The Ultimate Kobo Tips & Tricks Thread

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by zelo86

Hello everybody,



I'm relatively new to the forum and I'd like to ask a question here, I think it's a simple one that has already been answered but I can't find the info I need.
I own 2 ereaders, using one or another as I feel like.
I use Calibre and Kobo desktop for loading ebooks.

For curiosity, are you using Kobo desktop instead of syncing purchased books over WiFi? I don't see any way to sideload books through it. I was thinking I could add books to the desktop application, but, I can't see how to do that now.

In Calibre I use Kobo Utilities to store/restore the reading position, but I haven't find a way to store/restore the bookmarks (I'm talking about the dog-ear) I have on the ebooks.
Is it an Annotation plugin feature? If is that so I guess there's no way to transfer this info from one ereader to another, right?

I don't know of any tools to backup the annotations from the device. The Annotations plugin will fetch the annotations and store them, but, it is one-way only. I don't think that is likely to change.

Annotations backup and restore has never been something I have been interested in as I don't use them in that way. They are in the database, so dumping the rows from that can be done. For epubs, they are also in the RMSDK annotations directory and those files can be backed up and restored. Both of these have issues as you need to make sure file names match the books.

[zelo86]

Originally Posted by davidfor

For curiosity, are you using Kobo desktop instead of syncing purchased books over WiFi?.

Yes. I purchase book on Kobo Store and transfer them via USB port onto the ereader, I'm old fashioned..
Of course I sideload with Calibre too.

Originally Posted by davidfor

I don't know of any tools to backup the annotations from the device. The Annotations plugin will fetch the annotations and store them, but, it is one-way only. I don't think that is likely to change.

Annotations backup and restore has never been something I have been interested in as I don't use them in that way. They are in the database, so dumping the rows from that can be done. For epubs, they are also in the RMSDK annotations directory and those files can be backed up and restored. Both of these have issues as you need to make sure file names match the books.

Thanks for the clarification, I think I will give up using dog-ear as a second reading location method. It it will be enough for me to use the Kobo Utilities for this purpose.
May I ask, how do you use the annotations? I'm just curious..

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by zelo86

Thanks for the clarification, I think I will give up using dog-ear as a second reading location method. It it will be enough for me to use the Kobo Utilities for this purpose.

Bookmark for reading position isn't that useful unless they are being synced automatically. That is a good thing with the WiFi syncing of purchased books. I can be pretty certain that if I read on one device, and then pick up another for some reason, the reading status will be updated as I open the book.

May I ask, how do you use the annotations? I'm just curious..

I mainly used annotations to mark errors in the book I want to fix, or things I want to look up when I'm at a computer. Once I fix the problem, or do the lookup, I delete the annotation. So they are transient and there isn't any real need to sync them elsewhere.

[zelo86]

Originally Posted by davidfor

Bookmark for reading position isn't that useful unless they are being synced automatically. That is a good thing with the WiFi syncing of purchased books. I can be pretty certain that if I read on one device, and then pick up another for some reason, the reading status will be updated as I open the book.

That's a thing I had not considered. It may come handy, I could start syncing via WiFi and getting the bookmark sync as a benefit. Thanks davidfor.

[mirage]

On the initial signup for a new device, Kobo offers Walmart (even though I didn't buy from them), Facebook, Google, Kobo, or a list of other accounts. But they don't offer me to use an email address from outside any of those services, be it Yahoo or whatever other provider, or my own domain. Is there no way around that?

If I want to buy Kobo books that sync with the device, must the device use a Kobo account that I've initiated the device with?

People here have mentioned burner accounts, which I probably won't end up using, but how can one do that if there's no way to bypass the domains the device's OS gives us to choose from? Hopefully, I'm missing something.

EDIT: It may be that I can tap Kobo and enter whatever email address I choose there to create a new Kobo account. So it appears. Would that then work as the account that I'd buy books with if I so choose?

I'm a tinkerer, but don't want to permanently force myself down a road that I'd ultimately not want to be on, so I'm asking for that reason.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by mirage

On the initial signup for a new device, Kobo offers Walmart (even though I didn't buy from them), Facebook, Google, Kobo, or a list of other accounts. But they don't offer me to use an email address from outside any of those services, be it Yahoo or whatever other provider, or my own domain. Is there no way around that?

If I want to buy Kobo books that sync with the device, must the device use a Kobo account that I've initiated the device with?

People here have mentioned burner accounts, which I probably won't end up using, but how can one do that if there's no way to bypass the domains the device's OS gives us to choose from? Hopefully, I'm missing something.

A burner account is only for those who are paranoid. There's no reason to be paranoid of Kobo. I've had an account for probably 6 years.

Just setup a valid account at Kobo and use that to register your Reader. It's the easiest solution. Also if you want to purchase any eBooks or use Overdrive (on the Kobo if the Kobo you have supports Overdrive), you can.

[mirage]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

A burner account is only for those who are paranoid. There's no reason to be paranoid of Kobo. I've had an account for probably 6 years.

Just setup a valid account at Kobo and use that to register your Reader. It's the easiest solution. Also if you want to purchase any eBooks or use Overdrive (on the Kobo if the Kobo you have supports Overdrive), you can.

That wasn't exactly my question, but thanks for taking the time. I was thinking that there was no way to use an email address from outside any of the account domains Kobo presents upon initializing the device. But I see that I can create a Kobo account using any address I want, which I did. You'll be happy to know that it's a real address.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by mirage

On the initial signup for a new device, Kobo offers Walmart (even though I didn't buy from them), Facebook, Google, Kobo, or a list of other accounts. But they don't offer me to use an email address from outside any of those services, be it Yahoo or whatever other provider, or my own domain. Is there no way around that?

