Aura H2O Problem with CBZ and CBR files

MisterBuggie · 06-02-2017, 12:42 PM

Hi everyone.

So, I decided to try reading manga on my H20 2nd edition. I have a couple of different series in CBR format that I tried transferring over. Some of them didn't even show up on the reader, others showed up but the reader couldn't open them. I unpacked the files, zipped and renamed them to CBZ, but the reader still couldn't read them. I found an old CBZ file on my computer (the file came in the format, I didn't change it) and again, the reader couldn't open it.
I went and got some new CBR files, and same problem. However my first new CBZ download actually worked. And I was really pleased to discover that the slightly larger screen and much higher resolution (compared to original Touch) make reading manga a pleasure.

So, has anyone got any experience with these formats? Is there something I'm missing, like maybe the image files in the archive are the wrong size or something? The problem isn't coming from Calibre, as I also tried copying over manually. Also, Calibre can open all these books fine.

Thanks for any help.

davidfor · 06-02-2017, 11:06 PM

I don't read comics, but, I've tested them enough to know that both CBR and CBZ work. And, I've never had a problem adding them to the device.

The only thing I can immediately think of is the file names involved. If you are sending form calibre, it should be making sure the file name of the book is correct. But, it might be the file name of the images inside the book. I would probably need to see one of the files to work it out.

pickyaxe · 06-03-2017, 02:29 AM

This isn't a solution, but a recommendation - you should try KOReader. By some combination of playing around with the zoom settings, using landscape mode and disabling scroll mode, you are bound to get the optimal viewing experience. It's a LOT better for comics (and pdfs) then stock Kobo firmware aka Nickel.

Be aware though that it doesn't support CBR, just CBZ.

bookaquarius · 06-03-2017, 05:11 AM

Did you transfer your manga to your H2O via calibre? When you add the manga in calibre, it will automatically convert the zip file to cbz. The only time it doesn't convert is when you have mixture of picture file and non picture in the zip. That's when I know I will need to get rid of that non-picture file before re-adding in calibre. Once done, I transfer to CBZ to my device with calibre.

Robik · 06-05-2017, 05:53 AM

Kobo recognizes cbr/cbz files only with jpg. Most manga files have png graphics.

davidfor · 06-05-2017, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robik

Kobo recognizes cbr/cbz files only with jpg. Most manga files have png graphics.

That's not been the case in my testing. I know I've used a CBR or CBZ in the past with PNGs in it. And I have tested both just now, and they both worked.

bookaquarius · 06-05-2017, 11:11 AM

davidfor is right. Many of my manga contains both png and jpg in the same file and calibre + H2O has no problem reading those files. As long it doesn't get mixed with non-picture file.

davidfor · 06-05-2017, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bookaquarius

As long it doesn't get mixed with non-picture file.

Is it any file? Does the metadata file that can be added interfere? The Kobo devices don't read this (or didn't the last time I checked), but I'd hope it didn't break things.

bookaquarius · 06-05-2017, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidfor

Is it any file? Does the metadata file that can be added interfere? The Kobo devices don't read this (or didn't the last time I checked), but I'd hope it didn't break things.

Not sure about that... as I transfer my files using Calibre, first thing to do is to add them into Calibre. If the zip file doesn't get converted when it was added, I will go back to search and delete that file for non-picture file since I know Kobo can't read zip file. From experience, the non-picture file that usually got mixed in are of .ini, .txt, .nomedia, .xml, .db format. It took me awhile to figure out why certain zip file was automatically converted into CBZ when added into Calibre and some remained as zip.

Once that is fixed, I re-add and transfer the file with Calibre, eject Kobo for it to get updated, connect Kobo again to update the metadata for the CBZ file using the Kobo plugin. Unless there's a shorter way to do this?

davidfor · 06-05-2017, 09:57 PM

I'm fairly sure the metadata is in an XML file. And I think calibre will read some of this if it is there. But, there is a plugin to read and populate more of the metadata, so I might be mixing things up.

MisterBuggie · 06-05-2017, 11:53 PM

Thanks for all the info. To be honest I don't have a clue why so many of my CBZ/CBR files aren't working, when they open just fine with the Calibre reader.
I thought CBZ were just renamed ZIP files, but unzipping then rezipping the image folders (both with 7zip and with the Windows tool) didn't help. I checked, there are only jpg files in there. So maybe it has something to do with file names.
However, I downloaded ACBF Editor. If I open and then save to CBZ format with it, then it works. So I'll have to run everything that doesn't work through that.

