Implications of SideloadedMode=true

[porcupine59]

Thanks to members here, just yesterday I was made aware of how to run with SideloadedMode=true enabled. All of my books are sideloaded, and I don't sync my books. I use Calibre and its auto-backup from KoboUtilities. I also, because I'm this way, manually back up time-stamped copies of the KoboReader.sqlite database from time to time.

Question #1 is, by copying KoboReader.sqlite, am I preserving annotations, notes, etc.?

Question #2, I understand I can still sync firmware updates even with SideloadedMode=true set. But how will that happen if I never sign into my Kobo account?

Question #3. Are there other salient effects of running with SideloadedMode enabled that are worth mentioning?

After three years I feel like I'm getting close to understanding more of the Kobo's secrets, but my brain's not all the way there yet! Any thoughts appreciated.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by porcupine59

Thanks to members here, just yesterday I was made aware of how to run with SideloadedMode=true enabled. All of my books are sideloaded, and I don't sync my books. I use Calibre and its auto-backup from KoboUtilities. I also, because I'm this way, manually back up time-stamped copies of the KoboReader.sqlite database from time to time.

Question #1 is, by copying KoboReader.sqlite, am I preserving annotations, notes, etc.?

Question #2, I understand I can still sync firmware updates even with SideloadedMode=true set. But how will that happen if I never sign into my Kobo account?

Question #3. Are there other salient effects of running with SideloadedMode enabled that are worth mentioning?

After three years I feel like I'm getting close to understanding more of the Kobo's secrets, but my brain's not all the way there yet! Any thoughts appreciated.

1. Don't manually backup the database from your Kobo. use the Kobo Utilities plugin to do it automatically. That will do it every time you connect your Kobo to your library.
2. You just do a sync.
3. Don't know.

[Sirtel]

Firmware updates and dictionaries can also be sideloaded. I sideloaded the 2019 Oxford dictionary and set it as my main dictionary, as I like it more than the newer version. The newer one I set as the custom dictionary.

[John F]

Originally Posted by porcupine59

...

Question #3. Are there other salient effects of running with SideloadedMode enabled that are worth mentioning?

...

There is no Home screen/tab in SideloadedMode.

[Daniel Jackson]

The Home and Discover tab will disappear and the reader will start with My Books.
And it will add a new Activity tab. I didn't care for that last one so I used Nickelmenu to hide it.

[porcupine59]

Thanks for the thoughts, all. Very helpful.

To follow up, regarding my original question #1: Does a properly backed-up copy of the KoboReader.sqlite preserve my annotations and notes (as well as book progress and the rest)?

[porcupine59]

Originally Posted by Daniel Jackson

The Home and Discover tab will disappear and the reader will start with My Books.
And it will add a new Activity tab. I didn't care for that last one so I used Nickelmenu to hide it.

Daniel, I'm running Nickelmenu and would like to hide that Activity tab, too. If that's a relatively simple addition to the Nickelmenu config file, could you please share that with me, or point me to a good source?

[porcupine59]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

1. You just do a sync.

OK, great, thanks. For some reason I was imagining that syncing necessarily involved touching base with my Kobo account. Live and learn.

[Daniel Jackson]

Originally Posted by porcupine59

Daniel, I'm running Nickelmenu and would like to hide that Activity tab, too. If that's a relatively simple addition to the Nickelmenu config file, could you please share that with me, or point me to a good source?

Of course, this single line will do the trick:

experimental	: menu_main_15505_2_enabled	: 0

It will probably require a reboot to take effect.

[porcupine59]

Originally Posted by Daniel Jackson

Of course, this single line will do the trick:

experimental	: menu_main_15505_2_enabled	: 0

It will probably require a reboot to take effect.

Awesome. Thanks very much!

[geek1011]

List of sideloaded mode changes as of 23552

• Sync only does update check and user guide sync.
• Initial setup only does connectivity check, not the kobo store checks and URL updates (though note that some newer devices are no longer able to enable USB before logging in).
• Authenticating to a wifi network does not trigger a URL update.
• Upgrading firmware does not trigger a sync on the next boot.
• Account-related settings are hidden.
• Book web search and browser homepage is always Google, not Baidu.
• Analytics are disabled.
• Account-related items in the More menu are hidden.
• Account-related search options are hidden.
• Home screen is not used.
• Most bottom nav items are hidden.
• Empty views in the library (books, series, etc) have text about adding via USB.
• Exporting ink notes provides format options.
• No sync reminder.
• Modified tour dialogs.
• No dictionary updates.
• No cloud storage.

[Liesse]

Thank you for listing the changes it makes.
I sideload all my books, so I did try sideload mode once.

After years of the home screen on my Kobo, I found I missed it.

I know, it seems daft, but I think I am used to it. I like the bottom right hand tab showing me other books by the author I haven't read yet, and I think it's just what I'm used to seeing! So yes, I changed back.

[Aleron Ives]

Originally Posted by geek1011

No dictionary updates.

Are you sure about that? If you're setting up a fresh Kobo, you won't have any dictionaries, but you can still sync to download them. Are you saying that once you have a dictionary installed, syncing won't update it?

I believe it also causes a bug with KEPUB, and some of the reading statistics aren't calculated and remain blank.

[John F]

Originally Posted by geek1011

List of sideloaded mode changes as of 23552

• ...
• Account-related settings are hidden.
  
  ...

Are we sure about this? I'm on 23552, and in settings->Accounts, "Kobo eReader" is still shown.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by Liesse

Thank you for listing the changes it makes.
I sideload all my books, so I did try sideload mode once.

After years of the home screen on my Kobo, I found I missed it.

I know, it seems daft, but I think I am used to it. I like the bottom right hand tab showing me other books by the author I haven't read yet, and I think it's just what I'm used to seeing! So yes, I changed back.

I also sideload everything and never sync, but I haven't enabled the sideloaded mode. Not because I'd miss the home screen all that much (I have it patched, so it doesn't show recommendations and stuff), frankly I don't even know why. When I bought my current Kobos, the sideloaded mode didn't exist yet and later I guess I was just too lazy to change.