Scan for channels programmatically or via command prompt?

[reven]

Hi Sub/Others,

I'm pretty sure there isnt currently a way to do this, but is there a way to trigger a channel scan for a device programmatically or via command prompt?

Maybe a hack around a import/export channels or something?

If there isn't please consider adding an API call to do this.

Trying to add this to the web console.

Cheers

[mvallevand]

I reverse-engineered QAM scanning for WebRadio but can't imagine supporting all the tuner types that sub does (plus tuner addons) with the risk that I'd need to keep all of them current. During the 2.5.x life cycle hdpvr scanning changed enough to require a change.

Martin

[sub]

There isn't currently an API for scanning.

At the moment each recording plugin (those included in the app and external ones) provide their own scanning or channel setup UI, collecting the different types parameters that each requires.

I'm not against adding an API for it, but it'd have to be a relatively complicated API, covering the different data requirements of each (LNB settings, satellite selection, diseqc setting, country and video standards, importing channels list for set top boxes connected to analog/hdpvr/colossus, frequencies, symbol rates).

[mvallevand]

I suspect reven would want a browser interface for web console so you'd also have to detangle the UI components from the api

Martin

[sub]

I suspect reven would want a browser interface for web console so you'd also have to detangle the UI components from the api

Yeah, he wants an API he can call from his pages.

[reven]

yeah I can take care of all the GUI stuff on the web console, just want some way to call this.

It can be complicated, that doesnt put me off

[sub]

It can be complicated, that doesnt put me off

It puts me off a bit Sounds like lots of work.

[mvallevand]

On top of scanning I'm thinking about all the pieces involved in implementing a web ui like d/ling and presenting the sd.xml file

Martin

[reven]

i do this kinda stuff at work all the time.

big complicated web interfaces, lots of AJAX, lots of querying long running processes, exporting xml configuration files, importing xml configuration files.

really doesn't bother me, I enjoy making interfaces, call me crazy

the only thing I hate doing is reports

so sub if you're willing to make it accessible via the API, I'll handle the web gui

[sub]

I've added a basic framework for scanning in the next release, which should be generic enough to support all types devices (and recorder plugins), but initially I'll only provide an implementation for DVB-T so you can develop with it. I'll flesh out the other implementations later.

Basically, on a CaptureSource object you can call:

Code:

IChannelScanner GetChannelScanner(Dictionary<string, object> scanningParameters, out string reason);

The scanning parameters will vary depending type of device. If the CaptureSource supports scanning, you'll get back an IChannelScanner. If the device doesn't yet support scanning, or you haven't supplied enough paramaters, you'll get back an a null, along with some readable reason why.

You can then use the IChannelScanner to perform the scan:

Code:

public interface IChannelScanner
    {
        bool StartScan(out string reason);        
        void StopScan();

        bool IsScanComplete();
        List<Channel> CheckForChannels();
        string GetStatus();
    }

To use it you'd call StartScan(), then be required to regularly call CheckForChannels() and IsScanComplete().

You can show the Channels in a list, and if the user hits 'ok' to save them, then you can call channel.Save();