For The Record - The rule-based scheduling suite (1 Viewer)

[Leviathon]

No repeats

DVDFreak... awesome plugin!

Over the last couple of days I've been able to get TV Server (had been using standalone MediaPortal for about a year now) setup and running. My drive to move to TV Server is the advanced rule creation that you have implemented. Using the standalone MediaPortal and having a show like MythBusters set to record every Wednesday night whether a new episode or a repeat, meant that any show airing at that time slot on Wednesdays was recorded.

I grew tired of having to check to see if I had seen the latest recorded episode or if it was a new episode, so I decided to setup TV Server and use the most-excellent TV Scheduler plugin.

All that being said, I use Schedules Direct for my EPG listings. FYI: I'm using Patrick's Schedule's Direct plugin: MEDIAPORTAL - free MediaCenter HTPC Software - Schedules Direct US/CA/ME EPG Plugin

My problem is that the TV Scheduler is not showing that any shows are repeats. For example, doing a search for "Cash Cab" lists a dozen shows, some duplicates and some re-runs, but the "Repeat" column for all shows is unchecked. Obviously, selecting the "Skip Repeats" checkbox does nothing in this case.

I really don't know where I should be posting this. If it's a problem with the SD plugin or the TV Scheduler. Does anyone have any ideas? Let me know if you need to see a log, and thanks in advance for any help!!

 

[dvdfreak]

DVDFreak... awesome plugin!

Thanks!

My problem is that the TV Scheduler is not showing that any shows are repeats. For example, doing a search for "Cash Cab" lists a dozen shows, some duplicates and some re-runs, but the "Repeat" column for all shows is unchecked. Obviously, selecting the "Skip Repeats" checkbox does nothing in this case.

Indeed, if your guide data doesn't offer this information Skip Repeats is useless.

But try the New Episodes Only switch! If you are lucky enough to have either episode titles on those Mythbusters shows, or a description that differs from show to show this will do exactly what you want, only record episodes that were not recorded before.

Alternatively, a better source for your guide data may be an option... Or a different grabber...

PS: you drop the XMLTV file directly into TV Scheduler's XMLTV directory, right?

 

[Leviathon]

WOW, that was quick!

After I posted, I did exacatly what one of your suggestions said.

I use Schedules Direct for grabbing EPG data for a browser for my PDA. I dropped that XML file into the xmltv folder for TvScheduler and it's processing right now (I assume this could take 20-40 mins?). Previously, I hadn't tried this. I had allowed Patrick's plugin to import the EPG data itself and was not using an XML file. Perhaps this is my problem and I simply need to create a daily-run batch file to copy my XML file from my PDA grabber.

Unfortunately I'm at work and need to get some stuff done, so I may not be able to test until later this afternoon or tonight. Thanks again DVDFreak for your help!

One more thing to note is that the episodes aren't listing titles, they're showing episode numbers instead. I've tried "New Episodes Only" but I guess it doesn't look at the episode number to determine this.

 

[Leviathon]

DVDFreak, I've tried a few things at this point and nothing has changed. Perhaps I have misunderstood the purpose of the "Skip Repeats" checkbox. I'll get to that in a second.

First, I've tried exactly what you suggested. I've dropped my XML file into the XMLTV folder and let TV Scheduler import the data. Same results: no shows are checked as "Repeats." Second, I've tried I-XMLTV which grabs data from Schedules Direct and inserts additional information. There is another tool that does even more called ISPCP - Virtual Hosting Control System but before I try using it, I want to make sure I understand how TV Scheduler is working.

In post 557 of this thread you mention that

SkipRepeats, // If this is true, don't include programs that were already recorded before (based on title/sub-title/episode number).

Does this mean that TV Scheduler isn't really looking at the XML file to see if a show is a repeat and instead looking at the TV Scheduler history to determine repeats?

If, in fact, TV Scheduler is looking at the XML to determine repeats, can you tell me what flags it is looking for? Here is a snippet of my XML file for Cash Cab for example. The first episode is a first-run, the second is a re-run. I would like to record the first and have TV Scheduler skip the second.

<programme start="20080411100000 -0400" stop="20080411103000 -0400" channel="I11150.labs.zap2it.com">
<title lang="en">Cash Cab</title>
<date>20080410</date>
<category lang="en">Entertainment</category>
<category lang="en">Series</category>
<episode-num system="dd_progid">EP00767013.0182</episode-num>
<episode-num system="onscreen">329</episode-num>
<rating system="VCHIP">
<value>TV-G</value>
</rating>
<sub-title>(Ep#329)</sub-title>
<previously-shown />
<desc> Originally Aired: 04-10-2008</desc>
</programme>
<programme start="20080411103000 -0400" stop="20080411110000 -0400" channel="I11150.labs.zap2it.com">
<title lang="en">Cash Cab</title>
<date>20060118</date>
<category lang="en">Entertainment</category>
<category lang="en">Series</category>
<episode-num system="dd_progid">EP00767013.0031</episode-num>
<episode-num system="onscreen">31</episode-num>
<subtitles type="teletext" />
<rating system="VCHIP">
<value>TV-G</value>
</rating>
<sub-title>(Ep#31)</sub-title>
<previously-shown />
<desc> Originally Aired: 01-18-2006</desc>
</programme>

Thanks again for the help!!

 

[dvdfreak]

...but before I try using it, I want to make sure I understand how TV Scheduler is working.

