Webinterface plugin (2 Viewers)

[samuel337]

Re: Too bad it uses PHP

Too bad it uses PHP.
I don't want to install PHP on my PC just to run this.. while IIS and ASP.NET is already built in.
Since you developerd the webservice in .NET you could have build also the webinterface using .NET

I've already explained this before, but its probably buried somewhere deep in these forums. To cut a long story short, PHP was used as a PHP-based interface had been created before I completed the webservice, and I didn't see the point in duplicating someone else's work, so we combined the projects together. Preferably, it would be better if it was programmed in ASP.NET (smaller web server, better performance etc), but it didn't seem right in the community spirit of MP (cheezy I know, but you get the point). Besides, there are many people on these forums that know PHP but not VB.NET (the webservice uses VB.NET) so it allows more people to change/program/contribute - I would've thought VB.NET was easier to learn, but...

Sam

 

[simonech]

Re: Too bad it uses PHP

Besides, there are many people on these forums that know PHP but not VB.NET (the webservice uses VB.NET) so it allows more people to change/program/contribute - I would've thought VB.NET was easier to learn, but...

Sam

That's a funny explanation: MP is developed with C#, based on .NET framework: people that knows only PHP will not be able to contribute to any plugin for MP.

 

[samuel337]

Re: Too bad it uses PHP

Besides, there are many people on these forums that know PHP but not VB.NET (the webservice uses VB.NET) so it allows more people to change/program/contribute - I would've thought VB.NET was easier to learn, but...

Sam

That's a funny explanation: MP is developed with C#, based on .NET framework: people that knows only PHP will not be able to contribute to any plugin for MP.

That's what I mean - these people can't program plugins for MP, but they can contribute otherwise by programming a web interface using PHP.

Sam

 

[winand]

If i change the listen port to anything else then 80 i get the folowing error when i log in.

Warning: reset() [function.reset]: Passed variable is not an array or object in C:\Program\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\MPWebControl\php\PEAR\SOAP\WSDL.php on line 596

Warning: current() [function.current]: Passed variable is not an array or object in C:\Program\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\MPWebControl\php\PEAR\SOAP\WSDL.php on line 597

Warning: reset() [function.reset]: Passed variable is not an array or object in C:\Program\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\MPWebControl\php\PEAR\SOAP\WSDL.php on line 439

Warning: current() [function.current]: Passed variable is not an array or object in C:\Program\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\MPWebControl\php\PEAR\SOAP\WSDL.php on line 440

Fatal error: Class 'WebService_' not found in C:\Program\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\MPWebControl\php\PEAR\SOAP\WSDL.php on line 617

This is exactly the same as what I get!
Since I run IIS on port 80, i need to set the MP webinterface to a different port. With IIS not running, the web interface is functioning perfectly on port 80.
As soon as I change the listen = 80 line in the httpd.conf file, this error occurs (after a long long delay..)
Please help! I can't use the web interface untill this problem is sorted out!
I run MP 0.1.1.1 on Windows Server 2003 and I used MPWebControlSetupR31.exe to setup the webinterface.

UPDATE:
When I set the listen port in httpd.conf to something else than 80, say 82, and I want to start both Apache (on port 82) AND IIS (on port 80), only the web server which was started LAST does run. Apearantly IIS and Apache bite each other! help!
I do have PHP4 installed under IIS, does this change a thing?

 

[samuel337]

Just realised something - you need to change this as well as the port for the web service (hosted by Apache as well) has changed as well.

Goto Mediaportal\MPWebControl\htdocs\webscheduler and open functions.php in notepad. Find this line:

	$wsdl_url   = 'http://localhost/MPExtControlWS/service.asmx?WSDL';

and change it to:

	$wsdl_url   = 'http://localhost:<port>/MPExtControlWS/service.asmx?WSDL';

replacing <port> with your new port number.

I'm not sure about your apache and IIS issue - AFAIK, they should work together.

