The Future of MyFilms? (1 Viewer)

[vrm42]

For example, I want to display an icon for subtitles when subtitles field has a value. So I tried the normal method: String.equals(#myfilms.db.subtitles) - but it displays the icon for every film! Then I tried <visible>Control.hastext(ID#) where ID# is the number I assigned to the myfilms.db.subititles control, but then the icon displayed incorrectly, yet still for every film. So it seems like the plugin is still 'controlling' things and not allowing skin visibility conditions, at least not in all cases.

Hey Dadeo,

maybe you should try this way: create an image control and use <texture>#myfilms.db.subtitles.png</texture>. And then you have to create as many PNGs as many different values you have. It works for me not only for subtitles but for audio tracks too.

 

[Guzzi]

AW: Re: The Future of MyFilms?

Hey Guzzi!

Frankly, I don't understand what is going on lately, but I installed latest version and
I was skinning a little, so I have noticed two things.

1, There are some hardcoded labels so I can't localize their strings. One of them is the "MIN" label after the lenght, the other one is the "FORMAT" in the #myfilms.db.calc.format property.

Well, those labels ARE localized - but via the myfilms language files - e.g. length is coming from
<String id="2998"> min</String>
Not all Skins afaik support localization themselves, do they?
So my suggestion would be:
I add such info separately, so skinners can either use it from myfilms localization or via skin localization - e.g.:
#myfilms.db.length
#myfilms.db.length.label
#myfilms.db.length.unit -> " min" from String id="2998"

Using myfilms localization would then be as follows:

<type>label</type>
[...]
<label>#myfilms.db.length.label : #myfilms.db.length #myfilms.db.length.unit</label>


#myfilms.db.calc.format is a special thing - I left it in, because it was always there - but it's nothing else than a combination of #myfilms.db.audioformat and #myfilms.db.videoformat - it's basically the same as:

<label>Format V:#myfilms.db.videoformat A:#myfilms.db.audioformat</label>

For now I have removed the "Format" string from #myfilms.db.calc.format

#myfilms.nbobjects also has a hardcoded string.

Same as lenth - it's localized via:
<String id="127">Objekte</String>

For now I have split it to
#myfilms.nbobjects
#myfilms.nbobjects.unit -> Filled with myfilms localized value

But as Dadeo suggested, we might change it to MePo properties - I would have to check what property to be set then for current ".unit".

2, When there is no value for a property then property labels are missing too. I can fill the empty fields in AMC with "N/A"s, but it would take a lot of time.

You're correct, labels only get filled when there is data available - I can change that if this is preferred, so they're filled regardless if there's data available - then skinner can decide to make it visible or not himself? Let me know.

The missing label on the second screenshot is "Source".
Can you fix this problem?

Checked it and it should be there - maybe a typo? small letters used (source instead of Source)?
If you set mediaportal to debug, you can see in mediaportal.log the properties set by myfilms including their values.

2010-12-17 09:05:34.607892 [Debug][(14)]: MyFilms: setGuiProperty [#myfilms.db.source.label]: Quellpfad Film
2010-12-17 09:05:34.607892 [Debug][(14)]: MyFilms: setGuiProperty [#myfilms.db.source]: \\Media-Server\Movies\movie.avi

Other than this one above, plugin works great.



vrm

Thanks for feedback, that's exactly what I need now to get things working the way you need it ...
Also let me know, it there is other info you might want to have exposed as properties (e.g. infos from currentconfiguration like active db, status of certain settings, etc. - this could give skinners the possibility to implement "statusdisplays" )

 

[Guzzi]

AW: Re: The Future of MyFilms?

Hi Guzzi - I have not finsihed all tests yet, but I can confirm vm42's issues.

First - nbobjects should disappear imo - MP provides itemcount which allows localized labels and a lot more coming in 1.2.0!

Yep, see comment above - can you tell me, how to set the "unit" when using mediaportals way?

Second - yes please remove all hardcoded text!

Done so far - give me feedback, if there is more.

Third - I also get no label when a property has no value. I suspect this may be related to why I cannot use visibility controls, which you asked me to test. I did not report yet, because some seem to work, but I don't think any of the new properties do. So I was trying to figure it out in more detail.

As mentioned above, I can change it, so all .labels will be filled regardless of values available

For example, I want to display an icon for subtitles when subtitles field has a value. So I tried the normal method: String.equals(#myfilms.db.subtitles) - but it displays the icon for every film! Then I tried <visible>Control.hastext(ID#) where ID# is the number I assigned to the myfilms.db.subititles control, but then the icon displayed incorrectly, yet still for every film. So it seems like the plugin is still 'controlling' things and not allowing skin visibility conditions, at least not in all cases.

Best would be you give me an exampleskinfile so I can debug what's happening

The basics all work great though

About fanart2 on Main page. Yes I know HOW it is SUPPOSED to work, but it doesn't work for me Ever! Even using your B3wide skin files. Does it display two fanarts for you? The way it works in Moving Pictures and TV Series plugins (fading back and forth between two fanart images)? If so, what am I doing wrong?

Ok, this is a misunderstanding - those controls are used for the fading between fanartimages, when the image changes.
In myfilms, this change is only happening, if you're selecting another movie - then it fades between the imgaes via those controls.

MoPi and TVS have a timed imagechanger inbuild, that changes this images also when you stay on the same movie - MyFIlms doestn't have that - that's why you can't do that.

 

[Guzzi]

AW: The Future of MyFilms?

just the dll - did not test myself, should include above mentioned changes ...

