Adding alternative readers to Kobo devices

[Markismus]

Originally Posted by Ken Maltby

Working on the new Mark5 hardware, the new "Aura" as of: koreader-kobo-arm-linux-gnueabihf-v2013.03-641-g0efa0dd.zip There are some fixes/improvements coming for the touchscreen multitouch gestures on the new "Aura", as well.

USBNet is not working on the Aura.
And as only a variant of protocol A is implemented on the Aura, it gonna take a lot of time before we'll see multitouch coming to koreader.

[paola]

thank you guys - I may bother you again on the details of this in the other forum , but I thought this question might be of more general interest.

[TheArtfulDodger]

Hello:

I have been trying (2 days) to load the KoboLauncher onto my Kobo Touch but so far, no cigar. So I thought I'd turn to you, the experts, for advice! First, does the Kobo need to be rooted? I haven't seen any instructions as to doing this but I thought I'd ask!

I have twice loaded koboroot.tgz to the root of .kobo. The first time I didn't know to also load launcher.png so naturally, it didn't work!

Second time I used the advice found in post # 1 of this thread. I got as far as Step 6 - after a loooong time, the Kobo finally restarted, but there was no launcher button on the home page.

So, I am at a standstill. I have a N905 Kobo touch running Firmware 3.0.0. Any help or advice would be most appreciated.

Sparky

[Ken Maltby]

It seems that people still have a problem with the Kobo software Processing the .png files properly before they try and install the additional reading software. You can't get anywhere until kobo has processed the .png and you can poke the image on your home page resulting in a full page display of the image. Don't do any of the rest of the install until you can do that.

I would suggest you start over from step 1 and note that that is the "root" directory you need to put the .png into. The Kobo software will not process the .png if it is in a "hidden" folder, one that begins with a dot/period like ".kobo". But first do steps 2&3, to remove the effect of your earlier attempts.

Follow step 5. And step 6. If you can't do step 6. you can't do the rest, so return here if you can't do step 6.

Luck;
Ken

I've edited the first post to try and make it clearer.

[TheArtfulDodger]

Thanks Ken! The mistake I made was where I put the launcher.png file. The first time I tried I didn't put it anywhere => failure! The second time I put it in the .kobo root => again failure. So once I knew it went into the e-reader root, it worked a treat.

Thank you so much.

Sparky

[Ken Maltby]

Tonight's Koreader build includes the switches to have koreader return to the Kobo software without a reboot.

@Markismus; Sergey's USBnet has been working for me, did you catch the changes that Sergey made to it though? It stopped working from my modified scripts, and it took me awhile to track down the usbnet.sh again. I have it corrected in my koreader_kobo.sh but I commented it out because I find that I can usually just start it in the KoboLauncher menu, when I need it.

Luck;
Ken

[Markismus]

Originally Posted by Ken Maltby

@Markismus; Sergey's USBnet has been working for me, did you catch the changes that Sergey made to it though?

I just tried 1.26.28 and it still reportes an error. I had it fixed on the Aura for an earlier firmware, but I'll wait until the firmware updates to 3.1.1., before I look at it again.

[irish66]

I went as part5. but screen is the same as before.

[Ken Maltby]

Originally Posted by irish66

I went as part5. but screen is the same as before.

Even the first Touch should be able to display .png files. When you first connect to your PC with your USB cable do you see the launcher.png file listed on the screen? That is were you should have put it. If you put it in the .kobo folder the Kobo software won't be able to process the file.

Luck;
Ken

[irish66]

Hi Ken.
The only images are of covers of stuff of have been reading I don't see any different startup screen.
So my kobo touch has the following folders.
I have tried putting launcher.png in the folders with an asterisk before them.
*root directory consisting of
adobe-digital-editions\
*kobo\
sub folders
certificates\
dict\
kepub\
*Kobo\
slideshow\

3.kobo-images\
4.Digital Editions\

I guess my questions are,
(1) What is the advantage of koreader over the program that comes with kobo touch
(2) The most dissapointing thing for me about touch is it's inabilty to zoom when reading cbr and cbzs. Will Koreader be of any advantage to me there.
(3) If I do a factory reset.Are the files I uploaded eg pdfs, cbrs etc deleted from the drive.

[Ken Maltby]

Originally Posted by irish66

Hi Ken.
The only images are of covers of stuff of have been reading I don't see any different startup screen.
So my kobo touch has the following folders.
I have tried putting launcher.png in the folders with an asterisk before them.
*root directory consisting of .

This is where it goes. Do you see it there now?

Originally Posted by irish66

I guess my questions are,
(1) What is the advantage of koreader over the program that comes with kobo touch
(2) The most dissapointing thing for me about touch is it's inabilty to zoom when reading cbr and cbzs. Will Koreader be of any advantage to me there.
(3) If I do a factory reset.Are the files I uploaded eg pdfs, cbrs etc deleted from the drive.

I haven't let Nickel manage any files except the two launching png, in a long time now. Those in the kepub folder are probably lost because I have read here that they all get re-downloaded. You could try logging out of your Kobo Account in the settings, that should let you rebuild your database.

If you can add ebooks to your kobo and have them appear on your kobo's Home page, you should be able to add a .png image file and have it appear on the Home page, as well. This is all done using the Kobo software. The .png launcher files are just plain ordinary .png files, that your kobo is supposed to be able to process and add to your library/database. If your kobo can't do that, you won't be able to install any of the actual additional software.

Luck;
Ken

[irish66]

Hi Ken.I might have a go at it another time. I'm not sure if The program will be of any use to me anyhow.

[Ken Maltby]

Build 735 has fixed the image rendering. Updating from 713, so it might have been fixed in one of those nightlys between. Thanks, Hawhill. Highlighting on selection and spacing of items in lists has been tweaked, as well.

Luck;
Ken

[khahoon]

Hollly Mummmamiiaaaa, that is some crazy additions. I do not know what to say. This is a whole new world. I can now read 2 books at the same time in 2 different readers.

[khahoon]

Originally Posted by TheArtfulDodger

Hello:

I have been trying (2 days) to load the KoboLauncher onto my Kobo Touch but so far, no cigar. So I thought I'd turn to you, the experts, for advice! First, does the Kobo need to be rooted? I haven't seen any instructions as to doing this but I thought I'd ask!

I have twice loaded koboroot.tgz to the root of .kobo. The first time I didn't know to also load launcher.png so naturally, it didn't work!

Second time I used the advice found in post # 1 of this thread. I got as far as Step 6 - after a loooong time, the Kobo finally restarted, but there was no launcher button on the home page.

So, I am at a standstill. I have a N905 Kobo touch running Firmware 3.0.0. Any help or advice would be most appreciated.

Sparky

I had the exact same problem when turn it off and on. If I let it stay on after unplugging it, it processes automatically. I have kobo glo. I hope it helsp