transfering bought kepub from device to PC

anacreon · 09-09-2013, 02:26 AM

I've bought a few epubs from the kobo website, but the last one was of poor quality, so I decided to get the kepub from the kobo desktop (a first for me). Apart from having to delve into the SQLite database again to drop duplicated shelves, and having to do a search to access it, I'm pleased to have a decent quality book to read (which should be a given with bought books but...). I want to save this original kepub version into Calibre, but I don't know where to look for it in the device - even choosing the show hidden files in windows. I know I saw the answer somewhere, but can't remember where.

Can anyone direct me to the appropriate post?

Thanks.

PS: I would also very much like to be able to get the original kepubs without having to sync my kobos and having to lose time editing the SQLite database.

davidfor · 09-09-2013, 03:01 AM

Calibre has the ability to add books from a device to the calibre library. You do this from the device list. Find the book, right click on it and select "Add to library" (or something like that). Calibre will then copy it to the library. But, this is blocked for purchased kepubs. There has been no real need to do it as you can't do anything with the kepub when it is off the device. And they can be downloaded from the Kobo server.

If you still want to copy the file kepub, the device list shows the file name. Select the book as above, and in the details pane, it should show the path to the file. The path can be copied from there.

anacreon · 09-09-2013, 03:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidfor

Calibre has the ability to add books from a device to the calibre library. You do this from the device list. Find the book, right click on it and select "Add to library" (or something like that). Calibre will then copy it to the library. But, this is blocked for purchased kepubs. There has been no real need to do it as you can't do anything with the kepub when it is off the device. And they can be downloaded from the Kobo server.

If you still want to copy the file kepub, the device list shows the file name. Select the book as above, and in the details pane, it should show the path to the file. The path can be copied from there.

Thanks for the answer, but my problem is I can't find it on the device: I have 829 folders, most created by calibre, and have tried to sort it by date, name (first and last of the author and title), then to look into the kobo folder, but can't see it. I know it is there since I can read it.

I've even tried to look at the SQLite database, and it seems that for one book (probably the calibre sideloaded one, content id = book id is something lije /mnt/onboard/author name etc., while for the other it is a series of number and digits (20f5der...)

davidfor · 09-09-2013, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anacreon

Thanks for the answer, but my problem is I can't find it on the device: I have 829 folders, most created by calibre, and have tried to sort it by date, name (first and last of the author and title), then to look into the kobo folder, but can't see it. I know it is there since I can read it.

I've even tried to look at the SQLite database, and it seems that for one book (probably the calibre sideloaded one, content id = book id is something lije /mnt/onboard/author name etc., while for the other it is a series of number and digits (20f5der...)

All purchased kepubs are stored in the directory ".kobo/kepub". The file name is the string of numbers and letters you saw in the database. They don't have an extension. As you use calibre, I think the easiest way to find the file is what I described before. Find the book in the device list, select it and look the path displayed in the book details.

If you look in the database, the ContendId is the key. For a sideloaded book, this is the full path with "file:///mnt/onboard/" added as a prefix. For purchased kepubs, it is the letters and number. This is the file name inside ".kobo/kepub". The rows with "ContentType=6" and "IsDownloaded='true'" are all the books on the device. You need to find row for the book you want and use the ContentID to find the file.

anacreon · 09-09-2013, 09:24 AM

Many thanks. I give up though: Calibre can't deal with a file with no extension, and when I add an extension, whether .kepub.epub or plain .epub, I get gibberish (many pages of...). So I'll just read my book and give up on managing (calibre) and saving the good version.

ApK · 09-09-2013, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anacreon

Many thanks. I give up though: Calibre can't deal with a file with no extension, and when I add an extension, whether .kepub.epub or plain .epub, I get gibberish (many pages of...). So I'll just read my book and give up on managing (calibre) and saving the good version.

FYI:
https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/Kepub

PeterT · 09-09-2013, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anacreon

Many thanks. I give up though: Calibre can't deal with a file with no extension, and when I add an extension, whether .kepub.epub or plain .epub, I get gibberish (many pages of...). So I'll just read my book and give up on managing (calibre) and saving the good version.

The issue is that Kobo use a distinct DRM to protect the books; this is not the same as the DRM used for ePubs.

davidfor · 09-09-2013, 10:02 AM

Firstly, you need to add the extension to the kepub file when you copy it from the device. If you use "epub", then it will be added correctly.

The other problem is DRM. Kobo use their own DRM and what you are seeing the still encrypted content. This is one of the reasons it hasn't been worthwhile copying the files from the device. But, some of them don't have any DRM and can be treated as epubs. There is some info about Kobo's DRM if you look at Apprentice Alf's page.

