New XMLTV Import Tool

[StephaneM]

Hello Ben,

Originally Posted by Fastrack

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?

There is two nodes that can flag the show as HDTV :

<video><quality>HDTV</quality></video>

or

<video><hd>yes</hd></video>

If one of this node is present, then the show will be correctly flagged as HD in SageTV.

Regards,
Stéphane.

[Fastrack]

Originally Posted by StephaneM

Hello Ben,

There is two nodes that can flag the show as HDTV :

<video><quality>HDTV</quality></video>

or

<video><hd>yes</hd></video>

If one of this node is present, then the show will be correctly flagged as HD in SageTV.

Regards,
Stéphane.

Hi,

I know forsure I saw <quality>HDTV</quality>, but I do not know if it was surrounded by <video> tags as well. So there's nothing special in tuner setup or such?...

[brewston]

Originally Posted by StephaneM

Hello Tim,
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.

Just checked my xmltv.properties and its still pointing to the sage folder. If I edit to point to the path provided, do I just need to force an EPG update ? That directory has my guide data and the timestamps indicate that the files are being updated when I make changes through the importer.

I figured out how to delete 'addtional channels'

Tim

[StephaneM]

Originally Posted by Fastrack

So there's nothing special in tuner setup or such?...

No there is nothing to do (However the HDTV flag is only imported into SageTV version 5 and up, also be sure to use the latest version of the Importer, if I remember version 1.3 of the Importer introduced the HDTV flag)

Regards,
Stéphane.

[StephaneM]

Originally Posted by brewston

If I edit to point to the path provided, do I just need to force an EPG update ? That directory has my guide data and the timestamps indicate that the files are being updated when I make changes through the importer.

You have to shut down SageTV before editing the xmltv.properties file. Though if you uninstall and reinstall the Importer it will update the file properly.

This file should look like this (for WinXP / English, other OS & languages it might be different, but it's the Common Application Data folder):

ThirdPartyGuideDataPath=C:\\Documents and Settings\\All Users\\Application Data\\LM Gestion\\SageTV XMLTV Importer\\GuideData
LogPath=C:\\Documents and Settings\\All Users\\Application Data\\LM Gestion\\SageTV XMLTV Importer\\GuideData

Regards,
Stéphane.

[Fastrack]

Originally Posted by StephaneM

No there is nothing to do (However the HDTV flag is only imported into SageTV version 5 and up, also be sure to use the latest version of the Importer, if I remember version 1.3 of the Importer introduced the HDTV flag)

Regards,
Stéphane.

Hi Stéphane,

Thanks for all your suggestions I dug a bit more. Let me explain what caused my issue incase others have the same problem:

I was joining two listings together to make up my OTA lineup. I did not realize your program allowed multiple xmls to make one lineup. So I was using the xmltv.exe tv_cat ota1.xml ota2.xml epg.xml command.

The tv_cat command STRIPPED out the HDTV flag!!.... Once I loaded your app in "Advanced mode", and specified the 2 files for the single lineup it's ALL GOOD! The HD flag is now in SageTV.

Thanks,

Ben

[brewston]

Originally Posted by StephaneM

You have to shut down SageTV before editing the xmltv.properties file. Though if you uninstall and reinstall the Importer it will update the file properly.

This file should look like this (for WinXP / English, other OS & languages it might be different, but it's the Common Application Data folder):

ThirdPartyGuideDataPath=C:\\Documents and Settings\\All Users\\Application Data\\LM Gestion\\SageTV XMLTV Importer\\GuideData
LogPath=C:\\Documents and Settings\\All Users\\Application Data\\LM Gestion\\SageTV XMLTV Importer\\GuideData

Regards,
Stéphane.

