EPG Update stuck in a loop?

[Franc]

So I donated for the LM Gestion XMLTV Importer and created a schedule for importing EPG data (data grabbed from tvgids.nl using Amontillado's grabber).

It seemed to grab and import fine, judgin by the files I see in ..\3rdPartyGuideData, but SageTV didn't seem to pick it up.
Then I found out about the schedule Sage uses for the EPG Update, every 24 hours, starting from the first update time.
I also found out about the trick to force an update by disabling/enabling a channel, and it looks like it updates (from the Help/System Information screen), but it also says Next Update in 0 minutes and the last update is always 'now'.
So whenever I look, it displays current time there and next in 0 minutes.

In the meantime, the EPG doesn't seem to get updated at all
Is the update stuck in a loop? I waited for over an hour and no change.

[Franc]

Dang I had it all working, but it looked like the EPG update was stuck in a loop
(update status being 'now' all the time and next update in 0 minutes).
But at least I had 1 week op EPG.

So in an effort to stop this update-loop I changed my tuners' setup to 'do not use programming guide', just to change them back to XMLTV again, and now my lineup doesn't show anymore? I did a fresh grab, fresh import but Sage doesn't see the lineup
I see recent xml-files in the "3rdPartyGuideData" folder but nothing shows in SageTV.

What went wrong?

[nielm]

It probably had a problem importing your XML data, so the update failed... Check the docs for your importer to see how/where errors are reported.

[Franc]

I don't get it. I used to see 1 entry for the XMLTV I imported, now there's nothing at all.
I reinstalled SageTV do a fresh import and run the setup.
NOw I see a huge list of locations (all useless because in the US) but still not my own XMLTV file....

Why is there a list now that wasn't there before?

[nielm]

when installing an xmltv importer the sage.properties file is edited to reference the importer: when you reinstall, this line is lost!

Try reinstalling the LM Gestion xmltv importer so that it re-adds itself to the sage.properties file.

(or use the tvtv trial to see how it works for you... I dont think it is worth it, but YMMV!)

[Franc]

Thanks, the epg/epg_import_plugin= line was indeed empty, even after I reinstalled the LM importer after reinstalling Sage... but anyway, now it reads: epg/epg_import_plugin=xmltv.XMLTVImportPlugin

And there is my own lineup again Thanks alot!
This all started with my EPG not updating, so still fingers crossed, but I think I am getting there

[StephaneM]

Hello Franc,

Originally Posted by Franc

Dang I had it all working, but it looked like the EPG update was stuck in a loop
(update status being 'now' all the time and next update in 0 minutes).
But at least I had 1 week op EPG.

This is something I never heard before, anyway you'll find log informations in the Windows Event Viewer for all the work the Importer is doing converting XMLTV data, and an xmltv.log file in the SageTV install directory when SageTV is actually loading the XMLTV data.

It seems to me that if the "next update" is always due in 0 minutes means that SageTV can't load the data correctly and you should review the xmltv.log for this.

Regards,
Stéphane.

[Franc]

xmltv.log wasn't updated at all, it still showed info about the day before.
It probably wasn't updating at all?

Maybe that entry was missing all the time, but why would it show this info about updating if it wasn't updating at all?

Anyway, it seems to work fine now, although this trick with disabling/enabling a channel to force an update (as I found it in the FAQ) doesn't entirely do the trick. It does force an update, but it doesn;t reset the timer. I just did this, but next update is in 15 hours and 38 minutes..

[Franc]

It's doing it again

My XMLTV files were updated at about 4:30 am this morning and a couple of hours later I forced a manual update. All seemed fine, except the next update not being 24 later, but only 14 or so. So I am now watcing Sage updateing EPG and it says Last Update: whatever time it is now.
Next update in 0 minutes

How can this be?? The files are correct because they imported fine this morning and now this?

[StephaneM]

Originally Posted by Franc

It's doing it again

Well here's what I suggest :

1) Download and install nielm web server plugin and verify it's working
2) Stop SageTV (UI + Service)
3) Run manually the XMLTV Importer and wait till completion
3) Restart SageTV
4) Watch for the xmltv.log file, it should be created

This will hopefully restore normal operation.

Now whenever you want to force an update, you'll be able to do this through nielm web server plugin (there is a force update link). I never had any troubles with this (had some by tricking SageTV).

You can aslo try to not run the Importer every day and verify that SageTV can load every 24h the same data transformed by the Importer. For instance run the Importer every Tuesday morning and Saturday morning, so if SageTV loads correctly the data on tuesday, wednesday, thursday, friday but cannot on saturday => this will somehow narrow the problem.

If you want I can test your data files (the ones in the 3rdPartyGuideData directory), just send them to me zipped at lmgestion@hotmail.com

Regards,
Stéphane.

[StephaneM]

Originally Posted by Franc

My XMLTV files were updated at about 4:30 am this morning and a couple of hours later I forced a manual update.

