patch - centralized DB fixes. (1 Viewer)

[mouldt]

Hi,
Are there any plans to put gibmans fixes into the Moving Pics baseline code?.

It would be a shame for Gibmans fix to be lost in the mists of time, especially as there is a demand for a multi-seat setup.

gibman - any ideas how to disable the Importer on the 'client' machines so it only runs on the server. This would freeup some resources on less able machines.

 

[ugg]

I run multiseat system

The process I use is to decide on a master PC - typically the one I use to download movies, add un reconised videos from do maintance from etc....

I share the thumbs folder and map all clients to it via mediaportaldirs.xml on each PC

Map custom DB folder to an easy to find share also via mediaportaldirs.xml on each PC

then copy the contents of the master PC database folder to the other client DB folder locations on a regular basis

This can be done via windows task scheduler or a startup script whatever works for you depending on whether you use STBY on shutdown on the clients. You gotta figure out what works as the files are locked if MP is running

Then all clients keep a semi current DB that they can update via the automatic scrapers (which is not kept) but not affect the master PC DB. You no longer will corrupt the master DB which is the problem with trying to share the standard SQL single use DB between clients as they are ofline DB's.

Not perfect but works for me until we get a multiseat setup for me

 

[jsimmons]

As a C# programmer myself, these are some things I think are worth considering:

0) Allow the user to elect which database to use (SQL Server, MySql, or SQLite) - installed default would SQLite, and user would have to acquire/install the desired database software if he doesn't want to use the default.

1) Allow the user top specify the location of the database (local, LAN or web location) - default would be local box, and user would have to use config to change it. (There should be a mechanism built in that allows the user to convert the database to the other providers.

2) Allow the user to elect NOT to automatically scan - in other words, the user must specifically start a scan, either via the config, or directly from within MovPics (this would be a checkbox in the config) - default would be automatic scan is ON.

3) All paths should be saved in the DB as UNC paths so that all connected machines can use the same database. Valid shares can be determined programatically, and movies listed in the DB that are on invalid shares should be displayed in such a way as to indicate that they exist on an unavailable share and cannot be view on the current machine. The indicator could be something as an appropriate icon displayed with the description, and a red container rectangle for the movie's cover art.

4) Improve the importer in the config. Importing is currently extremely counter-intuitive (IMHO).