Instructions for patching firmware 4.33.19608

[geek1011]

This patch thread is for firmware 4.33.19608 (beb075f387338b47af1067a16c8d8564e4ce2e89):

Instructions for patching on Windows, Linux, or macOS with kobopatch:

1. Download the Kobo firmware release
   You can find the download links here here.
2. Download and extract the patch zip
   Download and unzip kobopatch_4.33.19608.zip from here.
3. Copy the firmware file to the src folder
   Copy the original firmware you just downloaded into the kobopatch src folder.
4. Install the firmware if needed
   Install the firmware on your kobo BEFORE proceeding with the next steps. You can do this by extracting the contents of the firmware zip into the .kobo folder and ejecting.
5. Choose your patches from the files in the src folder
   Enable patches in the files in the src folder (or use the overrides in kobopatch.yaml to keep your options separate).
6. Run kobopatch
   Double-click kobopatch.bat on Windows, or run ./kobopatch.sh on Linux or macOS. On macOS, you can drag it into the terminal and press enter (you may need to go to System Preferences - Security and Privacy - General to confirm that you actually want to run it).
7. Install the patches by copying KoboRoot.tgz into the .kobo folder of your device
   If the patching succeeded, a file named KoboRoot.tgz will be created in the out folder. Copy it to the .kobo folder of your device. Safely remove your device once you are finished. On Linux, you may have to press Ctrl+H to show the .kobo folder.

Download

[geek1011]

Changes to the kobopatch zip:
v76 (2022-06-01): Initial release for 4.33.19608.

Missing patches:
- GeoffR: KePub constant font sharpness
- GeoffR: Ignore .otf fonts

Removed patches in this version:
- jackie_w: KePub stylesheet additions - optimizeSpeed
- jackie_w: KePub stylesheet additions - optimizeLegibility

New patches in this version:
- jackie_w: KePub stylesheet additions - word-spacing

[jackie_w]

Originally Posted by geek1011

Removed patches in this version:
- jackie_w: KePub stylesheet additions - optimizeSpeed
- jackie_w: KePub stylesheet additions - optimizeLegibility

These 2 patches have been retired because they are no longer needed. You can now edit your Kobo config file (.kobo/Kobo/Kobo eReader.conf) to achieve the same result. See this post for more detail.

The benefit of using the Kobo config file is that it will survive firmware upgrades, whereas the old kobopatches needed to be re-enabled after every upgrade.

[JSWolf]

Thank you @geek1011 and @jackie_w.

[xyclonei]

Much appreciated, geek1011 & jackie_w!

The reading improvement of KePub stylesheet additions - word-spacing patch is fantastic! (I've set mine to -0.03em as -0.05em feels a bit too crowded. )

[GlenRunciter]

TXH for the patches. everything went smoothly.

[Deobulakenyo]

Originally Posted by jackie_w

These 2 patches have been retired because they are no longer needed. You can now edit your Kobo config file (.kobo/Kobo/Kobo eReader.conf) to achieve the same result. See this post for more detail.

The benefit of using the Kobo config file is that it will survive firmware upgrades, whereas the old kobopatches needed to be re-enabled after every upgrade.

Can this two options be included in the conf file or only a choice between the two?

webkitTextRendering=optimizelegibility
webkitTextRendering=optimizespeed

[xyclonei]

Originally Posted by Deobulakenyo

Can this two options be included in the conf file or only a choice between the two?

webkitTextRendering=optimizelegibility
webkitTextRendering=optimizespeed

I believe it's either of the two, as the last entry will most likely override the first.

[Deobulakenyo]

Originally Posted by xyclonei

I believe it's either of the two, as the last entry will most likely override the first.

Thank you, are these settings for the texts in a book when reading it? The webkit term is throwing me off.

[jackie_w]

Originally Posted by Deobulakenyo

Thank you, are these settings for the texts in a book when reading it? The webkit term is throwing me off.

QtWebKit is the underlying text rendering engine used by the Kobo kepub reading app (and other reading apps).

The descriptions from the 2 retired patches may help with understanding the 2 options:

• optimizelegibility: Enables ligatures/kerning in KePubs, but may cause some additional rendering problems for fully justified text.
• optimizespeed: Disables ligatures/kerning, but fixes some rendering problems that affect fully justified text in KePub

Basically you're choosing whether to render kepub text faster or "better". The latter being subjective, of course.

[Deobulakenyo]

Originally Posted by jackie_w

QtWebKit is the underlying text rendering engine used by the Kobo kepub reading app (and other reading apps).

The descriptions from the 2 retired patches may help with understanding the 2 options:

• optimizelegibility: Enables ligatures/kerning in KePubs, but may cause some additional rendering problems for fully justified text.
• optimizespeed: Disables ligatures/kerning, but fixes some rendering problems that affect fully justified text in KePub

Basically you're choosing whether to render kepub text faster or "better". The latter being subjective, of course.

Thank you for the explanation.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by jackie_w

QtWebKit is the underlying text rendering engine used by the Kobo kepub reading app (and other reading apps).

The descriptions from the 2 retired patches may help with understanding the 2 options:

• optimizelegibility: Enables ligatures/kerning in KePubs, but may cause some additional rendering problems for fully justified text.
• optimizespeed: Disables ligatures/kerning, but fixes some rendering problems that affect fully justified text in KePub

Basically you're choosing whether to render kepub text faster or "better". The latter being subjective, of course.

Just a quick note. This will have no effect on ePub as that uses RMSDK and does not use webkit.

[Uncle Robin]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Just a quick note. This will have no effect on ePub as that uses RMSDK and does not use webkit.

which is of course made abundantly clear by the fact that every single post talking about these settings says "Kepub", not EPUB. Subtle hints like "QtWebKit is the underlying text rendering engine used by the Kobo kepub (e.a.)reading app" might have given it away to sharp eyed readers as well.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Uncle Robin

which is of course made abundantly clear by the fact that every single post talking about these settings says "Kepub", not EPUB. Subtle hints like "QtWebKit is the underlying text rendering engine used by the Kobo kepub (e.a.)reading app" might have given it away to sharp eyed readers as well.

I posted that because of "(and other reading apps)" where it could be easy to think ePub as well given that it's another reading app.

[Uncle Robin]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I posted that because of "(and other reading apps)" where it could be easy to think ePub as well given that it's another reading app.

YOU quoted this, but I will make it REALLY obvious for you anyway.

optimizelegibility: Enables ligatures/kerning in KePubs, but may cause some additional rendering problems for fully justified text.
optimizespeed: Disables ligatures/kerning, but fixes some rendering problems that affect fully justified text in KePub


Basically you're choosing whether to render kepub text faster or "better". The latter being subjective, of course.

That's at least FOUR times the post you quoted and referred to made it explicitly clear that it was talking about kepubs