(original thread) MyFilms v3.1 - Use an ANT Movie Database (AMC) in MP (2 Viewers)

[ryall]

The only thing that the plugin can do is to control that all files are present when it builds the playlist... And what to do then ???

I think that that is all you need really,

(1) Read filepath(s) from a field in ant database (allow user to choose which field it checks)

(2) Check if these files exist, if not prompt user to abort, retry or ignore (if they ignore, don't add to playlist)

(3) Pass the playlist to g_player

Like HappyTalk said, 99% of the time the multi-part files are located in the same place. Most are on the same DVD at least, if not it's really up to the user to sort their file structure out.

Also, I think if you released your source code we could help. At the very least we could see what limitations the plugin has, and stop bugging you about features that can't be done

 

[HappyTalk]

@HappyTalk,
Actually the plugin build a playlist with all files having the same name except patterns cdx or diskx. and after it's call the MP's standard function g_player.That function doesn't ask for a missing file in the playlist.

- OK I see, well after they select an item and press play you then create the inital playlist array from the filename entry which is either a single filename or if it contains a ; as multiple entries.

- Check if FIRST playlist entry exists, if not you prompt for disk, wait for OK and loop (as current) Until OK is pressed and first file is found (indicating correct disk) OR they cancel

- Once got correct disk
IF single entry in array THEN run your current cdx multi-file match routine to add other entries to playlist array
ELSE validate if rest of files in array exist, removing any files that don't exist from playlist. You could prompt user to warn that 'Files xxxx, xxxxx are missing ok/cancel' if some are not found using similar dialog to disk prompt one.

- If more than 1 entry in playlist array, you then display that multi-disk icon thingy so they can select the start position in playlist

- Then pass playlist off to g_player. Done


One last point is that filenames could contain ; (semi colons) so you may wish to choose a different seperator character such as | / < >
I'd go for | myself as it's already used in ANT as a C/R in script comments and in windows dialogs as a seperator

cheers

 

[zebons]

OK Thanks !
Last question :
When the filename contains a separator (I like '|'...) do I search for each item the cdx multi-file matching or only filenames given in the stream ?
With combination of the two methods we can have for example :
Star Wars I cd1.avi
Star Wars I cd2.avi
Star Wars II. avi (only one cd)
Star Wars III.avi
and in the stream only put
filename = 'Star Wars I cd1.avi|Star Wars II.avi|Star Wars III.avi'
So we keep the standard search as in My Videos and add a new possibility...

What do you think about ?

 

[HappyTalk]

OK Thanks !
When the filename contains a separator (I like '|'...) do I search for each item the cdx multi-file matching or only filenames given in the stream ?

I would suggest DEFINATELY Don't do cdx search if filename contains seperator.
i.e
- Once got correct disk
IF no | in filename
{
run cdx multi-file match routine
}
ELSE
{
validate if rest of files in array exist, removing any files that don't exist
prompt user to warn that 'Files xxxx, xxxxx are missing ok/cancel'
}


The reason i say this is that I see the whole point of using a | seperated list is to specify EXACTLY what files you want the playlist to contain with NO confusion. I would use a | playlist even for files ending in cd1, cd2 so when viewing entries in ANT I know EXACTLY what files will be played. Otherwise in this case

m:\star wars\Star Wars I cd1.avi|m:\star wars\Star Wars I cd2.avi

I would get each entry re-added again so you'd then have to check for duplicates.
I see the | as a user override of the cdx matching. You could maybe even allowa | with a single entry:-

m:\star wars\Star Wars I cd1.avi|

to override the cdx search if someone wanted to have sep entries for cd1 & cd2, but you'd need to then slightly modify logic as above to check for | found rather than single entry when deciding what to do.


Cheers.

 

[ryall]

To make it even more flexible, what about this feature?

Check the file path field to see if the last character is an "\", if it is that means it's a directory, so load all video files from that directory, if it's not, proceed as usual.

 

[HappyTalk]

To make it even more flexible, what about this feature?

Check the file path field to see if the last character is an "\", if it is that means it's a directory, so load all video files from that directory, if it's not, proceed as usual.

Yer that's not a bad idea. As long as a | ALWAYS overrides doing cdx searches I'm happy. However you don't wanna go down the path of creating some complex cryptic playlist language using regexp or something as it's overkill and detracts from human readability.


PS (sep issue) - I noticed | is used as actor seperator |actor1|actor2|actor3| (| at both beg/end) on tvdb.zsori.com as used by MyTVSeries plug. Could be used for category as |genre1|genre2|genre3| to solve issue mentioned before where e.g category 'Music' also matches on 'Musical' as then you match on |Music| which can't get confused.

 

[astronaute]

Hi zebons,

can you tell us if 2.2.0 compatibility is hard to achieve ?
It will take time ?

I miss your plugin since 2.2.0 as I have huge ANT DB, best plugin ever.

I would just like to know if I have to reinstall 2.1.0 (if it will take few weeks) or wait for new MyFilm (if it will take few days).

Thank you.

 

[HappyTalk]

can you tell us if 2.2.0 compatibility is hard to achieve ?

It's easy, install v0.2.2.0, install latest MyFilms v3 (2 weeks old now), done! works fine.

Doesn't work with most recent svn's but that's to be expected.

 

[HappyTalk]

BAD NEWS
| isn't gonna work too well as a seperator for multifiles as ANT uses them internally for CR/LF So it converts from | to CR/LF when loading files (which doesn't display properly in list boxes) then back to CR/LF when saving it out. Theoretically they do still work but it makes Ant stuff unreadable and hard to edit or search. Try adding some to your filename field in ANT, looks OK, but then save out and load back up

You may just have to use / (forward slash), or maybe revert to using ;
None of my filename entries contain ; and I have a lot of entries (but it is possible).

 

[ryall]

BAD NEWS
| isn't gonna work too well as a seperator for multifiles as ANT uses them internally for CR/LF So it converts from | to CR/LF when loading files (which doesn't display properly in list boxes) then back to CR/LF when saving it out. Theoretically they do still work but it makes Ant stuff unreadable and hard to edit or search. Try adding some to your filename field in ANT, looks OK, but then save out and load back up

You may just have to use / (forward slash), or maybe revert to using ;
None of my filename entries contain ; and I have a lot of entries (but it is possible).

Or choose a seperator from this list: / " * : ? < >

None of them can be used in windows filenames.