STVI: Enable/Disable Favorites

[skiingwiz]

Edit (20 DEC 2016): There is now native API and STV support in SageTV v9 for this feature. Since there is now API support, v9 doesn't required mucking with the favorite's category. Because of this, when updating from v7 to v9 it is best to enable all favorites, remove this STVi, upgrade to SageTV v9, and then disable any favorites that you desire.

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This import allows series favorites to be enabled and disabled without removing them. It adds a button to the Advanced Options of the Favorite Details screen that will either enable or disable the favorite (depending on the state that it is currently in).



On the Favorites Manager screen, disabled favorites will be shown in red (transparency and color are properties). From this screen the record button will toggle the highlighted favorite's enabled/disabled status.




How it works: When a favorite series is disabled, "DisabledFavorite" is added to the end of the category for that favorite. (Which will stop the favorite from recording, since the category won't match any airings.) Enabling the favorite removes that string. This import also hides the "DisabledFavorite" string if it is present.

[korben_dallas]

Can you give a few examples of when this would be needed?

[darcilicious]

I like to record Masterpiece Mystery programs; except the Miss Marple ones When those are being broadcast, it would be GREAT to disable that favorite for three or for weeks and then re-enable without having to delete and the set it up again.

That's my use-case, at any rate, I'm sure there are others (e.g. turn off a bunch while on vacation to conserve disk space, maybe?)

[skiingwiz]

Originally Posted by korben_dallas

Can you give a few examples of when this would be needed?

I use if for things that record often. For example, I have a favorite for Law & Order. (I'll watch them all eventually) If I would just let that run, I'd have hundreds of episodes. So I let it record 50 or so, and then disable the favorite. When I watch most of the recordings, I enable it again.

I disable my sports favorites in the off season. Otherwise, I'd get old baseball games being rebroadcast on MLB network (or football on NFL Network, etc.)

And anytime I go on vacation, there are things I disable. (The Daily Show, for example. I don't need to watch episodes that are 2 weeks old)

The idea in all of these scenarios is that I want the favorite to stop recording, but not forever. So to me, this is better than deleting it and recreating it.

[skiingwiz]

Small update (v1.1) hitting the repository soon. It allows for configuration from within the UI thanks to this.

Entering the color is not ideal, since it has to be entered as a string, but it's still better than having to dig around in the properties file. In a future update I may implement a graphical color picker for this. (Or submit a feature request for one. )

[owilsky]

I tried this but had to change the color in config. It seems that there is OxFF0000 with a leading letter "Oh" instead of a leading zero. Can anybody confirm?

[skiingwiz]

Originally Posted by owilsky

I tried this but had to change the color in config. It seems that there is OxFF0000 with a leading letter "Oh" instead of a leading zero. Can anybody confirm?

I can confirm. In the config XML, I specified the default value incorrectly. I have a fix, but I'm away from home for a while, so I can't test it. I'll get it uploaded as soon as I can.

[skiingwiz]

Originally Posted by owilsky

I tried this but had to change the color in config. It seems that there is OxFF0000 with a leading letter "Oh" instead of a leading zero. Can anybody confirm?

This is fixed in version 1.2, available in the repository now.

[owilsky]

Is it just me or does this plugin not work with the newest STV updates posted by Andy here: http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50213

The favorite dialog has been changed in these updates.

[skiingwiz]

Originally Posted by owilsky

Is it just me or does this plugin not work with the newest STV updates posted by Andy here: http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50213

The favorite dialog has been changed in these updates.

It still works for me with that update. The favorite dialog has changed, but only to add the 'User Defined Categories" button, which doesn't interfere with the changes I made. (At least it doesn't for me.)

What problems are you seeing?

[owilsky]

Originally Posted by skiingwiz

What problems are you seeing?

I'm not seeing the enable/disable button at all...

What I have done:
- first updated this plugin
- then updated to the new stv version from 15/08
- then updated to the new stv version from 16/08

Do I have to rebuild the stv to reinclude all plugins like I had to with SageTV 6?

[skiingwiz]

Originally Posted by owilsky

I'm not seeing the enable/disable button at all...

What I have done:
- first updated this plugin
- then updated to the new stv version from 15/08
- then updated to the new stv version from 16/08

Do I have to rebuild the stv to reinclude all plugins like I had to with SageTV 6?

That's odd. You don't have to rebuild anything, Sage7 does all of that automatically.

Just to make sure that we are on the same page: The Enable/Disable button is on the "Advanced Options" dialog. So you have to select the favorite to bring up the "Favorite Details" screen and then press the Advanced button to bring up the "Advanced Options" screen. Then you should see the button. (See the first screen shot in the first post)

What happens if, from the "Favorites Manager" screen, you select a favorite and press the record button? Does the selected favorite toggle its state? i.e. does it turn red or remove the red, depending on what state it was in previously. (This behavior is illustrated in the second screen shot in the first post.)

[owilsky]

Nevermind. Just updated to Andys newest STV update (.4) and this time it worked, Enable/Disable button is there.

Thanks for your help!

[skiingwiz]

Originally Posted by owilsky

Nevermind. Just updated to Andys newest STV update (.4) and this time it worked, Enable/Disable button is there.

Thanks for your help!

You're welcome. I'm glad it all got settled out for you.

[heffe2001]

Would it be possible to get a mass-disable favorites? We're in the process of switching from Sat to cable (was supposed to happen Wed, but wiring and a few other problems outside our house have it delayed 2 weeks, and the wife already canceled the Sat service, lol). We're currently just using Sage for Playon access, and our imported videos, and this would save me having to go back and delete all the bad recordings the system seems to be making..

[skiingwiz]

Originally Posted by heffe2001

Would it be possible to get a mass-disable favorites? We're in the process of switching from Sat to cable (was supposed to happen Wed, but wiring and a few other problems outside our house have it delayed 2 weeks, and the wife already canceled the Sat service, lol). We're currently just using Sage for Playon access, and our imported videos, and this would save me having to go back and delete all the bad recordings the system seems to be making..

It's possible. I'll take a look at what that would involve (like me learning to use loops in studio) and how much free time I have.

Do you know that from the favorites manager you can use the record button to disable the currently highlighted favorite? Depending on how many you have that could work for you. (It's much faster that having to go into the options for each favorite.)

[cjbojrab]

Note: The Enable / Disable Favorites plugin does not work with the new beta 7.1.2. The favorites list comes up, but you can't see the details page of a favorite when the plugin is enabled.

* merged *

[skiingwiz]

As soon as I get some time to upgrade to the beta, I'll fix this. It won't be this weekend, but hopefully soon.

[AlphaCrew]

Originally Posted by skiingwiz

As soon as I get some time to upgrade to the beta, I'll fix this. It won't be this weekend, but hopefully soon.

I got hit with this also, Absolutely love this plug-in so thanks in advance for the fix.

[Savage1701]

Ahhh..that explains it. I was wondering why I can no longer change anything about my favorites, but I love the "Enable/Disable Favorites" plugin.

Good to know.