New XMLTV Import Tool

[StephaneM]

Originally Posted by owilsky

Well... spoke too soon.
I moved all xml files from the program files folder to the Application Data folder.
After starting the importer, it did find the settings.xml in Application Data, but recreated all xml files like the (now empty) lookup.xml in Program Files.
It seems like the importer wants every file in Program files, only the settings.xml must be in Application data.

As the settings were not migrated correctly, after copying your old settings, open the settings.xml file and either edit or remove the line :

<settings_path value="C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\LM Gestion\SageTV XMLTV Importer" />

To include the new location.

I don't know why however your settings were not migrated in the first place. Have you uninstalled first and then installed the new version (If I remember correctly when you upgrade the MSI may not use the correct custom install steps...)

The exact migration procedure is :

* installer check if settings.xml exists in install folder and settings.xml doesn't exists in App Data folder
* if both checks are ok : installer move the settings.xml in new location (App Data)
* if settings.xml file can be loaded in new location then it rewrite the settings_path value to have the new App data foder
* if rewriting settings_path was ok : it move all xml file from the old location found within the settings.xml file to the new location

If some files cannot be copied or the settings.xml cannot be saved the Installer should throw an exception...

Regards,
Stéphane.

[alon24]

Stefan Hi,

Can I just use your sagetv importer to load the shows into sage?

I have my own created xmltv file, I do not need any more additioins/editions for the epg.xml file.

Since I moved to java 1.6 I cannot use the xcerses anymore, so I need a solution to just read the file and add the shows to sagetv.

Can I use your code for that??
Where do I put my xml file, what do I call it there??
Thanks,
Alon24

[StephaneM]

Hello,

Originally Posted by alon24

Can I just use your sagetv importer to load the shows into sage? I have my own created xmltv file, I do not need any more additioins/editions for the epg.xml file.

If your xmltv file is really an xmltv file then yes you can use the Importer. The Importer will do its job as with all other XMLTV files.

Since I moved to java 1.6 I cannot use the xcerses anymore, so I need a solution to just read the file and add the shows to sagetv.

You have to modify somehow the XMLTV data to be loaded into SageTV, at least create an EPGID and create shows and airings (XMLTV files are only airings) as well as creating a lineup...

Where do I put my xml file, what do I call it there??

Just install the Importer (while SageTV is shut down) and run the Import wizard.

Regards,
Stéphane.

[alon24]

Iam affraid I might be slightly misunderstood.

I grab the listing here in israel, in xmltv format.
I used to have java 1.4.2 and the old xmltvimport.class that will load epgdata.xml into sage.

Since I moved to java 1.6 I cannot use that imported (it uses xcerses) so I need another class (maybe the one u wrote to load the file.

The file is a perfectly well xmltv file, and I do not want the extra editing that you gui does.

I handle my own categories, and reruns, so all I need is to load the file into sage.

Can I just use my epgdata.xml file with your imoirter? not with the gui part, only the part that is added to the sage.properties file.

Where do I put my epgdata.xml file (again, not running the GUI), and what name should I call it?

Since I do not have the source code, I do not know what your importer expects.


Isn't the creation of EPGID handled by your class?
"epg/epg_import_plugin=xmltv.XMLTVImportPlugin"

[StephaneM]

Originally Posted by alon24

The file is a perfectly well xmltv file, and I do not want the extra editing that you gui does. I handle my own categories, and reruns, so all I need is to load the file into sage Can I just use my epgdata.xml file with your imoirter? not with the gui part, only the part that is added to the sage.properties file.

No you cannot do that. But I think you misunderstand what the GUI of the Importer is for. The GUI does what the java class of other plugin is doing. My java class is only a fast XML file loader : it doesn't process XMLTV file but XML files produced by the GUI part of the Importer.

Where do I put my epgdata.xml file (again, not running the GUI), and what name should I call it? Since I do not have the source code, I do not know what your importer expects. Isn't the creation of EPGID handled by your class? "epg/epg_import_plugin=xmltv.XMLTVImportPlugin"

Again just use the Importer as is and see for yourself if it does what you want or not. The Importer doesn't edit your XMLTV file in any ways but transform the XMLTV data to be loaded into SageTV. It is the GUI that creates the EPGID (and lineups etc...) not the java class.

Regards,
Stéphane.

[thborchert]

Well, I didn't move the files, I copied them. Not clean, I know...

I did notice that the "old" settings.xml still showed the program directory as the place to look for settings. I tried to change that, but that didn't work at all. So I left it untouched.

Thomas

[StephaneM]

Hello Thomas,

Originally Posted by thborchert

Well, I didn't move the files, I copied them. Not clean, I know... I did notice that the "old" settings.xml still showed the program directory as the place to look for settings. I tried to change that, but that didn't work at all. So I left it untouched.

Do you still have problems or is it working as it should be?

