The Ultimate Kobo Tips & Tricks Thread

ficbot · 05-02-2010, 03:41 PM

For all the Kobo newbies, here is a mega-thread with all the tips and tricks so far. If anyone learns any new tips and tricks, please post them here.

1) USING THE KOBO WITH THE KOBO SOFTWARE

Create an account at the Kobo website, or log into your existing Kobo account. Click on your library. Unless you have done some fiddling already, all the books you have bought will appear in your 'I'm Reading' list. This is what will sync to the Kobo.

If you have some books you have read already and/or don't want to syn to the Kobo, click the checkmark beside them, then click the delete button at the top of the list. The books will still be in your purchased books area but will no longer be on your I'm Reading list.

Plug in the reader. Open the desktop software folder and install the software for your type of computer (Windows or Mac). Launch the software, log into your Kobo account. Click the sync button. The books will sync onto the Kobo Reader.

Books loaded onto the reader in this way will not appear as files if you double-click on the device icon in the desktop. If you want them to appear on the device and be editable, you will have to load them through other means such as Adobe Digital Editions or via drag and drop.

2) USING THE DEVICE WITH ADOBE DIGITAL EDITIONS

Log onto your Kobo account on the website. Go to your library. Click on the 'download epub' icon and when prompted, save the file to your desktop.

Go to your desktop and right-click on the .acsm file. Choose 'open with Adobe Digital Editions' and open the file. While you are in ADE, authorize the Kobo reader to your account.

You should then be able to drag and drop books from your list in ADE onto the reader icon.

Note: If you are downloading library books, it is the same procedure. Sve the .acsm file and open it using ADE.

3) USING THE DEVICE WITH CALIBRE

Make sure the Kobo Reader is plugged in. Have Calibre open and make sure you can see the 'Kobo Reader' icon on your desktop.

Select a book from your list. If it is not in epub, convert it using the 'convert' button.

Right-click on the file name. Choose 'open containing folder.' Drag the epub file onto the Kobo Reader icon on the desktop.

4) FIXING AN EPUB WHICH WILL NOT LET YOU CHANGE THE FONT

MAC users: Download a program called ePub Zip
PC Users: Download a program called Free Zip

Click on the epub file. Click on the file name---it should become highlighted so you can edit it.

Change the part that says .epub to .zip.

Double-click on the new zip file. It will make a folder.

Open the folder. Find the file that says stlyesheet.css and delete it. (IT may be inside another folder like the OEBPS one.

MAC Users: Drop the folder onto ePub Zip and you're done.

PC Users: Use Free ZIp to make a zip file. Highlight the file name and change the .zip to .epub and you're done

Drag the new epub file onto the Kobo Reader icon.

Note: Files edited this way will allow font adjustment, but may lose other formatting such as full justification

5) DELETING THE PRE-INSTALLED BOOKS

Srid outlined the procedure here.

somecanuck · 05-02-2010, 04:15 PM

Nice compilation!

mfpreach · 05-03-2010, 07:36 AM

Anyone know how to add a cover to a book we add (ie. One converted from Calibre?)

ficbot · 05-03-2010, 08:02 AM

Go to Google Images, search for the book cover.
Right-click on it, choose save image as
Save to the desktop
Click on the book in Calibre
Open the 'edit meta information' area by clicking on the button
Go to the bottom right corner where it says 'change cover image'
Click on the left button underneath it (the one beside the garbage can)
Browse to where you saved the image
When you click okay and exit the meta information editor, you will have a cover

Duiker · 05-03-2010, 10:35 AM

What about removing books from the 'I'm reading" section on the Kobo without deleting them?

Croptop · 05-03-2010, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duiker

What about removing books from the 'I'm reading" section on the Kobo without deleting them?

You can only remove items from the I'm Reading list by signing into the Kobo Desktop Application (or Kobo Blackberry application) and removing the book from the I'm Reading list there. Then you have to sync the device to propagate the update to the Kobo Reader.

Margok · 05-04-2010, 03:41 AM

I don't have a I'm reading list in my desktop app. -__-

Duiker · 05-04-2010, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Croptop

You can only remove items from the I'm Reading list by signing into the Kobo Desktop Application (or Kobo Blackberry application) and removing the book from the I'm Reading list there. Then you have to sync the device to propagate the update to the Kobo Reader.

I have the list but none of the pre-loaded books show up on it in the app, just on the reader.

lchen · 05-04-2010, 10:26 AM

Same here.

DoreyR · 05-04-2010, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Croptop

You can only remove items from the I'm Reading list by signing into the Kobo Desktop Application (or Kobo Blackberry application) and removing the book from the I'm Reading list there. Then you have to sync the device to propagate the update to the Kobo Reader.

I have only been able to do this by going to the WEB application, not the desktop application.

Gadget Guy · 05-05-2010, 09:35 PM

Is it possible to make this a sticky? I am sure other 1st time owners such as myself would appreciate it if it was easy to find.

Just a thought,

GG

corona · 05-06-2010, 12:30 AM

I'm using 7zip as and archive manager. When it comes to deleting that pesky .css file, 7zip just opens the *.epub file as an archive and then you just close it. No renaming or anything needed. 7zip is open-source:

http://www.7-zip.org/

dantaipan · 05-06-2010, 02:59 PM

Same with winrar.

Quote:

Originally Posted by corona

I'm using 7zip as and archive manager. When it comes to deleting that pesky .css file, 7zip just opens the *.epub file as an archive and then you just close it. No renaming or anything needed. 7zip is open-source:

http://www.7-zip.org/

DaleDe · 05-06-2010, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dantaipan

Same with winrar.

well winrar is not open source, but it can be used for epub files.

