Kobo Start Menu

[tshering]

This thread is outdated, please go to the KSM 09 thread.
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The Kobo Start Menu (KSM) is launched at start up and lets you

• choose between available readers and other applications
• manage FW packages (install, install and preserve the Kobo Start Menu, delete)
• connect via USB
• execute scripts from the internal and external sd
• handle custom.css for the kepub renderer (only effective on older firmwares)
• ...

Since larger parts of the package consist of sh files, you can modify and enlarge the functions easily.


Find some more information on the usage (most descriptions are in need of an update, but might still be useful for starters):

• the main menu (home)
• returning from nickel to the menu, yoq's night mode, simulating usb connect/disconnect
• activation of password protection
• controlling the front light
• using the terminal

Spoiler:

Links to older versions:

• KSM 03
• KSM 04
• KSM 06

Installation (KSM 02, consists of 2 steps )

Spoiler:

(Uninstall any version of Kobomenu and remove the whole folder kbmenu completely from the device.

Step 1

1. connect the Kobo to the PC
2. copy the folder kbmenupngs to the root of the device (e.g. K:\)
3. eject safely and disconnect
4. check that the 3 images (exit_nickel.png, simulate_usb_connection.png, toggle_nightmode.png ) are listed in the library. Only then proceed to step two.

Step 2

1. connect the Kobo to the PC
2. copy KoboRoot.tgz to .kobo of the device
3. eject safely and disconnect
4. wait until the update is finished

USE THIS PACKAGE AT YOUR OWN RISK!

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There is a helpful guide to Adding alternative readers using Kobo Start Menu by Ken Maltby.
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[tshering]

The first entry in the main menu (home) is "info." Its icon is a white question mark on a black ball. As a convention I use this icon to indicate that if you select this menu entry, some text will be displayed. (At one place however I breach this convention, in script>tests>browse kobo.msh.) If you press this entry, a screen opens with some information. Actually, there is not much information, but it is an opportunity to introduce the message screen. The screen is divided into three tap zones, left, middle right. Left and middle will invoke page up and page down. Since the info text doesn't fill a page, you want see any change in this case. A tap on the middle tap zone opens a bar at the bottom. I contains three buttons: zoom out, close, zoom in. Press the middle button to close the message screen.
You can edit this text for better usage (telefon numbers, birthdates of your grandparents). The location of the file is .kobo\kbmenu\txt\start_info.html. You can use a subset of html tags.

The next menu entry is "handle update." This menu entry only shows, if there is actually an update file in .kobo. If you select this menu point you are presented with three options

• install update: will install the update
• install partial update, will install the update with the exception of ./etc/init.d/rcS and ./usr/local/Kobo/udev/usb (provided the update file has exactly the same format as the original update files; in many/most custom made KoboRoot.tgz this is not the case; maybe I should take care of this too). It is important to use this option, if you want the Kobo start menu to survive a FW update.
• delete update: this will delete the update files.

In recent FW versions, nickel will reboot as soon as it detects an unprocessed update file. Therefore, it is advisable to install or delete any update before launching nickel.

The next entry is "start nickel." This will start the normal Kobo user interface. You can return to the menu by opening exit_nickel.png in the library.

The next three entries are "start kobolauncher, "start vlasovsoftlauncher", "start koreader," provided they are detected on the device.

The next entry is "usb." This will open a new menu. You will be informed that "USB support is currently not enabled." Press "enable usb.sh" wait until the message changes to "USB support is enabled" and connect to uhesb cable to the computer (actually you can connect already as a first step or second). After you eject the reader and disconnect the cable, press "disable usb.sh"
Please read the "info" for some details.
In this menu you can see a feature that you will meet in other sub menus too, namely "exec/read." By pressing this entry you can toggle between execution mode and reading mode. In execution mode script files will be executed (e.g. enable usb.sh and disable usb.sh), in reading mode the text of this scripts will be displayed. You can see which mode is currently active by the icon. The question mark icon indicates reading mode, the arrow icon indicates execution mode. "Return" will bring you back to the main menu (home)

The next entry is "scripts." I will say something about it at a later point.

The next entry is "sleep." Press it to make the device sleep. There is no special sleep screen, only the screen freezes. Wake the device up by sliding the power slider.

The next entry is "reboot." Again no special reboot screen. Just wait some seconds until the device is rebooted.

The next entry is "power off." A simple power off screen is presented. Currently, a short text is displayed. You can edit the content (.kobo\kbmenu\txt\poweroff_info.html). For the sub set of accepted html tags see here.

[paola]

nice!

[trekk]

Nice, but after restarting on Aura HD the screen flips 180°, while the touch zones won't rotate.

[tshering]

Originally Posted by trekk

Nice, but after restarting on Aura HD the screen flips 180°, while the touch zones won't rotate.

