Does not reliably recognize Kindle Fire

[mikefulton]

On Mac running OS X Yosemite (was similar behavior under Mavericks) Calibre does not reliably recognize when my Kindle Fire tablet is plugged in.

Sometimes it works, sometimes nothing happens, sometimes it runs the Android Transfer Utility.

Placing Calibre in debug mode gives me the following on a failed attempt:

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "site-packages/calibre/customize/ui.py", line 578, in initialize_plugins
File "site-packages/calibre/customize/ui.py", line 53, in load_plugin
File "site-packages/calibre/customize/zipplugin.py", line 197, in load
File "lib/python2.7/importlib/__init__.py", line 37, in import_module
File "site-packages/calibre/customize/zipplugin.py", line 179, in load_module
File "calibre_plugins.ios_reader_apps.__init__", line 43, in <module>
ImportError: No module named PyQt4.Qt
libpng warning: iCCP: Not recognizing known sRGB profile that has been edited
libpng warning: iCCP: Not recognizing known sRGB profile that has been edited
libpng warning: iCCP: Not recognizing known sRGB profile that has been edited
Device 0 (VID=1949 and PID=000c) is a Amazon Kindle Fire (ID4).
FFDLEBUG:calibre_plugins.fanfictiondownloader_pl ugin.ffdl_plugin(158):Plugin FanFictionDownLoader macmenuhack file_path:/Users/mfulton/Library/Preferences/calibre/plugins/fanfictiondownloader_macmenuhack.txt
PTP_ERROR_IO: failed to open session, trying again after resetting USB interface
LIBMTP libusb: Attempt to reset device
inep: usb_get_endpoint_status(): No such file or directory
outep: usb_get_endpoint_status(): No such file or directory
2014-11-01 21:03:08.674 Calibre[1237:432021] deliverNotificationWithTitle()
* Notification delivered.


Clearly, the lines starting with PTP_ERROR_IO and LIBMTP suggest that Calibre found the device and tried to do something but it failed.

[kovidgoyal]

You likely have a race condition with both calibre and android file transfer utility trying to claim the device. Either uninstall the android file transfer utility or prevent it from autostarting on device connection.

[mikefulton]

I have tried without the Android File Transfer utility and it seems to make no difference regarding Calibre recognizing the Kindle.

[kovidgoyal]

PTP_ERROR_IO: failed to open session, trying again after resetting USB interface
LIBMTP libusb: Attempt to reset device

Those lines if the debug log indicate that libmtp is unable to connect to the device. This typically happens when some other software has claimed the device. It could also happen because of a flaky USB cable/port. Other than that, I dont have any ideas.

[mikefulton]

I don't know if it's just good luck, low sample size, or if something changed, but I've noticed that this connection problem has gone away completely with the new v2.12.

[Harmon]

I have this same problem using Mac OS 10.11.1 (El Capitan) on an iMac, running calibre version 2.40.0, the new Kindle Fire HD8 running the latest OS (which I believe is 5.0, and Android File Transfer 1.0.

The problem with the solution of not running AFT is that I need AFT to put other files on my Kindle Fire, such as videos, and the only way to do that is via AFT.

It's evident that the "race" you remark on is going on for me. Sometimes I get AFT, and sometimes AFT claims there's no device attached. In the first case, calibre doesn't recognize the HD8, but in the second case, what I find is that calibre recognizes my HD8 - both the main memory and the micro SD card.

When calibre recognizes the HD8, it very slowly commences with a "job" which it cannot finish. I get the following error message, which I also get if I then try to send files to the HD8.

calibre, version 2.40.0
ERROR: Error: Error communicating with device

Failed to upload file named: driveinfo.calibre to (u'Storage device',): 2:PTP Layer error 2002: send_file_object_info(): Could not send object info.
2:Error 2002: PTP: General Error

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "site-packages/calibre/gui2/device.py", line 87, in run
File "site-packages/calibre/gui2/device.py", line 503, in _books
File "site-packages/calibre/devices/mtp/driver.py", line 208, in books
File "site-packages/calibre/devices/mtp/driver.py", line 180, in get_driveinfo
File "site-packages/calibre/devices/mtp/driver.py", line 170, in _update_drive_info
File "site-packages/calibre/devices/mtp/base.py", line 24, in synchronizer
File "site-packages/calibre/devices/mtp/unix/driver.py", line 375, in put_file
DeviceError: Failed to upload file named: driveinfo.calibre to (u'Storage device',): 2:PTP Layer error 2002: send_file_object_info(): Could not send object info.
2:Error 2002: PTP: General Error

I tried debugging, but calibre wouldn't debug - it said:

calibre, version 2.40.0
ERROR: Device already detected: A device (Fire) is already detected by calibre. If you wish to debug the detection of another device, first disconnect this device.

I get the same results even after trying three cables. I have no other USB ports available to test, but everything else I've plugged into this particular port has worked fine.

Insofar as the "race" is concerned, I can decide whether AFT or calibre wins the race by starting the one I want first. If I start calibre and then connect my HD8, calibre grabs the HD8, shows it in the menu bar, and if I open AFT, AFT says it can't find a device. Meanwhile, I can't send anything from calibre to the HD8 even though it's sitting right there in the menu bar. (When I click on the HD8 icon, I get a blank list.

If I connect AFT first, then invoke calibre, AFT opens a window in which I can see & manipulate the HD8 files, but then when calibre opens, it does not show the HD8 as being connected.

