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    Invelos Forums->DVD Profiler: Plugins Page: 1... 3 4 5 6 7 8  Previous   Next
New Plugin: DVDProfileLoop - send profile data to scripts (.bat, .exe)
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DVD Profiler Desktop and Mobile Registrantmediadogg
Aim high. Ride the wind.
Registered: March 18, 2007
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United States Posts: 6,394
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Quoting jusjoken:
Quote:
I am using your plugin to export single XML files and then my batch file and my own VB application will convert the XML file to a .properties file which can be used in SageTV for my offline and online collection.  I have some more work to do on the converter to the .properties format but in the mean time I thought I would ask if there is any way to have the XML files saved in a specific location.  I run this on Vista and the XML files are save in "C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files (x86)\DVD Profiler Beta\Plugins\DVDProfileLoop\XML".  Either my batch file or my VB app is going to read in the XML file and then create another file from the contents, so it would be good if the XML files were perhaps saved in the same location as the Calling App that you specify or if you were able to set the desination of the XML files somewhere.

Ken
Good grief, how on earth did you wind up with that path??? 

Seriously, I'll put that on the list. Until then, you could perhaps modify your bat file to do the move manually. Since you can specify the location of the .bat file, the only thing that gets put where you don't want it, is the XML file, right? So, the first line in your .bat file can just move or copy it. That way, you can put all your goodies in the spot where you want them. The XML file need not stay where I put it. Apologies in advance if I missed your point ... I'm willing to try again if you can correct the mistakes in my assumptions.
Thanks for your support.
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 Last edited: by mediadogg
DVD Profiler Unlimited Registrantjusjoken
Registered: March 21, 2008
Posts: 12
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You got it right... and thanks for considering it.  I will be doing as you suggest... moving the file first so the rest of my process can stay the same if you get a chance to allow the destination to be specificed in a future release.

Thanks again for a great tool.
DVD Profiler Unlimited Registrantjusjoken
Registered: March 21, 2008
Posts: 12
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After giving it some more thought, the best solution would be to have the option to have the XML file located where the batch file is located.  Otherwise, if you could select a different location for the XML than the BAT, then you would need a way to access that path from the BAT file.  Basically then it would need to be one of the parameters passed to the bat or would need to be in an environment variable.... perhaps that would be too complex.  Anyway, for what I need it for it would be great to have the XML default to the BAT path, unless you think of some other slick option to handle this.

Thanks
DVD Profiler Desktop and Mobile Registrantmediadogg
Aim high. Ride the wind.
Registered: March 18, 2007
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Quoting jusjoken:
Quote:
After giving it some more thought, the best solution would be to have the option to have the XML file located where the batch file is located.  Otherwise, if you could select a different location for the XML than the BAT, then you would need a way to access that path from the BAT file.  Basically then it would need to be one of the parameters passed to the bat or would need to be in an environment variable.... perhaps that would be too complex.  Anyway, for what I need it for it would be great to have the XML default to the BAT path, unless you think of some other slick option to handle this.

Thanks
Makes sense, and it is an easier change to make, since the path is sitting there for me to grab. And it seems that I might be doing it sooner than I thought. I found a bug I didn't know existed - makes it clear that nobody is using that feature (Loop on Filtered, with filters set to default causes an error). Bug fixes are priority one, so it will be soon.

Edit: Fiixed a bug due to null Title arising from Manual Profile being created with no Title in V1.6. Unfortunately the aforementioned path change for XML output is a bit more involved than I thought, so I will have to defer it until the upgrade to support Profiler 3.5.
Thanks for your support.
Free Plugins available here.
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Hey, new product!!! BDPFrog.
 Last edited: by mediadogg
DVD Profiler Unlimited Registrantjusjoken
Registered: March 21, 2008
Posts: 12
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I just found a bug.... if you are using a batch file and that batch file gets renamed or no longer exists, then there is no way to get back into the plugin... without recreating a bat file with the same name at the same path.

Steps...
  - set the plugin to call C:\test\testme.bat
  - run the plugin
  - exit DVD Profiler
  - rename C:\test\testme.bat to C:\test\testme2.bat
  - start DVD Profiler
  - run the plugin
  * the plugin give an error that the file cannot be found

K
DVD Profiler Desktop and Mobile Registrantmediadogg
Aim high. Ride the wind.
Registered: March 18, 2007
Reputation: Highest Rating
United States Posts: 6,394
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Quoting jusjoken:
Quote:
I just found a bug.... if you are using a batch file and that batch file gets renamed or no longer exists, then there is no way to get back into the plugin... without recreating a bat file with the same name at the same path.

Steps...
  - set the plugin to call C:\test\testme.bat
  - run the plugin
  - exit DVD Profiler
  - rename C:\test\testme.bat to C:\test\testme2.bat
  - start DVD Profiler
  - run the plugin
  * the plugin give an error that the file cannot be found

K
Good one! Big Green Up! Thanks, will fix soon. (BTW, I really appreciate the steps to recreate the bug - saves me a ton of time.)
Thanks for your support.
Free Plugins available here.
Advanced plugins available here.
Hey, new product!!! BDPFrog.
 Last edited: by mediadogg
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantLAL
Registered: May 10, 2007
Posts: 6
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Quoting mediadogg:

There are a couple of alternatives for export into Access, such as XML export and CSV Export. Just is case you hadn't noticed. If you did, and chose DVDProfileLoop instead, I would like to know why - that will help guide me in future enhancements to know what users consider to be the plugin's value vs other tools.

