New version RSSReader plugin

[HenkH]

The version of the plugin you are using doesn't do a ForceRepaint (the new version does, but will stop requesting if it hasn't been rendered for a second or so).

I noticed however that the panelNeedsRendering() method is called every second or so. This method doesn't do any serious things, it's just checkin the intervalcounter (your version) or the current datetime (to see if a refresh is needed). However the renderPanel() method will only be called when the panel is actually in view (and panelNeedsRendering() has returned 'true'.

On the MediaMVP I'm seeing 'strange' things in the logfile. When the main menu, with the news panel, is in view it shows every second:
<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">21-Mar-05 23:26:15.046 VERBOSE [2] Newstask.panelNeedsRendering returns False
21-Mar-05 23:26:16.046 VERBOSE [2] Newstask.panelNeedsRendering returns True
21-Mar-05 23:26:16.046 VERBOSE [2] Rendering MenuMenuTask
21-Mar-05 23:26:16.046 VERBOSE [2] Newstask.renderPanel is called
21-Mar-05 23:26:16.186 VERBOSE [2] frame sent
21-Mar-05 23:26:16.436 VERBOSE [71] MVP data read: 1
21-Mar-05 23:26:16.436 VERBOSE [71] MVP request processed[/QUOTE]
When I select a task (e.g. the TV-Guide) it becomes (repeated every second):
<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">21-Mar-05 23:26:42.046 VERBOSE [2] Newstask.panelNeedsRendering returns True
21-Mar-05 23:26:42.171 VERBOSE [2] frame sent
21-Mar-05 23:26:42.421 VERBOSE [71] MVP data read: 1
21-Mar-05 23:26:42.421 VERBOSE [71] MVP request processed[/QUOTE]
However when I shutdown the MediaMVP it becomes (the last 3 lines are repeated every second and the logfile grows very large):
<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">21-Mar-05 23:28:08.046 VERBOSE [2] Newstask.panelNeedsRendering returns True
21-Mar-05 23:28:08.186 VERBOSE [2] frame sent
21-Mar-05 23:28:08.436 VERBOSE [71] MVP data read: 1
21-Mar-05 23:28:08.436 VERBOSE [71] MVP request processed
21-Mar-05 23:28:09.046 VERBOSE [2] Newstask.panelNeedsRendering returns True
21-Mar-05 23:28:09.171 VERBOSE [2] frame sent
21-Mar-05 23:28:10.046 VERBOSE [2] Newstask.panelNeedsRendering returns True
21-Mar-05 23:28:10.171 VERBOSE [2] frame sent
21-Mar-05 23:28:11.046 VERBOSE [2] Newstask.panelNeedsRendering returns True
21-Mar-05 23:28:11.171 ERROR [2] MVP Timer Refresh error: An established connection was aborted by the software in your host machine
21-Mar-05 23:28:11.171 ERROR [2]   at System.Net.Sockets.Socket.Send(Byte[] buffer, Int32 offset, Int32 size, SocketFlags socketFlags)
  at System.Net.Sockets.Socket.Send(Byte[] buffer)
  at r.a(Boolean A_0)
  at r.c(Object A_0, EventArgs A_1)
21-Mar-05 23:28:12.046 VERBOSE [2] Newstask.panelNeedsRendering returns True
21-Mar-05 23:28:12.171 ERROR [2] MVP Timer Refresh error: An established connection was aborted by the software in your host machine
21-Mar-05 23:28:12.171 ERROR [2]   at System.Net.Sockets.Socket.Send(Byte[] buffer, Int32 offset, Int32 size, SocketFlags socketFlags)
  at System.Net.Sockets.Socket.Send(Byte[] buffer)
  at r.a(Boolean A_0)
  at r.c(Object A_0, EventArgs A_1)
21-Mar-05 23:28:13.046 VERBOSE [2] Newstask.panelNeedsRendering returns True
[/QUOTE]
These error messages do not appear when I disable the panel.

