the plugin, or automatically via a standard SQL Trigger on any and all updates to that table.

This is a standard SQL database using the SQLite engine which is designed to be cross platform.

Other functions of this plugin also use the database for different purposes; some of which are read only, others read/write. However, to call any of these DANGEROUS is a massive EXAGGERATION.

Its quite simple here. Its not supported by Kobo its not designed by kobo and it is not recommended by Kobo. The author of the utility even states a warning toward this effect. Any thing that messes around with the Data base you run the risk of screwing up your Kobo Quite Spectacular. That said USE IT AT YOUR OWN RISK stands. IF you need to use it then go for it. But fair warning.

[jackastor]

Originally Posted by speakingtohe

But, but, I love the utility far more than the Kobo database. Must use utility, must use utility

Helen

Again its use at your own risk, Potential problems are just that potential. It does not mean you will encounter them but it is definitely a potential you need to be aware of. Bottom line is if it works for you then great.

regards

JAck

[John F]

IMO...

... Its not supported by Kobo ...

In my experience, nothing is supported by Kobo.

... its not designed by kobo ...

I take this as a huge positive.

... it is not recommended by Kobo ...

Again ...

Originally Posted by jackastor

Its quite simple here. Its not supported by Kobo its not designed by kobo and it is not recommended by Kobo. The author of the utility even states a warning toward this effect. Any thing that messes around with the Data base you run the risk of screwing up your Kobo Quite Spectacular. That said USE IT AT YOUR OWN RISK stands. IF you need to use it then go for it. But fair warning.

Maybe it's best to say it is "unsupported" and "use at your own risk", without invoking the word dangerous. Even if something does go woefully wrong with a database manipulation, the worse case scenario is plugging the device into the computer to delete the database itself. Then you get to reregister. Kobo stuff will be automatically reloaded. Sideloaded stuff is still there and the device will update the database to reflect that (i.e. you don't even have to reload the books). Scary for the novice perhaps, but they'll get over the trauma.

John F

[jackastor]

Originally Posted by BWinmill

Maybe it's best to say it is "unsupported" and "use at your own risk", without invoking the word dangerous. Even if something does go woefully wrong with a database manipulation, the worse case scenario is plugging the device into the computer to delete the database itself. Then you get to reregister. Kobo stuff will be automatically reloaded. Sideloaded stuff is still there and the device will update the database to reflect that (i.e. you don't even have to reload the books). Scary for the novice perhaps, but they'll get over the trauma.

John F

Actually you do have to reload books if you don't use the Sd card, and are forced to do a master reset. The point is anything that is not designed by the manufacture of any thing is not recommended.

[Uschiekid]

Originally Posted by jackastor

Actually you do have to reload books if you don't use the Sd card, and are forced to do a master reset. The point is anything that is not designed by the manufacture of any thing is not recommended.

Considering this also happens when doing a lot of so called supported things, say like, updating fw the supported way, I don't see how it's any worse, since it at least comes with a warning and the ability to not use it...unlike uhm...many kobo supported things.

[jackastor]

Originally Posted by Uschiekid

Considering this also happens when doing a lot of so called supported things, say like, updating fw the supported way, I don't see how it's any worse, since it at least comes with a warning and the ability to not use it...unlike uhm...many kobo supported things.

Not disagreeing with you there. However most of the issues that people have had with the device is due to the use of 3rd party programs that are the end all to end all of all things to do. They cause a lot of the issues that most of you have. The funny thing is those that do not use 3rd party Programs see to have far less issues then those that do. That said if Kobo would get off their proverbial asses they might just learn a few things from those 3rd party programs and if they were smart they might consider buying them up or at least licensing them for use.

regards

JAck

[0x55]

Meanwhile, back at the topic... Thank you DNSB for checking on the PNG issue, it's been my main holdup. And thanks to murg for quickly posting the 261b direct download link over in the dev sub-forum.

Beware, the dev forum is for Dangerous people, so use it At Your Severe Risk. Updating firmware without Kobo's official download app can cause Quite Spectacular Screwing Up.

