Aura ONE Cannot change font for public library books

MiuMiu · 05-16-2020, 05:19 PM

Hello,

my public library finally enables us to borrow e-books (in .epub format), but I cannot change font type and font size, nor increase line space on those books. For my own books, I know how to make a copy and delete the .css file in Sigil if the font will not change, but with public library books I cannot do that due to DRM protection. The public library says this is the fault of Kobo, because it cannot override the built-in css file from public library books, as apparently (?) other e-readers used for library books can.

There was an old topic discussing Kobo epub fixer app, but those links are dead and I cannot find that app anywhere. Some say that Kobo firmware has fixed this issue, but this is not true - I have the latest software installed, I have just synced my Kobo Aura One and nothing happens.

What can I do to increase font size, change font and increase line space in library books? I am far-sighted and the small font is killing my eyes, I cannot read library books at all without adjusting the font to my preference.

Cheers for any tips on how to solve this.

JSWolf · 05-16-2020, 05:23 PM

Most eBooks borrowed from the library will hae DRM. There is nothing that can be done with them. Please post the titles & authors of these eBooks and I'll see if I can get a hold of any to try here.

As for your deleting the CSS in Sigil when you have a problem, that's not the way to fix what's wrong. You need to learn HTML/CSS so you can fix the problem and not just screw up the eBook.

MiuMiu · 05-16-2020, 05:29 PM

These are Slovenian public library books, in Slovene language from this website https://www.biblos.si. I have to use ADE to load them to my Kobo, I guess this kind of system is used abroad as well?

JSWolf · 05-16-2020, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MiuMiu

These are Slovenian public library books, in Slovene language from this website https://www.biblos.si. I have to use ADE to load them to my Kobo, I guess this kind of system is used abroad as well?

We have Overdrive that download ePub via ADE and then from there to the Kobo.

MiuMiu · 05-16-2020, 05:36 PM

Quote:

As for your deleting the CSS in Sigil when you have a problem, that's not the way to fix what's wrong. You need to learn HTML/CSS so you can fix the problem and not just screw up the eBook

I have no desire nor time to learn html/css

I have read a number of articles on this, it all looks way too complicated for my non-computer head, so the easiest thing for me to do is to make a copy of the original file, delete the css file in that copy and load the book to Kobo. Works perfectly that way and I can adjust the font.

With public library books this cannot be done...

MiuMiu · 05-16-2020, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

We have Overdrive that download ePub via ADE and then from there to the Kobo.

Overdrive is not available in my country. I download the book from Biblos, open it in ADE and send it from ADE to Kobo.

MiuMiu · 05-16-2020, 06:02 PM

Just checked - the books from this public library use Apple Fairplay DRM, so no tinkering with them... Can anything be done on the Kobo itself?

DNSB · 05-16-2020, 09:02 PM

If you look in the Kobo Developer's Corner, the latest firmware patch thread would be Instructions for patching firmware 4.20.14622.

The two patches that might be of interest to you are in the librmsdk.so.1.0.0.yaml file (the second is likely the one you want)..

Ignore ePub book Adobe XPGT stylesheet (page-template.xpgt):
Ignore ePub book CSS and Adobe XPGT stylesheets:

Edit: Since Kobo does not support Apple Fairplay DRM (the only software that I was aware of that supports Apple's DRM on ebooks is iBooks). I'm curious as to how you are getting the books to your Kobo. I suspect the DRM would need to be removed before sending the books to your Kobo which leads to the question of what happens if you copy the book back to your computer from the Kobo? Is the DRM removed from that copy? Is this actually Adobe ADEPT DRM and not Apple's FairPlay?

JSWolf · 05-17-2020, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MiuMiu

Just checked - the books from this public library use Apple Fairplay DRM, so no tinkering with them... Can anything be done on the Kobo itself?

Biblos uses Adobe Digital Editions.

https://eng.mklj.si/index.php/compon...e-books-biblos

Quote:

4. In case you choose to read e-books on your personal computer

Download the free version of Adobe Digital Edition Home programme from Adobe’s web page for reading .epub files on personal computers.

