New XMLTV Importer and Web based Program Guide

[StephaneM]

Hello Beyond TV users

I have released two utilities for you to try out :

A new XMLTV Importer


The importer will take your XMLTV file and generates three XML files in the Beyond TV configuration folder. These three files will then be loaded by Beyond TV to populate the EPG.

So this importer doesn't use the Access database anymore, and will be of great use when 3.5 version of Beyond TV will be out.

A new Web based program guide


This web based program guide use the three files that were generated by the importer, so it don't use the Access database either.

For now, this guide don't let you schedule recordings, we will have to wait for Beyond TV 3.5 for this.

You can download this two utilities here : XMLTV Importer and Web based program guide

Let me know if these are working for you and tell me what you think about it.

Thanks,

Stéphane.

[StephaneM]

Hello All,

I'v put an updated version (1.4) of the Importer to correct a bug where previous data were not loaded correctly (genre information was missing).

Stéphane.

[skateni]

I downloaded and tried it and it seemed to be importing but zilch .. nada ... 3 new xml files are mentioned created in the BTV folder but I can't find it

[StephaneM]

Hello skateni,

3 new xml files are mentioned created in the BTV folder but I can't find it

These files are in C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\SnapStream\Beyond TV\3rdPartyGuideData

Named : Lineup.xml / Episodes.xml / Programs.xml

Once they are created, the importer will ask Beyond TV to load these files. And you should see in the log of Beyond TV that the loading of the program data has started, with entries like these:

[3/13/2004 02:41:51] Guide Updater Service: Initializing...
[3/13/2004 02:41:51] Guide Updater Service: Getting data from Third Party Source...
[3/13/2004 02:41:52] Guide Updater Service: Processing new data...
[3/13/2004 02:41:55] Guide Updater Service: Processing data complete. Loading new data...
[3/13/2004 02:41:55] Guide Updater Service: MDAC version: 2.80
[3/13/2004 02:41:55] Guide Updater Service: Jet Database Engine version: 4.0.8015.0
[3/13/2004 02:42:09] Guide Updater Service: New guide data loaded. Clean update complete.

If you have errors in the log, let me know (i know the the xml parser of Beyond TV is very sensitive, so if your XMLTV contains something I haven't think of, Beyond TV may not load the data).

Stéphane.

[skateni]

OK .. found the 3 XML's .. and looks ok. clicked on the Beyond TV update button and saw these in the logs

[3/13/2004 09:49:44] Guide Updater Service: Initializing...
[3/13/2004 09:49:44] Guide Updater Service: Getting data from Third Party Source...
[3/13/2004 09:49:44] Guide Updater Service: Processing new data...
[3/13/2004 09:49:44] Guide Updater Service: Processing data complete. Loading new data...
[3/13/2004 09:49:44] Guide Updater Service: MDAC version: 2.80
[3/13/2004 09:49:44] Guide Updater Service: Jet Database Engine version: 4.0.8015.0
[3/13/2004 09:49:45] Guide Updater Service: New guide data loaded. Clean update complete.

Looking good so far

but alas ... still says the Program Guide was unable to load any data ...

[StephaneM]

Ok that's strange (but surely my fault ).

Can you send me your XMLTV file zipped to lmgestion@hotmail.com

I will see what can be wrong.

What you could check also : in Web Admin / Configure / Channels, look here to see if you have one or multiple lineup. If you have more than one : select the "Snapstream.Net Lineup" as your default lineup (Configure / Advanced Settings / Video Source / Edit Setting (for your default source) / the lineup setting is at the bottom).

[skateni]

Originally posted by StephaneM
Ok that's strange (but surely my fault ).

Can you send me your XMLTV file zipped to lmgestion@hotmail.com

I will see what can be wrong.

What you could check also : in Web Admin / Configure / Channels, look here to see if you have one or multiple lineup. If you have more than one : select the "Snapstream.Net Lineup" as your default lineup (Configure / Advanced Settings / Video Source / Edit Setting (for your default source) / the lineup setting is at the bottom).

Appreciate your help and tried your suggestion and voila, no more errors shows the channels but unavailable lemme try to muck around some more. The XMLTV was something I created and not from the xmltv grabber ( they don't have one for where i live ). Thanks again and will get back to you on my success ( or failure )

[StephaneM]

no more errors shows the channels but unavailable

Ok "Unavailable" is better , One thing you should be aware of is that the importer discard all show that end before current time.

