kobopatch - An improved patching system

[Regard_39]

Oh, thank you DNSB. I put the fonts file in the .kobo folder.
Everything's perfect now. And thank you JSWolf also for correcting the link

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Regard_39

Oh, thank you DNSB. I put the fonts file in the .kobo folder.
Everything's perfect now. And thank you JSWolf also for correcting the link

Good to hear that it's working now.

[jpirez]

Hi
With the new version of kobopatch_4.20.14601 I am having this problem.
Any help will be very much appreciated.

Patching ./usr/local/Kobo/nickel
Error: could not apply patches: could not load patch file 'src/nickel.yaml': could not parse patch file: line 294: patch "Reduce new header/footer height": yaml: unmarshal errors:
line 294: cannot unmarshal !!str `Enabled:no` into kobopatch.InstructionNode

[geek1011]

Originally Posted by jpirez

Hi
With the new version of kobopatch_4.20.14601 I am having this problem.
Any help will be very much appreciated.

Patching ./usr/local/Kobo/nickel
Error: could not apply patches: could not load patch file 'src/nickel.yaml': could not parse patch file: line 294: patch "Reduce new header/footer height": yaml: unmarshal errors:
line 294: cannot unmarshal !!str `Enabled:no` into kobopatch.InstructionNode

You need a space between Enabled: and no.

[jpirez]

Thanks

[huyxom]

Originally Posted by geek1011

You need a space between Enabled: and no.

Do I have to upgrade my firmware to newest before patching up?

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by huyxom

Do I have to upgrade my firmware to newest before patching up?

Yes. The firmware running on your Kobo needs to match the firmware you are patching.

[geek1011]

Originally Posted by huyxom

Do I have to upgrade my firmware to newest before patching up?

Not if you download an old patch zip. There's an index in one of the stickied threads.

[geek1011]

kobopatch v0.15.0 is out

Kobopatch v0.15.0 significantly improves symbol and offset-related functions.

New instructions/fields:

• FlexAbsOffset can be used in place of wherever an absolute offset is taken (ReplaceBytes.Base, ReplaceBytes.FindInstBLX, ReplaceBytes.ReplaceInstBLX, ReplaceBytes.FindInstBW, ReplaceBytes.ReplaceInstBW, ReplaceBytes.ReplaceInstNOP, BaseAddress), with the exception of deprecated instructions/fields which need to retain compatibility regarding symbol offsets.
  • It can be used shorthand with an integer (for the Offset field) or a string (for the Sym field).
  • It has an Offset field for absolute offsets.
  • It has a Sym field for dynamic symbols.
  • It has a SymPLT field for their PLT entries.
  • It has a SymPLTTail field for matching the corresponding tail call stub.
  • It has a Rel field for adding/subtracting from the resulting absolute offset. Note that in general, it is preferred to use the Offset field of a more specific instruction, unless using the Rel field greatly simplifies the readability or maintainability of a patch.
  • All symbols can be matched using mangled or demangled names.
• ReplaceBytes now has new generators:
  • InstBLX can find/replace BLX instructions and takes a FlexAbsOffset.
  • InstBW can find/replace B.W instructions and takes a FlexAbsOffset.
  • The branch generators above have simple sanity checks built-in.
  • InstNOP replaces with NOPs.
• ReplaceBytes now has new fields:
  • CheckOnly skips replacements and instead just ensures the Find is present. This is mainly useful for multi-version patches made using the new symbol stuff which also needs to do things like ensure an argument is as expected.
  • Base overrides the current offset for that single instruction and takes a FlexAbsOffset. The Offset field is added to the resolved Base.
• BaseAddress now accepts a FlexAbsOffset.

Deprecations (these will still remain indefinitely for compatibility with the old patches):

• ReplaceBytesAtSymbol is now deprecated in favour of ReplaceBytes.Base.Sym.
• FindBaseAddressSymbol is now deprecated in favour of BaseAddress.Sym.
• ReplaceBytesNOP is now deprecated in favour of ReplaceBytes.ReplaceNOP.
• ReplaceBLX is now deprecated in favour of ReplaceBytes.FindInstBLX and ReplaceBytes.ReplaceInstBLX.

Bugfixes/improvements:

• The log for ReplaceBytes is now a lot more useful and easier to understand, especially when using generators.
• Instruction names in certain error messages have been corrected.
• The bug where all symbol offsets were off by one has been fixed in the new instructions (the old ones are being left as-is to maintain backwards-compatibility.

I've tested the results of an updated version of the patches against the original ones, and everything is perfectly identical.

There is also a new symdump tool (which can be used on libnickel or any other dynamic library) based on the new symbol code.

---

For usage examples, see the updated patches on GitHub (they will be released soon) here, here, and here.

---

A major benefit of these changes is that patches like "My 24 line spacing values", along with many others are now multi-version or very close to it. In addition, these changes make it easier to experiment and harder to make mistakes in offsets.

[boriar]

@geek1011
Is there something new about this petition?

Originally Posted by boriar

@geek1011
Would it be possible to include the directory and recursion options in the "ADDITIONAL FILES" section?
Something like:
*** src/[whateverdir]: usr/local/[whateverdir]
where all files within the [whateverdir] directory are copied with the same file structure at the indicated site.

Of course, big thanks as always for improve continuously the patch system

[Scaledish]

why do I need to reinstall the firmware on my kobo or download it at all for that matter?

thanks for the work on this!

[Scaledish]

on some internet connections, I don't have access to https://pgaskin.net/KoboStuff/kobofirmware.html
is there another mirror?

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Scaledish

on some internet connections, I don't have access to https://pgaskin.net/KoboStuff/kobofirmware.html
is there another mirror?

No need for a mirror. The second post in the thread about 4.20.14622 has all the same links from the firmware site.

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=328041

[Scaledish]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

No need for a mirror. The second post in the thread about 4.20.14622 has all the same links from the firmware site.

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=328041

thats great, works perfectly. may I ask WHY I need to download the firmware again? what does it do, considring its already on the device?

sorry, one more question. do I need do do this EVERY firmware update?

thanks in advance for the help

[jackie_w]

Originally Posted by Scaledish

may I ask WHY I need to download the firmware again? what does it do, considring its already on the device?

If a firmware is already installed on the device you don't need to do it again.
ETA: However, the kobopatch system does require a copy of the firmware .zip file in one of it's directories so you may need to download a copy.

Originally Posted by Scaledish

sorry, one more question. do I need do do this EVERY firmware update?

Yes you do. Many (but not all) patches have to be updated every time a new firmware is released and you must only ever install the patches intended for the same firmware as is installed on your Kobo. All things being well, a new kobopatch pack will be released within a few days of each new firmware release.