Free XMLTV EPG scraper

[sjf2626]

How do you change the directory where the xml file is saved? I have V.51 of the scraper that I used to use. Then I updated to V.63. But for some reason the xml file is being stored in the V.51 directory even though I use the V.63 scraper.

[drlava]

How do you change the directory where the xml file is saved? I have V.51 of the scraper that I used to use. Then I updated to V.63. But for some reason the xml file is being stored in the V.51 directory even though I use the V.63 scraper.

Check your batch file, maybe it's copying the xml over to the other directory. The xml output is saved in the same directory as the program.

[JerryFan]

Hi Guys,

I'm having trouble with this scraper, V.65. I had it working fine for over a week, but lately I've been getting this error.

"Error setting headend preferences, aborting.
Verify cookies are enabled in IE.
Received: 0x343034"

I've never changed settings for cookies, they're enabled, and I've cleared my temporary internet files. If I delete my settings and start over. It WILL download my listings like it should. But after I close the scraper it will not run again without the error. I'm totally stumped. Even downloading the scraper again to a different drive didn't help. Here's the log.


9/3/2009 1:03:02 PM: MSN_XMLTV_Downloader V0.65
9/3/2009 1:03:02 PM: XML version 6 detected.
9/3/2009 1:03:02 PM: Loading.....Settings.xml loaded.
9/3/2009 1:03:09 PM: Settings saved in Settings.xml.
9/3/2009 1:03:09 PM: Downloading data for DIRECTV Chicago(B).Http response not OK. Was: 404 to request http://tv.sympatico.msn.ca/DiscoveryWS/P...2000990000
9/3/2009 1:03:11 PM: Download failure, retry 1...
9/3/2009 1:03:12 PM: Http response not OK. Was: 404 to request http://tv.sympatico.msn.ca/DiscoveryWS/P...2000990000
9/3/2009 1:03:12 PM: Download failure, retry 2...
9/3/2009 1:03:12 PM: Http response not OK. Was: 404 to request http://tv.sympatico.msn.ca/DiscoveryWS/P...2000990000
9/3/2009 1:03:12 PM: Download failure, retry 3...
9/3/2009 1:03:13 PM: Http response not OK. Was: 404 to request http://tv.sympatico.msn.ca/DiscoveryWS/P...2000990000
9/3/2009 1:03:13 PM: Download failure, retry 4...
9/3/2009 1:03:13 PM: Download retries failed from http://tv.sympatico.msn.ca/DiscoveryWS/P...2000990000
9/3/2009 1:03:13 PM:
9/3/2009 1:03:13 PM: Error setting headend preferences, aborting.
Verify cookies are enabled in IE.
9/3/2009 1:03:13 PM: Received: 0x343034
9/3/2009 1:03:16 PM: Exited normally. Runtime: 0 m, 14 s. 0.00 kB downloaded total.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, as this is the last hurdle I must clear before finally getting to test this system with some scheduled recordings.

Thanks, Jon

[markbb1]

9/3/2009 1:03:09 PM: Downloading data for DIRECTV Chicago(B).Http response not OK. Was: 404 to request http://tv.sympatico.msn.ca/DiscoveryWS/P...2000990000

404 means URL not found. It looks like the URL for the headend for DIRECTV Chicago(B) that the MSN scraper is using is not correct. When it runs and gets listings, are you sure it is saving your settings? Is it using those settings the next time you run it, or is it using old settings? Maybe the directory where the settings are saved does not allow the user that the scraper runs under to have write access?

[nsti2tion]

Just noticed that when it's run the first time (after selecting provider, selecting a channel, saving settings and then downloading listings) it sets a cookie at msn.com. If the scraper is closed and restarted - it sets a cookie at tv.sympatico.msn.ca (rather than msn.com)

[mikeneron]

I am getting the same thing and it has been working fine for months until a few days ago, so something must have changed.

[LewE]

I am getting the same thing and it has been working fine for months until a few days ago, so something must have changed.

Isn't that the big downside of using scrapers?

I had a Palm PDA TV Guide app that used a scraper and we had to wait for the developer to keep updating the scraper to deal with changes on the web sites. I eventually ditched the program for one that used Schedules Direct.

[JerryFan]

Isn't that the big downside of using scrapers?

I had a Palm PDA TV Guide app that used a scraper and we had to wait for the developer to keep updating the scraper to deal with changes on the web sites. I eventually ditched the program for one that used Schedules Direct.

I'm trying a free trial of Schedules Direct right now. But I'm not getting any info for my local channels and it keeps downloading listings for channels that I didn't select. So in my opinion, based on the short time I've been using SD, it's kind of buggy. When this FREE scraper worked, it worked well. Just my 2 cents.

[wscrivens]

I've been getting the same error log as JerryFan when I run from the batch file:

Code:

MSN_XMLTV_scraper_V.65 /d /c

but when I run the program by double-clicking the icon, it runs OK. The problem is that the XML file is now in a different format (/c fixes up the formatting of the channel names) and it will mess up GBPVR if I use that file to update the EPG.

I, too, am looking at alternatives - but I will not pay for it.

Walt

[LewE]

I'm trying a free trial of Schedules Direct right now. But I'm not getting any info for my local channels and it keeps downloading listings for channels that I didn't select. So in my opinion, based on the short time I've been using SD, it's kind of buggy. When this FREE scraper worked, it worked well. Just my 2 cents.

I've had very good luck with Schedules Direct.

Have you checked in their forums to see if your problems have been identified by others?

Have you asked for help in their forums?

I notice that there is an issue with the lineups from the Tribune data that is beyond Schedule Direct's control. http://forums.schedulesdirect.org/viewto...?f=6&t=819

Most of the people who subscribe to Schedules Direct previously used the free Zap2It schedule information. When SD started, many voiced reluctance to pay for what was previously free. I think that most current subscribers feel that the modest annual fee is well worth the service they get.