06-02-2017, 12:42 PM	#1
MisterBuggie Enthusiast Posts: 46 Karma: 4388 Join Date: Oct 2012 Device: Kobo Touch, Kobo Aura H20 2nd edition	Problem with CBZ and CBR files Hi everyone. So, I decided to try reading manga on my H20 2nd edition. I have a couple of different series in CBR format that I tried transferring over. Some of them didn't even show up on the reader, others showed up but the reader couldn't open them. I unpacked the files, zipped and renamed them to CBZ, but the reader still couldn't read them. I found an old CBZ file on my computer (the file came in the format, I didn't change it) and again, the reader couldn't open it. I went and got some new CBR files, and same problem. However my first new CBZ download actually worked. And I was really pleased to discover that the slightly larger screen and much higher resolution (compared to original Touch) make reading manga a pleasure. So, has anyone got any experience with these formats? Is there something I'm missing, like maybe the image files in the archive are the wrong size or something? The problem isn't coming from Calibre, as I also tried copying over manually. Also, Calibre can open all these books fine. Thanks for any help.

06-03-2017, 05:11 AM	#4
bookaquarius Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2016 Device: Kindle 3, Kobo Aura H2O	Did you transfer your manga to your H2O via calibre? When you add the manga in calibre, it will automatically convert the zip file to cbz. The only time it doesn't convert is when you have mixture of picture file and non picture in the zip. That's when I know I will need to get rid of that non-picture file before re-adding in calibre. Once done, I transfer to CBZ to my device with calibre. Last edited by bookaquarius; 06-03-2017 at 05:14 AM.

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06-02-2017, 11:06 PM	#2
davidfor Grand Sorcerer Posts: 24,907 Karma: 47303748 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Sydney, Australia Device: Kobo:Touch,Glo, AuraH2O, GloHD,AuraONE, ClaraHD, Libra H2O; tolinoepos	I don't read comics, but, I've tested them enough to know that both CBR and CBZ work. And, I've never had a problem adding them to the device. The only thing I can immediately think of is the file names involved. If you are sending form calibre, it should be making sure the file name of the book is correct. But, it might be the file name of the images inside the book. I would probably need to see one of the files to work it out.

06-03-2017, 02:29 AM	#3
pickyaxe Addict Posts: 285 Karma: 3762916 Join Date: Nov 2011 Device: none	This isn't a solution, but a recommendation - you should try KOReader. By some combination of playing around with the zoom settings, using landscape mode and disabling scroll mode, you are bound to get the optimal viewing experience. It's a LOT better for comics (and pdfs) then stock Kobo firmware aka Nickel. Be aware though that it doesn't support CBR, just CBZ.

06-05-2017, 05:53 AM	#5
Robik Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 27948 Join Date: Apr 2016 Device: Kobo Aura H2O	Kobo recognizes cbr/cbz files only with jpg. Most manga files have png graphics.

06-05-2017, 11:11 AM	#7
bookaquarius Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2016 Device: Kindle 3, Kobo Aura H2O	davidfor is right. Many of my manga contains both png and jpg in the same file and calibre + H2O has no problem reading those files. As long it doesn't get mixed with non-picture file.

06-05-2017, 09:57 PM	#10
davidfor Grand Sorcerer Posts: 24,907 Karma: 47303748 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Sydney, Australia Device: Kobo:Touch,Glo, AuraH2O, GloHD,AuraONE, ClaraHD, Libra H2O; tolinoepos	I'm fairly sure the metadata is in an XML file. And I think calibre will read some of this if it is there. But, there is a plugin to read and populate more of the metadata, so I might be mixing things up.

06-05-2017, 11:53 PM	#11
MisterBuggie Enthusiast Posts: 46 Karma: 4388 Join Date: Oct 2012 Device: Kobo Touch, Kobo Aura H20 2nd edition	Thanks for all the info. To be honest I don't have a clue why so many of my CBZ/CBR files aren't working, when they open just fine with the Calibre reader. I thought CBZ were just renamed ZIP files, but unzipping then rezipping the image folders (both with 7zip and with the Windows tool) didn't help. I checked, there are only jpg files in there. So maybe it has something to do with file names. However, I downloaded ACBF Editor. If I open and then save to CBZ format with it, then it works. So I'll have to run everything that doesn't work through that.

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