Sam

 

[markit]

I've had a look at the coding for this plugin/interface, and bearing in mind I know next to nothing about the .net platform but quite a bit about PHP, wouldn't it make more sense to make a plugin for MP using a method like this (http://www.devarticles.com/c/a/PHP/Using-the-.NET-Assembly-in-PHP/) to provide a more direct way from PHP to MP rather than through the webservice?

 

[samuel337]

I've had a look at the coding for this plugin/interface, and bearing in mind I know next to nothing about the .net platform but quite a bit about PHP, wouldn't it make more sense to make a plugin for MP using a method like this (http://www.devarticles.com/c/a/PHP/Using-the-.NET-Assembly-in-PHP/) to provide a more direct way from PHP to MP rather than through the webservice?

Very interesting. Do you know if the performance will be better if I do it this way rather than through a webservice? Doesn't sound that hard to implement either, might do it in the next version.

Thanks

Sam

 

[markit]

I've had a look at the coding for this plugin/interface, and bearing in mind I know next to nothing about the .net platform but quite a bit about PHP, wouldn't it make more sense to make a plugin for MP using a method like this (http://www.devarticles.com/c/a/PHP/Using-the-.NET-Assembly-in-PHP/) to provide a more direct way from PHP to MP rather than through the webservice?

Very interesting. Do you know if the performance will be better if I do it this way rather than through a webservice? Doesn't sound that hard to implement either, might do it in the next version.

Thanks

Sam

I would assume so because you do not have to load any external code from PEAR or otherwise.

 

[Marcusb]

I've been using this plugin for a week or so and I think it's great.

There are just two things that I haven't been able to work out.
When I first tried it, I got the message that Media Portal was not running, click here to start it up. I did and everything worked as it should, with MP starting up and me being able to control the menu ( a little slowly and with very basic functions).
That was the only time I got that bit to work. Now, whenever I try it, if I click "here", Media Portal starts up ok, but no matter what happens, I still get the topbar message that media portal is not running.
The service is set up as Administrator with access to interact with the desk top and this is fine, as it is able to start MP, it just doesn't seem to tell the web interface that MP is running.

My second question is really just a dumb noob question regarding Apache.
I have been able to modify the password file and specify additional users so I can get friends to try it out (and be impressed) without giving them the MPUSER password but is there any way to specify a guest type of account? One where they can view things, but not delete or add recordings or control MP?

I love this plugin, keep up the good work.

Marcus.

 

[samuel337]

I've been using this plugin for a week or so and I think it's great.

There are just two things that I haven't been able to work out.
When I first tried it, I got the message that Media Portal was not running, click here to start it up. I did and everything worked as it should, with MP starting up and me being able to control the menu ( a little slowly and with very basic functions).
That was the only time I got that bit to work. Now, whenever I try it, if I click "here", Media Portal starts up ok, but no matter what happens, I still get the topbar message that media portal is not running.
The service is set up as Administrator with access to interact with the desk top and this is fine, as it is able to start MP, it just doesn't seem to tell the web interface that MP is running.

Seems like the ECP2 web service isn't working. Can you go into MP Configuration -> Plugins then check to see that External Control Plugin II is enabled (might also be called ECP2, can't remember what I called it)?

If it is, goto http://<computer name>/MPExtControlWS/service.asmx, click on the GetWindowID function, then press the Invoke button. Post the response here. Do this for the RefreshRecordingsInMP function as well and post the response here. Make sure MP is running at the same time.

My second question is really just a dumb noob question regarding Apache.
I have been able to modify the password file and specify additional users so I can get friends to try it out (and be impressed) without giving them the MPUSER password but is there any way to specify a guest type of account? One where they can view things, but not delete or add recordings or control MP?

It's not a dumb noob question about apache at all - in fact, its not about apache really 8). In order to have 'guest accounts' there would need to be some changes in the code of the web interface itself; currently it is not supported. Not sure about the practicality of it either, apart from showing your mates and teasing them ;-).

But, we'll see what the web interface dev says (I'm responsible for the MP communication bit). I'd love to work on it and add all sorts of new stuff, but I don't have the time

HTH

Sam