Dynamic Menus with Multiple path filter expression

[wirecreative]

Hi,

This weekend I used the info found in posts like the one quoted below to reorganize our videos, so we could separate our kids movies from the grown-up stuff.

Multiple path filter expression

You can now set up multiple filters for the filtered Video/Music menus. If the 'PathFilterExcludes' is false, a video/music file will be included in the view if it exists in any of the specified paths. If 'PathFilterExcludes' is true, the file will get excluded. Here is an example of creating a music view which includes files of the directories "d:\music\Albums" and "d:\music\MP3":

Code:

<internalScreenMenuItem icon="hover_my music.png" screen="My Music" title="Music">
<evalExpression>AddStaticContext("PathFilterExprs", new_java_util_ArrayList())</evalExpression>
<evalExpression>java_util_List_add(PathFilterExprs, "d:\\music\\Albums")</evalExpression>
<evalExpression>java_util_List_add(PathFilterExprs, "d:\\music\\MP3")</evalExpression>
<evalExpression>AddStaticContext("PathFilterExcludes", false)</evalExpression>
</internalScreenMenuItem>

For each additional expreesion, add another line
Code:

<evalExpression>java_util_List_add(PathFilterExprs,...

between the two "AddStaticContext" lines.

Note: even if you don't need multiple path expressions, you will need to update your existing menu.xml to the new syntax.

Neat stuff, especially with a PIN assigned to our GROWNUP menu item, and it almost works. The only glitch is that one of the three directories we have assigned to the new FAMILY menu is not local, but a UNC path, and that directory isn't showing up in the contents of the menu when we click it.

I read that we have to make sure the path is case-sensitive, and that we need to have an imported video path that matches it exactly. Check on both items.

I can circumvent the dynamic menus by hitting the Videos button on the remote, so I can see that the UNC directory is still being connected to by Sage and the videos are still playable, we just can't get it show up along with two other directories.

Here's the relevant part of what I pasted into the menu screen:

<internalScreenMenuItem icon="hover_my music.png" screen="Video Library Folder View" title="FAMILY">
<evalExpression>AddStaticContext("PathFilterExprs", new_java_util_ArrayList())</evalExpression>
<evalExpression>java_util_List_add(PathFilterExprs, "\\\\Magatron2007\\y")</evalExpression>
<evalExpression>java_util_List_add(PathFilterExprs, "M:\\Kids - New")</evalExpression>
<evalExpression>java_util_List_add(PathFilterExprs, "Q:\\Home")</evalExpression>
<evalExpression>AddStaticContext("PathFilterExcludes", false)</evalExpression>
</internalScreenMenuItem>

It's the first path that's playing hooky. So what are we missing?


Thanks.

[insomniac]

I like it!

Im having a bit of an issue with the syntax for when it comes to seperating the adult (or whatever) content from the rest of the content. Could you post an example of both types of folders. One of which would be folder excluded?

Does it look something like this??

<internalScreenMenuItem icon="hover_my music.png" screen="Video Library Folder View" title="FAMILY">
<evalExpression>AddStaticContext("PathFilterExprs", new_java_util_ArrayList())</evalExpression>
<evalExpression>java_util_List_add(PathFilterExprs, "\\\\Magatron2007\\y")</evalExpression>
<evalExpression>java_util_List_add(PathFilterExprs, "M:\\Kids - New")</evalExpression>
<evalExpression>java_util_List_add(PathFilterExprs, "Q:\\Home")</evalExpression>
<evalExpression>AddStaticContext("PathFilterExcludes", false)
<evalExpression>java_util_List_add(PathFilterExprs, "R:\\ADULT")</evalExpression>
<evalExpression>AddStaticContext("PathFilterExcludes", true)
</evalExpression>
</internalScreenMenuItem>

[Fuzzy]

Originally Posted by wirecreative

It's the first path that's playing hooky. So what are we missing?

Looks like that would be correct. To check though, what EXACTLY is the path shown in the sage.properties file for that folder?

Originally Posted by insomniac

Im having a bit of an issue with the syntax for when it comes to seperating the adult (or whatever) content from the rest of the content. Could you post an example of both types of folders. One of which would be folder excluded?

Does it look something like this??

