I-xmltv >Incremental XMLTV download utility

[Jim_]

The latest version of I-xmltv adds Movie & TV enhancements to GBPVR’s TV Guide.
It is available for download in the wiki, and called TVGuide Supercharger

For now, I’m leaving the original version (without TV Guide enhancements) and its updates in this thread.
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Hi everybody,

I originally wrote this for my own use, but the benefit will be if other people use this and we reduce the Zap2It server load.
I’d like to get some feedback on the instructions, operation, UpdateEPG.bat and some bug reports before posting this for general use.
Beta,expect changes, use at your own risk, some things were just finished today.

A side benefit is, if Zap2It limits downloads to 3-days like earlier in the year the user shouldn’t even notice the problem. Because this utility downloads today & tomorrow (2-days), then any missing days and the last day one day at a time.

If your only downloading 3 or 4-days at a time, stick to what you have now.
But If you’re like me and like downloading a week or more at a time, this utility could make a difference.

Jim

v06.4.17 - Updated version, 4/17/06

If you downloaded the previous version delete the old zip. Replace I-xmltv.exe and UpdateEPG.bat with the ones from this version.


v06.4.17 Changes:
Fixed potential problem: Improved I-xmltv incremental xml "date check" logic.
I-xmltv.exe now uses the first program listing where the starting, and ending, dates match.
Fixed potential problem: Delete all out-of-date xml files before organizing the incremental file order.
Added: leap year logic.
Added: Converts "UTC" entries (in a specified xml file) to GBPVR compatible "+0000".

[cginzel]

Jim,

I just downloaded and followed your instructions and it seems to work fine... the thing i'm just a little confused by is your reference to Zap2It. Do i undestand correctly, this utiltity uses Zap2It as the data source only requesting the days it needs?

The other question i have is regarding the program id that GBPVR is supposed to use to detect reruns only works with Zap2It as a data source (actually the feature doesn seem to be working now, but anyway). I do see an <episode-num system="dd_progid"> tag in the XML, so is this XMLTV format extended to include that data for GBPVR?

Thanks! And sorry again if this a stupid question!

[Jim_]

Jim,

I just downloaded and followed your instructions and it seems to work fine... the thing i'm just a little confused by is your reference to Zap2It. Do i undestand correctly, this utiltity uses Zap2It as the data source only requesting the days it needs?

Yes.
The xmltv grabber “tv_grab_na_dd” uses DataDirect and that’s Zap2It.
Other grabbers for other countries may also work with the I-xmltv utility, but Zap2It was the one complaining about their bandwidth, and threatening to limit service (or worse) if things didn’t change. :eek:

The other question i have is regarding the program id that GBPVR is supposed to use to detect reruns only works with Zap2It as a data source (actually the feature doesn seem to be working now, but anyway). I do see an <episode-num system="dd_progid"> tag in the XML, so is this XMLTV format extended to include that data for GBPVR?

Thanks! And sorry again if this a stupid question!

The Unique ID field in the GBPVR.mdb database is blank when using xmltv as the epg source. I don’t know if GBPVR just doesn’t use it, or if it’s a different format.
But as you were saying avoid duplicates doesn’t work anyway, and incremental updates leaves a blank in the guide. I’m guessing everyone that selects Zap2It as the source in GBPVR, also has complete EPG reload selected.

RecTracker v3 works great for avoiding duplicate recordings when using xmltv (or Zap2It) as the epg source.
http://forums.gbpvr.com/showpost.php?p=1...stcount=25
That link contains pretty much every fix i know for 96.12.

Thanks for trying the utility!
If you have any issues with it let me know.


Jim

[cginzel]

Jim,

I noticed last night that the guid seems to be off by an hour... is that because of daylight savings time? I used +0000 when running the initial setup for the offset. I'm in US Centeral Time Zone.

[Jim_]

It would probably be better to ask sub this question than me, because it’s not related to the incremental utility and I’m not an GBPVR/XMLTV expert.
But I’ll give it my best shot.

Probably the easiest way to avoid GBPVR's UTC conversion problem is by using CleanXMLTV from the link in post #3.

1.
Download XMLCleaner from the link in post #3 above.
Copy CleanXMLTV.exe into the I-xmltv folder.
Then remove the REM from this line in UpdateEPG.bat.