Follow simple instructions that can be found on the “How it works” Biblos subpage.

stumped · 05-17-2020, 01:58 PM

Some library books have locked in very narrow line heights.

I think the forum now allows hints that the same tools used on purchased books will strip DRM from library books, so you can make a temporary personal reading copy with you own choice of fonts,margins, line heights

An example of one library loan that I borrowed and just finished ,is Fatherland (anniversary edition) by Robert Harris. It was unreadable for me on my kobo forma because lines were squashed too close together for my eyes to cope.

My library only had the new 20th? Anniversary edition. Maybe the so called improvements to the layout only apply to that new "Improved" edition

DNSB · 05-17-2020, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stumped

My library only had the new 20th? Anniversary edition. Maybe the so called improvements to the layout only apply to that new "Improved" edition

Quite possibly. I've recently borrowed a couple of ebooks from the library that had CSS that seemed to be oriented towards devices that disregard the publisher's CSS. I removed DRM from a couple of them from the same publisher and found line-height: 100% !important; in the CSS as part of the body style.

MiuMiu · 05-17-2020, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stumped

Some library books have locked in very narrow line heights.

I think the forum now allows hints that the same tools used on purchased books will strip DRM from library books, so you can make a temporary personal reading copy with you own choice of fonts,margins, line heights

An example of one library loan that I borrowed and just finished ,is Fatherland (anniversary edition) by Robert Harris. It was unreadable for me on my kobo forma because lines were squashed too close together for my eyes to cope.

Yes, this is exactly the case with all of the books borrowed from Biblos. I contacted Biblos several times about this and explained this makes their books useless for basically anyone wearing eyeglasses, but they always put the blame on Kobo and that was that from their side.

I have to download a book from Biblos website and it saves as an .acsm file. This I have to open in ADE and send it from ADE to Kobo as an .epub file. I tried removing DRM with Calibre plugins and some other app from this .epub file, but it was impossible. I forgot which app it was, I uninstalled it.

I have no intention of stealing library books or putting them online, since borrowing them is for free (we only have to pay a small annual library membership fee) and nobody reads in Slovene but the Slovenes anyway, I just want to adjust the font so that I could actually read the books...

I love my Kobo Aura One, but this inability to read library books in my mother tongue is a major problem for me

dmacmart · 05-17-2020, 04:13 PM

Just something to try - a couple of times I had library books which would not change font size. I either powered down my H2O or maybe hard-rebooted it (can't remember), and this fixed the problem.

MiuMiu · 05-17-2020, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DNSB

If you look in the Kobo Developer's Corner, the latest firmware patch thread would be Instructions for patching firmware 4.20.14622.

The two patches that might be of interest to you are in the librmsdk.so.1.0.0.yaml file (the second is likely the one you want)..

Ignore ePub book Adobe XPGT stylesheet (page-template.xpgt):
Ignore ePub book CSS and Adobe XPGT stylesheets:

Edit: Since Kobo does not support Apple Fairplay DRM (the only software that I was aware of that supports Apple's DRM on ebooks is iBooks). I'm curious as to how you are getting the books to your Kobo. I suspect the DRM would need to be removed before sending the books to your Kobo which leads to the question of what happens if you copy the book back to your computer from the Kobo? Is the DRM removed from that copy? Is this actually Adobe ADEPT DRM and not Apple's FairPlay?

When I tried removing DRM, the app said the book had Apple Fairplay DRM, which if I remember correctly is nigh on impossible to remove.

MiuMiu · 05-17-2020, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmacmart

Just something to try - a couple of times I had library books which would not change font size. I either powered down my H2O or maybe hard-rebooted it (can't remember), and this fixed the problem.

I have tried all of that a number of times with no success.

Kobo should sort this out with a firmware and they claim to have done that, but practice says otherwise. I have Kobo H2O in addition to Kobo Aura One and it is the same story with library books.