In post 557 of this thread you mention that

SkipRepeats, // If this is true, don't include programs that were already recorded before (based on title/sub-title/episode number).

Does this mean that TV Scheduler isn't really looking at the XML file to see if a show is a repeat and instead looking at the TV Scheduler history to determine repeats?

No, that posting is obsolete, TV Scheduler has evolved a lot since I wrote that. The rule that does this is called NewEpisodesOnly.

SkipRepeats will only look at the information in the XMLTV file. If the repeats flag is not set there, you won't be able to use the rule And obviously there's nothing I can do about that, if the data isn't there, it simply isn't there.

Here's an example of an XMLTV programme that is marked as being a repeat:

<programme start="20080421124500 +0100" stop="20080421134500 +0100" channel="UK_RT_134">
<title lang="en">Law and Order: Criminal Intent</title>
<sub-title lang="en">Undaunted Mettle</sub-title>
<desc lang="en">Crime drama series that looks inside the minds of criminals as well as following the Major Case Squad's investigation into their misdemeanours and felonies. Eames reveals that she has agreed to carry her sister's child as a surrogate, while an architect is implicated in the murder of a young designer.</desc>
<credits>
<actor>Vincent D'Onofrio</actor>
<actor>Kathryn Erbe</actor>
<actor>Courtney B Vance</actor>
<actor>Jamey Sheridan</actor>
</credits>
<category lang="en">Drama</category>
<previously-shown />
<subtitles type="teletext">
<language lang="en">English</language>
</subtitles>
</programme>

Strangely enough in the example you posted both your shows were marked as repeats! A problem with the XMLTV grabber you are using? Or has the show you think is a first-showing actually been shown before (a few weeks ago for example)?

---

Here's an up-to-date list of the rules in TV Scheduler:

    public enum ScheduleRuleType
    {
        // Record on the given channel(s).
        TvChannels,
        // Record the timeslot closest to the given start time (usually combined with TitleEquals).
        AroundTime,
        // Record a program when its start time is between the two given times.
        StartingBetween,
        // Record on this specific date (mutually exclusive with DaysOfWeek).
        OnDate,
        // Record on these days of the week (mutually exclusive with OnDate),
        // with second optional starting date argument.
        DaysOfWeek,
        // Record program with the given title.
        TitleEquals,
        // Record program with the given sub-title.
        SubTitleEquals,
        // Record program who's sub-title starts with the given text.
        SubTitleStartsWith,
        // Record program who's sub-title contains the given text.
        SubTitleContains,
        // Record program who's sub-title does not contain the given text, only valid in
        // combination with at least one SubTitleContains rule.
        SubTitleDoesNotContain,
        // Record program with the given episode number.
        EpisodeNumberEquals,
        // Record program who's title starts with the given text.
        TitleStartsWith,
        // Record program who's title contains the given text.
        TitleContains,
        // Record program who's title does not contain the given text, only valid in
        // combination with at least one TitleContains rule.
        TitleDoesNotContain,
        // Record program who's description contains the given text.
        DescriptionContains,
        // Record program who's description does not contain the given text, only valid in
        // combination with at least one DescriptionContains rule.
        DescriptionDoesNotContain,
        // Record programs from this category.
        CategoryEquals,
        // Record program directed by given name.
        DirectedBy,
        // Record program which has the actor by the given name.
        WithActor,
        // Only record first-run (non-repeat) programs if the argument to this rule is true.
        SkipRepeats,
        // If this is true, don't include programs that were already recorded before (based on title/sub-title/episode number).
        NewEpisodesOnly,
        // If this is true, don't include programs that were already recorded before (based on title only).
        NewTitlesOnly,
        // If this rule is added the schedule is a manual schedule with the given datetime
        // and duration (ScheduleTime) arguments.  When this rule is specified the TvChannels
        // rule must be present with exactly one channel.  The DaysOfWeek rule with one argument
        // is optional, and no other rules are allowed.
        ManualSchedule

 

[GSteele]

Repeats cross checked with MP-TVSeries

Just an idea to complete the Record/Exclude Repeats logic. Could it also look up the MP-TVSeries DB to check if you have the episode already? This would allow you to record repeats if not present in the TV-Series DB. So if you missed one and it comes on again you can complete your collection.
Great app btw.
Thanks,
Greg

 

[dvdfreak]

There's no direct connection between TV Scheduler and TVE3, so I can't really do it like that, but the idea is definately not bad!

But there is something similar built in to TV Scheduler, since the NewEpisodesOnly rule also works with a history (per schedule) that's kept in the database. So as long as you let the schedule run it will keep completing your collection of episodes.

 

[Leviathon]

Thanks again for the great explanations, DVDFreak.

I found out what was going on.

I kind of feel like an idiot here, but apparently as I was importing the listings they weren't being applied to my channel lineup (maybe ID's are different???). I have a channel group defined so that some digital channels aren't displayed in the TV Guide and this is the default list that is shown. I found that when I choose "All Channels" in the TV Guide I now have duplicated channel listings, but for the newly imported data the Repeat flags are working! I'll reset the channel list and re-import the data and I believe I'll be good to go.

 

[dvdfreak]

If you first synced the EPG with TVE3, and then imported the XMLTV file directly the IDs will indeed be different. As you already said yourself: just clear the channels, reimport and all will be well

 

[Leviathon]

Just a note to let you know that all is working perfectly and that you rock dvdfreak!!