Adding alternative readers to Kobo devices

[arspr]

Just installed without a glitch.



Two noob questions:

• Do these readers/software interfere with official Kobo FW upgrade process? I mean, is it dangerous to leave sync activated and receive a new 3.whatever software update? Or is it impossible to receive new updates? Do manual FW updates work as always with the same procedure we already know (copying everything inside .kobo in a similar way to these alternative readers upgrades)?
• How do I uninstall them if needed or wanted? Through a factory reset? Or just deleting some files/directories?

[kobotux]

Hi guys, I just got a kobo touch for xmas, and I was wondering if there was something else to take care of, like firmware number or anything before trying this ? Can't wait to get the most of my 'touch'. Sorry for bad english, france here

[Ken Maltby]

Originally Posted by arspr

Just installed without a glitch.



Two noob questions:

• Do these readers/software interfere with official Kobo FW upgrade process? I mean, is it dangerous to leave sync activated and receive a new 3.whatever software update? Or is it impossible to receive new updates? Do manual FW updates work as always with the same procedure we already know (copying everything inside .kobo in a similar way to these alternative readers upgrades)?
• How do I uninstall them if needed or wanted? Through a factory reset? Or just deleting some files/directories?

The Kobo firmware updates can make it so you need to reinstall the .png image(s), just follow the steps in the first post. The existence of the alternate readers has no impact on the FW updates. You should be able to use your Kobo, including the sync features and use the WiFi as much as you want. You should receive the FW updates just as you do without the alternate readers installed. The FW update install is not changed by having the alternate readers installed.

The alternate readers can be uninstalled by following the first three steps of the guide in the first post.

Uninstalling Kobo's firmware will require a factory reset - if you want to install an earlier FW.

Luck;
Ken

[arspr]

Originally Posted by Ken Maltby

The alternate readers can be uninstalled by following the first three steps of the guide in the first post.

My fault.



Because I did a fresh install I skipped that part (as you instructed), and I didn't notice that they were the uninstalling instructions...

[yayo]

Does any alternative reader support pdf reflow?

[kobotux]

-------------------------------------
Adds; fmon, Coolreader, Chess, other games and utilities, and Koreader
-------------------------------------

I was wondering if this adds some of the few usefull tweaks seen in an other thread ?

[Ken Maltby]

@yayo;
Koreader does, it was initially developed from software for an improved PDF reader, for Kindle devices.

@kobotux;
Not sure which tweaks you mean. If you mean the tweaks to the Kobo software, then no, but you can apply them to the Kobo software, if you want. The Kobo readers and the alternate readers do not share code or resources in any way that would effect the use of such tweaks.

If you mean tweaks to Koreader or Coolreader then also no, this guide installs the basic "Nightly Builds" of the alternative readers. You would need to apply any tweaks you want. (For instance: I keep my ebooks in folders behind a "hidden" folder, on my external uSD card, so they don't get "processed" by the Kobo software. As I find it convenient to have Koreader open in the first folder of that file structure. I keep a copy of the script file with that tweak on my desktop, because I update Koreader often and it is simple to copy my modified script file over the one provided in the update.)

Luck;
Ken

[kobotux]

Thanks ! I was thinking about some hacks like fade to black, night mode and some others but they're not so difficult to add so I'll do it by hand. What I really need on the contrary is a real pdf reader, something that can zoom on pages and lock the zoom level or that can rearrange the text just as Adobe's reader can do on Android, (I used to do so on my phone for example) some of my books are barely readable due to text/image layout.

[Ken Maltby]

Originally Posted by kobotux

Thanks ! I was thinking about some hacks like fade to black, night mode and some others but they're not so difficult to add so I'll do it by hand. What I really need on the contrary is a real pdf reader, something that can zoom on pages and lock the zoom level or that can rearrange the text just as Adobe's reader can do on Android, (I used to do so on my phone for example) some of my books are barely readable due to text/image layout.

I'm not much for PDF documents on a smaller than 10" screen, so I only have a couple on my AuraHD. I have a couple of cbz files that use the Mu based code of the PDF reader portion of Koreader, as well. I know that there are a number of Zoom modes and there is a cropping tool builtin and the landscape mode has been commented on some, but why not give it a try to see for yourself?

The alternative readers have their own features and are ongoing projects that add features that users (often posters here on MR) point out.

Luck;
Ken

[kobotux]

So, i installed everything in this post. All went fine, except for koreader. I've downloaded the last nightly build, but I have trouble with the touch screen, and I can't quit without power + pinhole in the back of the device. Firmware is 3.0.1 and device model is N905C. Does somebody have idea ?

[Ken Maltby]

Originally Posted by kobotux

So, i installed everything in this post. All went fine, except for koreader. I've downloaded the last nightly build, but I have trouble with the touch screen, and I can't quit without power + pinhole in the back of the device. Firmware is 3.0.1 and device model is N905C. Does somebody have idea ?

Can you get the dropdown menu, when you tap the title "File Manager"?

There has been that problem reported for some Touch models but your "N905C" is the Mark 4 model and I thought it didn't have that issue. This has worked for some: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...&postcount=739

Also this.

The free "Notepad++" makes reading and editing script files very easy. It also can save the edited file with the proper End Of Line treatment for Linux.

Luck;
Ken

As you can see from the links above there is a fix and Giorgio is aware of the issue and fix, but the problem is that it is Touch model dependent and all three models are identified as "Trilogy" in the code that identifies the device. It is being worked on so that the fix can be applied automatically to the correct Touch.

[kobotux]

No i dont have à dropdown menu. Each time I start koreader I start directly in the ' file manager '. Also, touching the screen doesn't seem to get the right coordinates of touch. I'll have a look at the links you gave and see from there what I can do. Thanks.

[arspr]

I suppose you (the expert people) know, but just in case.

I've made a database reset through kobo account sign-out and I've lost launcher and koreader access. Their pngs do nothing.

[Ken Maltby]

Originally Posted by arspr

I suppose you (the expert people) know, but just in case.

I've made a database reset through kobo account sign-out and I've lost launcher and koreader access. Their pngs do nothing.

Yes, that is what is happening when Kobo's database gets reconstructed. The easiest thing to do is to go to Kobo's Library and long-press on the PNG launcher files and remove them from Kobo's database. Then redo the parts of the guide that install them. This is what you will need to do after you update Kobo's firmware, also.

Luck;
Ken

[Ken Maltby]

Originally Posted by kobotux

No i dont have à dropdown menu. Each time I start koreader I start directly in the ' file manager '. Also, touching the screen doesn't seem to get the right coordinates of touch. I'll have a look at the links you gave and see from there what I can do. Thanks.

The "input.lua" script file is at: \.kobo\koreader\frontend\ui\input.lua

The values to change are at (or around) line 26 if you open the file in notepad++, and they will be in red.

That should fix the touch coordinates issue and then poking the top of the screen should get you that dropdown menu, like in CoolReader.

Luck;
Ken