zap2xml - a free zap2it scraper

[resnostyle]

FIXED!!! i am having some sort of freak problem.

when i run the epg its parses and works like it should(at least i hope). i check the created xml file and see information about the shows, starting time, etc.

i reconfigured the epg update to the new settings.

when i start gb-pvr and go to guide. i can see the updated guide, everything is perfect. but when i start that show through the guide all i get is static.

if i directly type in a channel i can watch the show. viewing this way also stops the channel guide (the one that shows what you are watching as you flip channels) from showing up and all i get is channel info. (ie. disney).

i was able to fix my problem...

[ww4397]

Let's say you grab for 10 days. If the schedule for day 10 is updated let's say tomorrow or the day after. When day 10 will be the current day (in 10 days) it won't have been updated since it has been cached and won't be re-downloaded. Still with me? How about forcing a re-download of the current day and the day after in order to have the freshest epg possible. Does that make sens?

I wrote the author and he added this feature. It is the -N option. See his site for the details.

[tony1234]

I wrote the author and he added this feature. It is the -N option. See his site for the details.

Thanks, I saw that last night. The author is the man, you think about a feature and a new version is released in the hour. Great work!

[ww4397]

Thanks, I saw that last night. The author is the man, you think about a feature and a new version is released in the hour. Great work!

Make sure you use the -N (upper case) switch. This counts days from the start (i.e. today). The -n (lower case) switch was added last night. The -n switch counts from the end (i.e. the furthest date out).

The -N just came out less than an hour ago.

[gangaskan]

you may need to check if you really created the config file in the same directory as the application i.e. if you "dir zap2xml\zap2xmlrc" you should get that file listed. you need to "dir" from the same directory that you're running the UpdateEPG.bat file.

oh, so i have to have a directory called zap2xmlrc as well?


right now my listings on that zap2xml folder looks like this

zap2xml.exe
zap2mlrc ( the config file)
and the xml config (which houses my listings)

[Copperlight]

I've looked at about three different threads with a few people having the same problem as me. I only get ONE channel with all of my program data stuffed in to it. Zap2it is configured as directed, the batch file runs correctly, but finishes like this:

Completed in 5s (Parse: 5s) 1 stations, 1012 programs, 197 scheduled.

(I have it set to only do 1 day since I'm repeatedly trying to fix it). Clearing the cache doesn't help, no deleting the xml, nor deleting the sources, clearing the EPG and redoing it or any combination of the above. The XML file itself appears to only list ONE channel. Any ideas?

[smurfcorpse]

I had the same problem. I noticed when I logged in at the website, I had to keep putting in my zip code information. It seems my account did not activate correctly. Under the set preferences tab I saw a link that said resend conformation email. I clicked it, got the email, clicked the link in the email and it said my account has been activated. Now when I log in to the website I am not prompted for my zip code. Then everything started working. If you still have no luck you might try setting up and activating a new account.

I'm not sure but you may need to be logged out from the website.
Set up the 6 hour grid and show only my favorites options.
Pick the channels you would like to view and save the settings.
Don't forget to delete the cash before running the batch file.
Don't forget to empty EPG before updating it.
Good Luck

[ww4397]

I have the zap2xml running and gbpvr reading the data in, but when I look at the TV Guide, some of the programs are a few hours longer than they should be, and the shows that should be after these extra long shows, aren't there. And this issue seems to happen to all show on all channels that start around a particular time (example: all shows on channels 1-100 that start at 10pm are 2 or more hours long).

I'm wondering if this is an issue with an apostropy not being excoded properly or something. I haven't played with the parameters of zap2xml much, yet.

Anyone have an idea of how to fix this?

This may be the result of zap2xml using cached files. I've seen the last day of my guide all blank after a certain hour -- lets say 7:00PM. The next day I add one more day of data that also is blank after 7:00PM. When I look at my guide, I see extra long shows (all starting at 7:00PM **and** ending at 12:00 midnight) for my next-to-the-last day. After several days this accumulates into a bunch of extra long show times.

I think what's happening is the program is using the cached files that where incomplete when initially downloaded. When the new download is added it starts at 12:00 Midnight and, essentially, ends the programs that started at 7:00PM the previous night.

I hope this makes sense.

I believe the fix is the -n (lower case) switch. This will not use the cached files for a user specified number of days at the end of the date range for the data.

[mugun]

I dont know if it is the download of the zap2xml file or am doing something wrong. The file downloaded was just 1 file and when i extracted and clicked on it, all what happened was a cmd screen and it disappears with 3 ot 4 seconds. Am not a good cmd person, i thought this was supposed to be a GUI. please assist if am doing something wrong. the size of the file is 3.11MB and file version 0.0.0.0 and was downloaded at http://zap2xml.110mb.com/ thanks.

[WerewolfTA]

First of all, I'd like to say thanks for this posting and the excellent examples and instructions. I was using the yahoo one and was seriously upset when I noticed on Tuesday that my listings didn't extend beyond today. I was able to get this up and going (so far as I know) perfectly in very short order.

I dont know if it is the download of the zap2xml file or am doing something wrong. The file downloaded was just 1 file and when i extracted and clicked on it, all what happened was a cmd screen and it disappears with 3 ot 4 seconds. Am not a good cmd person, i thought this was supposed to be a GUI. please assist if am doing something wrong. the size of the file is 3.11MB and file version 0.0.0.0 and was downloaded at http://zap2xml.110mb.com/ thanks.

Click on over to page 5 for step by step instructions on setting this up in a bat file. I don't believe there's any gui. If you want to see what's going on, put the word pause on its own line at the end of the bat file. Then, manually run it and you can see what's happening. Just don't forget to delete "pause" afterwards (you can get back in to edit your bat by right clicking on it and choosing edit; it'll open in notepad. Just close it when you're done and click yes when it asks if you want to save your changes).