Instructions for patching firmware 3.11.0

[slantybard]

Playing around with the patch file on my H2O, I have settled on the following footer modification:

replace_string = DBDC0D, `min-height: 70px;`, `min-height: 40px;`
replace_string = DBDC20, `max-height: 70px;`, `max-height: 40px;`
replace_string = DBDC3D, `footerMargin: 105;`, `footerMargin: 040;`
replace_string = DBDC58, `font-size: 16px;`, `font-size: 26px;`
replace_string = DBDC6A, `padding-bottom: 0px;`, `padding-bottom:12px;`
replace_string = DBDC80, `margin-top: 0px;`, `margin-top:-5px;`

footerMargin again seems to do nothing but left it how I had it before

I had to increase the padding-bottom value to 12 (removed space to make sure exact character length remained the same) to make sure that the "g" of the "Page" read footer wasn't cut off the bottom of the screen. To get the most lines I could per page at my font settings, I used a smaller height of 40 and a negative margin-top (again ensuring that the exact character length of the code remained the same).

I have also used font-family Georgia for the default footer font.

Now, I am curious, can we specify different font-family from Avenir, Amasis, and Georgia for the footer? How about using a side-loaded font for the footer? Has anyone tried this?

[GeoffR]

In the previous firmware version Kobo used footerMargin values of 15 for Glo/Aura, 20 for AuraHD/H2O and 40 for other devices. For this version Kobo changed the values to 170 for AuraHD/H2O and 105 for other devices. The example patches just preserve the values set by Kobo in case they are important for something.

It should be okay to use other fonts for the footer, but if the font has a long name then you will need to edit the first replace_string in the patch to make it fit. (those of you familliar with css might want to delete all the examples and just work with the first replace_string line by itself anyway.)

I suggest Avenir or Georgia because these fonts are used in other places in the UI, so they are probably already in the device's memory, but you will have to experiment and see what else works.

[Nick_1964]

Originally Posted by GeoffR

In the previous firmware version Kobo used footerMargin values of 15 for Glo/Aura, 20 for AuraHD/H2O and 40 for other devices. For this version Kobo changed the values to 170 for AuraHD/H2O and 105 for other devices. The example patches just preserve the values set by Kobo in case they are important for something.

It should be okay to use other fonts for the footer, but if the font has a long name then you will need to edit the first replace_string in the patch to make it fit. (those of you familliar with css might want to delete all the examples and just work with the first replace_string line by itself anyway.)

I suggest Avenir or Georgia because these fonts are used in other places in the UI, so they are probably already in the device's memory, but you will have to experiment and see what else works.

Ok, then it is "behind" this topic, but for some reason Kobo did change the footermargin values (is it idiot to think that it has something to do with the new function for "one handed" reading so it defines the place counted from bezel as border for the choice between back or forward ? ) so I think when it is important enough for them to do that, it better can be "not touched" ?
With my dislectic problem,I explained before I see pages or posts like pictures,it makes me read at a big speed.
But, I have problems with long strings of numbers, I have to device them into blocks of 2,same with telephone numbers,social security numbers,bank accounts,so I will never manage to edit those long strings
That is why I like the finetune things you made, because I now know how to handle, but the things like min-height and max-height interact with the long first replacestring ?? Because if I ever need to change the big string, I have always ask you for your help..

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Nick_1964

That is why I like the finetune things you made, because I now know how to handle, but the things like min-height and max-height interact with the long first replacestring ?? Because if I ever need to change the big string, I have always ask you for your help..

The min-height, etc. strings are also in the long string. I like the way that GeoffR split out the bits of that string that are being replaced since it is easier for most people to work with the shorter strings. In my opinion, it is also easier to notice errors such as a replacement string that is too long with the short strings. For those who have multiple devices, it makes keeping changing setups easier -- just remove the #'s from the one you want to use and add them to the ones you don't want to use.

