[GUI Plugin] Kobo Utilities

[ownedbycats]

Metadata not updating properly until you reset the account seems indicate an error with the Kobo database. There's a bug with the current firmware that causes occasional corruption with certain actions (the main one is connecting while a kepub is open on device).

Use Kobo Utilities to keep backups.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by muse

I had the same issue and the way to solve it is to sign out and back in of your Kobo account on the device.

Given this is a Kobo Utilities thread, I would hope that backups of the database would be made so the latest one can restored instead of having to log out and then in.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Given this is a Kobo Utilities thread, I would hope that backups of the database would be made so the latest one can restored instead of having to log out and then in.

One assumes the use configured the option in the Utilities.
The utilities creator had the foresight to allows (the filenam has the device serial if you don't want to sort thru) for defining multiple save locations for those with various Kobos .

[John F]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Given this is a Kobo Utilities thread, I would hope that backups of the database would be made so the latest one can restored instead of having to log out and then in.

Probably best not to hope. You should probably find out.

[nAhu]

Originally Posted by muse

I had the same issue and the way to solve it is to sign out and back in of your Kobo account on the device.

Default calibre drive have not problem
The "kobo utilities" update the metadata without problem for epubs only not working for kepubs.

Then I do not think I have the same problem you are talking of.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Given this is a Kobo Utilities thread, I would hope that backups of the database would be made so the latest one can restored instead of having to log out and then in.

Originally Posted by John F

Probably best not to hope. You should probably find out.

What? You expect someone to actually test something for themselves?

But yes, if you replace the databases from the backup, you will not need to sign out/sign in. Obviously, you will lose anything done between the time the database was backed up and the time that it was restored.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by nAhu

Default calibre drive have not problem
The "kobo utilities" update the metadata without problem for epubs only not working for kepubs.

Then I do not think I have the same problem you are talking of.

Did you try the Kobo Utilities Check the device database under the Database menu?

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by DNSB

What? You expect someone to actually test something for themselves?

But yes, if you replace the databases from the backup, you will not need to sign out/sign in. Obviously, you will lose anything done between the time the database was backed up and the time that it was restored.

Test is not a test. It's using a very useful feature of Kobo Utilities which is already installed.

[robinp]

Hi, I recently got an Aura HD, have bypassed registration and am trying to use the Kobo Utilities plugin within Calibre to update the firmware. It's currently at 4.6. I click on "Check for Kobo updates", it tells me there is an update available (4.38), then on clicking "Yes", I get this error message:
calibre, version 6.29.0 (linux, embedded-python: False)
Failed to update Kobo firmware: Failed: Downloading Kobo firmware update

HTTP Error 403: Forbidden

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/lib/calibre/calibre/gui2/device.py", line 104, in run
self.result = self.func(*self.args, **self.kwargs)
File "calibre_plugins.koboutilities.jobs", line 123, in do_check_firmware_update
resp = urlopen(update_data["UpgradeURL"])
File "/usr/lib/python3.10/urllib/request.py", line 216, in urlopen
return opener.open(url, data, timeout)
File "/usr/lib/python3.10/urllib/request.py", line 525, in open
response = meth(req, response)
File "/usr/lib/python3.10/urllib/request.py", line 634, in http_response
response = self.parent.error(
File "/usr/lib/python3.10/urllib/request.py", line 563, in error
return self._call_chain(*args)
File "/usr/lib/python3.10/urllib/request.py", line 496, in _call_chain
result = func(*args)
File "/usr/lib/python3.10/urllib/request.py", line 643, in http_error_default
raise HTTPError(req.full_url, code, msg, hdrs, fp)
urllib.error.HTTPError: HTTP Error 403: Forbidden

Any ideas what the problem might be?

