[Plugin] MPSync - MediaPortal multi-seat Synchronization (1 Viewer)

[m3rcury]

DESCRIPTION:

MPSync is a new process plugin that allows you to synchronize ALL your MediaPortal databases and thumbs from one main client onto a central location and then have any other client synchronize its database from this central location. Synchronization is done at a record level and there is no copying of whole databases.

The plugin settings are rather simple as can be seen from the below screenshot.

The settings will vary depending on the role of the client you are running the plugin on. Let us take the settings on the Master client.

Master Setup

The client DB path should be the path where the local Mediaportal databases are located on the client.
The server DB path should be the path where the centralized databases are located.
Synchronization direction should be as in the picture, i.e. from client to server. (other options are available and will be described later on)
Synchronization mode, should be "Propagate both additions and deletions". (other options are available)​

Client Setup

The client DB path should be the path were the local Mediaportal databases are located on the client.
The server DB path should be the path where the centralized databases are located.
Synchronization direction should be from server to client.
Synchronization mode, should be "Propagate both additions and deletions".​

Other options available are:

Synchronization direction can be set to be:

1. from source to target
2. from target to source

For these two options above, the mode can be:

1. Propagate both additions and deletions
2. Propagate additions only
3. Propagate deletions only

SUGGESTED SETUP:

RECOMMENDATION:

When setting up for the first time, it is suggested that you backup your databases just in case you set it up incorrectly resulting in data loss.


HOMEPAGE:

Press here to go to home page.


WIKI:

Press here to go to Wiki.


ISSUES/ENHANCEMENT REQUESTS:

Please log your issues and/or enhancement requests in the issues tracker.


COMPATIBILITY:

Mediaportal 1.8.x 1.9.x 1.10.x 1.11.x


DOWNLOAD REPOSITORY:

You can download from here.


CHANGE LOG:

MPSync v1.0.1.4 - fixed bug in previous version vis-a-vis client watch status being overwritten erroneously.

Spoiler

MPSync v1.0.1.3 - fixed WATCH synchronisation **has a bug fixed by new version**
MPSync v1.0.1.2 - internal release (not published).
MPSync v1.0.1.1 - enhancements to reduce database and table locks.
MPSync v1.0.1.0 - performance enhancements to the way it synchronizes to reduce system load.
MPSync v1.0.0.9 - enhancements to define folder lists to keep synchronised.
MPSync v1.0.0.8 - a number of stability fixes and performance enhancements.
MPSync v1.0.0.7 - various performance enhancement on the thumbs synchronization side and fix to issue reported by ililoh85.
MPSync v1.0.0.6 - various performance enhancements and compatibility with MediaPortal v1.4.0
MPSync v1.0.0.5 - minor fixes and an additional tab where one can choose non-SQLITE databases to synchronize.
MPSync v1.0.0.4 - caters for issues reported by ajs regarding incompatible databases.
MPSync v1.0.0.3 - you can change MovingPictures movie covers on one client, which is not the master, and replicate to the other clients.
MPSync v1.0.0.2 - fixed a bug in the watched/resume update. Now should work as expected.
MPSync v1.0.0.1 - This version has the hours inserted back as requested by Collective and a fix to cater for the issue encountered by Tgx.
MPSync v1.0.0.0 - First stable release
MPSync v0.0.0.16 Beta - Hopefully this is the last Beta as the next release will be the first Stable one.
MPSync v0.0.0.15 Beta - fixed an issue trigger in Music db and removed processing if watched/resume synchronization is not chosen.
MPSync v0.0.0.14 Beta - this should solve the issue reported by alturismo when different db versions exist.
MPSync v0.0.0.13 Beta - caters for synchronization of watched/resume status between clients.
MPSync v0.0.0.12 Beta - minor bug fix
MPSync v0.0.0.11 Beta - added support for watched/resume to MediaPortal native Videos plugin.
MPSync v0.0.0.10 Beta - caters for synchronization of watched flags and resume of movie/series on a different client.
MPSync v0.0.0.9 Beta - fixed the thumbs synchronization issue reported by alturismo.
MPSync v0.0.0.8 Beta - added debug logs as well as creation of missing db3 files on target.
MPSync v0.0.0.7 Beta - enhanced error trapping and slight synchronization improvements.
MPSync v0.0.0.6 Beta - fixed an issue in the sync option from the plugin setup as reported by Jay_UK.
MPSync v0.0.0.5 Beta - added enhancement to pause while media is playing plus fixed issue reported by Collective.
MPSync v0.0.0.4 Beta - fixed issue where some thumbs folders where being skipped when specific thumb folders where selected.
MPSync v0.0.0.3 Beta - addresses data incompatibility issues in certain fields in partucular tables.
MPSync v0.0.0.2 Beta - added selection of which thumb folder to synchronize + fixes
MPSync v0.0.0.1 Beta - first release