I have no idea why and how this happens. How did you manage to get out of it? Was factory reset the only way?
Did you try on the Glo too?

[trekk]

I got out of this by guessing the touch position, no factory reset was necessary. I'll try on the Glo and report later.

Something interesting happened when uninstalling. I guessed where to tap for "handle update", after that, the screen rotated again 180° and "install update" appeared in the correct position.

Edit: Just installed the files on the Glo. Everything is good here! I remember some issues with the Aura HD and Sergey's autostart function in previous versions of pbchess. Autostart also flipped the screen 180°, but only on the Aura HD.

Second Edit: Aura 6" works fine too. Thanks a lot tshering! Nice tool to play with

[tshering]

Originally Posted by trekk

I got out of this by guessing the touch position, no factory reset was necessary.

I am glad to hear this. Good that the touch position was still inside the screen.

Originally Posted by trekk

Something interesting happened when uninstalling. I guessed where to tap for "handle update", after that, the screen rotated again 180° and "install update" appeared in the correct position.

Strange indeed!

Originally Posted by trekk

Edit: Just installed the files on the Glo. Everything is good here!

Thank you for testing!

Originally Posted by trekk

I remember some issues with the Aura HD and Sergey's autostart function in previous versions of pbchess. Autostart also flipped the screen 180°, but only on the Aura HD.

Do you know whether there was a solution for this? I just downloaded and went through a number of the pbchess files. Since 1.6.32, autostart seems not to be supported, so I guess maybe not.

[tshering]

Originally Posted by trekk

Second Edit: Aura 6" works fine too. Thanks a lot tshering! Nice tool to play with

Wow, you are really on the brave side. Thank you for testing.

[trekk]

Originally Posted by tshering

Do you know whether there was a solution for this? I just downloaded and went through a number of the pbchess files. Since 1.6.32, autostart seems not to be supported, so I guess maybe not.

IIRC, there has been no solution for the Aura HD and finally this function has been removed.

[Cesco]

Installed on the Glo, but does not mount the microSD
I have tried many times to remove it and reinsert it, but it does not work, any suggestions?
I have to try with another card?
Anyway, congratulations for the work

[trekk]

Remove it completely while you are still in the menu, where it says "External sd is not mounted". Then reinsert the microSD, close the menu and execute the script one more time. The micro SD should be mounted now.

[xping]

Why is necessary to have images of icons (exit nickel etc) in library?
Have U read about AdvBoot in Kobo developer's Corner thread
Should be possible to launch this menu within AdvBoot as third option ? (1 Kobo Nickel; 2 Koreader; 3 This menu)

Thx

[tshering]

Originally Posted by Cesco

Installed on the Glo, but does not mount the microSD
I have tried many times to remove it and reinsert it, but it does not work, any suggestions?
I have to try with another card?
Anyway, congratulations for the work

Did you get it to work? (Thank you trekk!) Completely removing might not be necessary. On my Touch I just push on the card, the card jumps out a little bit, I push it back again.

[trekk]

Just pushing the card is sufficient. I just wanted to make sure, that the microSD is really disconnected.

[tshering]

Sorry for not having explained much until now. I am planning to write some details about the usage in serveral small installments.

Originally Posted by xping

Why is necessary to have images of icons (exit nickel etc) in library?

It is not necessary, but maybe helpful.

• exit_nickel.png: if you select this image in the library, nickel (the Kobo user interface) exits, and you get back to the start menu (provided nickel has been started from the menu).
• toggle_nightmode.png: if you select this image in the library, it toggles Yoq's nightmode (provided of course it is installed). I thought this might be convenient for some people.
• simulate_usb_connection.png: If you copy some books that you plan to use with nickel to the device, you should generally establish the USB connection while running nickel (the same way as you supposedly did until now). If you load the books however in some other way (e.g., by establishing the USB connection with the start menu, or via wifi ftp), you have to make nickel update its database. One way to achieve this is to simulate an USB connection/disconnection event. if you select the image simulate_usb_connection.png in the library, the "computer detected" message will pop up (even though there is no computer connected). Press quickly "connect" (you have only some seconds before the pop-up closes), nickel will read the new contents and update the database.

If you don't plan to use any of these, you can remove the concerned image from the library.

Originally Posted by xping

Have U read about AdvBoot in Kobo developer's Corner thread
Should be possible to launch this menu within AdvBoot as third option ? (1 Kobo Nickel; 2 Koreader; 3 This menu)

Thx

Yes, I did read this thread, and I am happy that someone went this way, cf. my suggestion. And yes, it should be possible to have this menu as a third option. But I am not sure what purpose it would fullfill, since the aims of AdvBoot and the start menu are very similar.
There are some more ways to launch the menu, by fmon, by Kobo Launcher, by the Kobo Tweaks (I am not sure whether they are working on recent FWs). Of course one would have to change the contents of the menu entries in order to prevent to much circularity.