Thanks

The device won't update via its own wifi connection either.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by robinp

Hi, I recently got an Aura HD, have bypassed registration and am trying to use the Kobo Utilities plugin within Calibre to update the firmware. It's currently at 4.6. I click on "Check for Kobo updates", it tells me there is an update available (4.38), then on clicking "Yes", I get this error message:
calibre, version 6.29.0 (linux, embedded-python: False)
Failed to update Kobo firmware: Failed: Downloading Kobo firmware update

HTTP Error 403: Forbidden

Spoiler:

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/lib/calibre/calibre/gui2/device.py", line 104, in run
self.result = self.func(*self.args, **self.kwargs)
File "calibre_plugins.koboutilities.jobs", line 123, in do_check_firmware_update
resp = urlopen(update_data["UpgradeURL"])
File "/usr/lib/python3.10/urllib/request.py", line 216, in urlopen
return opener.open(url, data, timeout)
File "/usr/lib/python3.10/urllib/request.py", line 525, in open
response = meth(req, response)
File "/usr/lib/python3.10/urllib/request.py", line 634, in http_response
response = self.parent.error(
File "/usr/lib/python3.10/urllib/request.py", line 563, in error
return self._call_chain(*args)
File "/usr/lib/python3.10/urllib/request.py", line 496, in _call_chain
result = func(*args)
File "/usr/lib/python3.10/urllib/request.py", line 643, in http_error_default
raise HTTPError(req.full_url, code, msg, hdrs, fp)
urllib.error.HTTPError: HTTP Error 403: Forbidden

Any ideas what the problem might be?

Thanks

The device won't update via its own wifi connection either.

That is more or less normal since Kobo has changed how the URLs are accessed. The author of the plugin passed away last August so it is not seeing many changes. The Aura HD is likely on an older firmware that does not support the newer security protocols now needed to connect.

What I would recommend is to go to Patrick Gaskin's Kobo Firmware Downloads, download the latest firmware for the Aura HD (basically a Kobo4 device). Once you have downloaded the .zip file, connect your Aura HD to your computer, open the .zip file and copy the contents ( the upgrade directory and the KoboRoot.tgz and manifest.md5sum files) to the .kobo directory on your Aura HD. Since you are not using Windows, you will need to make the .kobo directory visible. On a Mac, pressing command+shift+. or on Linux, pressing ctrl-H should do this though I haven't tried this in a while so you may need to do some research.

You may also need to update calibre for it to see the Aura HD properly with the updated firmware. I would recommend installing from the calibre website using the command line and installing any prerequisites.

[theducks]

There have been known issues due to changes:
Use this URL in your browser.
https://pgaskin.net/KoboStuff/kobofirmware.html
Then choose your device

You might want to bookmark that URL as no known update to that part of the PI is available

[robinp]

Oh, that's sad news about the author.

Originally Posted by DNSB

Once you have downloaded the .zip file, connect your Aura HD to your computer, open the .zip file and copy the contents ( the upgrade directory and the KoboRoot.tgz and manifest.md5sum files) to the .kobo directory on your Aura HD.

Thanks, I'll give this a go

[robinp]

Originally Posted by theducks

no known update to that part of the PI is available

what's PI/Pl?

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by robinp

what's PI/Pl?

PI = PlugIn

[compurandom]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Given this is a Kobo Utilities thread, I would hope that backups of the database would be made so the latest one can restored instead of having to log out and then in.

I have found that restoring the files is not a full solution. It might work a few times, but the database corruption seems to be subtle and cumulative and so eventually enough errors creep in that all the backups are corrupt.

As to signing out and back in -- I find it is faster to just delete the databases. Then you only have to sign back in and reload your screensavers, side loaded dictionaries, and config file, not all the side loaded books. (But you do have to wait for it to scan them, and it might take several passes.)

And with a little foresight, you can move the dictionaries and screen savers aside so you don't have to reload those either, just rename them back.

Also, it might be my imagination, but it seems like over time the kobo gets slower and slower, and compressing the database doesn't completely restore the speed. But rebuilding a fresh database does.