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

[Jim_]

ok, that makes sense so any show I have previously set to record a "season recording" I need to delete it and reschdule it so there is a "*" so it only get the new shows. I'll give it a show

Yep, exactly.
If I may ask, how was your overall impression of the installation experience?
I'd also love to hear your overall impression of how it works, after you've had it up and running for a while.

Thanks!
Jim

Reboot,
I’ve attached a modified UpdateEPG.bat you can try, it should work with the utility installed to: C:\Program Files\devnz\gbpvr\I-xmltv.

When I was testing the UpdateEPG.bat I may have found the B&W thing you were talking about. If you saw this message in the DOS window, it was just an xmltv grabber message, not a problem with I-xmltv.
“video element: expected a Perl Boolean like 0 or 1, not ‘Color and B & W’”
Don’t worry about xmltv grabber messages unless you have an error in the GBPVR TV Guide.

[reboot]

Tested the modified updateEPG.bat, and get a blank epg
Tried to go back to the one in c:\I-xmltv, and get a blank epg.
Tried to go back to zap2it in config, updated epg manually, it's back, but gbpvr is still trying to use the .bat to update epg, so it empties again.

[Anthony]

Jim,

I've been trying to get your I-xmltv utility to work, but can't get it to do anything. I followed the instructions exactly, but the UpdateEPG.bat just aborts immediately.

I also tried relocating the I-xmltv folder to the GBPVR folder, and using the new UpdateEPG.bat file you uploaded. Still no go.

I never get the configuration screen, no log files are created, no configuration file, etc.

I added a "pause" command at the bottom of the UpdateEPG.bat file, and saw an error "command doesn't exist...". I removed one of the duplicate backslashes in the --config calling line, and the batch file finally acted like it was doing something, but still didn't accomplish anything.

It looks like some items are named xmltv.exe, while others refer to I-xmltv.exe, which could be causing some problems. But, changing them all to I-xmltv.exe still didn't work.

Any ideas on how I can get this to work? I'd prefer to have the I-xmltv folder in the GBPVR folder.

Thanks!

Anthony

[Jim_]

Jim,

I've been trying to get your I-xmltv utility to work, but can't get it to do anything. I followed the instructions exactly, but the UpdateEPG.bat just aborts immediately.

I also tried relocating the I-xmltv folder to the GBPVR folder, and using the new UpdateEPG.bat file you uploaded. Still no go.

I never get the configuration screen, no log files are created, no configuration file, etc.

I added a "pause" command at the bottom of the UpdateEPG.bat file, and saw an error "command doesn't exist...". I removed one of the duplicate backslashes in the --config calling line, and the batch file finally acted like it was doing something, but still didn't accomplish anything.

It looks like some items are named xmltv.exe, while others refer to I-xmltv.exe, which could be causing some problems. But, changing them all to I-xmltv.exe still didn't work.

Any ideas on how I can get this to work? I'd prefer to have the I-xmltv folder in the GBPVR folder.

Thanks!

Anthony

Hi Anthony, the batch file will act exactly the way you describe if you didn’t download and install xmltv.exe.
Step #1 of the setup guide.
Don’t change or modify anything, it will work if the directions are followed to the letter.



ReadMe-NOW.txt

Code:

Start here:

[B]Download XMLTV (xmltv-0.5.43-win32.zip) from the URL below, or the link provided in the I-xmltv folder, and extract it.
[url]http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/xmltv/xmltv-0.5.43-win32.zip?download[/url]
Only one file is needed from the extracted zip. Locate "xmltv.exe" and copy it into the "C:\I-xmltv" folder.[/B]


"TVGuide.xml" is an empty file. Open the GBPVR Config utility and choose "XMLTV Plugin" for the "EPG Source". Under "EPG Source settings" browse to and select C:\I-xmltv\TVGuide.xml.
Click "OK" several times to exit the config utility, but do NOT update the epg at this time.


Move UpdateEPG.bat to your gbpvr folder.
Edit UpdateEPG.bat using notepad, and change (only) the first few "SET" lines to your liking.

SET DaysEPG=6  --"6" gives 7-days of epg (Today + 6 additional days), "13" is the max.
SET GBPVROutput=TVGuide.xml  --Simple enough. The xmltv file you configure GBPVR to use for its "xmltv" EPG.

