BTV Negociator - Alpha release

[Fonceur]

Another update, version beta .97...

With this version, you pretty much get what I had in mind for this project. You can see the conflicts and modify or add jobs to resolve them (by right-clicking on the appropriate recording). Most of the false conflicts/alternate recordings should have been filtered out by now, but let me know if you see any and how to reproduce them.

I should be uploading a version soon to the download section. I might try to do some more cleaning up, to add the mass recording and the warning/fake job mentionned in the .96 post, but that should be about it...

[Fonceur]

I have been upgrading my PC's so did not have much time before now, but here is version beta .98.

Apart from some code clean up, the main addition is the possibility to have some feedback sent to the full screen interface of BTV when a conflict exist. By default, the auto-refresh interval is set to zero which disables that feature. Basically the purpose of this feature is to let the program run in the background and have some automatic warning when a conflict is detected.

If the timer is set to a non zero value (only integer values are accepted for the number of hours, but I could change it if there is a need...), all the lists will be updated at that interval (assuming BTV-Negociator and the BTV-Server are both running). Should a conflict be detected, a fake job will be programmed one year in the future to let you know there is a problem (it gets deleted when all conflicts are resolved). If you consult the list of recordings in BTV itself, that recording should appear at the top with a title of "a conflict exist...". This is the best way I have found so far, but I am opened to suggestion... This recording will not appear in the futur recording for some reason...

I don't know how it would react if the PC goes into standby and I assume that using it on a BTV-Link PC with the BTV-Server in standby might get you some spam about not being able to connect... I would suggest checking the memory used by the program initially and after having it run for a few days as I have not looked into the garbage collection and such, so there might be some memory leak...

[jmaver]

I downloaded .98.When I run this, I get an endless series of empty small dialog boxes with an ok button. There is no title or text. Any ideas?