<internalScreenMenuItem icon="hover_my music.png" screen="Video Library Folder View" title="FAMILY">
<evalExpression>AddStaticContext("PathFilterExprs", new_java_util_ArrayList())</evalExpression>
<evalExpression>java_util_List_add(PathFilterExprs, "\\\\Magatron2007\\y")</evalExpression>
<evalExpression>java_util_List_add(PathFilterExprs, "M:\\Kids - New")</evalExpression>
<evalExpression>java_util_List_add(PathFilterExprs, "Q:\\Home")</evalExpression>
<evalExpression>AddStaticContext("PathFilterExcludes", false)
<evalExpression>java_util_List_add(PathFilterExprs, "R:\\ADULT")</evalExpression>
<evalExpression>AddStaticContext("PathFilterExcludes", true)
</evalExpression>
</internalScreenMenuItem>

You cannot set a single list to both exclude mode, AND include mode. Each of those evalExpression lines are basically setting a property prior to loading the library. PathFilterExprs property is a list of paths. the PathFilterExcludes is a true/false to tell you what to do with that path.
You shouldn't have to do both excludes AND includes. Basically, if you have stuff set as Include, then the list properties will be ALL that it looks for. If you set it for Exclude, then it will show everything that ISN'T in the list.

[insomniac]

Ok ty. I tried it the way you stated previously and it didnt work. I just got 2 different sorts with everything in them. Im now assuming its because it wont work with the Default stv w/ dynamic menus? Do I have to use sagemc to get this additional sort capability?

Originally Posted by Fuzzy

You cannot set a single list to both exclude mode, AND include mode. Each of those evalExpression lines are basically setting a property prior to loading the library. PathFilterExprs property is a list of paths. the PathFilterExcludes is a true/false to tell you what to do with that path.
You shouldn't have to do both excludes AND includes. Basically, if you have stuff set as Include, then the list properties will be ALL that it looks for. If you set it for Exclude, then it will show everything that ISN'T in the list.

[Fuzzy]

Yeah, I don't think they work in the DefaultSTV (though they might work with the SMW or TVE ports, haven't tried.

[insomniac]

ok thanks. That saves me a bit of time. Off to decide what STV i want to run now!

[wirecreative]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy

Looks like that would be correct. To check though, what EXACTLY is the path shown in the sage.properties file for that folder?

Here's the line in the properties file:

seeker/archive_directory=P\:\\PHOTOS,4;M\:\\,1;P\:\\MUSIC\\ARCHIVE,2;P\:\\MUSIC\\NewMusic,2;P\:\\MUSIC\\Podcast,2;Q\:\\,1;\\\\Media-family\\O,1;\\\\Magatron2007\\y,1;

Which matches my xml exactly:

<internalScreenMenuItem icon="hover_my music.png" screen="Video Library Folder View" title="FAMILY">
<evalExpression>AddStaticContext("PathFilterExprs", new_java_util_ArrayList())</evalExpression>
<evalExpression>java_util_List_add(PathFilterExprs, "\\\\Magatron2007\\y")</evalExpression>
<evalExpression>java_util_List_add(PathFilterExprs, "M:\\Kids - New")</evalExpression>
<evalExpression>java_util_List_add(PathFilterExprs, "Q:\\Home")</evalExpression>
<evalExpression>AddStaticContext("PathFilterExcludes", false)</evalExpression>
</internalScreenMenuItem>

Stumped.

[insomniac]

I know it may not be the best answer but it should work ok if you map a drive to it and then use it instead of UNC right?

Originally Posted by wirecreative

Here's the line in the properties file:

seeker/archive_directory=P\:\\PHOTOS,4;M\:\\,1;P\:\\MUSIC\\ARCHIVE,2;P\:\\MUSIC\\NewMusic,2;P\:\\MUSIC\\Podcast,2;Q\:\\,1;\\\\Media-family\\O,1;\\\\Magatron2007\\y,1;

Which matches my xml exactly:



Stumped.

[wirecreative]

Originally Posted by insomniac

I know it may not be the best answer but it should work ok if you map a drive to it and then use it instead of UNC right?

I don't think that's true. UNC works while mapped drives don't -- at least that was the case when I started using SageTV 5 years ago.

This, however, worked: On a whim, I converted the path in the XML to all upper-case:

            <evalExpression>java_util_List_add(PathFilterExprs, "\\\\MAGATRON2007\\Y")</evalExpression>

And that works.

All upper case for UNC paths regardless of the native case.

Solved!

[PLUCKYHD]

Originally Posted by wirecreative

I don't think that's true. UNC works while mapped drives don't -- at least that was the case when I started using SageTV 5 years ago.

This, however, worked: On a whim, I converted the path in the XML to all upper-case:

            <evalExpression>java_util_List_add(PathFilterExprs, "\\\\MAGATRON2007\\Y")</evalExpression>

And that works.

All upper case for UNC paths regardless of the native case.

Solved!

not true uppercase does bot solve it for everyone it is case sensitive so you have to match case perfectly.