"SET "TVSwitches=/sx /se/ - /dd/() /pi/* /tp/-6" Change the last number "-6" in this line to reflect your actual time zone (as shown by the windows clock time-zone tab).
Other than DaysEPG & /tp/-6 absolutely nothing needs to be changed! But if you like trying out different settings, the EPG customization switches are explained in the change log at the bottom of this text file, and in the jpeg pictures.

Click on "UpdateEPG.bat" and enter your Zap2It username and password when prompted, and +0000 for the timezone.

Click on "UpdateEPG.bat" a second time. If you are prompted for your username or password, close the DOS window,  delete the ".xmltv" folder in C:\I-xmltv and try again.
Properly configured, UpdateEPG.bat will download and process the EPG without any input from you.

I-xmltv.exe activity is logged to "C:\I-xmltv\I-XMLTV.LOG"
I-xmltv Details are logged to "C:\I-xmltv\I-XMLTV2.LOG"
I-xmltv verify is logged to "C:\I-xmltv\I-XMLTV3.LOG"

Jim_

[Jim_]

Tested the modified updateEPG.bat, and get a blank epg
Tried to go back to the one in c:\I-xmltv, and get a blank epg.
Tried to go back to zap2it in config, updated epg manually, it's back, but gbpvr is still trying to use the .bat to update epg, so it empties again.

If you switch back and have gbpvr download the Zap2It listings.
You would want to rename or delete the UpdateEPG.bat pointing to I-xmltv.

If you still want to use I-xmltv, install it again (to the suggested location) and follow the directions in ReadMe-NOW.txt to the letter.

I'm removing the other UpdateEPG, it's just going to cause "support" problems....

[Anthony]

Jim,

> the batch file will act exactly the way you describe if you didn’t
> download and install xmltv.exe. Step #1 of the setup guide.

Well there's my problem.... Somehow I missed step #1 completely. I think because of the name similarity (xmltv and I-xmltv), I breezed over that step thinking it had already been done. I didn't realize there were two separate programs. A more distinct name might have stood out a bit better?

In any case, everything appears to be up and running now. I changed the time zone to reflect my own (Pacific Time), and removed the switches for movie ratings, and star ratings, as these did not interest me. It's GREAT to finally have an indicator of new episodes, and the original air dates comes in handy too.

I did experience one little glitch during installation. I skipped one of the steps, AGAIN... Forgot to run the UpdateEPG.bat a second time, so when I tried to update the EPG from GBPVR, it went into an endless loop opening and downloading EPG's. I finally cancelled out of all of those, deleted the I-xmltv folder, and started over. Once I followed the instructions, all was well.

> I'm removing the other UpdateEPG

Unfortunately, I already deleted that other UpdateEPG, and would really like to have I-xmltv located in the GBPVR folder. Any way I can get it again, or a quick pointer of how I can change it myself?

Thanks!

Anthony

[Jim_]

Hi Anthony, glad it’s working and sorry about the loop that can happen with v97 on the second click, in the initial setup.
I’ll get that fixed right away in the main post zip.
I’ve attached the UdateEPG.bat that works(?) if I-xmltv is installed in the GBPVR\I-xmltv folder.
I’ve removed the gbpvr.exe –updateEPG command that can cause the loop during v97 setup.

Thanks for pointing the v97 loop out! :o

A more distinct name might have stood out a bit better?
I've been thinking about that too, I-xmltv has progressed beyond a simple incremental xmltv downloader.
Any ideas?

<edit> replacing outdated files with the wiki link.
Starting with I-xmltv v1.0, UpdateEPG.bat can be easily edited for different installation locations.
The latest updates are on the wiki,
http://gbpvr.com/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Utili...percharger

[Jim_]

I’ve updated the zip in post #1 with the latest version.
I fixed a problem in UpdateEPG.bat that would cause an EPG Update loop on the second install click when using GBPVR v97.x. :o >can't believe I didn't catch that one!<

I also included a second (UpdateEPG2.bat) that will allow I-xmltv to work when installed under GBPVR (C:\Program Files\devnz\gbpvr\I-xmltv). Probably where it should have been from the start.
Thanks for the feedback everybody.

[reboot]

Loaded up the new one.
Changed source to TVGuide.xml on all tuners.
Figured out that I needed UpdateEPG2.bat renamed to UpdateEPG.bat in the c:\program files\devnz\gbpvr folder.
Ran it twice, as per instructions.
It seems to have created all the files needed, however the TV guide still shows the zap2it listings. No new stuff...

[pens18aj]

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