If you copied the settings before installing the version 2.3, it was certainly a source of problems : the Importer assumed that the settings were already migrated and as a result the settings_path was not changed in the settings.xml file. So : the Importer is now loading the settings.xml from the "good" location, but load all other xml files from the old location.

This is not a problem for XP, it's only for Windows Vista that this may cause a minor problem : it will virtualize your settings and this is a potential cause of issues (because during setup you cannot reliably knows where the files were virtualized : it's a path relative to the user, and the setup user may not be the same as the user that virtualized the files in the first place... It's even worse when you know that virtualisation takes place only when writting to those files but not when reading)

Regards,
Stéphane.

[thborchert]

Originally Posted by StephaneM

Hello Thomas,

Do you still have problems or is it working as it should be?

It looks ok. But, as I said, changing the settings path manually messed up the installation.

Let me hazard a guess at what the problem is: My Sage path is not Programs\SageTV, it is Programs\Frey Technologies (yes, I've been using it that long and never dared to change it). Could that be it?

Thomas

[StephaneM]

Originally Posted by thborchert

Let me hazard a guess at what the problem is: My Sage path is not Programs\SageTV, it is Programs\Frey Technologies (yes, I've been using it that long and never dared to change it). Could that be it?

Unlikely, the SageTV Path is only used during setup and now to check that the sage.properties can be found and contains the java plugin reference.

The only thing that you must check is that the guide data is written in the folder where the java plugin is expecting it :

* the xmltv.properties file in the SageTV directory point to the folder where the guide data will be read
* the guide data should be created in the App Data (so the settings path) folder in a GuideData directory

If you really want to have a clean install :

* backup all xml files by moving them in a new folder in your desktop (categories.xml / channels.xml / clone_channels.xml / lineups.xml / lookup.xml / ratings.xml / settings.xml). You can also backup your already converted guide data : EpisodesXX.xml / ProgramsXX.xml / Lineup.xml / LineupInfoByIndex.xml. They are located either in the AppData folder or in the SageTV folder.

* Shut down SageTV

* uninstall the Importer (says "yes" when the Importer ask you if you want to remove all your settings : this will delete the AppData folder, the scheduled task, the event viewer entry, but you can choose "No" and manually clean up things)

* Clean up remaining files : xml files in the install folder of the Importer / 3rdPartyGuide data in the SageTV folder / xml files in the App Data folder.

* Install the Importer

* Copy your old settings in the App Data folder : all xml files except settings.xml and the guide data in a GuideData folder inside the AppData folder. Finally edit the settings.xml file : either edit or remove the settings_path node. After editing verify that you can open this file in Internet Explorer.

The next update for the Importer will completely suppress the use of the "settings_path" variable. So there will be no more dual location allowed for the settings.xml file and all other xml files.

Regards,
Stéphane.




Regards,
Stéphane.

[thborchert]

Thanks for the instructions - I'm going to need them tonight since the EPG update doesn't work anymore.

Thomas

[thborchert]

CHanging xmltv.properties did the trick. It was still set to the 3rd parties directory in the SageTV directory, which your importer must have copied the files to previously.

Thomas

[Alfiegerner]

Stephane,

Please see the attached picture. I am getting an error when trying to install the latest 2.4. All previous versions have installed fine (although i haven't tried 2.3).

Any idea what this may be?

Thanks.

[StephaneM]

Hello,

Originally Posted by Alfiegerner

Please see the attached picture. I am getting an error when trying to install the latest 2.4. All previous versions have installed fine (although i haven't tried 2.3).

As the Installer complains that the STVXMLTVImport.exe is in the wrong format, I think that this is because you do not have .Net Framework 2.0 installed. Or you don't have uninstalled the previous version of the Importer and the Installer fails to overwrite the old files.

So :

* verify that you installed .Net Framework 2.0
* uninstall the previous version of the Importer
* install the new version

Regards,
Stéphane.

[Alfiegerner]

Originally Posted by StephaneM

Hello,

As the Installer complains that the STVXMLTVImport.exe is in the wrong format, I think that this is because you do not have .Net Framework 2.0 installed. Or you don't have uninstalled the previous version of the Importer and the Installer fails to overwrite the old files.

So :

* verify that you installed .Net Framework 2.0
* uninstall the previous version of the Importer
* install the new version

Regards,
Stéphane.

I have .net 2.0 installed, with 2 security updates. I will try uninstalling the old version first.

edit: Yep, that did the trick, thanks Stephane.

[Shodan]

I can't get the importer to work, I've installed the latest version (donation 2.4) several times but after I put in the zipcode (0000) it gives me a blank list for the local broadcast market, and I can't get passed that. there is no xmltv.log file anywhere, the xml files are in the right place (ProgramData dir - Windows Vista), the epg_import_plugin is correct. I'm using the last version of SageTV 6.1.8. It has been working properly for several months. Any ideas???