I do find it strange panelNeedsRendering() is called even when the panel is not in view. As I said before I'm doing no fancy things in this method, so I'm finding it hard to believe the panel is to blame for the error messages....

I will post the most recent version of the plugin (including the sources) to the Wiki, so others can try it out.

[reven]

HenkH i love the version on the wiki, i just downloaded the source and took a look. i have one request (i added it myself, if you want the source). add a &quot;ForegroundImage&quot; which is draw last, so you can draw something over the ticker. i want to give the illusion the ticker is fading in and out at the edges, so im going to create two png files that fade, and draw these on top.

<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">
private Timer panelTimer = null;
private bool ForegroundImageExists = false;[/QUOTE]
<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">if ( !PluginHelperFactory.getPluginHelper().GetClientIdentifier().StartsWith("MVP") )
{
panelTimer = new Timer();
panelTimer.Interval = Math.Max(10,intervalValue);
panelTimer.Tick += new EventHandler(this.TimerEventProcessor);
}

XmlNode node = skinHelper.getNode("/settings/CompositeImages/CompositeImage[@name=\"ForegroundImage\"]");
ForegroundImageExists = (node != null);[/QUOTE]

<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">// Paint our ticker on the background
bg.DrawImage( tickerBitmap, new RectangleF( panelBox.StartX, panelBox.StartY, panelBox.Width, panelBox.Height), new RectangleF(scrollOffset, titlesSize.Height/2, panelBox.Width, panelBox.Height), GraphicsUnit.Pixel );

// Paint the foreground image
if(ForegroundImageExists)
bg.DrawImage(skinHelper.getNamedImage("ForegroundImage"),0,0);[/QUOTE]
nothign major, just a nice added feature. so its only drawn if the image exists in the skin.

[reven]

also the newest version the text is getting cut off half way on the ticker. i had to change this line
<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">bg.DrawImage( tickerBitmap, new RectangleF( panelBox.StartX, panelBox.StartY, panelBox.Width, panelBox.Height), new RectangleF(scrollOffset, titlesSize.Height/2, panelBox.Width, panelBox.Height), GraphicsUnit.Pixel );[/QUOTE]

to this line
<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">// Paint our ticker on the background
bg.DrawImage( tickerBitmap, new RectangleF( panelBox.StartX, panelBox.StartY, panelBox.Width, panelBox.Height), new RectangleF(scrollOffset, 0, panelBox.Width, panelBox.Height), GraphicsUnit.Pixel );[/QUOTE]

[HenkH]

Ofcourse you're free to make enhancements to the plugin, I've already spend way too much time on it I look forward to seeing your skins.

I would be carefull with the last modification. I had to introduce the titlesSize.Height/2 since otherwise the text would be showed too low (I didn't have this problem in a previous version, it got introduced when I made some optimisations). So please check how it looks in other skins.

[stefan]

Quote[/b] (reven @ Mar. 21 2005,00:52)]now we just need to setup a gbpvr rss feed with plugin/skin/gbpvr updates, and bug reports etc.

anyone know how to  do this?

What would be cool to add (if yuo have control over that part) is to add something like
&lt;link rel=&quot;alternate&quot; title=&quot;GBPVR Wiki RSS&quot; href=&quot;http://therss/&quot; type=&quot;application/rss+xml&quot;&gt;
in the &lt;head&gt; tag of the html document. Then opera and firefox will autodetect rss and show an rss button.

[Guest]

HenkH,

Great job on the plugin. My only question is does anyone else have a problem getting from the plugin back to the main menu using the menu button? i can't seem to get out for some reason and I have to restart the MediaMVP service.

Dubya

[HenkH]

The Menu button on the MediaMVP has 'for some reason' the same keymapping as the Home key on the PC keyboard. Since I use the Home key for jumping to the first item it doesn't do its normal trick.

This can easily be solved, but it is even easier to use the Back/Exit key on the MediaMVP remote to return to the main menu (at least that's how it works on my MVP).

[Guest]

Would it be possible to remove this home function?

[HenkH]

I've updated the plugin at the wiki site. I've also incorporated reven's panel foreground image.