When you say your XMLTV files were updated are you talking about :

* the XMLTV file produced by the grabber
* or the XML files produced by the Importer (in the 3rdPartyGuideData)

Usually when your XMLTV file is downloaded the Importer has to convert them to a set of XML files. This transformation can take a long time depending on how big your XMLTV file is / memory installed on the computer / overall PC speed : can vary between 10min to hours.

When the Importer as completed the transformation process and only when completed it saves the XML files that SageTV will load (with the help of the Java plugin). So it is very unlikely that the Importer will hold a lock on the XML files at the exact same time that SageTV will use them, but it may occurs.

As nielm said : if the update is stuck that way, this is because of a crash in the java plugin. I've tried my best to catch all unexpected errors so normally if there is some errors they will be caught and reported. When SageTV detect such errors it will endlessely try to load the data until it succeed (this is why you have next update in 0 hours). For me to tell where the java plugin is crashing I really need the xmltv.log (or the XML files that SageTV can't load)

Regards,
Stéphane.

[Franc]

With XMLTV files I mean the ones produced by the importer.

I had it scheduled to run the grabber and then import files at 4:35 am.
Then, when I woke up at about 7am, I looked at both the grabber and the imported files (in 3rdPartyGuideData) which seemed to be updated (judging by the change date). So I decided to force an updated in Sage by disabling/enabling a channel. This changed the Last EPG Update to 7:30am or whatever time it was, and Next EPG Update to 0 minutes. I let it be for a couple of hours, then looked at it again at 12:00am. The Last EPG Update changed to 11:00am and Next EPG Update still said 0 minutes. I then looked at the xmltv.log file and noticed it hadn't changed since the day before! So I suspected that SageTV actually hadn't done anything at all, which must have been because of the files being wrong or something?
I also noticed no updates in the EPG itself.

Then I went through Video Source Setup to see whether it would pick up the channel lineup from the current XMLTV files and I got an empty screen
Which made be believe even more that the files were wrong.
I saved the current files from the grabber and ran it manually and then the importer, but it hung in the final stage. I tried importing the older grabbed files but the importer hung too. I then remembered that I had Java 1.4.12 installed because of Sage, but the importer needs 1.5.0 so I upgraded my Java and reinstalled the importer, then ran it again manually.
Still Sage didnot pick up the channel line-up so I stopped the service and removed the epg/importer line from sage.properties and started the service again. Then it showed all the US cable companies. Stopped the service again and replaced the ep/importer line. Started service and found my lineup again
This was at 2:15pm. From then on it showed Last EPG UPdate 2:15pm and Next EPG Update is counting down from 24 hours.
Created a schedule for the importer (+grabber) at 12:00pm and decided I am going to wait and see what happens for a day or 3.

I am hoping it was the Java that stopped the importer from working or maybe it just produced an invalid set of XMLTV files?

Anyway, thanks for your help, if it really fails again I will try what you suggested and gladly send you the set of XMLTV files.

[StephaneM]

Originally Posted by Franc

I then remembered that I had Java 1.4.12 installed because of Sage, but the importer needs 1.5.0 so I upgraded my Java and reinstalled the importer, then ran it again manually.

You have found the culprit here: the Java plugin the Importer setup for loading data in SageTV can only work with Java 1.5. So the behavior you see is expected : no xmltv.log file written and SageTV trying over again to load data.

Regards,
Stéphane.

[Franc]

mmmmm...it worked fine manually for a couple of times and today I waited for the scheduled task to finish.
Now the importer hangs again at the Overall Progress, Channel Progress screen...?? Haven't changed anything since yesterday when I tried it...

[Franc]

Some extra info: I removed and reinstalled the importer, with still the same problem.
I then removed it again and installled the 'free' version (the one that doesn't allow scheduling). This worked.....successfull import.
Then I removed this again and installed the full version. That runs manually now, I am waiting for the scheduled process to finish.

Weird?

[StephaneM]

Originally Posted by Franc

Now the importer hangs again at the Overall Progress, Channel Progress screen...??

When it is stuck on the "Overall Progress", there is nothing at all written right after "Overall Progress"?

There is no differences between the free and full version, except for the ability to launch the Importer unattended. The full version will do this differently from the free:

* in unattended mode, the Importer process try to run in "BelowNormal" priority.
* in unattended mode, the Importer will display in the taskbar notification area only.
* in unattended mode, the Importer will launch your grabber first, trying to run the grabber process in "BelowNormal" priority.

Anyway, send me your xmltv file zipped as well as all the xml files (also zipped) you'll find in the install folder of the Importer to lmgestion@hotmail.com (send me the files "as is" when the Importer seems to be stuck again).

Regards,
Stéphane.

[Franc]

Thanks.
Yes, there is no progress showing. No bars and no files being written to the 3rdPartGuide folder. The window look frozen, but I can cancel.

If it happens again I will send you the files, thanks.