Centralized Database - Skin Cache Clears on MP Exit (1 Viewer)

[pirivan]

TV-Server Version: N/A Don't Use
MediaPortal Version: 1.0.1
MediaPortal Skin: Black & White 1080p
Windows Version: XP SP3
CPU Type: Intel Q6600
HDD: Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD5000KS 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB
Memory: Corsair 4GB (2x2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-P35C-DS3R
Video Card: EVGA 7900GT
Video Card Driver: 182.08
Sound Card: Onboard Realtek
Sound Card AC3:
Sound Card Driver:
1. TV Card:
1. TV Card Type:
1. TV Card Driver:
2. TV Card:
2. TV Card Type:
2. TV Card Driver:
3. TV Card:
3. TV Card Type:
3. TV Card Driver:
4. TV Card:
4. TV Card Type:
4. TV Card Driver:
MPEG2 Video Codec:
MPEG2 Audio Codec: ffdshow audio decoder
h.264 Video Codec: Core AVC
Satelite/CableTV Provider:
HTPC Case: Silverstone LC20-B
Cooling:
Power Supply: SeaSonic S12-430 ATX12V 430W
Remote:
TV: Sony KDL-40W4100 40" 1080p
TV - HTPC Connection: DVI to HDMI

So, here is my issue. I followed the guide to create a centralized database:

UserGuides/CentralisedDatabases - MediaPortal Manual Documentation

It seems to work perfectly, however, when you launch MediaPortal it hangs for a LONG time "Initializing Texture Manager". If you look at:

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\Cache\Black & White 1080

You can see that the folder has been emptied/cleared and it is VERY slowly re-caching the skin files (the skin files had already been cached prior to creating the centralized database). So, I waited for this to finish (took over an hour) and then it loaded MP no problem. However, as soon as I excited MP, it cleared the cache and thus when it was opened it tried to re-cache the entire skin again. When I restore the original unedited MediaPortalDirs.xml (that stores the files on the local machine) MediaPortal works normally. I should note that after I installed the latest version of Black and White 1080p and cleared the skin cache it DID take 3-5 minutes or so to re-create the cache however, it did not take over an hour like it does with the MediaPortalDirs.xml pointing to the the network AND it doesn't clear the cache on exiting MP.

I'm using MP 1.0.1 and the latest versions of Black and White 1080p, Moving Pictures and TV Series (not SVN versions of anything, simply the latest released).

The shared database configuration is exactly as noted in the wiki setup, a folder for config, database and thumbs with files copied from my local installation to these network locations:

\\server-whs\MediaPortal\Config
\\server-whs\MediaPortal\Database
\\server-whs\MediaPortal\Thumbs

I attached my configuration.log that I believe was from when I had been trying to use the centralized database. If it's necessary for troubleshooting I will start up mediaportal again with the Centralized Database edited MediaPortalDirs.xml and collect logs (I set it back to the local databases as I couldn't get it to work right).

At this point the only two things I can think to try are to either:

A) See if this same issue happens with the BlueTwo skin selected (I expect that it does) or
B) Simply not put the Database and Thumbs directory on my server and instead share them out from the HTPC (either by sharing out C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\Database and C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\Thumbs OR by creating folders on the HTPC drive else where to share out that contain these files)

I am not really sure if either of the above will resolve the issue or not. Any suggestions or experience with the above issue would be highly appreciated.

 

[pirivan]

To update the thread, I was able to confirm the exact same behavior with the BlueTwo skin. When MediaPortalDirs.xml is edited to point to a network share, it re-caches the skin when MP loads (taking an extreme amount of time) and when MP exits it clears the skin cache.

I also tried placing the shared files (Database and Thumbs) on another drive on another PC and then mapping that to a drive letter on the HTPC, in this case Z:\. So then in the MediaPortalDirs.xml file I entered Z:\MediaPortal\Database and Z:\MediaPortal\Thumbs. Same exact symptoms; re-caches the skin when MP loads and then clearing the skin texture cache when it exits. I am running out of ideas as to why it might be behaving this way. I mean when it comes down to it, all I am really doing is telling media portal that the databases and thumbs folders are in a different location than the default (ie the local machine). I am not sure why this would cause the skin to re-cache NOR why it would cause the skin to clear that texture cache on exit.

Any suggestions/fixes would be appreciated.

 

[pirivan]

So, I believe I may have pinned down what the actual issue is. In MediaPortal Configuration under 'General' if I uncheck 'Start MediaPortal in Fullscreen Mode' it loads without any issues and does not clear the skin cache. If I check this box (when the mediaportal directories are pointed to a shared location), it loads slowly and clears the skin cache on exit. I am not sure why it is doing this but this appears to be how it works; bizarre.

EDIT - The above no longer seems true, it appears to be working even starting in fullscreen mode for some reason. Trying to confirm what was changed (I didn't make any other changes...)

 

[dwtk]

i m getting the same issue .. any update on this

 

[pirivan]

Hi dwtk,

I wish I had a better answer for you but I really do not. All I did was what I had noted in my last post:

So, I believe I may have pinned down what the actual issue is. In MediaPortal Configuration under 'General' if I uncheck 'Start MediaPortal in Fullscreen Mode' it loads without any issues and does not clear the skin cache. If I check this box (when the mediaportal directories are pointed to a shared location), it loads slowly and clears the skin cache on exit. I am not sure why it is doing this but this appears to be how it works; bizarre.

EDIT - The above no longer seems true, it appears to be working even starting in fullscreen mode for some reason. Trying to confirm what was changed (I didn't make any other changes...)

I basically set it to stop automatically loading in fullscreen and then it loaded fine. Afterward I then set it back to launch in fullscreen and it stopped exhibiting the issue. At some point during my troubleshooting efforts I DID re-create the MediaPortalDirs.xml (in case I had misstyped somewhere) but I don't remember thinking it was any different than the one I had originally had problems with.

Sorry I can't be of more assistance but after I had it load in windowed mode and then start loading in fullscreen again it seemed to magically work; if I did anything else to fix it I wasn't aware.