Code:

:common
[B][color=Red]REM CleanXMLTV %OutputFileName% --output CleanXMLTV.xml[/color][/B]
CD "C:\Program Files\Devnz\GBPVR\"
gbpvr -OnlyEmptyEPG
IF %FirstRun% == 1 GBPVR -OnlyUpdateEPG

Cick on UpdateEPG after removing the rem, and it will (from this point on) output a file called "CleanXMLTV.xml"
Run GBPVR's config utility and use CleanXMLTV.xml as the XMLTV EPG file.

Jim

[Jim_]

By the way cginzel,
Thank you very very much for trying this and giving me feedback!!!

I’d thought about including the download url for Clean XMLTV in the directions because I had the same problem with the time shifting a few weeks ago. This was before I started using the incremental program.

When I post the next version, I’ll put a link to CleanXMLTV in the I-xmlt folder and suggest that people remove the "rem" and use it from the start.
Thanks again!
Jim

If anyone else is trying it, I’d love to hear your suggestions & comments!
I just can’t think of any downside to using it.

[Jim_]

New version posted.
I-xmltv v06.4.17

Changes:

CleanXMLTV is no longer needed.
I added a sub routine in I-xmltv.exe that converts “UTC” entries to “+0000”.

Also improved the date-check logic. I-xmltv now searches for the first listing that has matching start and end dates. This eliminates a xml numbering problem that could happen if the first listing started before, but ended after, midnight. This may have been a very rare (or non-existent) problem in actual use, but it’s fixed anyway.

This version doesn’t assume outdated xml files will be moved or overwritten by the renaming process. If a numbered xml file is old and not usable, I-xmltv deletes it.
This change avoids a problem that could happen if an EPG update is not completed at least one time every three days.

[cginzel]

Just installed it Jim... will let you know if i find any issues... by the way, thanks for your nice utility! The RecTracker 3 doesn't seem to be working for me... I'll need to look into that one when i get more time. I had an error i believe is coming from RecTracker so it appears to be failing to save the shows in it's own database... opened the db with access and the recordings table is empty

[Jim_]

Just installed it Jim... will let you know if i find any issues... by the way, thanks for your nice utility! The RecTracker 3 doesn't seem to be working for me... I'll need to look into that one when i get more time. I had an error i believe is coming from RecTracker so it appears to be failing to save the shows in it's own database... opened the db with access and the recordings table is empty

You’re very welcome! Considering the effort sub and others have put into GBPVR, and the enjoyment I get from using it. Sharing the few things I come up for my own use is the least I can do.


RecTracker v3
I had the same problem when I first installed RecTracker, it just didn’t do anything.
It gives a hidden error (and does nothing else) unless MDAC 2.6 or later is installed. Unfortunately nothing is mentioned about MDAC requirements in the wiki, so I bet it doesn’t work for most people who try it.

Error: "The .Net Framework OleDb Data Provider requires Microsoft Data Access Components(MDAC) version 2.6 or later."

Open the link below then scroll down to "1. Install most recent MDAC Version".
Download (and install) the version of MDAC that is appropriate for your OS.
http://www.macropool.com/en/download/mdac.html

Next copy this to a text file on your desktop then rename it to "Test RecTracker.bat"

Code:

C:
CD "C:\Program Files\devnz\gbpvr\"
RecTracker -addignore test
pause

When you click on the batch file it should return:

Code:

C:\Program Files\devnz\gbpvr>rectracker -addignore test
Command -addignore
Creating database
Completed
Adding ignore entry

At this point RecTracker is working, and RecTracker.mdb should have todays date.
I use "RecTracker %1" followed by "RecTracker -purge" in PostProcessing.bat and "RecTracker -purge" in my PostUpdateEPG.bat.
If the show has a title and description RecTracker does a perfect job of avoiding duplicates.


If you don’t have MS Access, be sure to download MDB Viewer Plus. It works great for managing RecTracker.mdb, just click <edit> <save> to save any changes you make in the database.

[cginzel]

Thanks Jim, i ran the batch file and i now see the ignore table in the .MDB which wasn't there before. I'm not at home to insert the XP CD so I haven't tried to repair the MDAC, but i'm curious, isn't the MDAC required for MS Access and GBPVR? They both run fine on the machine and i can open the .MDB file using Access... i've added the extra -purge in the PostProcessing.bat file so we'll see what happens the next time a show has been recorded...