Mobibook Mobipocket Reader on CE5 Netbook

Issue: Your settings disappear every time you shut your CE5 netbook.
Cause: A file that Mobipocket creates titled MBP_global_configuration.mbp contains the saved settings in the Windows folder. When you power down, the device wipes/deletes any added files from most folders that are not persistent storage.

At first I thought that there might be some simple registry edit to correct the path of saving the settings, but I couldn't find one, so I took a simpler approach. I just created a simple text file using pocket word that looks like this:

copy \Flash2\MobiPocket\MBP_global_configuration.mbp \windows\
\flash2\mobipocket\mobibook.exe

Then I saved the file and named it mb.bat, short for mobibook.batch.

First I created a mobipocket folder in my \flash2\ directory, and then installed Mobireader there. Then after running the program and getting my settings the way I wanted them, I copied the configuration file from the Windows folder to the same folder where all my Mobibook stuff resides, one that doesn't get wiped out when I power down.

Now all I do is click on/run the batch file and it first copies the settings to the windows folder and then runs the executeable with my personalized settings. Works every time.

However, that wasn't really an optimal way of doing things, so I came up with a second method to keep my settings, one that does not require any additional copies or batch files. In this case I decided to hexedit the mobibook.exe file. I loaded it up in my favorite hex editor and searched for instances of "\windows." I found two of them and changed "windows" to "flash2" which is my persistent file storate area that doesn't get wiped with a reset/shutdown.

In the graphic below, you can see the original hex code (orange highlight) and the modified hex code (yellow highlight). Now when I run the program, all my changes are not stored in the Windows folder, rather they are stored in the root Flash2 folder.






Attachments
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hexedit.jpg (97KB - 0 downloads)

Rich, sounds like your second solution is the way to go... except that on my machine, the flash drive is called "ResidentFlash" and it doesn't look there's enough room for that many characters. Your first solution is like what I had in mind, though having the batch file also copy the config file back from the windows directory after running the program means any new settings are saved as well.

After using uBook reader for awhile now, I'm not convinced that Mobibook has any advantage, unless it's reading DRM crippled files which I don't think uBook can handle.

-Dana

Government cannot give you anything it does not first take away from someone.

No, after looking, I can't change \windows to \ResidentFlash, so it's the batch file for me. I took it further, though: Seems Mobibook places three files in the \windows directory... not sure what they all do, but if you copy all three, in both directions, the current open book and the place in it are saved as well.

mobibook.bat:

@echo off 
copy "\ResidentFlash\Program Files\MobiPocket\MBP_global_configuration.mbp" \windows 

copy "\ResidentFlash\Program Files\MobiPocket\MobipocketAutogenLibrary.mbg" \windows 

copy "\ResidentFlash\Program Files\MobiPocket\mobibook.mbl" \windows 

"\ResidentFlash\Program Files\MobiPocket\mobibook.exe" 

copy \windows\MBP_global_configuration.mbp "\ResidentFlash\Program Files\MobiPocket" 

copy \windows\MobipocketAutogenLibrary.mbg "\ResidentFlash\Program Files\MobiPocket" 

copy \windows\mobibook.mbl "\ResidentFlash\Program Files\MobiPocket"

Now if I could just change the desktop icon for the batch file to the mobipocket icon I'd really be set...

-Dana

Edited by Dana 2010-05-28 3:33 PM