Text truncated on right side when converted to Kepubs by KoboTouchExtended

[HYPE]

Hi,

Today I updated my Kobo Glo HD from 4.4.9344 to 4.6.9995 and ever since then, all my epub books that were automatically converted to kepubs by KoboTouchExtended upon sending to the device are truncated on the right hand side. What I mean by that is that the last letter of every line is partially cut.

My firmware is patched, but I noticed the bug before patching, and I did try "unpatching" my firmware, to no avail. I have also tried changing the margins settings. On the other thand, books in epub format (sent using the default KoboTouch driver or by a manual copying of the epub file) do not exhibit this issue.

Anyone else experiencing this issue? It would be unfortunate to have to stop using kepubs and therefore losing the additional features.

Thanks!

[jackie_w]

Are you using fullscreen mode? If so, as you are already patching your device, have you also made sure you enabled the patch named `Fix three KePub fullScreenReading bugs`. You can read more about it here.

I think this particular patch used to be enabled by default in the Patcher, but I think maybe this is no longer the case.

[HYPE]

Simply brilliant!

This is exactly what it was. The pached named "Fix three KePub fullScreenReading bugs" must be enabled.

Unfortunate that we have to rely on the community to fix Kobo's software, but very fortunate that we have the community!

Thank you very much, jackie_w, especially considering how quickly you responded

[PeterT]

Originally Posted by HYPE

Unfortunate that we have to rely on the community to fix Kobo's software, but very fortunate that we have the community!

The fact that the FullScreen mode is NOT selectable through the menu should probably be a hint to the fact it's not supported.

[HYPE]

Originally Posted by PeterT

The fact that the FullScreen mode is NOT selectable through the menu should probably be a hint to the fact it's not supported.

It certainly is selectable through the menu. It's in the reading settings.

Previously one had to edit a .conf file on the Kobo to have that option show up in the UI. Not sure if this is still the case - at any rate, I would have made the edit more than two years ago when I got the device.

[PeterT]

Originally Posted by HYPE

It certainly is selectable through the menu. It's in the reading settings.

Previously one had to edit a .conf file on the Kobo to have that option show up in the UI. Not sure if this is still the case - at any rate, I would have made the edit more than two years ago when I got the device.

That option ONLY shows if you have done the manual edit.

[franklekens]

Funny this should be the most recent discussion, it just happens to seem relevant to a problem I'm encountering.

I've donwloaded a Gutenberg epub (to be specific: this one http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/4038).
I've imported it into Calibre, and via Calibre uploaded it to my Kobo Aura One.

This Kobo is not patched or rooted or anything, I'm just working with the standard software. By the way: *I* have no "full screen" option in my reading settings anywhere. Don't know what that is.

Now when I try to open that epub in Kobo, I get the same thing: *truncated* text.

And funny thing: if I sideload the same epub onto the device manually, bypassing Caiibre, I don't get this. It's still not ideal reading (esp. the top and bottom margins are a little too small for my taste and can't be adjusted), but on the whole it's a workable epub to read on the Kobo.

This happens only with Gutenberg epubs. AFAIK, other epubs (e.g. commercial ones) that I sideload via Calibre are fine.

So does Calibre (and/or that Kobo Utilities plugin) do something to the Gutenberg epubs specifically that turns them unreadable?

I see that I have two Kobo plugins installed:
Kobo Touch Extended
Kobo Utilities

(Well, there's a bunch of other kobo things in the plugin list, but I'm assuming they're installed with the programme because I don't think I added those myself. Bit confusing always, that whole plugin menu.)

MTIA

[GeoffR]

Originally Posted by franklekens

So does Calibre (and/or that Kobo Utilities plugin) do something to the Gutenberg epubs specifically that turns them unreadable?

This sounds like a completely different problem, which is that the KePub reader expects the only thing in the first html file of the book to be a cover image.

The usual problem with Gutenberg books is that they either don't have a cover image, or they combine the cover image with other text in the first html file.