DEPENDENCIES:

If you want to use the watched/resume synchronization functionality, the following plugin dependencies exist:

• Moving Pictures v1.5.1.1487 and later
• MP-TVSeries v3.4.2.2018 and later

INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS:

To install execute the MPE1 found in the download repository and then go to the MediaPortal configuration screen choose Plugins and then under Process, search for MPSync to input settings.


Thanks

 

[Pog]

Good stuff. Have to have a think about how I want to use this on my system.

I would like to tip-tow into using this by being able to flag what databases to work with, maybe a selection list in the config.

I also want to keep thumbs/artwork local for browsing speed. I use a SSD on my main HTPC with films/series stored on HD on the tv server. I need to work out how I want to deal with this.

Just some thoughts, thanks for working on this.

 

[powermarcel10]

Thanks a lot for this new plugin m3rcury! Really usefull..

 

[m3rcury]

Good stuff. Have to have a think about how I want to use this on my system.

I would like to tip-tow into using this by being able to flag what databases to work with, maybe a selection list in the config.

I also want to keep thumbs/artwork local for browsing speed. I use a SSD on my main HTPC with films/series stored on HD on the tv server. I need to work out how I want to deal with this.

Just some thoughts, thanks for working on this.

Pog, as long as the thumbs/artwork have the same path on your master HTPC and on your client HTPCs, eg. on both master and client thumbs are found in C:\ProgramData\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\thumbs, then there should not be an issue using this plugin as long as you copy the artwork manually!! I think it will be a bit of an overhead to copy across the artwork as well, unless there is popular demand to do such a development.

Regarding your comment to have selected databases being synchronized, I believe that it is better to have all unless again, if there is a demand, I could make an Advanced settings tab to allow advanced uses who know what databases are used for which plugin to do these selections.

 

[Pog]

Yeah easy enough to use an external program to sync the artwork.

A note for others: I use SyncBack free edition http://www.2brightsparks.com/freeware/freeware-hub.html for syncing files between PC's on a set schedule.

My only problem with syncing all the DB's is that I have plugins that I want to keep their DB's seperate and local to clients. Quite happy to edit an xml or whatever for this saves having to code up a menu system untill there is more demand.

 

[m3rcury]

Yeah easy enough to use an external program to sync the artwork.

A note for others: I use SyncBack free edition http://www.2brightsparks.com/freeware/freeware-hub.html for syncing files between PC's on a set schedule.

My only problem with syncing all the DB's is that I have plugins that I want to keep their DB's seperate and local to clients. Quite happy to edit an xml or whatever for this saves having to code up a menu system untill there is more demand.

Pog, let me see how best to introduce an advanced setup screen/tab to allow database selection.

 

[m3rcury]

A new version 0.0.0.3 Beta has been released and is available for download from post #1.

The main new features include the selection of a time interval at which to perform the synchronisations as well as an option to synchronise all databases or specific ones.

Enjoy

 

[Fabrix67]

Hi m3rcury,

fantastic plugin, this what i was looking for since long time, to keep synchronized all of my three HTPC!

Now, if you will implement artwork synchronization, your plugin could be considered the best companion for every one has a multiseat MP environment!

Hope you'll put it in your roadmap.

cheers

Fabrizio

 

[mbuzina]

will check it out - is a great idea. Up to now I copied my dbs on a file basis but this is better.

 

[m3rcury]

Hi m3rcury,

fantastic plugin, this what i was looking for since long time, to keep synchronized all of my three HTPC!

Now, if you will implement artwork synchronization, your plugin could be considered the best companion for every one has a multiseat MP environment!

Hope you'll put it in your roadmap.

cheers

Fabrizio

Fabrizio, will have a think about the artwork synchronisation as well....