If I want to buy Kobo books that sync with the device, must the device use a Kobo account that I've initiated the device with?

People here have mentioned burner accounts, which I probably won't end up using, but how can one do that if there's no way to bypass the domains the device's OS gives us to choose from? Hopefully, I'm missing something.

EDIT: It may be that I can tap Kobo and enter whatever email address I choose there to create a new Kobo account. So it appears. Would that then work as the account that I'd buy books with if I so choose?

I'm a tinkerer, but don't want to permanently force myself down a road that I'd ultimately not want to be on, so I'm asking for that reason.

If you use "Kobo", then you get to set whatever email address you want. Using any of the others will require using the account details from those. If the other account is a book store (not counting Google), it should be setting the affiliate. That is basically who gets a kickback when you buy a book from Kobo. With Walmart and FNAC, they also change some things displayed on the device.

[mirage]

Originally Posted by davidfor

If you use "Kobo", then you get to set whatever email address you want. Using any of the others will require using the account details from those. If the other account is a book store (not counting Google), it should be setting the affiliate. That is basically who gets a kickback when you buy a book from Kobo. With Walmart and FNAC, they also change some things displayed on the device.

Thanks. I figured it out quickly enough.

[Rusty100]

I have an Aura HD that I rather like. Recently I have sometimes found icons difficult to activate - having to touch them multiple times in various ways.

Firmware is up to date. A couple of years ago my Kobo was immersed in a bucket of water but I poured into it pure alcohol and then water dispersant and after a couple of hours in the sun it worked fine . So I don't think that is the problem.

Could the touch screen be becoming less sensitive?

Any thoughts? Any work arounds?

Cheers

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by Rusty100

I have an Aura HD that I rather like. Recently I have sometimes found icons difficult to activate - having to touch them multiple times in various ways.

Firmware is up to date. A couple of years ago my Kobo was immersed in a bucket of water but I poured into it pure alcohol and then water dispersant and after a couple of hours in the sun it worked fine . So I don't think that is the problem.

Could the touch screen be becoming less sensitive?

Any thoughts? Any work arounds?

The touch on an Aura HD is IR based. There are IR emitters and sensors around the screen. Blocking the IR beam is what activates the touch.

It could be dirt under the bezel. That can block the beams. If you clean under the bezel, it will probably help.

The only other thing I can think of is the internal SD card failing. That can cause slowdown for various actions. Replacing that and reimaging the card can give these devices a new lease on life.


There is of course another answer:


The device is toast and you cannot do anything about it. The only thing you can do is buy a new ereader. The Libra H2O would be a good replacement. Though the Forma is great if you want a larger device.


You can use that answer if you need to justify to someone buying a new device. We know you want to

[Rusty100]

Originally Posted by davidfor

The touch on an Aura HD is IR based. There are IR emitters and sensors around the screen. Blocking the IR beam is what activates the touch.

It could be dirt under the bezel. That can block the beams. If you clean under the bezel, it will probably help.

You may well be right. The reader is in a homemade cover that does shed a little leather dust. I will clean the screen.

Thanks

[menneske]

Will somebody pass on some good advice?

The Kobo Glo HD is my second Kobo.
Installing koreader on the older one was not exactly painless, but it resolved eventually. Software was 4.2.xxx I believe.

This one is refusing all advances. The trigger-files do not work. I have reset it 11 times now and used both the recent and authoritative "way"- https://github.com/koreader/koreader...mportant-notes - and older methods, in that order - but only when I copied a saved copy of the installation from the old Kobo was there a glimpse of koreader folders, but it was instantly replaced by a demand to correspond the email address on the kobo to my new account, which causes the deletion of the koreader installation... (can only use the new email now).

NickelMenu is in the bottom right corner - from the first attempts, but it supposedly should not work below FW 4.6... - and it says config error, when touched. And NickelMenu lingers through the factory reset?!

I am out of ways to try the install.

Could I somehow clear out the whole content via USB or some other way, and Really start over?

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by menneske

Will somebody pass on some good advice?

The Kobo Glo HD is my second Kobo.
Installing koreader on the older one was not exactly painless, but it resolved eventually. Software was 4.2.xxx I believe.

This one is refusing all advances. The trigger-files do not work. I have reset it 11 times now and used both the recent and authoritative "way"- https://github.com/koreader/koreader...mportant-notes - and older methods, in that order - but only when I copied a saved copy of the installation from the old Kobo was there a glimpse of koreader folders, but it was instantly replaced by a demand to correspond the email address on the kobo to my new account, which causes the deletion of the koreader installation... (can only use the new email now).

NickelMenu is in the bottom right corner - from the first attempts, but it supposedly should not work below FW 4.6... - and it says config error, when touched. And NickelMenu lingers through the factory reset?!

I am out of ways to try the install.

Could I somehow clear out the whole content via USB or some other way, and Really start over?

I take it that you used the One-Click Install Packages for KOReader & Plato? The One-Click install using KFMON/NickelMenu works but KSM does not work on 4.25 firmware.

If you are using the One-Click install method, are you following the instructions in the second message in the thread?

[vintodrimmer]

If I understand correctly, Kobo eReaders run a modified version of Linux-based OS.
Is there a guide on how to run scripts on a schedule from within the device?
I'd like to have a way to sync particular folders (or the entire storage) on device every night using git.
I tried searching the forum for "git", but didn't find anything, really.