Dale

canreader · 05-07-2010, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duiker

What about removing books from the 'I'm reading" section on the Kobo without deleting them?

I tried skipping to the end of the book and "finishing" it, and the book went back into my library and out of the I'm Reading section.

05-02-2010, 03:41 PM	#1
ficbot Wizard Posts: 2,409 Karma: 4132096 Join Date: Sep 2008 Device: Kindle Paperwhite/iOS Kindle App	The Ultimate Kobo Tips & Tricks Thread For all the Kobo newbies, here is a mega-thread with all the tips and tricks so far. If anyone learns any new tips and tricks, please post them here. 1) USING THE KOBO WITH THE KOBO SOFTWARE Create an account at the Kobo website, or log into your existing Kobo account. Click on your library. Unless you have done some fiddling already, all the books you have bought will appear in your 'I'm Reading' list. This is what will sync to the Kobo. If you have some books you have read already and/or don't want to syn to the Kobo, click the checkmark beside them, then click the delete button at the top of the list. The books will still be in your purchased books area but will no longer be on your I'm Reading list. Plug in the reader. Open the desktop software folder and install the software for your type of computer (Windows or Mac). Launch the software, log into your Kobo account. Click the sync button. The books will sync onto the Kobo Reader. Books loaded onto the reader in this way will not appear as files if you double-click on the device icon in the desktop. If you want them to appear on the device and be editable, you will have to load them through other means such as Adobe Digital Editions or via drag and drop. 2) USING THE DEVICE WITH ADOBE DIGITAL EDITIONS Log onto your Kobo account on the website. Go to your library. Click on the 'download epub' icon and when prompted, save the file to your desktop. Go to your desktop and right-click on the .acsm file. Choose 'open with Adobe Digital Editions' and open the file. While you are in ADE, authorize the Kobo reader to your account. You should then be able to drag and drop books from your list in ADE onto the reader icon. Note: If you are downloading library books, it is the same procedure. Sve the .acsm file and open it using ADE. 3) USING THE DEVICE WITH CALIBRE Make sure the Kobo Reader is plugged in. Have Calibre open and make sure you can see the 'Kobo Reader' icon on your desktop. Select a book from your list. If it is not in epub, convert it using the 'convert' button. Right-click on the file name. Choose 'open containing folder.' Drag the epub file onto the Kobo Reader icon on the desktop. 4) FIXING AN EPUB WHICH WILL NOT LET YOU CHANGE THE FONT MAC users: Download a program called ePub Zip PC Users: Download a program called Free Zip Click on the epub file. Click on the file name---it should become highlighted so you can edit it. Change the part that says .epub to .zip. Double-click on the new zip file. It will make a folder. Open the folder. Find the file that says stlyesheet.css and delete it. (IT may be inside another folder like the OEBPS one. MAC Users: Drop the folder onto ePub Zip and you're done. PC Users: Use Free ZIp to make a zip file. Highlight the file name and change the .zip to .epub and you're done Drag the new epub file onto the Kobo Reader icon. Note: Files edited this way will allow font adjustment, but may lose other formatting such as full justification 5) DELETING THE PRE-INSTALLED BOOKS Srid outlined the procedure here.

05-05-2010, 09:35 PM	#11
Gadget Guy Enthusiast Posts: 29 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: toronto.on.ca Device: Kobo eReader	Great information in this discussion! Is it possible to make this a sticky? I am sure other 1st time owners such as myself would appreciate it if it was easy to find. Just a thought, GG

05-06-2010, 12:30 AM	#12
corona Addict Posts: 324 Karma: 25168 Join Date: May 2010 Device: kobo	7zip easier to use for deleting stylesheet I'm using 7zip as and archive manager. When it comes to deleting that pesky .css file, 7zip just opens the .epub file as an archive and then you just close it. No renaming or anything needed. 7zip is open-source: http://www.7-zip.org/ Last edited by corona; 05-06-2010 at 12:37 AM. Reason: added 7zip URL*

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05-02-2010, 04:15 PM	#2
somecanuck Enthusiast Posts: 35 Karma: 64 Join Date: Apr 2010 Device: none	Nice compilation!

05-03-2010, 07:36 AM	#3
mfpreach Enthusiast Posts: 30 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: prs-300	Anyone know how to add a cover to a book we add (ie. One converted from Calibre?)

05-03-2010, 08:02 AM	#4
ficbot Wizard Posts: 2,409 Karma: 4132096 Join Date: Sep 2008 Device: Kindle Paperwhite/iOS Kindle App	Go to Google Images, search for the book cover. Right-click on it, choose save image as Save to the desktop Click on the book in Calibre Open the 'edit meta information' area by clicking on the button Go to the bottom right corner where it says 'change cover image' Click on the left button underneath it (the one beside the garbage can) Browse to where you saved the image When you click okay and exit the meta information editor, you will have a cover

05-03-2010, 10:35 AM	#5
Duiker Addict Posts: 258 Karma: 30680 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Toronto, Canada Device: Kindle Paperwhite	What about removing books from the 'I'm reading" section on the Kobo without deleting them?

05-04-2010, 03:41 AM	#7
Margok Member Posts: 13 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2010 Device: Kobo	I don't have a I'm reading list in my desktop app. -__-

05-04-2010, 10:26 AM	#9
lchen Connoisseur Posts: 51 Karma: 12 Join Date: May 2010 Device: Kobo EReader	Same here.

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