I did that, and then started getting a java error (see below) when forcing the EPG update through the webserver. I tried a clean install of 2.4.0 and still get the error

Searching the archives suggests that the EPG data is missing, yet xmltv.properties points to the 'Application Data' directory and it contains the xml files along with guide data directory.

java error is :

Exception while processing servlet:
java.lang.reflect.InvocationTargetException: Exception while executing SageApi: "SetChannelViewabilityForChannelNumberOnLineup" numargs=4
java.lang.reflect.InvocationTargetException: Exception while executing SageApi: "SetChannelViewabilityForChannelNumberOnLineup" numargs=4
	at net.sf.sageplugins.sageutils.SageApi.Api(SageApi.java:20)

Edit :

OK, I fixed it but I'm not sure how - I reinstalled the Importer, restarted Sage, re-added one of my tuners and somehow it got fixed along the way

[StephaneM]

Originally Posted by brewston

java error is :

Exception while processing servlet:
java.lang.reflect.InvocationTargetException: Exception while executing SageApi: "SetChannelViewabilityForChannelNumberOnLineup" numargs=4
java.lang.reflect.InvocationTargetException: Exception while executing SageApi: "SetChannelViewabilityForChannelNumberOnLineup" numargs=4
	at net.sf.sageplugins.sageutils.SageApi.Api(SageApi.java:20)

OK, I fixed it but I'm not sure how - I reinstalled the Importer, restarted Sage, re-added one of my tuners and somehow it got fixed along the way

I'm glad it fixed itself, because this error doesn't come from my XMLTV plugin, so it would have been difficult for me to troubleshoot it.

Regards,
Stéphane.

[bodhana]

When I install and then launch the xmltv importer on a new Vista machine, I get the message "STVXMLTVImport.exe has stopped working", then Windows spends five seconds or so "checking for a solution to the problem" before deciding there is none. Anyone else run into this?

[StephaneM]

Originally Posted by bodhana

When I .../... launch the xmltv importer on a new Vista machine, I get the message "STVXMLTVImport.exe has stopped working

You can review the Windows Event Viewer log to learn more about the error. However I guess that you are running a 64 bits Windows edition and the Importer currently doesn't work with any 64 bits OS.

Regards,
Stéphane.

[rtengvad]

Hi Stephane
A quick question. Can your category editor handle a xml-setup like this:

<programme start="20070428220500 +0200" stop="20070429002000 +0200" channel="001.tv.tv2.dk">
<title lang="da">Rules of Engagement</title>
<desc lang="da">Amerikansk actionthriller fra 2000. Da den amerikanske ambassade i Yemen bliver omringet af en stor flok demonstranter, bliver oberst Terry L. Childers og en flok marinesoldater sendt ind for at evakuere ambassaden. Tingene udvikler sig eksplosivt, og for at redde medarbejderne og sine mænd beordrer obersten sine soldater til at åbne ild mod den vrede folkemængde. Over 80 civile mister livet, og efterfølgende bliver Childers anklaget for mord. Nu er det op til hans gamle soldaterkammerat Hayes Hodges at bevise hans uskyld.</desc>
<credits>
<director>William Friedkin</director>
<actor>Tommy Lee Jones</actor>
<actor>Samuel L. Jackson</actor>
<actor>Guy Pearce</actor>
</credits>
<date>2000</date>
<category>action</category>
<category>thriller</category>
<category>movie</category>
<video>
<present>yes</present>
<colour>yes</colour>
<aspect>4:3</aspect>
</video>
<audio>
<present>yes</present>
<stereo>stereo</stereo>
</audio>
</programme>

I cant seem to make it work.

Thanks for your help

rtengvad

[StephaneM]

Hello,

Originally Posted by rtengvad

A quick question. Can your category editor handle a xml-setup like this:

<category>action</category>
<category>thriller</category>
<category>movie</category>

Yes it should but you'll not see accurate results in the category editor. However during the import, those three categories will be added up for the show, so it will look like this: "movie / thriller / action".

The category editor will only do the testing upon the individual categories, so if you create a "thriller" sub category under "Movie" in the editor, clicking on "Test" will show you no results but it will be ok during the Import.

I'll see if I can modify the editor to add up also the categories (it's just a matter of speed)

Regards,
Stéphane.

[rtengvad]

Originally Posted by StephaneM

Hello,

Yes it should but you'll not see accurate results in the category editor. However during the import, those three categories will be added up for the show, so it will look like this: "movie / thriller / action".

The category editor will only do the testing upon the individual categories, so if you create a "thriller" sub category under "Movie" in the editor, clicking on "Test" will show you no results but it will be ok during the Import.

I'll see if I can modify the editor to add up also the categories (it's just a matter of speed)

Regards,
Stéphane.

