Kobo tools attachment
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HowTo
Kobo
Tools
eReader
Last update
2023-12-19
2023
12-19
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Resolutions

  • Sage: 1440x1920
  • Glo: 758x1024

Developer mode / hidden settings

  1. Type devmodeon in the searchbar, search and return to home screen
  2. New menu entry apperars: Settings > Device Information > Developer options
  3. Optional: type devmodeoff to disable it

NickelMenu / quick launcher

  1. Download latest KoboRoot.tgz from home page/github
  2. Connect Kobo to your PC
  3. Put KoboRoot.tgz into KOBOeReader/.kobo
  4. Eject your eReader and wait for it to reboot
  5. Ensure there is a new menu item in the bottom-right main menu entitled NickelMenu
  6. Connect Kobo to your PC again and create a file named KOBOeReader/.adds/nm/config, and follow the instructions in KOBOeReader/.adds/nm/doc to configure NickelMenu

Example:

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menu_item :main    :Browser (fullscreen)  :nickel_browser     :
menu_item :main    :Browser (modal)       :nickel_browser     :modal

# KOreader: prevent Kobo from scanning hidden folders on 4.17+
# https://github.com/koreader/koreader/wiki/Installation-on-Kobo-devices#important-notes
# ==> append in ".kobo/Kobo/Kobo eReader.conf":
#   [FeatureSettings]
#   ExcludeSyncFolders=(\\.(?!kobo|adobe).+|([^.][^/]*/)+\\..+)
menu_item :main    :KOReader              :cmd_spawn          :quiet  :exec  /mnt/onboard/.adds/koreader/koreader.sh

menu_item :main    :Plato                 :cmd_spawn          :quiet  :/mnt/onboard/.adds/plato/plato.sh

menu_item :main    :Invert Screen         :nickel_orientation :invert
menu_item :main    :Sudoku                :nickel_extras      :sudoku
#menu_item :main    :Solitaire             :nickel_extras      :solitaire
#menu_item :main    :WordScramble          :nickel_extras      :word_scramble
#menu_item :main    :Dump Syslog           :cmd_spawn          :logread > /mnt/onboard/.adds/syslog.log

menu_item :main    :USB connect           :nickel_misc        :force_usb_connection
menu_item :main    :IP Address            :cmd_output         :500:/sbin/ifconfig | /usr/bin/awk '/inet addr/{print substr($2,6)}'
menu_item :main    :Telnet                :cmd_output         :500:quiet :/usr/bin/pkill -f "^/usr/bin/tcpsvd -E 0.0.0.0 2023"
  chain_success:skip:5
    chain_failure                         :cmd_spawn          :quiet :/bin/mount -t devpts | /bin/grep -q /dev/pts || { /bin/mkdir -p /dev/pts && /bin/mount -t devpts devpts /dev/pts; }
    chain_success                         :cmd_spawn          :quiet :exec /usr/bin/tcpsvd -E 0.0.0.0 2023 /usr/sbin/telnetd -i -l /bin/login
    chain_success                         :dbg_toast          :Started Telnet server on port 2023
    chain_failure                         :dbg_toast          :Error starting Telnet server on port 2023
    chain_always:skip:-1
  chain_success                           :dbg_toast          :Stopped Telnet server on port 2023
menu_item :main    :FTP                   :cmd_spawn          :quiet:/usr/bin/pkill -f "^/usr/bin/tcpsvd -E 0.0.0.0 1021" || true && exec /usr/bin/tcpsvd -E 0.0.0.0 1021 /usr/sbin/ftpd -w -t 30 /mnt/onboard
  chain_success                           :dbg_toast          :Started FTP server on port 1021.

menu_item :main    :Sleep                 :power              :sleep
#menu_item :main    :Reboot                :power              :reboot
menu_item :main    :Power Off             :power              :shutdown

menu_item :library :Import books          :nickel_misc        :rescan_books_full

menu_item :browser :Quit                  :nickel_misc        :home
menu_item :browser :Open modal            :nickel_browser     :modal
menu_item :browser :Invert Screen         :nickel_orientation :invert

menu_item :selection_search :WebSearch    :nickel_browser     :modal:https://duckduckgo.com/?q={1|S|%}

Notes: - FTP: user = root, pass = empty - Telnet: pass = none

KOReader / alternative reader, swiss knife

See the user guide and wiki, then follow install instructions:

  1. Download the latest release from github
  2. Connect Kobo to your PC
  3. unzip -d /path/to/KOBOeReader/.adds/ koreader-kobo-v2023.04.zip

  4. prevent Kobo from scanning hidden folders on 4.17+, append in .kobo/Kobo/Kobo eReader.conf:

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    [FeatureSettings]
ExcludeSyncFolders=(\\.(?!kobo|adobe).+|([^.][^/]*/)+\\..+)

  5. add entry in NickelMenu, put in .adds/nm/config:

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    menu_item :main :KOReader :cmd_spawn :quiet :exec /mnt/onboard/.adds/koreader/koreader.sh

  6. Eject your eReader and enjoy

From the user guide a command to optimize images for the ereader with ImageMagick:

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convert input-image.ext \
  -colorspace Lab -filter LanczosSharp -distort Resize 1404x1872 \
  -colorspace sRGB -background white -gravity center -extent 1404x1872! \
  -grayscale Rec709Luminance -colorspace sRGB \
  -dither FloydSteinberg -remap _eink_cmap.gif \
  -quality 75 output-image.ext

_eink_cmap.gif is also attached to this post.

Plato / alternative reader

See the forum thread and NickelMenu entry:

  1. Download the latest release from github
  2. Connect Kobo to your PC
  3. mkdir /path/to/KOBOeReader/.add/plato
  4. unzip -d /path/to/KOBOeReader/.adds/plato/ plato-0.9.36.7z
  5. prevent Kobo from scanning hidden folders on 4.17+, see KOReader instruction above

  6. add entry in NickelMenu, put in .adds/nm/config:

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    menu_item :main :Plato :cmd_spawn :quiet :/mnt/onboard/.adds/plato/plato.sh

  7. Eject your eReader and enjoy

Misc tools

  • kepubify -- EPUB to KEPUB converter written in Go (standalone executable)

QOL settings

  • full reference

  • enable screenshots by pressing power button (saves a PNG in kobo root dir), append in .kobo/Kobo/Kobo eReader.conf:

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    [FeatureSettings]
Screenshots=true

  • auto accept the Computer detected popup when plugged into a computer and enable devmodeon:

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    [DeveloperSettings]
AutoUsbGadget=true
EnableDebugServices=true

  • random screensaver (sleep/poweroff):

    1. put images in .kobo/screensaver
    2. Settings > Energy saving and privacy > check Show current read and Show book covers full screen

  • manual reset procedure: Sage, Glo