[jackastor]

Originally Posted by 0x55

Meanwhile, back at the topic... Thank you DNSB for checking on the PNG issue, it's been my main holdup. And thanks to murg for quickly posting the 261b direct download link over in the dev sub-forum.

Beware, the dev forum is for Dangerous people, so use it At Your Severe Risk. Updating firmware without Kobo's official download app can cause Quite Spectacular Screwing Up.

Nothing is said about the firmware. So your just making things up.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by jackastor

Nothing is said about the firmware. So your just making things up.

Ummm... to quote from the first message in the Direct Links to Kobo Firmware thread...

USE THE INFORMATION AND LINKS IN THIS THREAD AT YOUR OWN RISK. ALL OF THE INFORMATION IN THIS THREAD IS UNOFFICIAL. SIDELOADING THE INCORRECT FIRMWARE CAN BREAK/BRICK YOUR DEVICE.

Sounds clear enough to me. A good reason for keeping an image of your internal SD card around if you are lucky enough to have an internal SD card.

Regards,
David

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by jackastor

Not disagreeing with you there. However most of the issues that people have had with the device is due to the use of 3rd party programs that are the end all to end all of all things to do. They cause a lot of the issues that most of you have. The funny thing is those that do not use 3rd party Programs see to have far less issues then those that do. That said if Kobo would get off their proverbial asses they might just learn a few things from those 3rd party programs and if they were smart they might consider buying them up or at least licensing them for use.

Jack,

Of course the utilities plugin is dangerous. It directly updates the database on the device, so if I made a mistake in the code or something else happens (loss of power, USB cable pulled, etc) there will be problems. The same applies to the Kobo desktop application. Of course, you get official support for that.

As to the risk, I was very careful to state that when I released the plugin. I even used red for the heading Maybe I should have put all that text in read. Or maybe it isn't clear enough. I'm always willing to take suggestions to improve my work. But I do reserve the right to not use it. And of course, nobody is being forced to use it either the calibre driver or the utilities plugin.

The warning also states how the code was developed. I examine the device, make a change using the device and see if I can reproduce that. i.e. Reverse engineer the function. I've been doing that for over a year now. Initially, it was just curiosity. I saw the database and wanted to know how it worked. It's a failing of mine: I see a relational database and investigate it. In all that time, I haven't broken the database except when I forgot to eject the reader properly. And a few occasions where I deliberately broke it to see what happened.

As to official support from Kobo, you are right, it doesn't have their official approval. But, Kobo definitely know who I am, know what I am doing and have definitely seen discussion on both the plugin and driver. They have also answered my occasional questions for the driver. None of this is official support. I don't expect it and I am not going to ask for it. But, they have also never asked me not to do something. That might suggest they are giving implicit approval, but I do not take it that way.

If Kobo ever do ask me not to do something, I'm not sure what I would do. If they asked me to pull the utilities plugin, I don't think I would. But, if they asked for a particular function to be pulled or not added, I will consider it. And there are things I won't do. Or at least won't release. I pulled some code out of the utilities plugin just before the release. I did this because I couldn't prove it achieved the affect that I was after and because I considered it was stretching the friendship with Kobo a bit much.

I also have to ask, what happened? We exchange a few PMs this week about getting the utilities plugin configured properly. Then I find your posts about how dangerous it is. I find that very contradictory. If you feel that way, why did you go to all that trouble? Yes, warning people that the plugin is dangerous is fine, but your posts seem to be going a lot further than that.

And just to be clear to everyone:

The Kobo Utilities plugin is dangerous. It makes changes to the database on the device that might be wrong. This is NOT supported by Kobo. Any use of the plugin carries risk. While I have done the best I can to minimise the risk, there is still some. if you cannot accept that there is some, please do not use it. If you do have a problem, you may need to restore the database backup. Or log out on the device to create a new database. At worst, you would need to do a factory reset.

David

[moffattm]

Originally Posted by Danger

Would be really damn nice if they would post firmware release notes as to what has been changed or fixed.

Indeed! The Kobo devs seem very slack at release notes...