Glo Return of the Kobo guy and the old-style home screen in fw3.2.0

[GeoffR]

Here is something interesting I just discovered on my Glo with firmware 3.2.0: Add the line KrakenIsPhoenix=false to the [ApplicationPreferences] section of the Glo's configuration file and you get the old stye homescreen and other UI features such as a slider to navigate the library. You also get the happy Kobo guy on the sleep screen if you don't have it set to show the book cover.

Here are a couple of screen shots from my Glo. It is not quite the same as the old homescreen I remember from before 2.6.1, but I like it an awful lot better than the new tiled homescreen. (I can't show the sleep screen because the sleep switch is used to take the screenshot).

Edit: Unfortunately with this setting you also lose some of the features that were added in recent firmware, such as the back button inside the book, so it looks like I will have to put up with the tiled homescreen for a while longer.

[taming]

I wonder if that is in there for the Mini distribution?

[windyvincent]

GeoffR, please teach me how to get the snapshot.
Thanks a lot.

[GeoffR]

Originally Posted by windyvincent

GeoffR, please teach me how to get the snapshot.
Thanks a lot.

Add this section to your configuration file (./kobo/Kobo/Kobo eReader.conf):

[FeatureSettings]
Screenshots=true

Then you can take a screenshot by a quick flick of the sleep/power switch (same as you would do to sleep/wake the device).

When you have finished taking screenshots, plug the reader in to the PC and the screenshots will be in the device's root directory. Copy and delete them from the device and change the configuration file entry back to Screenshots=false before unplugging. (If you don't delete the screenshots from the device they will be processed as new images when you unplug).

[windyvincent]

Originally Posted by GeoffR

Add this section to your configuration file (./kobo/Kobo/Kobo eReader.conf):

[FeatureSettings]
Screenshots=true

Then you can take a screenshot by a quick flick of the sleep/power switch (same as you would do to sleep/wake the device).

When you have finished taking screenshots, plug the reader in to the PC and the screenshots will be in the device's root directory. Copy and delete them from the device and change the configuration file entry back to Screenshots=false before unplugging. (If you don't delete the screenshots from the device they will be processed as new images when you unplug).

Appreciated, tried in 3.1.1 FW but not fuctioned.
Tried again in 3.2.0 and success.

[Roadbug]

Originally Posted by GeoffR

Here is something interesting I just discovered on my Glo with firmware 3.2.0: Add the line KrakenIsPhoenix=false to the [ApplicationPreferences] section of the Glo's configuration file and you get the old stye homescreen and other UI features such as a slider to navigate the library. You also get the happy Kobo guy on the sleep screen if you don't have it set to show the book cover.

Where do I find the configuration file? Thanx!

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Roadbug

Where do I find the configuration file? Thanx!

The Kobo eReader.conf file lives in the Kobo directory located inside the .kobo directory which is in the root of the internal storage.

If you want to add the Screenshots= setting, look for the [FeatureSettings] header first. If it doesn't exist, add both lines, otherwise just add the Screenshots= line. If you don't use a sleepcover, I'd recommend editing the file to set Screenshots=true, taking the screen captures and then editing to set Screenshots=false.

[FeatureSettings]
Screenshots=false

Regards,
David

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by taming

I wonder if that is in there for the Mini distribution?

I think it was there for the Aura testing. The Aura has the codename "Phoenix" and the Glo is "Kraken". When I first saw that option, it was a a couple of months before the Aura was announced. I assumed that having "KrakenIsPhoenix=true" allowed Kobo to test changes for the Aura on the Glo but I don't remember seeing any differences.

[teija]

I'm waiting for them to bring back the smiley face on the Mini. Until then I will remain on the old, old version I am on...

[Sharkus]

Originally Posted by davidfor

I think it was there for the Aura testing. The Aura has the codename "Phoenix" and the Glo is "Kraken". When I first saw that option, it was a a couple of months before the Aura was announced. I assumed that having "KrakenIsPhoenix=true" allowed Kobo to test changes for the Aura on the Glo but I don't remember seeing any differences.

There is some sense to that, and though there might not be an interface difference, there could be a behind the scenes difference, for example, a unique model identifier sent up to the server when you sync.
This option would therefore allow a Glo to masquerade as an Aura, and send up the Aura's unique model identifier, and thus it an be checked that the system is picking up the Aura correctly.

[davidfor]

Sharkus: I was thinking front-end changes, but back-end testing like that makes more sense.

[LaLaLia]

How can I revert this? Is a factory reset needed? Erasing KrakenIsPhoenix=false from the .conf file is not working :3

[GeoffR]

Originally Posted by LaLaLia

How can I revert this? Is a factory reset needed? Erasing KrakenIsPhoenix=false from the .conf file is not working :3

What device and firmware version do you have?

Removing the KrakenIsPhoenix from the config file should revert it, no need for a factory reset. But note that the Touch and Mini used the old homescreen after the Glo and other devices had already changed to the new homescreen, so what homescreen you see on the Touch will not necessarily be the same as what is seen on the Glo with the same firmware version.

[LaLaLia]

Originally Posted by GeoffR

What device and firmware version do you have?

Removing the KrakenIsPhoenix from the config file should revert it, no need for a factory reset. But note that the Touch and Mini used the old homescreen after the Glo and other devices had already changed to the new homescreen, so what homescreen you see on the Touch will not necessarily be the same as what is seen on the Glo with the same firmware version.

I don't know why but leaving the Glo untouched overnight worked.
Thank you anyway, as usual