My current work around is to plug in my HD8 with calibre not running. This invokes AFT, after which I open calibre, and can drag & drop files from the calibre listing to the HD8 in the AFT window. (Note that it doesn't seem to make any difference if my HD8 is locked or not.)

[kovidgoyal]

That's not the same error, that's an error sending a particular file to the device. That particular file is sent on every calibre connect, and some devices have been known to flake out after a while and refuse to receive that file. You need to either hard reset the device or use one of the wireless transfer methods.

[Harmon]

This is a brand new Kindle Fire, both in terms of my ownership and in terms of how long the device has been sold - about 30 days - and the new OS it uses. So it hasn't had time to flake out.

But anyway, I've already done a hard reset in attempting to deal with another rather odd issue - the HD8 refused to recognize one, and only one, tv subscription I'd bought. It had no trouble recognizing others. (The reset didn't work.)

Do you suppose it might have something to do with the new OS?

[kovidgoyal]

No idea, I dont have that device. All I can say is that there has been no rash of reports about such a problem recently. If I were you, I'd just use one of the wireless methods of conencting http://manual.calibre-ebook.com/faq....kindle-fire-hd

[gbm]

Make sure your Fire is in MTP(media device) mode for usb transfers, not PTP(camera).

bernie

Originally Posted by Harmon

calibre, version 2.40.0
ERROR: Error: Error communicating with device

Failed to upload file named: driveinfo.calibre to (u'Storage device',): 2:PTP Layer error 2002: send_file_object_info(): Could not send object info.
2:Error 2002: PTP: General Error

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "site-packages/calibre/gui2/device.py", line 87, in run
File "site-packages/calibre/gui2/device.py", line 503, in _books
File "site-packages/calibre/devices/mtp/driver.py", line 208, in books
File "site-packages/calibre/devices/mtp/driver.py", line 180, in get_driveinfo
File "site-packages/calibre/devices/mtp/driver.py", line 170, in _update_drive_info
File "site-packages/calibre/devices/mtp/base.py", line 24, in synchronizer
File "site-packages/calibre/devices/mtp/unix/driver.py", line 375, in put_file
DeviceError: Failed to upload file named: driveinfo.calibre to (u'Storage device',): 2:PTP Layer error 2002: send_file_object_info(): Could not send object info.
2:Error 2002: PTP: General Error

[Harmon]

Thanks, Bernie. I managed to find where that change could be made - in the new OS, I had to become a developer by tapping on Serial Number in Settings several times. Then, under the developer setting, I found the MTP/PTP options.

But it turned out I've been in MTP all along, so that's not what's causing the problem...

[Harmon]

Kovid - Well, since it's a new operating system for Fire, & since it's probably a Mac/Fire issue because of the need for the AFT program in Mac OS, it may not surface as a problem affecting a lot of people for a while.

I'll take a look at wireless transferring - could be easier....

[kovidgoyal]

AFT uses the same MTP library (libmtp) that calibre does.

[Harmon]

Been trying out Calibre Companion. I'm still not quite sure what I'm doing, but I've managed to get it to retrieve books for me. For some reason, CC thinks that I have two calibre content servers, and the one I just randomly chose seems to work.

One thing I've learned is that on the Fire HD8, at least, transfer of converted books into the Books app works best when I've converted the document to AZW rather than Mobi. I have a number of internet based magazines that I want to be in Books rather than documents, and they won't go into Books as Mobi files.

[fireflyr]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

That's not the same error, that's an error sending a particular file to the device. That particular file is sent on every calibre connect, and some devices have been known to flake out after a while and refuse to receive that file. You need to either hard reset the device or use one of the wireless transfer methods.

I've seen the same issue using Ubuntu 14.04 (tried later versions) and Calibre 2.43 using a 2015 Fire 7 Fire OS 5.0.1. I tried tracking it down (about a month ago) but could not figure out why it was err'ing while Nautilus worked fine so but it aside. Same stack trace (slightly different line nos, enclosed later).

What I found:
a) Hit the error if there's a sd card (32GB - didn't try others) installed
b) Works fine if no sd card.
c) Works fine on Windows.
d) Can transfer files fine (via nautilus)

I also tried a different version of Ubuntu (15.04) thinking it might be a libmtp problem but that didn't work any better.

I believe d) nautilus uses libmtp and fuse. If so, that suggests that libmtp is working okay? Could be a difference in setup?

Easy workarounds for now: use windows or slip out the sd card when using Calibre.


-----
calibre, version 2.43.0
ERROR: Error: Error communicating with device

Failed to upload file named: driveinfo.calibre to (u'Storage device',): 2:PTP Layer error 2002: send_file_object_info(): Could not send object info.
2:Error 2002: PTP: General Error

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "site-packages/calibre/gui2/device.py", line 87, in run
File "site-packages/calibre/gui2/device.py", line 503, in _books
File "site-packages/calibre/devices/mtp/driver.py", line 216, in books
File "site-packages/calibre/devices/mtp/driver.py", line 188, in get_driveinfo
File "site-packages/calibre/devices/mtp/driver.py", line 178, in _update_drive_info
File "site-packages/calibre/devices/mtp/driver.py", line 149, in put_calibre_file
File "site-packages/calibre/devices/mtp/base.py", line 24, in synchronizer
File "site-packages/calibre/devices/mtp/unix/driver.py", line 375, in put_file
DeviceError: Failed to upload file named: driveinfo.calibre to (u'Storage device',): 2:PTP Layer error 2002: send_file_object_info(): Could not send object info.
2:Error 2002: PTP: General Error