I set the ini file location for my server

Here is the callstack:
> system.windows.forms.dll!System.Windows.Forms.Mess ageBox.ShowCore(System.Windows.Forms.IWin32Window owner, string text, string caption, System.Windows.Forms.MessageBoxButtons buttons, System.Windows.Forms.MessageBoxIcon icon, System.Windows.Forms.MessageBoxDefaultButton defaultButton, System.Windows.Forms.MessageBoxOptions options) + 0x1c8 bytes
system.windows.forms.dll!System.Windows.Forms.Mess ageBox.Show(string text) + 0x1a bytes
BTV-Negociator.exe!BTV_Negociator.Negociator.changeInt erval(string textIntervalInHours = "0") + 0xd7 bytes
BTV-Negociator.exe!BTV_Negociator.Negociator.changeInt erval(string textIntervalInHours = "0") + 0xfd bytes
BTV-Negociator.exe!BTV_Negociator.Negociator.changeInt erval(string textIntervalInHours = "0") + 0xfd bytes
BTV-Negociator.exe!BTV_Negociator.Negociator.changeInt erval(string textIntervalInHours = "0") + 0xfd bytes
BTV-Negociator.exe!BTV_Negociator.Negociator.changeInt erval(string textIntervalInHours = "0") + 0xfd bytes
BTV-Negociator.exe!BTV_Negociator.Negociator.changeInt erval(string textIntervalInHours = "0") + 0xfd bytes
BTV-Negociator.exe!BTV_Negociator.Negociator.changeInt erval(string textIntervalInHours = "0") + 0xfd bytes
BTV-Negociator.exe!BTV_Negociator.Negociator.changeInt erval(string textIntervalInHours = "0") + 0xfd bytes
BTV-Negociator.exe!BTV_Negociator.Negociator.changeInt erval(string textIntervalInHours = "0") + 0xfd bytes
BTV-Negociator.exe!BTV_Negociator.Negociator.changeInt erval(string textIntervalInHours = "0") + 0xfd bytes
BTV-Negociator.exe!BTV_Negociator.Negociator.changeInt erval(string textIntervalInHours = "0") + 0xfd bytes
BTV-Negociator.exe!BTV_Negociator.Negociator.changeInt erval(string textIntervalInHours = "0") + 0xfd bytes
BTV-Negociator.exe!BTV_Negociator.Negociator.ReadParam etersFromFile() + 0x936 bytes
BTV-Negociator.exe!BTV_Negociator.Negociator.Negociato r_Load(System.Object sender = {BTV_Negociator.Negociator}, System.EventArgs e = {System.EventArgs}) + 0x39 bytes
system.windows.forms.dll!System.Windows.Forms.Form .OnLoad(System.EventArgs e) + 0x117 bytes
system.windows.forms.dll!System.Windows.Forms.Form .OnCreateControl() + 0x40 bytes
system.windows.forms.dll!System.Windows.Forms.Cont rol.CreateControl(bool fIgnoreVisible) + 0x199 bytes
system.windows.forms.dll!System.Windows.Forms.Cont rol.CreateControl() + 0xd bytes
system.windows.forms.dll!System.Windows.Forms.Cont rol.WmShowWindow(System.Windows.Forms.Message m) + 0x9a bytes
system.windows.forms.dll!System.Windows.Forms.Cont rol.WndProc(System.Windows.Forms.Message m) + 0x641 bytes
system.windows.forms.dll!System.Windows.Forms.Scro llableControl.WndProc(System.Windows.Forms.Message m) + 0x36 bytes
system.windows.forms.dll!System.Windows.Forms.Cont ainerControl.WndProc(System.Windows.Forms.Message m) + 0x17 bytes
system.windows.forms.dll!System.Windows.Forms.Form .WmShowWindow(System.Windows.Forms.Message m) + 0x36 bytes
system.windows.forms.dll!System.Windows.Forms.Form .WndProc(System.Windows.Forms.Message m) + 0x1f5 bytes
system.windows.forms.dll!ControlNativeWindow.OnMes sage(System.Windows.Forms.Message m) + 0xb bytes
system.windows.forms.dll!ControlNativeWindow.WndPr oc(System.Windows.Forms.Message m) + 0xbc bytes
system.windows.forms.dll!System.Windows.Forms.Nati veWindow.Callback(int hWnd, int msg, int wparam, int lparam) + 0x30 bytes
system.windows.forms.dll!System.Windows.Forms.Cont rol.SetVisibleCore(bool value) + 0xfa bytes
system.windows.forms.dll!System.Windows.Forms.Form .SetVisibleCore(bool value) + 0xec bytes
system.windows.forms.dll!System.Windows.Forms.Cont rol.set_Visible(bool value) + 0xe bytes
system.windows.forms.dll!ThreadContext.RunMessageL oopInner(int reason, System.Windows.Forms.ApplicationContext context) + 0xc2 bytes
system.windows.forms.dll!ThreadContext.RunMessageL oop(int reason, System.Windows.Forms.ApplicationContext context) + 0x45 bytes
system.windows.forms.dll!System.Windows.Forms.Appl ication.Run(System.Windows.Forms.Form mainForm) + 0x34 bytes
BTV-Negociator.exe!BTV_Negociator.Negociator.Main() + 0x20 bytes

[Fonceur]

The empty dialog boxes sounds like it can not find the English.txt file containing the text... While the presence of dialog boxes in itself might be a sign of no .ini file... Did you extract all the files and run the executable from that folder?

Edit: I tested that hypothesis and that gets me some errors but not that one. The problem seems related to the timer before the langage file is loaded, thus the empty dialog box. The code trying to reset to default ends up in a death loop. From your sig I assume you are running on XP Pro, on which CPU and what version of .Net Framework did that happened? Could you try setting the RefreshTimer to 1 (in BTV-Negociator.ini) and see if that bypasses the problem?

Edit 2: Next version should be avoiding that problem by disabling the timer in those situations, but I would still like to know why this happens in the first place...

[Fonceur]

Another update, version beta .99...

When set to zero, the timer will actually be disabled instead of being set to a week and will no longer cause a death loop if a problem exist...

Fixed a problem when 2 shows were in conflict weekly.

Added mass recording: record a show on any channel at any time. Since BTV does not allow to just setup a recording of "Lost" on any channel, this feature will use brut force and create jobs for all the other showings. A good way to make use of the time shifting available to users with East/West feeds. If you are going to use this feature, I HIGHLY recommand setting your unsubscribed channels as hidden in the BTV web admin and to watch out for channel with low quality feed, since BTV will most likely only record the first showing not in conflict...