Edit: Deleted outdated attachment

 

[vrm42]

Re: AW: Re: The Future of MyFilms?

Well, those labels ARE localized - but via the myfilms language files - e.g. length is coming from
<String id="2998"> min</String>

You're right. Somehow I just missed it.

You're correct, labels only get filled when there is data available - I can change that if this is preferred, so they're filled regardless if there's data available - then skinner can decide to make it visible or not himself? Let me know.

The missing label on the second screenshot is "Source".
Can you fix this problem?

Checked it and it should be there - maybe a typo? small letters used (source instead of Source)?

No, no. It's the same thing. I use "#property.label: #value" so I saw only ":". But with the latest dll it works fine!
However maybe filling up empty values with "unknown" or something would be a great idea. E.g. "Source: unknown".
This string should be localizable, of course.

Also let me know, it there is other info you might want to have exposed as properties

Actually I do need something, but it could be tricky. There is a lot of manual work with 'Ant Selected Enreg.' all the time, so a viewfilter for available media would be nice. Just like in TVSeries plugin. When you have your NAS, USB Drive, etc. disconnected, you can't see movies stored on them in the list.

 

[Dadeo]

I am not sure exactly what you mean by 'filling values' with 'unknown' , but if you mean if a field has no data, the plugin enters a value, then I completely disagree. This would disable all visibility conditions on whether or not a field had data. So I hope I misunderstood!

f you mean only the Source field, then that needs further consideration as well, because My Films normally tries to play the file based on the value in Source, so if it has a value 'unknown' then I assume you would get an error message.

Sample for visibility conditions coming soon Guzzi

 

[Guzzi]

AW: Re: AW: Re: The Future of MyFilms?

[...]
However maybe filling up empty values with "unknown" or something would be a great idea. E.g. "Source: unknown".
This string should be localizable, of course.

Hmmm, I think not everybody would like it to display that info, many prefer to have it just clean/empty ?
What do others think?

Also let me know, it there is other info you might want to have exposed as properties

Actually I do need something, but it could be tricky. There is a lot of manual work with 'Ant Selected Enreg.' all the time, so a viewfilter for available media would be nice. Just like in TVSeries plugin. When you have your NAS, USB Drive, etc. disconnected, you can't see movies stored on them in the list.

Not sure, if I understand what you mean with the Ant Selected Enreg.

But you know, that you can defines configurations all based on the same Ant-XML-DB in the setup?
e.g. I use one DB, but have this used in more than one config - one has a filter set to only show movies in category "family, children" - and is stored as config "movies - kids".
You could define as many configs as you like and choose them from the GUI via options.

Regarding "viewfilter for available media" - you mean doing that as predefined view?
That has nothing to do with the exposure of properties, right?
Afaik there is already a predefined view for that (something like harddisk, media, or so, can't check now) - so if you load your DB accordingly this should work.

Other than that: How should the plugin know, what movies are currently available or not (without checking each movies's existance on the configured path)? I have a different approach (and this is already implemented in 5.1alpha): If Myfilms notices, that the NAS is notavailable, when you want to watch a movie, it automatically wake's the server, where the movie is known to be located via WoL.

 

[Guzzi]

AW: The Future of MyFilms?

One general question:

currrently we have:
#myfilms.db.property
#myfilms.db.property.label
#myfilms.db.property.unit

Should I change to:
#myfilms.db.property.value
#myfilms.db.property.label
#myfilms.db.property.unit

Seems more logic for me personally - so now it's still possible to change ;-) - imho it makes skinfiles easier to "read"...

Let me know what you think.

 

[vrm42]

but if you mean if a field has no data, the plugin enters a value

Exatly what I mean.

This would disable all visibility conditions on whether or not a field had data.

Well, yes. But currently there are no any visibility conditions so... then this should be optional so user can choose this option in myfilms configuration, maybe. Personally, I don't need visibility conditions because of my layout structure. I know what and where do I want to display, and I don't like empty areas just because some fields are empy. The only visibility conditions I need are well usable with logo configuration (subs and dubs), which is working fine.

because My Films normally tries to play the file based on the value in Source

I don't think so. I barely have any values in Source field. Actually I use that field to store the release name sometimes, but the actual filenames are quite different. According to configurator, you can use up to 8 fields to store filenames, however it is not neccessary at all if your filenames reflect to any of the 3 selectable titles.

Well, many users - many wishes

 

[vrm42]

Re: AW: Re: AW: Re: The Future of MyFilms?

Not sure, if I understand what you mean with the Ant Selected Enreg.

Maybe I have a little bit special conditions. First, I have two locations so I use two HTPCs.
One of them has all the movies I got, the other one has a few. I use the same XML so I have to play with 'selected enreg' feature to filter out non-present movies for the second HTPC.

Second, I don't have NAS, never will. I have a custom made Sata storage with 8 HDDs connected to hot swappable PC cards.
See attached pic. I store most of my movies on that thing. So that's why I could use a filtered view.

Afaik there is already a predefined view for that (something like harddisk, media, or so, can't check now) - so if you load your DB accordingly this should work.

I could never get this to work. No idea how to...

But you know, that you can defines configurations all based on the same Ant-XML-DB in the setup?

Yeah, but it is not good for here. Still much work to update all the times.

How should the plugin know, what movies are currently available or not (without checking each movies's existance on the configured path)?

WITH
I don't know, but in TVSeries it works perfectly. I see no offline series until I switch my satastore on.