Personally, I simply download the epub version for any books I buy from Kobo. These I can read with ADE and should be readable on other ereaders that can handle Adobe DRM. Or Apprentice Alf can help. I also normally load these onto my Glo and read them. I don't like the way the page numbers are handled with kepubs or that the book title is always displayed. Plus if the book is DRM free, I fix an errors in the text and formatting.

anacreon · 09-09-2013, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidfor

Firstly, you need to add the extension to the kepub file when you copy it from the device. If you use "epub", then it will be added correctly.

The other problem is DRM. Kobo use their own DRM and what you are seeing the still encrypted content. This is one of the reasons it hasn't been worthwhile copying the files from the device. But, some of them don't have any DRM and can be treated as epubs. There is some info about Kobo's DRM if you look at Apprentice Alf's page.

Personally, I simply download the epub version for any books I buy from Kobo. These I can read with ADE and should be readable on other ereaders that can handle Adobe DRM. Or Apprentice Alf can help. I also normally load these onto my Glo and read them. I don't like the way the page numbers are handled with kepubs or that the book title is always displayed. Plus if the book is DRM free, I fix an errors in the text and formatting.

I thought the DeDRM plugin worked for kepubs I bought, but looking at it in Calibre, I saw it was only "adobe adept including kobo", whatever that is.

I'll just drop the Kobo site which I used only to avoid converting from the amazon formats, when I couldn't find a decently priced epub version. It is ok to spend 5' (ok 10) fixing tocs after conversion, not having to spend a lot of time solving major text problems, which also means one can't help reading some at the same time.

PS: It is always instructive to dig some, and learn more - thanks to you all

novellibre · 09-13-2013, 08:51 AM

@anacreon

If you look at my previous thread, you can probably get some pointers on how to deal with your problem. If you can get your file into the Kobo desktop app it can be handled from there. Worked for me.

09-09-2013, 02:26 AM	#1
anacreon Guru Posts: 976 Karma: 3475832 Join Date: May 2012 Location: France Device: Elipsa, Sage, Libra 2	transfering bought kepub from device to PC I've bought a few epubs from the kobo website, but the last one was of poor quality, so I decided to get the kepub from the kobo desktop (a first for me). Apart from having to delve into the SQLite database again to drop duplicated shelves, and having to do a search to access it, I'm pleased to have a decent quality book to read (which should be a given with bought books but...). I want to save this original kepub version into Calibre, but I don't know where to look for it in the device - even choosing the show hidden files in windows. I know I saw the answer somewhere, but can't remember where. Can anyone direct me to the appropriate post? Thanks. PS: I would also very much like to be able to get the original kepubs without having to sync my kobos and having to lose time editing the SQLite database.

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09-09-2013, 03:01 AM	#2
davidfor Grand Sorcerer Posts: 24,905 Karma: 47303824 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Sydney, Australia Device: Kobo:Touch,Glo, AuraH2O, GloHD,AuraONE, ClaraHD, Libra H2O; tolinoepos	Calibre has the ability to add books from a device to the calibre library. You do this from the device list. Find the book, right click on it and select "Add to library" (or something like that). Calibre will then copy it to the library. But, this is blocked for purchased kepubs. There has been no real need to do it as you can't do anything with the kepub when it is off the device. And they can be downloaded from the Kobo server. If you still want to copy the file kepub, the device list shows the file name. Select the book as above, and in the details pane, it should show the path to the file. The path can be copied from there.

09-09-2013, 09:24 AM	#5
anacreon Guru Posts: 976 Karma: 3475832 Join Date: May 2012 Location: France Device: Elipsa, Sage, Libra 2	Many thanks. I give up though: Calibre can't deal with a file with no extension, and when I add an extension, whether .kepub.epub or plain .epub, I get gibberish (many pages of...). So I'll just read my book and give up on managing (calibre) and saving the good version.

09-09-2013, 10:02 AM	#8
davidfor Grand Sorcerer Posts: 24,905 Karma: 47303824 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Sydney, Australia Device: Kobo:Touch,Glo, AuraH2O, GloHD,AuraONE, ClaraHD, Libra H2O; tolinoepos	Firstly, you need to add the extension to the kepub file when you copy it from the device. If you use "epub", then it will be added correctly. The other problem is DRM. Kobo use their own DRM and what you are seeing the still encrypted content. This is one of the reasons it hasn't been worthwhile copying the files from the device. But, some of them don't have any DRM and can be treated as epubs. There is some info about Kobo's DRM if you look at Apprentice Alf's page. Personally, I simply download the epub version for any books I buy from Kobo. These I can read with ADE and should be readable on other ereaders that can handle Adobe DRM. Or Apprentice Alf can help. I also normally load these onto my Glo and read them. I don't like the way the page numbers are handled with kepubs or that the book title is always displayed. Plus if the book is DRM free, I fix an errors in the text and formatting.

09-13-2013, 08:51 AM	#10
novellibre Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2013 Device: Kobo Touch	@anacreon If you look at my previous thread, you can probably get some pointers on how to deal with your problem. If you can get your file into the Kobo desktop app it can be handled from there. Worked for me.

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