05-16-2020, 05:19 PM	#1
MiuMiu Enthusiast Posts: 36 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Slovenia Device: Kobo Aura One	Cannot change font for public library books Hello, my public library finally enables us to borrow e-books (in .epub format), but I cannot change font type and font size, nor increase line space on those books. For my own books, I know how to make a copy and delete the .css file in Sigil if the font will not change, but with public library books I cannot do that due to DRM protection. The public library says this is the fault of Kobo, because it cannot override the built-in css file from public library books, as apparently (?) other e-readers used for library books can. There was an old topic discussing Kobo epub fixer app, but those links are dead and I cannot find that app anywhere. Some say that Kobo firmware has fixed this issue, but this is not true - I have the latest software installed, I have just synced my Kobo Aura One and nothing happens. What can I do to increase font size, change font and increase line space in library books? I am far-sighted and the small font is killing my eyes, I cannot read library books at all without adjusting the font to my preference. Cheers for any tips on how to solve this.

05-16-2020, 05:23 PM	#2
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,983 Karma: 128903378 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Most eBooks borrowed from the library will hae DRM. There is nothing that can be done with them. Please post the titles & authors of these eBooks and I'll see if I can get a hold of any to try here. As for your deleting the CSS in Sigil when you have a problem, that's not the way to fix what's wrong. You need to learn HTML/CSS so you can fix the problem and not just screw up the eBook. Last edited by JSWolf; 05-16-2020 at 05:31 PM.

05-16-2020, 09:02 PM	#8
DNSB Bibliophagist Posts: 35,428 Karma: 145525534 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Vancouver Device: Kobo Sage, Forma, Clara HD, Lenovo M8 FHD, Paperwhite 4, Tolino epos	If you look in the Kobo Developer's Corner, the latest firmware patch thread would be Instructions for patching firmware 4.20.14622. The two patches that might be of interest to you are in the librmsdk.so.1.0.0.yaml file (the second is likely the one you want).. Ignore ePub book Adobe XPGT stylesheet (page-template.xpgt): Ignore ePub book CSS and Adobe XPGT stylesheets: Edit: Since Kobo does not support Apple Fairplay DRM (the only software that I was aware of that supports Apple's DRM on ebooks is iBooks). I'm curious as to how you are getting the books to your Kobo. I suspect the DRM would need to be removed before sending the books to your Kobo which leads to the question of what happens if you copy the book back to your computer from the Kobo? Is the DRM removed from that copy? Is this actually Adobe ADEPT DRM and not Apple's FairPlay? Last edited by DNSB; 05-16-2020 at 09:12 PM. Reason: Edit: questions that came to mind....

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05-16-2020, 05:29 PM	#3
MiuMiu Enthusiast Posts: 36 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Slovenia Device: Kobo Aura One	These are Slovenian public library books, in Slovene language from this website https://www.biblos.si. I have to use ADE to load them to my Kobo, I guess this kind of system is used abroad as well?

05-16-2020, 06:02 PM	#7
MiuMiu Enthusiast Posts: 36 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Slovenia Device: Kobo Aura One	Just checked - the books from this public library use Apple Fairplay DRM, so no tinkering with them... Can anything be done on the Kobo itself?

05-17-2020, 01:58 PM	#10
stumped Wizard Posts: 3,305 Karma: 10259306 Join Date: May 2016 Device: kobo forma, Kobo Libra, Huawei media Tab, fire HD10, PW3 HDX8.9,	Some library books have locked in very narrow line heights. I think the forum now allows hints that the same tools used on purchased books will strip DRM from library books, so you can make a temporary personal reading copy with you own choice of fonts,margins, line heights An example of one library loan that I borrowed and just finished ,is Fatherland (anniversary edition) by Robert Harris. It was unreadable for me on my kobo forma because lines were squashed too close together for my eyes to cope. My library only had the new 20th? Anniversary edition. Maybe the so called improvements to the layout only apply to that new "Improved" edition

05-17-2020, 04:13 PM	#13
dmacmart Fanatic Posts: 531 Karma: 696908 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Ottawa Canada Device: Kobo Mini, Glo, Arc, H2O, iPhone, iPad 2, (husband)Touch	Just something to try - a couple of times I had library books which would not change font size. I either powered down my H2O or maybe hard-rebooted it (can't remember), and this fixed the problem.