Libra Kobo PDF Solutions

bob_alv · 01-24-2020, 07:49 AM

Hello everyone!

I recently purchased a Kobo Libra H2O for a lightweight solution for reading on a backpacking trip, but now I'm running into some problems.

Let me explain my situation. I'm a graduate student that primarily reads academic pdfs or document scan pdfs, the latter of which I run through a program to make searchable. I installed koreader onto my kobo and have really enjoyed the reading experience, but now I have the problem wanting to sync my pdf highlights and notes between documents on my kobo and my mac.

I've been pulling my hair out all morning trying to do this. I rather naively supposed that this would be a fairly standard feature, but after pouring through kobo forums, koreader forums, calibre forums, and plugin lists, I remain mystified. I generally prefer to hardwrite the annotations into the pdf and sync the pdf, but after being stymied on that front I decided to try to evernote plugin in koreader only to have it repeatedly crash on me at login.

I'm not bound to any of the programs I have already mentioned as potential solutions. At this point, I don't particularly care if the highlights or annotations are exported to other files or if they are hardwritten into the pdfs, but generally I'm a little odd in that I prefer the latter. The only thing that I'm bound by is hardware and a reluctance to pay more money for other services, such as dropbox or evernote, especially given that I already have onedrive and onenote. I just want to sync my pdfs without manually copying and pasting every time I read on my mac or kobo. Any help that you all can offer is more than welcome. Thanks!

(P.S. Sorry if this post is more germane to the koreader forum than the kobo forum. I'm new here, and since I figured that I'm open to any kobo-related solution, I should post it here. Thanks again.)

JSWolf · 01-24-2020, 08:15 AM

The best way to read PDF on your Libra is to install KOReader for reading PDF.

bob_alv · 01-24-2020, 09:51 AM

Thanks for replying @JSWolf, but I already have koreader on my Libra.

The problem is with syncing highlights and annotations between the files on the Libra and the originals on my mac. Thanks again for your help!

NiLuJe · 01-24-2020, 03:34 PM

Does @embryo's tool fit the bill?

(I have a strong hate/hate relationship with PDFs, so I'm not quite sure we handle highlights the same way than we do with CRe

).

bob_alv · 01-25-2020, 04:28 AM

@NiLuJe, thanks for pointing out embryo's tool! That might work, but I must admit, I am very much out of my depth here with respect to installing KOHighlights. It also seems to only have linux and windows compatibility and I use a Mac. If I am wrong about this, however, I would love to be corrected.

I think that for me the best option is to give into the Evernote or Joplin functionality. I'm a little biased towards Joplin––it's free––but looking at the github threads on the plugin, it seems like it is also out of my depth. I'm also not sure if it's written to be compatible with the Mac Joplin versions.

So that leaves Evernote where I get the below crash page whenever I tap the password field in the login in process.

Help?

https://1drv.ms/u/s!AurnVm193zRqmmxk...GCeF4?e=OqOP37

bob_alv · 01-25-2020, 01:15 PM

Okay, at the risk of overposting here, I'll give an update on my adventures with Joplin. I'm trying to set it up so that Joplin saves to my OnDrive account and receives my notes from KOReader. My problem thus far has been that the online github threads don't mention mac connectivity.

I'm stubborn if nothing else, so I blindly searched around for ways to create a local network between my KOReader and Joplin on my mac. I ended up using a free (limited) software called Core Tunnel to make my KOReader into an SSH Server connected to localhost:41184, the standard Joplin port. I'm still not sure quite how, but Core Tunnel says that's working now.

However, despite now having a connection, when I try to export my notes, KOReader crashes saying "No response from Joplin server". I'm flying blind here; is there any hope for this solution, or am I wasting my time? Thanks!

NiLuJe · 01-25-2020, 05:03 PM

@bob_alv: KOHighlights is pure-Python, so it *should* run from sources on macOS, provided you have a suitable Python setup with the required dependencies (f.g., via homebrew. Note that I'm unclear on the status of Python in homebrew since the Great Python2 EoL, and whether KOHighlights is completely functional on Python 3).

The Evernote plugin is unmaintained, and while your link is down, there are a couple issues open re: various crashes on login/exports, so, probably one of those

.

I don't have any experience with the Joplin interaction, either, but the maintainer is active, so it's worth opening an issue on GitHub to ask for more info there

.

