Universal EPGImporter (2 Viewers)

[kuehnch]

As written in https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/do_you_think_universal_epg_importer-t27671.html , i thought, a good thing for the tvserver would be an universal EPGImporter, that devides the import-process in two essential parts:

TVDatabase <-- EPGImporter <-- DataSourceModule <-- DataSource (like: XMLTV, TVMovie)

About the two parts:
----------------------------------------

DataSourceModule:
A datasource-module is a plugin for the EPGImporter, that contains an interface similar to this one:

Guid GetModuleID();

string GetName();
string GetVersion();
string GetAuthor();
string GetDataSourceName();

void Initialize(IDataSourceModuleConfiguration dataSourceModuleConfiguration);
void RefreshData();

IDataSourceChannel[] GetChannelList();
IDataSourceGenre[] GetGenreList();

IDataSourceEPGElement[] GetChannelEPG(string channelID, int daysToImport, ...);

bool HasConfiguration();
void ShowConfigurationForm(ref IDataSourceModuleConfiguration dataSourceModuleConfiguration);

The task of a datasource-module is, to grab EPG-data from the supported datasource (ex: the microsoft-access-based database, that tvmovie clickfinder uses) and store it to a list of EPGelements.
An EPGElement contains some essential datafields like "title", "subtitle", "description", "genre", "starttime", "endtime" and a list of dataTags, to add additional information to the epgelement (like "audioformat", "videoformat", "actors", "production-year"...).
Each datasource-module can have its own configuration-dialog.


EPGImporter:
The EPGImporter uses the bounded datasource-modules to receive EPG-data from different sources. It maps the received data to the corresponding datasink-channels (TVServer-channels - based on the mapping, that you have created before), maps datasource-genres (like "sitcom","actionfilm","drama") to consistent datasink-genres (like "series","action" - based on the mapping, that you have created before), modifies the contents of title and description-fields how do you like it (for example: if an epgelement contains the dataTag "actors", the list of actors can be placed in the description-text) and stores all the data to the TVDatabase.

If someone wants to develop a new importer for an existing dataSource, he do not need to know, how he can import the epg-data to the TVDatabase. All what he have to do is, to create a DataSource-module, that grabs the epg-data from the datasource and packs it to EPGElements.

About the configuration:
-------------------------------------

After the installation of the plugin, setupTV will show up a new plugin wth the following configuration-control:

Schedule:
You can define a list of dates here, on that the EPGImporter has to run imports. Each schedule contains a list of datasource-modules, that should be used while importing. That means, that you can define, at which time a datasource should be grabbed.

ChannelMapping:
You have to map each datasource-channel to a proper TV-channel (datasink-channel) (like: "RTL (TVMovie)" -> "RTL Television"). Furthermore the channelMapping supports a timesharing-based mapping. The mapping works similiar to the mapping of the TVMovie-plugin, that currently exists.

GenreMapping:
You are able to map datasource-genres to consistent genres.
Example: DataSource-module #1 tags each newscast with the genre "news", while DataSource-module #2 tags each newscast with the genre "newsmagazine". Now you are able to map both genres ("news" and "newsmagazine") to one corresponding genre "newscast".
NOTE: Currently there is a fixed list of some test-genres - has to be optimized....

Settings:
Can be devided in two parts.
First, there are some main-settings like "days to import", "slow import", "use short descriptions"...
Second, you are able to define string-templates for the fields "title", "subtitle" (not supported yet, because tvserver does not support it) and "description".
Example: For each program, that is broadcasted live (epgelement contains a dataTag "live" with a true-value), the title of the program, that becomes stored to the TVDatabase, should be in the following format "LIVE: <title>". To accomplish this, only define the following template in die tite-template-field: "$if(live)$LIVE: $endif$$title$".
There are a lot of possibilities to modify the title,subtitle and description-fields according to your wishes (and not to the wishes of the developer of the importer).

DataSource-Modules:
Here, you can add/update/delete/configure DataSource-modules. In addition DataSource-modules can be activated/deactivated.

Where you can get it:
----------------------------------
http://0xFF.de/files/EPGImporter/Mediaportal/MP_EPGImporter.zip

SVN (latest): https://netserv.kuehnch.dyndns.org/opensvn/EPGImporter/trunk/ (epgimporter/epgimporter)

Requirements
-------------------------------
- Running TVServer
- TVMovie Clickfinder 5.20+
-> at this time, there is only one dataSourceModule for tvmovie


Installation
---------------------------
Have a look on the ReadMe.txt-file, that is contained within the downloadable package.

Known issues
------------------------------
- EPGImporter uses its own i18n-mechanism
- Import of images not working (because tvserver does not support it)
- The used string-template-engine is BSD-licenced
- the setuptv-control does not show up the status of an import, if it was
started by the TVService

 

[luksmann]

I'll definitly install the plugin when I get home and give it a try

sounds great!

greets, luksmann

 

[Laban]

Interesting. I'm interested in the xmltv part of this so perhaps i'll try and create a DataSource module for xmltv so that i can try it out.

 

[kuehnch]

First, many thanks for the advice.

A xmltv-dsmodule would be very nice (to see, if all interface-stuff was developed in a right way). The sourcecode contains the sourcecode of the tvmovie-dsmodule, too. In my mind, this is a good entry to start the development of new dsmodules, because it shows up a lot of details (how to define custom datatags for example).

 

[kuehnch]

Fixed a bigger error - TimeSharing within the channelmapping-function did not work correctly (if you mapped an already mapped datasource-channel to a tv-channel, and one of this mappings had a sharing-time, the epg was not imported completly for the tv-channel without time-sharing).

To update (if you already installed the plugin), stop tvserver/setuptv, copy the new files to the tvserver-directory and start the tvserver again (your settings stay intact).

 

[kuehnch]

+ New feature: ability to add/remove datasink-genres by yourself

This feature needs two changes on the existing database-structure. The easiest way to update to the new version is to run the UPDATE_DATABASE.sql file again (but it will drop all settings/mappings, that you made). Also, you have to replace the files by the new ones...

 

[kuehnch]

+ New feature: automapping of channels
-> datasource-channels are mapped to datasink-channels, if they have the same name
-> howto: rightclick on one of the channel-trees within the ChannelMapping-tab and select "Automap"
# the gui-configuration of the scheduler has been overworked
# DataSource-modulefiles and logfiles are now placed/written in the common-application-directory
-> for all, that have EPGImporter installed already: take a look on installation-step 4 (readme.txt)
you have to re-add the tvmovie-dsmodule (your settings stay intact!)
# the file-extension of a datasource-modulefile now is: EDM (*.edm)

 

[ph4r4o]

Nice work! Cause the implemented TVMovie Plugin of Tv3 does not realy work on my TVserver I tried your plugin. Now I get the EPG of all mapped channels with no faults. But I have one question, does your plugin only import the TV-Movie Database or does it also update the TV-Movie database? The implemented TV-Movie plugin of Tv3 first updates the TV-Movie database and imports it after that.

 

[kuehnch]

The TVMovie-database becomes updated with each import (you can reproduce this, if you have a look on the taskmanager - at the beginning of each import, there is a process called "tvuptodate.exe" - that is the update-tool of TVMovie-Clickfinder, which updates the tvm-database via the internet).

 

[infinite.loop]

incredible!

great work