I-xmltv: TV Guide customization & Zap2It EPG utility.

[Anthony]

I moved the I-xmltv folder to the GBPVR folder, and switched to the new UpdateEPG.bat file. I changed the GBPVR tuner settings to point to the new TVGuide.xml file. Updating the EPG "seems" to work, but I'm getting the regular old Zap2It listings?

> I did a "xreload pro for GBPVRRecording Service" and it started to show me the correct info

Exactly HOW do you do this???

Anthony

[Jim_]

This is going to be a long one because there isn’t any way to explain this without talking about how the different versions of GBPVR work.

There are a few differences in the way v97.7 and v96.12 empty the epg, at least when using the access database.

During the second “setup” click, the original UpdateEPG.bat (made for v96.12) would empty the EPG, and then update the EPG with the new listings.
That’s not an option for 97.7 because 97.7 will go into a loop if –onlyUpdateEPG is called from UpdateEPG.bat.
Loop explanation. >I tested v97.7 using a system that is not connected to the internet. I just had the bat copy the needed xml files from a different local system. Unfortunately the second-click / first-update logic didn’t kick in and wasn’t tested because the “missing” xml files it looks for were already on the test system.<

With either of the new UdateEPG.bat files (during the initial setup only) you will need to go into config and empty your epg sources, and then manually update them after the setup clicks are complete. You can always look in the I-xmltv folder and verify that a TVGuide.xml has been created, the date is correct, and it contains listings.
With the 96.12-only version of UpdateEPG.bat, the EPG flush and re-load was automatic.

Previously scheduled "season records" may not show the updated information until the original EPG tapers away with time.
With v96.12, I avoid this problem by using X-Record to schedule my season and reoccurring recordings. X-Record includes a utility called “DeleteSchedule.exe” that releases and re-schedules recordings on each epg load, totally avoiding the problem….
<snip>
Removed outdated information only applicable to older version.
<end edit>

[Jim_]

I moved the I-xmltv folder to the GBPVR folder, and switched to the new UpdateEPG.bat file. I changed the GBPVR tuner settings to point to the new TVGuide.xml file. Updating the EPG "seems" to work, but I'm getting the regular old Zap2It listings?

> I did a "xreload pro for GBPVRRecording Service" and it started to show me the correct info

Exactly HOW do you do this???

Anthony

Anthony, Reboot.
There's a long explanation above but this is the short one.

After you have setup I-xmltv and clicked on UpdateEPG.bat twice, verify you have a "proper" TVGuide.xml file in the I-xmltv folder. Look at I-xmltv2.log, it shows some of the lines that were changed in the epg file.

1. Go into GBPVR config.
2. "Empty EPG" in the "Capture Source" > "Edit" tab. (you can also "Remove" all the channels)
3. Verify you have selected xmltv and TVGuide.xml as your EPG source.
4. click ok until your out of config.
5. Open GBPVR, is your TV Guide empty?
6. UpdateEPG using GBPVR config, or the tray icon.

<snip>
Removed outdated information only applicable to older version.

[Anthony]

Jim,

Emptying the EPG fixed it! Thank you...

By the way, thanks for making this utility available!

Anthony

[Jim_]

Jim,

Emptying the EPG fixed it! Thank you...

By the way, thanks for making this utility available!

Anthony

You're very welcome, and thank you for sticking with me through the v97 setup problem! I guess 5-minutes after I installed it on my system, I knew it would be morally wrong not to share it.

But I have to admit, the coding part was challenging and fun, but “for me” making instructions that are easily understood is just plain HARD!
I'm still very close to the project, and it's hard not to take things I understand for granted.

If someone thinks of a change (in the ReadMe-NOW.txt) that would make installation and configuration easier for everyone, feel free to post the changes and I'll add them to the zip.
In the end, if it proves to be reliable and easy enough to install, I'll probably ask if it can be added to the wiki.

Jim

[reboot]

Emptying the epg worked, but every time the epg tries to update (3 am), it errors out, with the default "has encountered an error and must close".

[Jim_]

Emptying the epg worked, but every time the epg tries to update (3 am), it errors out, with the default "has encountered an error and must close".

Hi Reboot,
Please zip and attach your I-xmltv.log & gbpvr logs so I can see the place it failed in the update process.
What is the first word that is missing from the error you posted, did the event log give any additional information on the error?
I’d be very interested in knowing what utilities, replacement gbpvr-tray(?) and plugins you have installed.

<edit> I pm'd cginzel and the latest tray app has been tested and works fine with I-xmltv, thanks cginzel!>
Cginzel helped me (a bunch!) when I posted the first version in the developer’s forum. We found that when he had another application installed xmltv.exe (not I-xmltv) would fail during the file-join process. But only if the other application was installed, and only when GBPVR called UpdateEPG,,, from windows it worked fine.
<end edit>

If I understand correctly, with your system.
UpdateEPG.bat works correctly when you click on it from windows, but you get an error message if GBPVR calls it during the EPG update.
There is a very simple solution.
Rename UpdateEPG.bat to something that GBPVR will not call, and leave the rem in front of “gbpvr –onlyEmptyEPG”.
Use windows task scheduler to run the renamed batch file an hour before GBPVR does its automatic EPG update.

If we can track down a conflicting utility, the other option would be.

Use a utility called “Process.exe” at the start of UpdateEPG.bat to close or kill the offending utility/tray app.
Then use PostUpdateEPG.bat to re-launch the utiltiy that is causing the problem.

The only other scenario I can think of is, the number of tuners you are using is approaching the single-process memory limit allowed by windows for GBPVRRecordingService.

The most likely is an offending utility / tray app or plugin because it works for most people who try it. But most people don’t have as many tuners as you!

[reboot]

No errors in the I-xmltv.log
Only error in gbpvr.exe.log:
ERROR [1] Unable to find node: /settings/SpecialElements/SpecialElement[@name="CloseButton"]

Only 2 tuners (PVR-500) in this system.
Tray apps:
-Push the freakin' button.
-Popup Stopper.
No extra gbpvr tray things.

Plugins:
-Webcam
-X-Search
-Weather
X-Guide disabled.

Blank TV guide, no matter which UpdateEPG.bat is used.
Source set to TVGUIDE.XML and config set to xmltv plugin.

[Jim_]

Reboot,
This utility is very simple.

If you click on UpdateEPG.bat in windows, and it doesn’t produce a TVGuide.xml that GBPVR can load. It’s a problem I can help with, if you post your I-xmltv.log?

If it doesn’t produce a TVGuide.xml that GBPVR can load when you click UpdateEPG in config or the tray app, it “may” be a problem I can help you with.

If the tests above work without problems, but GBPVR v97.7 fails during the automatic EPG update, it's "not" a problem I can help you with....

I-xmltv.log doesn’t log errors, it logs every time the program is launched and what it did during that instance. If the I-xmltv.log is incomplete (if it was launched at all) tells me at what point the problem happened.

Bottom line.
If you wish to use I-xmltv but your installation of GBPVR v97.7 will not download xmltv listings using UpdateEPG.bat. Rename UpdateEPG.bat and call it with windows task scheduler an hour before the GBPVR Auto-EPG-Update.

[Jim_]

Hi reboot,
I just wanted to see if one of the solutions worked for you? <fingers crossed>

I'm not sure I mentioned this before, but I should have. :o
If you have more than one system, you only need to setup I-xmltv on one of them. There is no reason to download the listings multiple times with multiple computers because the TVGuide.xml is portable.
All your other systems can update their EPG using the same TVGuide.xml, across the network. If you have one computer that will work with I-xmltv, you should be good to go!

Jim