The easiest solution is probably to get Calibre to add or replace the cover.

Edit: Actually, on second thought, this could be related to the OP's problem in that the reason the lack of a proper cover page causes a problem is that the KePub reader always displays the first html file of the book in full-screen mode, on the assumption that it contains nothing but a cover image. It might be that applying the patch would fix this problem too, I haven't tested that though.

[franklekens]

Thanks, that's clever thinking.

Where is that option for Calibre to add a cover agaub? Since I'm assuming that will solve it anyway? (I'd prefer not to do things with patches &c if not necessary.)

Or is that not something that can be done automatically (e.g. on importing such an epub into Calibre)?

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by franklekens

Funny this should be the most recent discussion, it just happens to seem relevant to a problem I'm encountering.

I've donwloaded a Gutenberg epub (to be specific: this one http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/4038).
I've imported it into Calibre, and via Calibre uploaded it to my Kobo Aura One.

This Kobo is not patched or rooted or anything, I'm just working with the standard software. By the way: *I* have no "full screen" option in my reading settings anywhere. Don't know what that is.

Now when I try to open that epub in Kobo, I get the same thing: *truncated* text.

And funny thing: if I sideload the same epub onto the device manually, bypassing Caiibre, I don't get this. It's still not ideal reading (esp. the top and bottom margins are a little too small for my taste and can't be adjusted), but on the whole it's a workable epub to read on the Kobo.

This happens only with Gutenberg epubs. AFAIK, other epubs (e.g. commercial ones) that I sideload via Calibre are fine.

So does Calibre (and/or that Kobo Utilities plugin) do something to the Gutenberg epubs specifically that turns them unreadable?

I see that I have two Kobo plugins installed:
Kobo Touch Extended
Kobo Utilities

(Well, there's a bunch of other kobo things in the plugin list, but I'm assuming they're installed with the programme because I don't think I added those myself. Bit confusing always, that whole plugin menu.)

Just to be clear:

The Kobo Utilities plugin does absolutely nothing to any book. It does absolutely nothing when you send a book to the device. There are two functions that can be started automatically, but neither change anything on the device in any way. All other the functions of the plugin are started manually by the user.

The KoboTouchExtended driver does make changes to the books. The change are to transform the books into a kepub. Other than that, it can add styles, but you have to configure that. It has no code that is specific to a any possible source for a book.

Having a look at the book, it is sort of what GeoffR suggests. The problem because the first file is handled differently to the rest of the book. Kobo's specs for kepubs state that the cover file will be loaded Fixed Layout reader. They must be treating the first file in the spine as containing the cover and using this Fixed Layout reader for it. I split the file immediately after PG statement. With that, only the first page had problems, everything else was OK. Adding a cover image at the start would be another way to solve this. And it is what the kepub renderer expects.

[franklekens]

Okay, but do you have to do that manually everytime you add a Gutenberg epub?
Isn't there a setting where you can make Calibre simply generate a dummy cover for every epub without one that you add to the library?

I seem to remember there was, but I'm not sure.

[franklekens]

To answer my own question: I guess something like these steps have to be taken.

https://www.maketecheasier.com/add-b...er-in-calibre/

[compurandom]

Ok, this explains LOTS of issues I've been having with gutenberg epubs.

So, an easy way to check if your epub is missing a titlepage file...
Send it to the kobo (with kobotouchextended enabled so it gets converted to a kepub).
Check the first page of text. If you don't have the fullscreen mode enabled but you still don't see a header/footer, then it thinks you are still on the title page.

In this situation, style sheets are ignored and you can't adjust the margins from the kobo interface.

You can most easily fix this with either the polish books plugin or the modify epub plugin, both of which have options to insert/replace the title page.

It would be nice if the quality check plugin could check for this problem.

[HYPE]

Originally Posted by PeterT

That option ONLY shows if you have done the manual edit.

Still, it's selectable through the menu.

[PeterT]

If the option WAS supported then it would NOT require manual edit of the configuration file to get the option selectable in the menu.