01-24-2020, 07:49 AM	#1
bob_alv Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2020 Device: kobo libra h2o	Kobo PDF Solutions Hello everyone! I recently purchased a Kobo Libra H2O for a lightweight solution for reading on a backpacking trip, but now I'm running into some problems. Let me explain my situation. I'm a graduate student that primarily reads academic pdfs or document scan pdfs, the latter of which I run through a program to make searchable. I installed koreader onto my kobo and have really enjoyed the reading experience, but now I have the problem wanting to sync my pdf highlights and notes between documents on my kobo and my mac. I've been pulling my hair out all morning trying to do this. I rather naively supposed that this would be a fairly standard feature, but after pouring through kobo forums, koreader forums, calibre forums, and plugin lists, I remain mystified. I generally prefer to hardwrite the annotations into the pdf and sync the pdf, but after being stymied on that front I decided to try to evernote plugin in koreader only to have it repeatedly crash on me at login. I'm not bound to any of the programs I have already mentioned as potential solutions. At this point, I don't particularly care if the highlights or annotations are exported to other files or if they are hardwritten into the pdfs, but generally I'm a little odd in that I prefer the latter. The only thing that I'm bound by is hardware and a reluctance to pay more money for other services, such as dropbox or evernote, especially given that I already have onedrive and onenote. I just want to sync my pdfs without manually copying and pasting every time I read on my mac or kobo. Any help that you all can offer is more than welcome. Thanks! (P.S. Sorry if this post is more germane to the koreader forum than the kobo forum. I'm new here, and since I figured that I'm open to any kobo-related solution, I should post it here. Thanks again.)

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01-24-2020, 08:15 AM	#2
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,987 Karma: 128903378 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	The best way to read PDF on your Libra is to install KOReader for reading PDF.

01-24-2020, 09:51 AM	#3
bob_alv Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2020 Device: kobo libra h2o	Thanks for replying @JSWolf, but I already have koreader on my Libra. The problem is with syncing highlights and annotations between the files on the Libra and the originals on my mac. Thanks again for your help!

01-24-2020, 03:34 PM	#4
NiLuJe BLAM! Posts: 13,477 Karma: 26012494 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Paris, France Device: Kindle 2i, 3g, 4, 5w, PW, PW2, PW5; Kobo H2O, Forma, Elipsa, Sage, C2E	Does @embryo's tool fit the bill? (I have a strong hate/hate relationship with PDFs, so I'm not quite sure we handle highlights the same way than we do with CRe ).

01-25-2020, 04:28 AM	#5
bob_alv Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2020 Device: kobo libra h2o	@NiLuJe, thanks for pointing out embryo's tool! That might work, but I must admit, I am very much out of my depth here with respect to installing KOHighlights. It also seems to only have linux and windows compatibility and I use a Mac. If I am wrong about this, however, I would love to be corrected. I think that for me the best option is to give into the Evernote or Joplin functionality. I'm a little biased towards Joplin––it's free––but looking at the github threads on the plugin, it seems like it is also out of my depth. I'm also not sure if it's written to be compatible with the Mac Joplin versions. So that leaves Evernote where I get the below crash page whenever I tap the password field in the login in process. Help? https://1drv.ms/u/s!AurnVm193zRqmmxk...GCeF4?e=OqOP37

01-25-2020, 01:15 PM	#6
bob_alv Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2020 Device: kobo libra h2o	Okay, at the risk of overposting here, I'll give an update on my adventures with Joplin. I'm trying to set it up so that Joplin saves to my OnDrive account and receives my notes from KOReader. My problem thus far has been that the online github threads don't mention mac connectivity. I'm stubborn if nothing else, so I blindly searched around for ways to create a local network between my KOReader and Joplin on my mac. I ended up using a free (limited) software called Core Tunnel to make my KOReader into an SSH Server connected to localhost:41184, the standard Joplin port. I'm still not sure quite how, but Core Tunnel says that's working now. However, despite now having a connection, when I try to export my notes, KOReader crashes saying "No response from Joplin server". I'm flying blind here; is there any hope for this solution, or am I wasting my time? Thanks!

01-25-2020, 05:03 PM	#7
NiLuJe BLAM! Posts: 13,477 Karma: 26012494 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Paris, France Device: Kindle 2i, 3g, 4, 5w, PW, PW2, PW5; Kobo H2O, Forma, Elipsa, Sage, C2E	@bob_alv: KOHighlights is pure-Python, so it should run from sources on macOS, provided you have a suitable Python setup with the required dependencies (f.g., via homebrew. Note that I'm unclear on the status of Python in homebrew since the Great Python2 EoL, and whether KOHighlights is completely functional on Python 3). The Evernote plugin is unmaintained, and while your link is down, there are a couple issues open re: various crashes on login/exports, so, probably one of those . I don't have any experience with the Joplin interaction, either, but the maintainer is active, so it's worth opening an issue on GitHub to ask for more info there .