Scheduler For EPG Collector & NPVR EPG Update

[rwnz]

NPVR has been running sweetly for a couple of years or so, where I used Task Scheduler to wake my computer from Sleep, run a batch file to run EPG Collector and then NPVR EPG updater, then put my computer back to sleep. I've just reformatted my hard drive and reinstalled NPVR and EPG Collector but cannot get the scheduled update to work. If I run the batch file directly it all works properly but if I use Task Scheduler to trigger it then the process stops with an error while EPG Collector is accessing its ini file.

I had the same problem when I originally installed this a couple of years ago. I thought I had determined that the cause was that Task Scheduler is very picky about having file paths written in full and all files in the chain being given full permissions. I also improved it by ticking 'Run with highest privileges'. I spent many hours trying to get it working originally and don't have the time to do so this time.

What other ways do users achieve this EPG update bearing in mind that I want to wake and sleep the computer and I must use a 3rd party utility to get the EPG data?

Cheers.

[martint123]

If you post your batch file someone may be able to spot what is going wrong, full text of the error message may help as well. ISTR that by default the scheduler runs not as a normal user, so default paths etc do not exist.
I'm running an external grabber from the scheduler and haven't had a problem as yet.

[Jaggy]

Err ummm am I missing something here?? I just use the built in NextPVR update event & using an updateEPG.bat file located in the script directory it runs EPG Collector fine.

[rwnz]

It'll be me missing something. That's why I asked. I felt there must be something simpler. I'll look into this further when I get back on at the end of the week. I see the script directory but need to find out more about the NextPVR update event.
Also noted about Task Scheduler not running as a normal user.
Thanks.

[Jaggy]

The update event is fairly straight forward, it looks for UpdateEPG.bat in the scripts directory & if it finds it runs it & waits for it to end, once that happens it then does the normal internal update & when that finishes it look for PostUpdateEPG,bat in scripts & then runs that (I use this to backup my Db, config & the xxxx-backup.xml files onto my main recording drive, just in case C:\ ever dies on me)

[rwnz]

I though batch files are meant to make things simple! I've put it into Scripts but when I run EPG Collector.exe from the bat file then EPG Collector.ini doesn't load but when I run EPG Collector.exe directly it does.

[martint123]

That is just the same as your previous problem with the scheduler isn't it? It will also probably be running as something other than you as a user.
File ownerships? paths? Post your batch file and someone may spot the oddity.

[Jaggy]

So it runs EPG Collector & in the EPG Collector log is says it can't find the ini??

You can also run it pointing to an ini files like I do after it collects my DVB-S data for my second collection, DVB-T data this time...

the normal collection

Code:

REM Make sure it is back at the root of C drive
c:
cd\

REM I have EPG Collector installed in a Progs directory
cd C:\Progs\EPG Collector\Program

REM run EPG Collector
EPGCollector.exe

the second collection pointing at a different ini file

Code:

REM Run EPG Collector using a different ini file
EPGCollector.exe /ini="C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Geekzone\EPG Collector\EPG-Collector(DVB-T).ini"

OK so this is for XP & on Win7 the ini will be in User\something but I did find I had to put the whole path into the line including drive letter for it to work.

[rwnz]

Thanks. I've got the batch file working now. It appears to have been because I was using
C:\ProgramData\EPGCollectorV020014\EPGCollector.exe
whereas I needed to use:
CD C:\ProgramData\EPGCollectorV020014\
EPGCollector.exe

However, I can't get NPVR to run it (nor will it wake my computer from sleep). I've checked in the wiki and seem to be doing it as per instructions. My batch file is:

Code:

Rem This batch file is triggered by NPVR at the time programmed into Settings-Misc2-EPG Update Hour and downloads the EPG data from Freeview DVB-T into Freeview MHEG.xml (in C:\ProgramData\EPGCollectorV020014). Completion of this triggers NPVR to update its EPG from the Freeview MHEG.xml file.

CD C:\ProgramData\EPGCollectorV020014\

EPGCollector.exe

My batch file is in the correct location and is named correctly:
[ATTACHMENT NOT FOUND]

The configuration of NPVR is:
[ATTACHMENT NOT FOUND]

I take it that 'EPG Update Hour' = 17 is 5pm.

[Jaggy]

However, I can't get NPVR to run it (nor will it wake my computer from sleep).

We would need NextPVR logs to check what is going on in that case.... the NRecord.log is the one I think after it should have woken the PC to update the EPG

I take it that 'EPG Update Hour' = 17 is 5pm.

Sounds right to me.