Calling NextPVR restart after config.xml changes

[imilne]

Although you could technically use the APIs from any program, sub has said in the past that certain functions within them rely on the fact they expect to be running inside of NextPVR. So basically, for anything other than a genuine plugin you'd be back on that thin ice again.

What exactly is it you're trying to do?

Iain

[steeb]

Although you could technically use the APIs from any program, sub has said in the past that certain functions within them rely on the fact they expect to be running inside of NextPVR. So basically, for anything other than a genuine plugin you'd be back on that thin ice again.

What exactly is it you're trying to do?

Iain

Hi Iain,

the answer is perhaps over-complicating the issue I'm only trying to restart the recording service after applying changes to the config.xml file. As Brian suggested I guess the easiest is just to use the 'net stop' and 'start' commands. Of course this wouldn't give an indication of NextPVR's recording status, which would have been good to have been able to issue a warning if one was in progress.....

steeb

[mvallevand]

Very few changes in config.xml would require a recording service or web service update, so I too would like to know what you are looking at changing.

Martin

[steeb]

Very few changes in config.xml would require a recording service or web service update, so I too would like to know what you are looking at changing.

Martin

Yes very good point. It may be that there is no need to restart anything. However I guess I was making sure that as a 'catch all' anything that needed restarting for changes to take effect had been.

I'm not looking at changing anything, it is more of a challenge I have set myself (just to see if I can do it). I have been playing with creating a GUI based editor for the config.xml for advanced settings (anything that can't be done through the settings screen.)

steeb

[imilne]

Yeah, the only serious one I can think of that would be affected would be the recording directory location, but then that's not an advanced setting so you wouldn't need to ever change it.

Iain

[steeb]

Yeah, the only serious one I can think of that would be affected would be the recording directory location, but then that's not an advanced setting so you wouldn't need to ever change it.

Iain

Yes this would only affect advanced stuff so something like the recording directory loc would not be enabled for editing this way. So for instance adding file extensions to one of the libraries, adding an MVP/PCH specific device, tweaking aspect ratios, none of these would need a restart?

cheers

steeb

[bgowland]

I'm not looking at changing anything, it is more of a challenge I have set myself (just to see if I can do it). I have been playing with creating a GUI based editor for the config.xml for advanced settings (anything that can't be done through the settings screen.)

Hi steeb,

I'd recommend experimenting to see if the settings 'take' instantly and compiling a list of which settings may need a restart of eith NextPVR or NRecord. That way you can forget worrying about need for a restart in some cases and simply prompt the user to let them know when the settings change requires a restart of one or other.

The problem with attempting to do it automatically (if you do find a way of querying recording status) is what happens if a recording IS in progress? Effectively you'll need to 'schedule' a restart at the next available non-recording 'window' which adds another layer of complexity.

Cheers,
Brian

[imilne]

I doubt any changes would ever take instantly. NextPVR holds an internal cache of the config document in memory: a plugin can therefore mess around with (some of) those settings without NextPVR needing to reload anything from the XML. However, you can also tell it to do that too.

For what you're proposing though, I'd argue that most users would *probably* have exited NPVR to fiddle with the settings anyway. The recordings service is another matter though.

Why not just play it safe (and take the easy option), and just tell the user that they may need to restart NPVR (and/or the recording service) after making any changes.

Iain

[mvallevand]

One thing that is probably causing confusion is config.xml settings for the MVP/NMT servers. These are pre-loaded with existing config.xml setting and the server is running in memory.

If you have three MVP servers configured and make a change, you might not get the new settings until you have logged in and out three times.

If you want to force an update to the MVP/NMT clients you must run

taskkill /IM NextPVR.exe /f

Martin

[steeb]

Thank you all for invaluable input. I didn't want to get any further into what I am trying to do without hearing really helpful stuff like this.

I guess I was hoping that I could get a scenario whereby an 'apply' changes would do exactly that. Changes made could stop/restart anything needed and re-open NextPVR (if necessary) for an instant check to see any results.

From the sounds of it this may be getting a little too complex......