Search Guide issues + Duplicates in Pending

[dennit]

I'm seeing a couple of minor issues, which may disappear with time. I'm posting mostly to try to pick up info on how things work, whether what I'm seeing has an explanation and what I should look for to figure out if I've got an ongoing problem. Thanks in advance for any comments or help.

Background: This is a new installation, with a single HVR-1600, GBPVR 1.2.13 and Windows XP-MCE 2005. I have two sources set up, one for the QAM half and one for the analog. I use MCEEPG2XMLTV to use the Media Center guide data and produce a single xml file with both digital QAM and analog channels listed. Both sources are configured to use that single xml file. In config, both sources show all channels (digital and analog) as being available, but for the analog source I have checked off only analog channels (digitals are unchecked). In the QAM source I've only got the digital clear QAM checked (encrypted and analog are unchecked.

All of this works great, and after some fumbling, I think this is all correct. However, at various times I have made some mistakes. For example, I left some digital channels checked for the analog source and vice-versa, and I tried removing (deleting) some analog channels from the digital source, not realizing that this would also delete them from the analog source using the same EPG data.

With that background, on to issues:

First: Searches through the default search and the searchwiz plugin are finding shows in the unchecked channels (encrypted digital cable channels) These channels do not show on the guide screen. It's quite possible that these channels were populated with data during my first setup. Will this go away with time? Should I empty guide data in config? I've done that many times, but not since I got things figured out. I hesitate to do this again as unchecking the encrypted channels is quite time consuming, and I'm not sure if I'll have to do it again. There seem to be hundreds of them (channel numbers extend into the 700 range), including lots of music channels.

I suppose one way to ask this question is: When do channels get added to the guide database, when do those channels get populated with program data, and when do the channels get removed? (It occurs to me that this might be a MCEEPG2XMLTV question - do I need to process the XML file to eliminate channels before handing it over to GBPVR?)

Second: Pending recordings. I see a nice list of pending recordings, but as I scroll through, I see that there is a blank entry. Moving down, as the highlight arrives at this blank, it suddenly populates with the same data as the pending recording below, making it appear that I've got one show scheduled twice - same channel and time. As the cursor moves down one to the next position - same show, but below the pseudo blank, I still see those two identical entries, but when I move down one more entry to the next show, the "blank" for the previous show reappears as the same empty entry above. There are at least two of these in the pending area, both for the same show, but pending at different times. At this point, I'm not totally sure if this show is correctly recording (I have a suspicion that it is not, but I'm not sure) and I'm not sure if I've set it up with a recurring recording or single recording. (It's Tour de France cycling which plays multiple times with the same name on the same channel on the same day and on other days). Any thoughts on what I'm seeing?

Thanks

[garymeds]

I suppose one way to ask this question is: When do channels get added to the guide database, when do those channels get populated with program data, and when do the channels get removed? (It occurs to me that this might be a MCEEPG2XMLTV question - do I need to process the XML file to eliminate channels before handing it over to GBPVR?)

added - when updating EPG via the GUI or command line. (removed, when no capture source references and removed via config? - not sure on this one)

Second: Pending recordings. I see a nice list of pending recordings, but as I scroll through, I see that there is a blank entry.

i reckon there are some blank details in your xml file - check with a seperate viewer - such as this

[dennit]

added - when updating EPG via the GUI or command line. (removed, when no capture source references and removed via config? - not sure on this one)

The part about when they are added makes sense.

i reckon there are some blank details in your xml file - check with a seperate viewer - such as this

By "in your xml file" do you mean the xml EPG guide data source file produced by Schedules Direct (or in my case by MCEEPG2XMLTV or yapi) or do you mean an xml file that includes pending recordings? If the latter, then I need to do some hunting around, as I haven't run into such a file yet.

If you mean the former, then I'm confused, as I'm not sure what it would have to do with pending scheduled recordings. On the issue of channel removal, then I suppose unused channels would never be removed unless I can control the XML guide data file (produced by MCEEPG2XMLTV) to remove unwanted channels. (Your viewer looks like a viewer that would show me the source XML EPG file produced by MCEEPG2XML. I've got tools to look at that, but I'm not certain if that's the right file.)

