New feature: Import your former TVE3 recordings!

[rtv]

You have trashed your database and started from scratch?
You have done the setup of TV Engine 3 on a new shiny machine?
You'd like to try the other database engine (MySQL <-> SQLServer)?
You have moved your recordings folder to a new, bigger device?
...

These scenarios come with a great annoiance: You're "Recorded TV" screen will be empty. Of course there's the workaround to use "MyVideos" to watch the files but then you'll miss the EPG info.

We've considered this is annoying enough to be called a bug which should be fixed for the first 1.0 release of TVE3.
In the end most likely SetupTV will get an import option where you configure the recording folders.

However an external tools is far easier to test and make sure TVE3 won't get broken therefore the "prototype" comes as a standalone app.

Limitations:
- does only support TVE3 (.ts & .mpg).
- the imported item will have the file creation date as recording date as users can specify recordings names without any date/time information.
- needs current TVE3-SVN or newer.

The MatroskaImporter.exe needs to be in TVE3 installation folder. This makes sure that the configured DB connection can be used.

Usage:
1. Put the MatroskaImporter.exe into TVE3 dir (with configured DB) and execute it.
2. Choose the recordings folder.
3. "Lookup" will search for Matroska tags (XML) in all subdirectories and display all current recordings in your TV DB.
3. "Import" will pop up a message for every file which is NOT in your TV DB asking you if it should be imported.
4. Start MP and check your Recorded TV screen.
5. Post your results here

[SciDoctor]

The app starts OK but both the 'lookup' and 'import' are non functioning.(greyed out)

Restarted the service incase that made an improvement

The corect path is shown.

EXIT works fine though

Tried with both the 17823 tv business layer and the one from the download.

Found the problem .

The app doesn't resolve the '\' at the end of path for the keys to become active.

testing now

Works a treat now I manulay added '\'.

Tested on a small database working in w2k and xp haven't tested VISTA32 yet.

Confirming each addition may become a logistical nightmare when I try my main database which has TB's of recorded material, can this option be removed and once the 'IMPORT' is selected all missing are added without confirmations

The only other thing missing is that the importer doesn't resolve the 'duration' of the program .

[tompa]

Fantastic!
Will test asap...

/tompa

edit: Works just fine!!! (also noted rec length 0:00)

[vuego]

Thanks it works fine but just like SciDoctor I had to manually add the last backslash. The recording date is right but all recording's length are listed as 0:00.

Using build 17811.

[SciDoctor]

Be carefull as using the download files on older SVN (svn 17811) and scheduled recordings fail with this recursive error.

2008-03-08 23:58:55.375000 [5]: Exception ystem.MissingMethodException: Method not found: 'Void TvDatabase.MatroskaTagHandler.Persist(System.Strin g, TvDatabase.MatroskaTagInfo)'.
at TvService.Scheduler.StartRecord(RecordingDetail recording)
at TvService.Scheduler.DoSchedule()
at TvService.Scheduler.timer_Elapsed(Object sender, ElapsedEventArgs e)
2008-03-08 23:58:55.375000 [5]: Exception :Method not found: 'Void TvDatabase.MatroskaTagHandler.Persist(System.Strin g, TvDatabase.MatroskaTagInfo)'.
2008-03-08 23:58:55.390625 [5]: site :Boolean StartRecord(TvService.RecordingDetail)
2008-03-08 23:58:55.390625 [5]: source :TvService
2008-03-08 23:58:55.390625 [5]: stacktrace: at TvService.Scheduler.StartRecord(RecordingDetail recording)
at TvService.Scheduler.DoSchedule()
at TvService.Scheduler.timer_Elapsed(Object sender, ElapsedEventArgs e)
2008-03-08 23:58:56.359375 [15]: Exception ystem.MissingMethodException: Method not found: 'Void TvDatabase.MatroskaTagHandler.Persist(System.Strin g, TvDatabase.MatroskaTagInfo)'.
at TvService.Scheduler.StartRecord(RecordingDetail recording)
at TvService.Scheduler.DoSchedule()
at TvService.Scheduler.timer_Elapsed(Object sender, ElapsedEventArgs e)
2008-03-08 23:58:56.359375 [15]: Exception :Method not found: 'Void TvDatabase.MatroskaTagHandler.Persist(System.Strin g, TvDatabase.MatroskaTagInfo)'.
2008-03-08 23:58:56.359375 [15]: site :Boolean StartRecord(TvService.RecordingDetail)
2008-03-08 23:58:56.375000 [15]: source :TvService
2008-03-08 23:58:56.375000 [15]: stacktrace: at TvService.Scheduler.StartRecord(RecordingDetail recording)
at TvService.Scheduler.DoSchedule()
at TvService.Scheduler.timer_Elapsed(Object sender, ElapsedEventArgs e)


Using SVN 17823 and this problem doesn't occur

[rtv]

Originally Posted by SciDoctor

Be carefull as using the download files on older SVN (svn 17811) and scheduled recordings fail with this recursive error.

2008-03-08 23:58:55.375000 [5]: Exception ystem.MissingMethodException: Method not found: 'Void TvDatabase.MatroskaTagHandler.Persist(System.Strin g, TvDatabase.MatroskaTagInfo)'.

Using SVN 17823 and this problem doesn't occur

You're right - the scheduler doesn't know about the method then. I've removed the dll. SVN >= 17823 is mandatory now.

[petsa]

Hi rtv,

This is a really useful utility! I installed the latest SVN from this morning and downloaded your app into the TV3E directory. When I start the importer I get an error message that says (translated from Swedish):

"Error gathering recording information
The object reference has not been given to an instance of an object"

The path to my recordings is "F:\Mina inspelningar\". I've tried with an without the "\" at the end. It still displays all recording currently in the db though.

If I change the path to F:\ I don't get an error but I don't see any recordings...

If I change the path to the specific directory where this particular recording is, e.g. "F:\Mina inspelningar\Vetenskapens värld-SVT2 ABC" I don't get an error but I don't see any recordings either...

Is there any log with more explicit error information I could check?

/Peter

[J-B-N]

Hi, I just tried it and it worked excellent. I had to alter the path but after that it found all recordings OK. Naturally a "Yes to all" option would have been convient from a user standpoint.

[synthdood]

Great work, this could prove to very useful in the future. Thanx!

It would be nice to also have an option to import TV2 recordings. I recently switched from tve2 to a single seat tve3 and obviously all my old recordings were gone. Since there were only about eight recordings I manually added records for them in the recordings table and that worked fine. I can now see them and play them from My TV.

[fo0d]

Works well
thanks rtv