Database Connection

[KingArgyle]

Can we as a development community agree to use the DatabaseConnection element from the Config.xml file to get the source for our database connections if we are going to query/manipulate the database directly.

Either that, or can we get a Plugin API that returns a Connection object based off the information in the config.xml. This will help ensure that the plugins still work, if the database that is being used changes.

[Huw]

Quote[/b] ]Can we as a development community agree to use the DatabaseConnection element from the Config.xml file to get the source for our database connections if we are going to query/manipulate the database directly.

I don't see why not, sounds like a sensible idea

[reven]

is there a plugin source available with code to connect to the gbpvr db and grab info like recorded show description, title, subtitle? i want to add these into "My Videos" plugin, but want to make sure i do it right the first time, so if your using a different database the program is blind to this (like an autonomous system (little infosys for ya (uni) ).

yeah i never went to the lectures on databases (boring )

[Guest]

I have an update of the video archiver plug-in that uses the "correct" db string processing. I've also figured out how to install MSDE, although I had to use a different permission string.

I will try to seperate out the code an email it you later tonight or tomorrow.

One problem I am having is that while my code seems to run ofine on MSDE, GBPVR is not able to schedule new recordings. I don'k know if it is related to MSDE or if it is because my develoment machine doesn't have a tuner card. I haven't tried scheduling recordings with access in the new version of GBPVR. I was going to try to play around with it later to see if I broke something with MSDE or if something else is going on.

Jeff

[reven]

i only need to grab info from the database, i dont need to update it in anyway, so there shouldnt be a problem. just want to do a search if video file is in database, if in grab the available info, if any fields replace them (just when displaying them to the end user) with the fields from imdb. this will always be called aswell (to grab poster). just be nicer to display "Carbon Creek" then "err episode description" instead of the file name enterprise_date_time.mpg. or just display the subtitle (if available) in list mode.

[Guest]

I was using the direct DB access for just this same purpose in my plug-in. Sub convinced me that it was best to minimize direct calls to the DB so I have replaced this in recent versions of my plug-in with a cached version of the scheduled recordings list. This takes a while to load the first time but is very quick on lookups thereafter. Direct DB access seems pretty fast each time but you end up begin dependant upon the field names in the DB. If the scheduleHelper exposed a method to search for a recording by file name that would be, I think, the "best" way to solve the problem.

Jeff

[KingArgyle]

Jeff, the Schedule Recording item should be fixed if you upgrade to version 0.23.11. Sub removed some Access specific code he had in there to flush the JET cache so that it would be immediately available to the recording service.

If you already have version 0.23.8 on your system, you can safely do a install over your current MSDE setup, and it will retain your DatabaseConnection string.

Reven, I think Jorm is working on a Helper utility to his Meta Data for the Zap2It database. This would allow you to get the Sub Title Information, and other expanded meta data information. Not sure what his time line is right now, I know he's been pretty busy lately.

[reven]

i can wait for the helper util, its not a huge concern for me, just a nice to have feature. and the helper util is a good idea, so if database stuff needs to change/updated i wont have to rebuild the plugin each time.