[gisozar]

Thank you very much guys, always a great job

[jackie_w]

moved

[gisozar]

Originally Posted by jackie_w

Works OK for me in v3.11. The weight slider sets and stores weight/sharpness values for the font name you had selected when you used the weight slider. Is it possible you changed fonts? If you change fonts you may be using one which hasn't yet had its preferred weight/thickness set.

Thank you for the answer, I was writing in the wrong thread and I moved my post in the 3.11 general thread. Anyway, I use always Kobo Nickel (but is the same with the other stock fonts) and I didn't installed yet the new "freedom to advanced control" patch.

sorry again for the OT

[Nick_1964]

Originally Posted by DNSB

The min-height, etc. strings are also in the long string. I like the way that GeoffR split out the bits of that string that are being replaced since it is easier for most people to work with the shorter strings. In my opinion, it is also easier to notice errors such as a replacement string that is too long with the short strings. For those who have multiple devices, it makes keeping changing setups easier -- just remove the #'s from the one you want to use and add them to the ones you don't want to use.

Totally agree, as long as I only have to focus on the bits and just comment out the ones I don't need, so I understand that I don't have to worry about the values in the long string,just take it over with the possible changed values,then I think it is possible for me to do it in the future myself, and I have multiple devices so yes, I only have to comment or comment it out for every device.
As long as I don't have to change things in the long string myself i can handle it,if I have to make changes as per device in that long string then I can forget it, thanks for making this clear for me.

[icallaci]

Originally Posted by slantybard

Playing around with the patch file on my H2O, I have settled on the following footer modification:

replace_string = DBDC0D, `min-height: 70px;`, `min-height: 40px;`
replace_string = DBDC20, `max-height: 70px;`, `max-height: 40px;`
replace_string = DBDC3D, `footerMargin: 105;`, `footerMargin: 040;`
replace_string = DBDC58, `font-size: 16px;`, `font-size: 26px;`
replace_string = DBDC6A, `padding-bottom: 0px;`, `padding-bottom:12px;`
replace_string = DBDC80, `margin-top: 0px;`, `margin-top:-5px;`

footerMargin again seems to do nothing but left it how I had it before

I really like the way this looks, but I have a question: Have you tried this with a larger font size? I seem to remember doing something similar in a previous firmware version, and it looked great when the font was small, but it cut off the tops and bottoms of letters if I increased the font size. Just wondering. Thanks.

[slantybard]

Originally Posted by icallaci

I really like the way this looks, but I have a question: Have you tried this with a larger font size? I seem to remember doing something similar in a previous firmware version, and it looked great when the font was small, but it cut off the tops and bottoms of letters if I increased the font size. Just wondering. Thanks.

I tried it with larger sizes and there was no text cut off. I will attach screenshots of the larger text when I get home and can transfer off the pictures. Edit: screenshots of larger text (Scalzi Old Man War) added.

[slantybard]

Thanks for the thoughts about changing the footer font. I have now done the following:

Custom footer code for H2O:

replace_string = DBDC0D, `min-height: 70px;`, `min-height: 40px;`
replace_string = DBDC20, `max-height: 70px;`, `max-height: 40px;`
replace_string = DBDC3D, `footerMargin: 105;`, `footerMargin: 040;`
replace_string = DBDC58, `font-size: 16px;`, `font-size: 26px;`
replace_string = DBDC6A, `padding-bottom: 0px;`, `padding-bottom:12px;`
replace_string = DBDC80, `margin-top: 0px;`, `margin-top:-5px;`

and:

replace_string = DBDC92, `/*font-family:none;*/`, `font-family: Delima;`

As per my earlier post, all string lengths carefully kept the same.

To get the font of the footer to match my custom side loaded font, I changed the custom font metrics to "Delima" (you need to use a typography program to do this) and dropped the fake "Delima" fonts into the fonts folder on my Aura H2O. Now, the H2O thinks my custom font is the system font Delima. I also changed the font-family in the footer string in the libnickel patch file to Delima and then patched as per normal.

