How to install NickelMenu on a Kobo in 2021

[Creeperm4n]

I've been looking around and there aren't many guides with pictures on how to install NickelMenu. So, I made my own.
I can't put an image into this, so I will link to a Google Doc.
Here's the link:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...it?usp=sharing



The doc file is here too:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1va2...ew?usp=sharing

Hope you like this tutorial!

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Creeperm4n

I've been looking around and there aren't many guides with pictures on how to install NickelMenu. So, I made my own.
I can't put an image into this, so I will link to a Google Doc.
Here's the link:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...it?usp=sharing



The doc file is here too:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1va2...ew?usp=sharing

Hope you like this tutorial!

You don't need pictures. The instructions in the NickelMenu thread are very easy to follow.

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=329525

[NiMa]

Originally Posted by Creeperm4n

I've been looking around and there aren't many guides with pictures on how to install NickelMenu. So, I made my own.
I can't put an image into this, so I will link to a Google Doc.
Here's the link:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...it?usp=sharing



The doc file is here too:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1va2...ew?usp=sharing

Hope you like this tutorial!

Very interesting. It could be helpful to some people here. Sure, some screenshots can help sometimes.

But as @JSWolf said, I find the instructions in the NickelMenu post by @geek1011 concise and clear.

[Creeperm4n]

Sure, they are, but I know that some people need pictures. I had to tell my friends about NickelMenu, after all! Also, when I modded my friend's kobo, the doc file didn't show up.

[celticchrys]

I love your idea here, and found it pretty helpful. However, there are some errors, like saying "file" for folder and "left" click for "right" click. I've created an updated version to keep in my own notes, so here it is, in case it might help anyone else.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...it?usp=sharing

[JSWolf]

The way I look at NM is that if you need photos to help you install it instead of the instructions given in text in the NM thread, then you will ind the documentation rather confusing. So NM is not or you.

[celticchrys]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The way I look at NM is that if you need photos to help you install it instead of the instructions given in text in the NM thread, then you will ind the documentation rather confusing. So NM is not or you.

Well, you are free to your opinion. The way I look at it, a mod that is as user-friendly as NM, with a a built in fail-safe and so little chance of breaking a device is the perfect "first mod" for a user who is curious. I believe in helping newbies instead of excluding them. Easier instructions do nothing to hinder more advanced users, after all.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by celticchrys

Well, you are free to your opinion. The way I look at it, a mod that is as user-friendly as NM, with a a built in fail-safe and so little chance of breaking a device is the perfect "first mod" for a user who is curious. I believe in helping newbies instead of excluding them. Easier instructions do nothing to hinder more advanced users, after all.

Easier? Nope. I fin the instructions in the NM thread to be easier to follow.

[DevonHess]

Not to be too critical, but I kind of agree with Jon here.

I like that you include the `ExcludeSyncFolders` trick, but everything else is incorrect.

You never mention putting the `KoboRoot.tgz` file in the `.kobo` folder, so you never actually install NM per these instructions.

You don't need to create the `/.adds/nm` folder or manually add the docs. That's done automatically when installing NM. If that didn't happen when you tried it, there might be something wrong. (Also, no need to reupload the doc file, it's on GitHub)

It looks like your `config` file is actually a folder. Not sure what's going on there.

Finally, if you're making an Installing NickelMenu for Dummies guide, then you should probably also briefly explain how to write the config file, or include a premade one. Otherwise, NM does nothing.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by DevonHess

Not to be too critical, but I kind of agree with Jon here.

I like that you include the `ExcludeSyncFolders` trick, but everything else is incorrect.

You never mention putting the `KoboRoot.tgz` file in the `.kobo` folder, so you never actually install NM per these instructions.

You don't need to create the `/.adds/nm` folder or manually add the docs. That's done automatically when installing NM. If that didn't happen when you tried it, there might be something wrong. (Also, no need to reupload the doc file, it's on GitHub)

It looks like your `config` file is actually a folder. Not sure what's going on there.

Finally, if you're making an Installing NickelMenu for Dummies guide, then you should probably also briefly explain how to write the config file, or include a premade one. Otherwise, NM does nothing.

One other thing that's not quote correct. The regex to exclude .directories from being scanned is not the latest version.

I did have another look at the directions and even if they were 100% correct, I still would find them harder to use then the directions given in the NickelMenu thread. I had no problem at all reading the directions and following them. I don't get why these directions are needed, You then have to be able to understand the documentation in order to start using NM. If you cannot understand the text directions, then I don't think so-called simplified directions is going to help.

[geek1011]

I'm sorry, but I have to agree with JSWolf and DevonHess here. This guide has lots of subtle inaccuracies. For example, why is the config file appearing as a folder in the screenshot? And, where do you actually install KoboRoot.tgz.

On a somewhat related note, I strongly recommend that each person chooses their own name for their config file (it can be a .txt since it's harder to make files without extensions on Windows) to prevent conflicts (especially with vlavsovsoft, since they used config as their file name even though I recommended against it).

P.S. kobo-dotfile-hack still works well if people encounter issues with the config file (use the new -ng one in my kobo-mods GitHub repository instead since it's a bit more future-proof).

[DevonHess]

Originally Posted by geek1011

especially with vlavsovsoft, since they used config as their file name even though I recommended against it

That's fixed in the current release, actually.

[gogu1904]

Originally Posted by geek1011

P.S. kobo-dotfile-hack still works well if people encounter issues with the config file (use the new -ng one in my kobo-mods GitHub repository instead since it's a bit more future-proof).

I suppose using kobo-dotfile-hack-ng makes the [FeatureSettings] line ExcludeSyncFolders in the conf file no longer required, right? Thank you.

[geek1011]

Originally Posted by gogu1904

I suppose using kobo-dotfile-hack-ng makes the [FeatureSettings] line ExcludeSyncFolders in the conf file no longer required, right? Thank you.

It's a bit more complex than that: kobo-dotfile-hack (the one in the thread) was put together in an hour or two and wasn't very future-proof or polished (in fact, an update a few releases after started using /etc/ld.so.preload for some optimized stdlib functions, which conflicts with kobo-dotfile-hack). Then, ExcludeSyncFolders was added by Kobo, but it took some time for @NiLuJe, @baskerville, and the others to figure out how to use it. That replaced kobo-dotfile-hack for the majority of people. Later on, after working on NickelHook, I decided to make an updated version, kobo-dotfile-hack-ng, mostly for myself and for testing NickelHook. This version is cleaner and a lot more future-proof.

TLDR: In general, I'd recommend ExcludeSyncFolders. But, if you don't like it for some reason, if you have trouble with it, or if you want it to persist through sign-outs, kobo-dotfile-hack-ng can be used instead. The original kobo-dotfile-hack is deprecated.

[DevonHess]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The regex to exclude .directories from being scanned is not the latest version.

Originally Posted by geek1011

In general, I'd recommend ExcludeSyncFolders.

Just in case anyone is searching for it, here's the most up to date ExcludeSyncFolders regex, via the kfmon source code.

[FeatureSettings]
ExcludeSyncFolders=(\\.(?!kobo|adobe).+|([^.][^/]*/)+\\..+)