I think that feature-wise that's pretty much it! The next updates will most likely be about fixing bugs/cosmetic problems or improving the performances...

[jmaver]

I just extracted the zip to a folder on my desktop. All the files were there. Setting the RefreshTimer to 1 didn't fix it. However, .99 fixed it. Thanks.

[Fonceur]

Originally Posted by jmaver

However, .99 fixed it. Thanks.

Well, the fix is that I am disabling the timer if there is a problem... I assume it has something to do with using an Intel processor... Are you using .Net framework 2 beta on that machine?

Could you set the auto-refresh timer to 1 on the configuration tab (of version .99) and hit apply to see if it does accept it or if it resets it to 0 with an error message about using an integer please.

[jmaver]

No, just .net 1.1.
putting 1 for auto-refresh presents this dialog:
---------------------------

---------------------------
Use an integer for the refresh interval please
---------------------------
OK
---------------------------

[Fonceur]

Originally Posted by jmaver

putting 1 for auto-refresh presents this dialog:...

I suspected that much... Could you try the attached version please, I put some more dialog box to narrow where the problem is and added the exception message to the "use an integer" dialog box. There are up to six dialog boxes (numbered) before the exception, so if you could let me know which go through.

Edit: Removed the file, the test has been done...

[jmaver]

At startup - 1.Init...2.If...3.If#2...5.Interval...
After changing to 1 for refresh, 1.Init...2.If...3.If#2...4.Start...
---------------------------

---------------------------
Use an integer for the refresh interval please. System.ArgumentOutOfRangeException: Number must be either non-negative or -1.

Parameter name: dueTime

at System.Threading.Timer..ctor(TimerCallback callback, Object state, Int32 dueTime, Int32 period)

at System.Timers.Timer.set_Enabled(Boolean value)

at System.Timers.Timer.Start()

at BTV_Negociator.Negociator.changeInterval(String textIntervalInHours)
---------------------------
OK
---------------------------

If I hit apply when it shows 0, then it is 1.Init...2.If...6.Para

[Fonceur]

Ok thanks, it seems that the problem is due to AMD using a timer in ns with int64 while Intel (or at least the processor you run it on) uses a timer in ms with int32... I can think of a dirty way to fix that using try/catch, but let me search how people solve those timers differences normaly...

Edit: Actually it seems that I confused the ticks in the DateTime with the ones in the timer, so I was way off with my time scale and it would never have updated anyway... Oops

[Fonceur]

Originally Posted by jmaver

If I hit apply when it shows 0, then it is 1.Init...2.If...6.Para

Ok thanks to your help I think I have solved the problem. This time I actually tested the timer and made sure 1 minute really lasted 1 minute instead of 10000 minutes from my bad assumption about the value of a tick... One ms and 100 ns are not quite the same... Could you try this version please, it should work even with non integer value of refresh timer too.

Edit: Seems I forgot to attach the file or something...

Edit2: Removed the file since a newer version which includes this fix is available...

[Fonceur]

Finally hitting the version 1.0, release candidate 1.

- The auto-refresh timer should be working properly now.

- All the configurations are done in a single tab with sub-tabs.

- All the fonts (except for the main tab labels) are now adjustables and their size do not need to be an integer anymore.

- When minimized, the application only appears in the notification icon area. Double-clicking the icon or using the context menu from it will allow to bring it back in view.

The coding part is pretty much done, I am mostly waiting to finish the related web page/instructions before uploading it to the "download section".

[geoffstewart]

Fonceur,

I like this plugin... I have it running all the time to let me know when conflicts arise.... Thanks for your efforts.

I notice a sorting quirk on the screens shows "date and time"... Things start off correctly ordered... but as soon as you click the "date and time" header, the sorting is messed up because (presumably) it's doing an alpha sort instead of date sort. If possible, could we get this fixed for the final 1.0 release?

Thanks again.

Geoff

[Fonceur]

Originally Posted by geoffstewart

but as soon as you click the "date and time" header, the sorting is messed up because (presumably) it's doing an alpha sort instead of date sort.

Ooops, your right it is a simple alpha sort and with my regional settings (YYYY/MM/DD) that makes no difference for dates but now I realize it does for other formats. It will not be in the version 1.0 since I already submitted it Sunday with almost no modifications, but I will see how to solve that sorting problem.