Configuration Feature Request

[von]

First off, I just downloaded MediaPortal yesterday, and it's absolutely awesome. Amazing features, pretty intuative interface, and opensource!!! Great job on an a sweet product. Being a new user, I do have a request or two...

1) Can the configuration be different for individual users (tied to their profile)??? I made a limited account on my PC just to run MediaPortal. I would like to be able to have it startup on login and start fullscreen. I still use media portal occasionally on my normal user account, but I don't want that one to startup fullscreen, or when I login. Can these configuration settings be stored in separate files for each user? That way multiusers could have different paths for file, use different skins, etc.

2) It seems that when you switch to VideoOverlay/Background thingy, it automatically goes to "Stretch" aspect ratio. Can it be defaulted to use "normal" aspect ratio??? I like navigating around and watching, but the stretching of non 4:3 movies is a little annoying.


Again, I love this thing!!! Thanks for all the work that must has gone into it.

[zombiepig]

Originally Posted by von

1) Can the configuration be different for individual users (tied to their profile)??? I made a limited account on my PC just to run MediaPortal. I would like to be able to have it startup on login and start fullscreen. I still use media portal occasionally on my normal user account, but I don't want that one to startup fullscreen, or when I login. Can these configuration settings be stored in separate files for each user? That way multiusers could have different paths for file, use different skins, etc.

it's not supported at the moment - but you could do it in a workaround way. you could rename the mediaportal.xml file something like user1.xml, then make a little bat file which copies user1.xml to mediaportal.xml, and place that in the startup group for each user. same thing with automatically starting mp for just one user - put a shortcut to mediaportal in the startup group for that user.
if i've lost you, let me know and i'll flesh it out a little

[von]

That sound's like a possibility. I cuold use help with the code though. Also, can a user make a bat to run at logout? That way it could pull the MediaPortal.xml file and write it over the users one, basically saving any changes made during that session...

I would appreciate the help if you have time. I'm not all that experienced at writing code, but I can sometimes figure it out after many failed attempts.

[Marcusb]

You can't simply run a script at logout, but you can include in your batch file a way to change the file when MP ends. You can also get MP to run a script at exit, which may be the best solution.

Also, if you plan on running MP as a limited user (IE not admin) then you'll need to modify the rights to a few files and registry keys. MP uses the MS Stream Buffer aproach (for the moment at least) and these files are classed as system files by Windows.

There are a few threads on this, so a quick seartch for terms like admin sbe and rights should turn up the answers you need.

[zombiepig]

actually there is a way to run a script on logout, but it involves fiddling around with group policy and registry keys. give me some time to clear some of my work backlog and i'll try to write it up for you!

[von]

Thanks Werewolf, I've been trying to figure out the login bat file. I thought the following might work, but it just runs and I have to break it. I will be running these scripts as both an admin and a limited user, so I don't know if I want the user writing to the registry. Thanks for helping me though, and I love you LCD on the wall. My wife would kill me if I tried to do that, but then fall in love with it after it's done.

MediaPortalMove.bat
move c:\Documents and Settings\HP_Owner\My Documents\MediaPortal.xml c:\Program Files\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\MediaPortal.xml

What would also be cool if one of the MP powerdown options was to logout the current user? That would fit in nicely with the restart, shutdown, sleep, hibernate...

[von]

I put the following bat script in each of my user's startup folders. This will take "their" configuration file and write it over the current one in the folder. It will make the change and start MP with "their" settings.

copy "c:\Documents and Settings\%username%\My Documents\MediaPortal.xml" "c:\Program Files\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\MediaPortal.xml"
"c:\Program Files\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\MediaPortal.exe"

Now, I need to figure out how to get MP to run the following script when MP exits, which would essentially save any changes made to "their" settings while they were running MP, to the file in "their" directory.

copy "c:\Program Files\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\MediaPortal.xml" "c:\Documents and Settings\%username%\My Documents\MediaPortal.xml"

MarcusB, I know you said there's a way to have MP run a script when it exits, but I can't find it in the forums anywhere. I'd love some help, and I'm sorry if I'm wasting anyones time.

von

[zombiepig]

try this - should work

login.bat

copy "%userprofile%\my documents\mediaportal.xml" "c:\program files\team mediaportal\mediaportal\mediaportal.xml" /y

logout.bat

copy "c:\program files\team mediaportal\mediaportal\mediaportal.xml" "%userprofile%\my documents\mediaportal.xml"  /y

if you want the database to be different for each user (ie, different music tracks, videos, recordings, etc), you'd need to do this:
first, make a folder under each user's my documents called 'mp database'.

then the login.bat would be:

copy "%userprofile%\my documents\mediaportal.xml" "c:\program files\team mediaportal\mediaportal\mediaportal.xml" /y
copy "%userprofile%\my documents\mp database\*.*" "c:\program files\team mediaportal\mediaportal\database" /y

logout.bat

copy "c:\program files\team mediaportal\mediaportal\mediaportal.xml" "%userprofile%\my documents\mediaportal.xml"  /y
copy "c:\program files\team mediaportal\mediaportal\database\*.*" "%userprofile%\my documents\mp database" /y

as for getting the scripts to run on logon/logoff, the following link should tell you all you need to know!
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/d....mspx?mfr=true
(go start -> run -> "gpedit.msc" to open group policy editor). You'll probably need to reboot to get the group policy changes to take effect.

and as marcusb said, if you want to run mp as a limited user you'll need to do a bit of tweaking of security permissions

thanks for the compliment on the lcd setup i'm pretty lucky in that my wife basically gives me free range to 'renovate' whatever i want

[von]

Thanks man, but I would still like to see if I can go the route of having MP run the script on exit. Then I shouldn't have to worry about group policy's and stuff. I'm running Windows XP home, and it was nice enough to inform me that those kind of options aren't available unless I have pro.

I've haven't had any real problems at all running MP as a limited user.?.... After installing it as admin and creating a limited account, when I first tried to run it, it seemed very confused and went looking for the msi file from install. I just put that in the directory temporarily and told it were it was, and now it works like a charm.

I also moved the bat file to the \Program Files\Team MediaPortal\ folder. When I launched MP with the bat script, it was dumping the logs in the bat's current directory. This way I won't get the logs showing up outside of their normal directory. Then I just added shortcuts to this file in my user's startup folders. I also added in an IF statement at the bottom to determine the user. That way it will still copy over the newly logged in users settings, but only launch MP, if it's my limited account. Normal users will just get their settings moved and can then open it whenever they may need it.

copy "c:\Documents and Settings\%username%\My Documents\MediaPortal.xml" "c:\Program Files\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\MediaPortal.xml"
if "%username%"="MediaPortal" "c:\Program Files\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\MediaPortal.exe"

[/code]

[von]

:!: Should be "==" vice "=" in the IF statement. That's what happens when I post something before actually running it.