API Documentation?

[23skidoo]

Cool system, this GB-PVR. This app works. If you want a basic PVR/TV viewer with an integrated program guide, GB-PVR nails it. Very stable. Very responsive. Simple UI. I'm also having fun delving into its guts; fun slap-dash architecture.

Some of the classes and static functions are (sort of) documented in a couple of Winders help files. And there are plenty of examples out there; I was able to throw together a brand new Sleep Timer plugin in just a few hours.

But what about the interfaces? I haven't found any real documentation on the different interfaces plugins and dependencies can implement. Sure, there's that one PDF tutorial, and it does have helpful info about IMenuTask. But that's the only one it mentions.

Am I missing some treasure trove of info somewhere on these forums or on the wiki?

PS: Incidentally, I get way better search results when I use Google to search gbpvr.com (e.g. [site:gbpvr.com keyword]). A lot of stuff I'd never have figured out if it weren't for Google's index of gbpvr.com. Just an FYI.

[sub]

No there isnt really. If anyone wants to take it on as a project, I'll help provide some info to fill in any remaining blanks.

[23skidoo]

Are the wiki pages going to be back up soon? And what do you call that inset window on the main menu screen? And how do you force it to repaint, so pieces of your plugin's screen don't hang around?

To reproduce:

1. Play some Live TV.
   
2. Hit the menu button (not the back button). The Live TV is now in the window.
   
3. Select a plugin that displays some static info.
   
4. Hit back/esc.
   
5. Notice the fugliness in the inset window.

If I could just invalidate (and cause a repaint on) that window/rectangle....

[sub]

Are the wiki pages going to be back up soon?

Its running currently.

And what do you call that inset window on the main menu screen?

I call it 'the inset window'

And how do you force it to repaint, so pieces of your plugin's screen don't hang around?

To reproduce:
Play some Live TV.
Hit the menu button (not the back button). The Live TV is now in the window.
Select a plugin that displays some static info.
Hit back/esc.
Notice the fugliness in the inset window.
If I could just invalidate (and cause a repaint on) that window/rectangle....

What do you mean? It all looks normal for me when I do the steps you've listed. I tried using the TV Guide and Recordings for your step #3. I dont get any ugly stuff happening in the inset window.

[23skidoo]

I figured out that there is a slight bug, but it's not likely anyone else would have spotted it. I found it coding that Random TV thing.

You see, when you launch the plugin (task?), it turns off the video. So if a TV show was playing in the inset window when you selected Random TV, now there's nothing playing in the inset window. Well really, the plugin is being rendered and taking over the screen. But then if you escape out of the plugin (without selecting a random show), there's nothing displayed in the inset window. Except a residual clipped image of the Random TV plugin screen. Now if you launch another (non-video) plugin, then back/esc to the main menu, you'll see a leftover portion of that plugin's screen in the window.

For some reason that's still not entirely clear to me, if I send an [escape] key in my implementation of IMenuTask.Deactivate(), that invalidates the inset window and it gets redrawn correctly (just black/blank). And it continues to get redrawn correctly thereafter (like, even if you click another plugin).

Now, if I knew how to re-start the video, in the inset window, once the plugin returned...now that'd be cool....

[McBainUK]

No there isnt really. If anyone wants to take it on as a project, I'll help provide some info to fill in any remaining blanks.

http://gbpvr.com/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Devel...umentation

[23skidoo]

http://gbpvr.com/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Devel...umentation

Nice start. Any info is good info. :-)

What I'd like to see is a nice layout of the object model. But since this obviously wasn't built from the ground up with any design patterns in mind, that might be a little tough.

Which may be what makes it fun? :-)

[kaffeen]

I must say that the lack of true API documentation is the reason I have not attempted to code for GBPVR. I really like the idea to make this documentation more robust and will be checking this thread for updates.

[McBainUK]

Feel free to contribute to the docs kaffeen. PM bladder_se if you don't already have a wiki account.

[sub]

But since this obviously wasn't built from the ground up with any design patterns in mind, that might be a little tough.

Shows what little you know then....

Remember, you only get to see a couple of tiny little tips of the ice berg. There is alot more of GB-PVR that is not publically exposed to plugin developers, but even those bits that are should be enough to tell you that your comments are wrong - just have a wee think for a minute about how the plugins mechanism works, how event/listener notification works, the heavy use of interfaces, about how the dynamic behind-the-scenes loading of various data items like Genre etc work. ...yeah, no design patterns there