**I had to refresh the fonts on my device for this to show up properly - I did this by changing the font in the book I was reading**

Below is the screenshot showing the results where both the book text and the footer text are the same custom side-loaded font. This also worked at larger sizes.

A big thanks to all those who helped in answering my questions AND for making it possible to patch my device!

[icallaci]

Originally Posted by slantybard

I tried it with larger sizes and there was no text cut off. I will attach screenshots of the larger text when I get home and can transfer off the pictures. Edit: screenshots of larger text (Scalzi Old Man War) added.

Thank you! I'm changing my patch settings to these.

[neil74]

This new version is driving me mad! On my Aura before the upgrade I had the footer settings perfect but I cannot do any better than the attached now. Not terrible but there are still a good 2 or 3 wasted lines there.


# Example for Glo/Aura:
replace_string = DBDC0D, `min-height: 70px;`, `min-height: 40px;`
replace_string = DBDC20, `max-height: 70px;`, `max-height: 40px;`
replace_string = DBDC3D, `footerMargin: 105;`, `footerMargin: 040;`
replace_string = DBDC58, `font-size: 16px;`, `font-size: 26px;`
replace_string = DBDC6A, `padding-bottom: 0px;`, `padding-bottom:13px;`
replace_string = DBDC80, `margin-top: 0px;`, `margin-top:-5px;`

Also anybody know how to run the patcher on a mac? No joy so far so I am having to use my work PC

[Nick_1964]

Originally Posted by neil74

This new version is driving me mad! On my Aura before the upgrade I had the footer settings perfect but I cannot do any better than the attached now. Not terrible but there are still a good 2 or 3 wasted lines there.


# Example for Glo/Aura:
replace_string = DBDC0D, `min-height: 70px;`, `min-height: 40px;`
replace_string = DBDC20, `max-height: 70px;`, `max-height: 40px;`
replace_string = DBDC3D, `footerMargin: 105;`, `footerMargin: 040;`
replace_string = DBDC58, `font-size: 16px;`, `font-size: 26px;`
replace_string = DBDC6A, `padding-bottom: 0px;`, `padding-bottom:13px;`
replace_string = DBDC80, `margin-top: 0px;`, `margin-top:-5px;`

Also anybody know how to run the patcher on a mac? No joy so far so I am having to use my work PC

For my Glo I use this:

replace_string = DBDC0D, `min-height: 70px;`, `min-height: 40px;`
replace_string = DBDC20, `max-height: 70px;`, `max-height: 40px;`
replace_string = DBDC3D, `footerMargin: 105;`, `footerMargin: 105;`
replace_string = DBDC58, `font-size: 16px;`, `font-size: 28px;`
replace_string = DBDC6A, `padding-bottom: 0px;`, `padding-bottom: 7px;`
replace_string = DBDC80, `margin-top: 0px;`, `margin-top:10px;`

Leaving just one line between txt and footer.
It seems like the first 2 strings define how big the footer is, but if the total of the other exeedes the min or max hight it wents totally out of balance.
At me, when font size,padding bottom and marging top are not "around" the min or max height it wents out of balance.
When I remove the padding bottom value, or change the margin-top, my logics say, there is more space within the footer margings, but when I do that, the text is 3 of 4 lines higher and the footer size is bigger (more blanc lines between txt and footer) so I don't understand exactly what happens but with above patcher my page is perfect.
(I do have to go after patch into the margins menu and move some sliders so the page is rendered again,or else the footer is under the bezel)
I hope this works okay for you.

[PeterT]

Originally Posted by GeoffR

Before starting:

...

Patching from Windows, Linux (i386/x86_64), or Mac (OS X 10.8-10.9, i386/x86_64):

....

4. In Windows double-click 3.11.0.bat; For Linux/mac run ./3.11.0.sh from the command line.

5. If there were no errors, copy the resulting KoboRoot.tgz from the 3.11.0_target subdirectory to the .kobo directory on your ereader.

6. Safely eject and unplug the device, which will then update and restart.

I thought there WERE instructions for mac users here!