Hi Stephane

Thanks for your reply. That makes sense.

rtengvad

[StephaneM]

Originally Posted by rtengvad

Thanks for your reply. That makes sense.

I looked at the category editor code more closely after sending you this reply and actually the editor should sum up the categories (in your sample you should have "movie, thriller, action").

So can you tell me what is actually not working right, you can also send me your XMLTV file zipped at lmgestion@hotmail.com and tell me what you are trying to do.

Regards,
Stéphane.

[grooves12]

I'm having problems with the importer dealing with sports properly...

For Instance I have Sage setup to record all Sharks hockey games...

Most of the time the Title on these programs is "Nhl Hockey" and the Episode Title is "San Jose Sharks at _____" or "_____ at San Jose Sharks"

The problem is that like in the playoffs where they are playing the same team in succession, it sees these as the same episode. So, despite Game 1 and Game 2 being distinctly different games the importer sees them as being the same because they are the same program title and episode name... this also throws the descriptions in the guide out of whack as it uses the same description from the database ie: "Western Conference Semifinal Game 1" for every match with the same episode name.

Perhaps we can get the Importer to see programs with Sports or Sports Event as Special Events and handle them differently than standard Series?


.... and another unrelated problem I have run into is when trying to set the time offset for the importer, the importer will randmoly pick a program for me to check and almost always it is a program that has multiple airings throughout the day, so it is impossible to figure out what I should set the offset to, as there is no way of knowing which one it has picked. It would be nice if in a future version you could hit a button to force the wizard to select a new show.

[StephaneM]

Originally Posted by grooves12

So, despite Game 1 and Game 2 being distinctly different games the importer sees them as being the same because they are the same program title and episode name... this also throws the descriptions in the guide out of whack as it uses the same description from the database ie: "Western Conference Semifinal Game 1" for every match with the same episode name.

Unfortunately a choice has to be made : either the description is the most important information or it is the episode title. Of course this is the episode title that is the most valuable information because the description is more subject to changes for the same episode.

What would be logical in this particular case is that the episode title carry the "Game 1" and "Game 2".

Even in the upcoming version you'll not be able to modify this behavior with the "rules editor" that will let you tweak the identity detection (because ep. title has priority).

.... and another unrelated problem I have run into is when trying to set the time offset for the importer, the importer will randmoly pick a program for me to check and almost always it is a program that has multiple airings throughout the day, so it is impossible to figure out what I should set the offset to

The picked up show is not any airings : it is one show that should be on air at 8:00 pm (local time of the XMLTV file), so the idea is that you verify that on that channel at this time (local time for you) the show picked up by the Importer is the right one and not the other way around. If this is not the right show, then you really have to take a look at the XMLTV file to find out what time zone is used (the Importer assume that the XMLTV file use the same one as your PC)

Regards,
Stéphane.

[alon24]

Could I make a broader suggestion/request.

Since the shows go into a DB, can we add a show name (or a channel and time slot, so the importer would get the show name from it- after a bit of a check on its side), and decide that whenever the Importer sees that show name, It adds a timetamp to the desctiption or something like that.

The idea here is ofcourse to diffrentiate all the shows with that name, bypassing the rules of show name + description, so that all the NEWS with the same desctiption and name would be recorded as indiviuals within SAGETV.

I find that some shows that I always want to record have the same name and description, and sage does not record them.

If you could also make this into a channel based param that would be great too.

[StephaneM]

Originally Posted by alon24

The idea here is ofcourse to diffretiate all the shows with that name, bypassing the rules of show name + description, so that all the NEWS with the same desctiption and name would be recorded as indiviuals within SAGETV.

You can do this with the new version 2.5

If you could also make this into a channel based param that would be great too.

This is also possible in version 2.5

Regards,
Stéphane.

[alon24]

Looks like all my wishes come true
I will check this out soon.

Thanks for all your help

[Doubletop]

Is there a way of confirming this is working? e.g it has successfully connected to the server and done the update?

I've been running the importer and refreshing the webserver home page when the import has completed but the update status doesn't change and there is nothing in the log. The URL, Login and password are correct.

Could we have a button to 'check webserver update" to save running the whole import each time. Waiting until the auto run executes and finding it hasn't worked is isn't good