So if you selected an improper "Time Offset" this may be the source of the trouble. Basically the importer don't take into account the time zone in the XMLTV File (as I wasn't sure if all XMLTV file would present time zone), so the hours listed are supposed to be in A Time Zone (whatever), and you just have to put in the time offset field of the importer the number of hours to add or substract to the hours in the XMLTV file to retrieve an UTC date.

Thanks again and will get back to you on my success ( or failure)

Don't hesitate to get back to me.

[skateni]

Originally posted by StephaneM

So if you selected an improper "Time Offset" this may be the source of the trouble. Basically the importer don't take into account the time zone in the XMLTV File (as I wasn't sure if all XMLTV file would present time zone), so the hours listed are supposed to be in A Time Zone (whatever), and you just have to put in the time offset field of the importer the number of hours to add or substract to the hours in the XMLTV file to retrieve an UTC date.

Don't hesitate to get back to me.

Fixed my code to put in the TZ and offset that and voila works like a charm .. thanks a bajillion man, you make my day one little suggestion is that for the xmltv, it it possible to grab that off the net rather than a local disk only ? My situation is that I have a job running every week on a remote server to grab the tv schedule every week and put it in xmltv and it'll be great to just point it to a URL rather than having an extra step of downloading it to my local comp. it's a nice to have thing. Once again ... Great stuff ... appreciate all your hard work

[StephaneM]

one little suggestion is that for the xmltv, it it possible to grab that off the net rather than a local disk only ?

Actually, it is already supported but undocumented , just put http://mymachine/myxmltv.xml in the XMLTV File field and it should works !

[skateni]

Originally posted by StephaneM

Actually, it is already supported but undocumented , just put http://mymachine/myxmltv.xml in the XMLTV File field and it should works !

Very nice .. yep confirmed that works one more thing I found ( not sure if it's a bug or by design ) when you click on Beyond TV update button, the import button get's greyed out. Have to exit and run the execuatable again to get back the import button.

Regards

[StephaneM]

when you click on Beyond TV update button, the import button get's greyed out. Have to exit and run the execuatable again to get back the import button.

Yes, this is a bug. The import button shouldn't be grayed out as there is no need to. This is not a serious one, but I'll take care of it in a new release.

Stéphane

[pukka_parker]

[3/14/2004 11:42:11] CPVSGuideUpdaterSingleton::PropertiesToVars failed to get UpdateType property
[3/14/2004 11:42:11] CPVSGuideUpdaterSingleton::StartUpdate() - PropertiesToVars failed: 0x80004005
[3/14/2004 11:42:25] CPVSGuideUpdaterSingleton::PropertiesToVars failed to get UpdateType property
[3/14/2004 11:42:25] CPVSGuideUpdaterSingleton::StartUpdate() - PropertiesToVars failed: 0x80004005

Any ideas what the problem here is? I've attached the xml files that your program created in the 3rd Party Guide Data folder in case that might help.

Regards.
Nigel

[pukka_parker]

I think I'm getting closer...

[3/14/2004 13:38:27] Guide Updater Service: Initializing...
[3/14/2004 13:38:27] Guide Updater Service: Getting data from Third Party Source...
[3/14/2004 13:38:27] Guide Updater Service: Processing new data...
[3/14/2004 13:38:27] Guide Updater Service: Processing data complete. Loading new data...
[3/14/2004 13:38:27] Guide Updater Service: MDAC version: 2.80
[3/14/2004 13:38:27] Guide Updater Service: Jet Database Engine version: 4.0.8015.0
[3/14/2004 13:38:30] Guide Updater Service: New guide data loaded. Clean update complete.

However, the EPG is empty!!

Any ideas what the problem might be? I guess there is something in the XML files that BTV doesn't like...

Nigel

[StephaneM]

[3/14/2004 13:38:30] Guide Updater Service: New guide data loaded. Clean update complete.

However, the EPG is empty!!

Any ideas what the problem might be? I guess there is something in the XML files that BTV doesn't like...

When you see "clean update complete" in the log, then all data were successfully imported. Now if there is no data in the program guide, make sure that the correct lineup is used; review for each of your videosource if the "Snapstream.Net lineup" is the default (Configure / Advanced Settings / Video Source / Edit Setting (for your default source) / the lineup setting is at the bottom).

Let me know if this works.