[Evaluate] New Feature - TvEngine: Can restrict series schedules to programs that start within a time window (1 Viewer)

[Tuggax]

I've been testing changes I made to MP2's TvEngine that allows the user to have more control on how the three series schedule types work (i.e EveryTimeOnThisChannel, EveryTimeOnEveryChannel, WeeklyEveryTimeOnThisChannel).

I've added a new column/property to the TvDatabase.Schedule table/class that can be configured to further restrict the programs that get recorded for the three schedules above.

Now instead of recording ALL programs in the TV guide that match a schedule's criteria I've extended the functionality to include a time window based on the schedule's start time.

When enabled, only matching programs that fall within the schedule's time window will get recorded (and all other occurrences skipped).

This has the following benefits:

1) Can set up a single schedule to record TV programs that are first aired *around* the same time (for example 19:00 on Sunday nights and 19:30 on weekdays), and

2) Avoids recording repeats that often air late at night or lunchtime (especially important if the TV guide has limited information like in Australia)

3) Being implemented within the TvEngine (rather than a plugin) makes for a better UI experience in both MP2 and Kodi as the series schedules display the matching programs when viewed in the UI (much easier to manage than having many "Once" schedules as I assume TvWishList would produce).

4) Being implemented in the TvEngine (rather than a plugin) means Kodi can use this new feature with only a few lines of code added to the Kodi plugin (which I have also done)

*PLEASE NOTE*, by default the new property is set to a default value of 0 which indicates there is no time restrictions for these three types (to keep the existing functionality in MP).

Furthermore, a user can add multiple time window series schedules to selectively choose which programs to record within a single day (while avoiding others).

I've also added a new entry into the TvDatabase.Settings table/class to define this new setting and updated the SetupTV application to allow users to set it.

Please note, my code so far has NOT made any changes to the GUI so at the moment this feature is either fully switched ON or OFF for all schedules.

However, the way I have implemented the changes makes it simple to add the ability to set this for each schedule in the GUI (and at this point the setting would only act as the default setting that could be overridden.

Let me know if this feature is wanted and if so what you need me to do (as I'm not new to coding but I'm new to contributing to open source projects).

My changes:

GitHub - Tuggax/MediaPortal-1: MediaPortal turns your HTPC into a very advanced media center, or Home Theater PC (HTPC)

GitHub - Tuggax/TVServerXBMC: Kodi/XBMC pvr backend plugin for MediaPortal's TVServer

Cheers!

 

[ge2301]

Please note, my code so far has NOT made any changes to the GUI so at the moment this feature is either fully switched ON or OFF for all schedules.

However, the way I have implemented the changes makes it simple to add the ability to set this for each schedule in the GUI (and at this point the setting would only act as the default setting that could be overridden.

Let me know if this feature is wanted and if so what you need me to do (as I'm not new to coding but I'm new to contributing to open source projects).

Great job Would be good, if you add a GUI setting to the recording dialog in EPG. What you need:

• Write rights in GitHub to MP2 project --> @morpheus_xx
• Create an own branch, which is cloned from WiP2.1.1
• Commit your changes to your branch and after code review it can merged back into WiP2.1.1

 

[ge2301]

@morpheus_xx maybe you missed the tag. Would be good if you can give our contributors a feedback.

 

[aspik]

Write rights in GitHub to MP2 project --> @morpheus_xx

I think, for start a pull request would be also good