Do you know if the search functions will always find programs on channels that are in my EPG data, but are not checked for any source? If so, then I need to get those channels out of the EPG xml file. (Perhaps this channel removal is an option of MCEEPG2XMLTV that I haven't found yet.) If not, then maybe this is just data that I inadvertently loaded into the GBPVR database when I was setting up and had the channels checked, and it will eventually disappear.

[garymeds]

I use MCEEPG2XMLTV to use the Media Center guide data and produce a single xml file

i meant this xml file.

pending recordings are entered into the GBPVR database.

not sure of the ins and outs of it, but GBPVR checks (on startup and on EPG update?) for new listings of recurring recordings from the EPG.

from my experience, if you have program issues, check the XML file.

[dennit]

i meant this xml file.

OK

pending recordings are entered into the GBPVR database.

That's what I figured.

not sure of the ins and outs of it, but GBPVR checks (on startup and on EPG update?) for new listings of recurring recordings from the EPG.
from my experience, if you have program issues, check the XML file.

I did some research, and there is an exclude option for MCEEPG2XMLTV, so I should probably start there for my problem with finding guide data for channels I don't receive during a guide search. I should be able to get those channels completely removed from GBPVR.

As to the odd duplicate pending recordings, I'm not sure what I'd look for in the XMLTV data. The Guide itself seems perfect - only the channels I receive, and all the program data looks correct.

[garymeds]

you could make a copy of your GBPVR.DB3 and use something like SQLiteSpy to check it - there you might find more info on that strange recording which is set.

also, attach your logs and someone who's kids are not due home any minute might be able to look at them for you!!! cheers

[dennit]

you could make a copy of your GBPVR.DB3 and use something like SQLiteSpy to check it - there you might find more info on that strange recording which is set.

I've been meaning to try SQLiteSpy just to get familiar with the structure of the database. At least I know that it's not a "feature" to see two listings for the same scheduled program to be recorded. I wasn't sure if it might be normal - perhaps appearing first for a season pass (TiVo speak for recurring scheduled recording) and again if also selected for a "once" type of recording.

also, attach your logs and someone who's kids are not due home any minute might be able to look at them for you!!! cheers

Thanks, but I don't want anyone to have to spend time looking over my logs for a problem that's not really a problem. I'll do some more poking around for symptoms.

Thanks for your help.

In case anyone else reads this, it would help to know if all guide data for all channels in the XMLTV guide file gets loaded into the database, or if it only loads data for channels that are selected for one or more sources. Similarly , it would help to know if guide data searches (searchwiz or the default search) search through all data, or only through data for selected channels in one or more sources.

[JavaWiz]

In case anyone else reads this, it would help to know if all guide data for all channels in the XMLTV guide file gets loaded into the database, or if it only loads data for channels that are selected for one or more sources. Similarly , it would help to know if guide data searches (searchwiz or the default search) search through all data, or only through data for selected channels in one or more sources.

Can't speak for the built-in search, but SearchWiz looks at all the EPG data, does not include Capture_Source or Source_Channel_Mapping tables to limit results in any of the queries.

[dennit]

Can't speak for the built-in search, but SearchWiz looks at all the EPG data, does not include Capture_Source or Source_Channel_Mapping tables to limit results in any of the queries.

I presume "all the EPG data" is data found in the gbpvr.db3 database, so all I need to know is whether the Capture_Source or Source_Channel_Mapping tables limit program guide data imported into that database from the xmltv file.

If they do, then I'm just seeing some data that I inadvertently brought in before I had those tables set up correctly. This program data should eventually disappear now that the tables are correct.

If not, then I need to make sure the xml file does not have that data - and I now realize that is possible using the exclude option for MceEpg2XMLTV.

Thanks for all the knowledgeable help here.

[sub]

so all I need to know is whether the Capture_Source or Source_Channel_Mapping tables limit program guide data imported into that database from the xmltv file.

To be honest, I cant remember for sure, but I think all the info supplied is imported, but all the built in screens only try to show channel data for enabled channels.

I'll check the Search Guide screen to make sure it also only shows enabled channels.