[StephaneM]

Hello,

Originally Posted by Shodan

I can't get the importer to work, I've installed the latest version but .../... it gives me a blank list for the local broadcast market .../... there is no xmltv.log file anywhere, the xml files are in the right place (ProgramData dir - Windows Vista), the epg_import_plugin is correct.

I have not personally tested it under Vista (only the installer and the Importer GUI was tested, not the actual SageTV operation).

What I suspect is not working is properties files are not were they are supposed to be. They are two properties files that are needed for the XMLTV Import to work :

* sage.properties file with epg/epg_import_plugin=xmltv.XMLTVImportPlugin
* xmltv.properties with path to the GuideData directory (verify that the path listed in this file are the ones that contains the xml files produced by the Importer in the ProgramData dir)

Normally those two files are supposed to be in the C:\Program Files\SageTV\SageTV directory. The xmltv.properties file will surely be in that directory because the XMLTV Importer installer should require elevation on Windows Vista and as such can write into that directory and create the xmltv.properties file.

For the sage.properties however, it depends on how SageTV is running (Service mode or not), user account used, elevation being required or not, virtualization being enabled or not.

If I understand the whole UAC thing correctly : application running non elevated can read files into C:\Program Files but cannot write. If an application wants to read a file in this directory, it can and all will be fine (for instance the xmltv java class can very well read the xmltv.properties file), but if the application try to write to files into this directory, Windows will silently create a virtual copy of the file(s) being written and from now on will continue to use this virtual copy for reading (however I don't know for how long it uses the virtual copy : does it stops when you restart the application, does it keeps a reference somewhere to what is virutalized for whic appication and user???)

The virtualized copies will be in: C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files\APPNAME

So:

1) Shut down SageTV
2) Search your entire disk for all the sage.properties files and open in Notepad the properties file that is the most recently modified one
3) Check that the epg/epg_import_plugin is ok

If the file was not Ok, modify it and retry to load a XMLTV lineup in SageTV. However if the file was Ok try this :

1) Copy the xmltv.properties and the xmltv folder file in the same directory where the sage.properties file is located
2) Try to load a XMLTV lineup into SageTV

Note : the xmltv.log is now sagetv.plugin.log and is located in the ProgramData\LM Gestion\SageTV XMLTV Importer\GuideData

Regards,
Stéphane.

[brewston]

Hi Stephane

I have upgraded to 2.4.0 and have also added a new channel to my lineup. I am unable to see this in Sage (despite multiple force EPG updates)

Also, how do I delete a channel ? I can't figure it out in the channel editor (Once I work this out, I will delete/re-add the channel I can't see)

Finally, I installed the new version on top of the old version (like I do with Sage) and control panel -> add/remove program is showing 2 versions (2.2.0 & 2.4.0) did I upgrade incorrectly ?

Thanks

Tim

[Fastrack]

Hi,

I just got a HDHomeRun, and get about 15 channels. When importing the XMLTV listings I remapped all the channels so they're correct.

However none of the <quality>HDTV</quality> flags seem to importing properly. There's some shows that I know have the flag (I edited the XML and found it). Is there something I'm missing?

Ben

[brewston]

Originally Posted by brewston

Hi Stephane



Also, how do I delete a channel ? I can't figure it out in the channel editor (Once I work this out, I will delete/re-add the channel I can't see)

Figured this out. My problem was within the additional channels window (obviously for the 'Channels' window you remove the channel from the original XMLTV source) I highlighted the entire row and hit 'del' key

I also tried adding some +1 channels in the additional channels window and these aren't showing up in Sage either

Tim

[StephaneM]

Hello Tim,

Originally Posted by brewston

I have upgraded to 2.4.0 and have also added a new channel to my lineup. I am unable to see this in Sage (despite multiple force EPG updates)

Starting with version 2.3 the settings for the Importer are no more in the Program Files folder but in the Application Data folder (Doc&Settings\All Users\App Data\LM Gestion\SageTV XMLTV Importer).

It is possible that the installer do not have correctly migrated all your settings. You should verify that all your settings as well as the guide data are in the Application Data folder, and that the xmltv.properties file in the SageTV folder is correctly pointing to this folder.

Also, how do I delete a channel ?

You cannot delete a channel in the main channel list, but you can ignore them by not typing a channel number. For additional channels you can delete a channel by selecting the row and press on the "Delete" key on your keyboard.

Finally, I installed the new version on top of the old version (like I do with Sage) and control panel -> add/remove program is showing 2 versions (2.2.0 & 2.4.0) did I upgrade incorrectly ?

I'm not sure. I personally always remove the previous version before upgrading. In your case I would uninstall 2.4 (choosing "No" when it asks if you want to remove your personal settings) and uninstall 2.2 (normally it will fail, but you'll be able to remove the entry in the Add/Remove list).

Regards,
Stéphane.