It's quite simple: first my Access 97 can't handle XML and it works just fine and second the CSV export is very limited with regard to the fields I'm interested in to follow up my collection beeing TITLES (original, sort, etc), TAGS, AUDIO and SUBTITLES.
DVD Profiler Desktop and Mobile Registrantmediadogg
Aim high. Ride the wind.
Registered: March 18, 2007
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Quoting allardl:
Quote:
It's quite simple: first my Access 97 can't handle XML and it works just fine and second the CSV export is very limited with regard to the fields I'm interested in to follow up my collection beeing TITLES (original, sort, etc), TAGS, AUDIO and SUBTITLES.
I see. This is why user feedback is so valuable. I never thought about any of that. So thanks, and keep me posted if there is stuff I can do with my plugins to help you. (BTW, I hope the answers I gave before worked for you.I sorta lost track of my updates, but I think 1.6 has the fix for the autoparameter bug you found.)

Another edit: Just released v1.7 which makes further fixes to auto parameter recognition, and fixes the problem reported by jusjoken regarding not being able to start the plugin when the saved path to the batch script is not found.
Thanks for your support.
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Advanced plugins available here.
Hey, new product!!! BDPFrog.
 Last edited: by mediadogg
DVD Profiler Unlimited Registrantjusjoken
Registered: March 21, 2008
Posts: 12
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I just tested v1.7 and although I now get a "file not found" message box prior to the error, it still does not work until I ensure the old bat file exists again.  After the first time I get the "file not found" message, every other time I try to run the plugin, I just get the same error message from previous versions.  I then need to recreate the bat file and then it works.

PS: this is not a big issue for me, but since I found the bug I thought I should test it for you.

PPS: any idea when you might also "enhance" the plugin to direct the exported XML to the bat file directory?
DVD Profiler Desktop and Mobile Registrantmediadogg
Aim high. Ride the wind.
Registered: March 18, 2007
Reputation: Highest Rating
United States Posts: 6,394
Posted:
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Quoting jusjoken:
Quote:
I just tested v1.7 and although I now get a "file not found" message box prior to the error, it still does not work until I ensure the old bat file exists again.  After the first time I get the "file not found" message, every other time I try to run the plugin, I just get the same error message from previous versions.  I then need to recreate the bat file and then it works.

PS: this is not a big issue for me, but since I found the bug I thought I should test it for you.

PPS: any idea when you might also "enhance" the plugin to direct the exported XML to the bat file directory?
Strange, it works correctly for me. After the file not found, the call program box gets unchecked, and subsequently I don't get the error message. Are you rechecking that box? If so, of course ypu will get the same error until you click the call program button and select a file that exists. Maybe I'm missing something? (Thanks for taking the time to test and report, by the way ...)

On the other item, I will do my best to work it into the next release. I do some part-tiime teaching, and classes are about to start, so I will be a bit less responsive untill I get things rolling. Maybe I can get it done sometme next week.
Thanks for your support.
Free Plugins available here.
Advanced plugins available here.
Hey, new product!!! BDPFrog.
 Last edited: by mediadogg
DVD Profiler Unlimited Registrantjusjoken
Registered: March 21, 2008
Posts: 12
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Doesn't work for me... steps I take...

1. open DVDP
2. flag 1 DVD - select Tools, DVDPLoop - Process Flagged
3. answer Yes to Notice... Clear old flags first?
4. I get the Flagged DVDs to be processed list - call Program checked and Save Profile XML checked
5. Exit DVD P
6. rename c:\media\myapp.bat to c:\media\myapp.old
7. open DVDP
8. flag 1 DVD - select Tools, DVDPLoop - Process Flagged
9. answer Yes to Notice... Clear old flags first?
10. message received - No parms process. File not found. - click OK
11. message received - DVD Profiler. Could not find file 'C:\media\myapp.bat' - click OK
12. then nothing... I am just returned to the DVDP app.

At this point if I repeat steps 8 and 9, I do not get the message in step 10 but I do get the step 11 message and the same result... nothing.

If I now (leaving DVDP running) go and rename c:\media\myapp.old to c:\media\myapp.bat and then repeat step 8, I don't get step 9 (expected I think as DVDPLoop was already run once) and I get the Flagged DVDs to be processed list as in step 4.

I hope these steps help you find it.
DVD Profiler Desktop and Mobile Registrantmediadogg
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Registered: March 18, 2007
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@jusjoken,

Well the olympics are over, so I can't give a Gold Medal for "User Diagnostics"! 

Anyway, that did it. All my testing was done using the Process Tagged, while you are using Pocess Flagged. I thought the error paths for those two were the same, but they are obviously different, so now I have to go put the same fix into the Process Flagged path. Thanks for your good work. (You've certainly earned some priority attention to the change you requested.)
Thanks for your support.
Free Plugins available here.
Advanced plugins available here.
Hey, new product!!! BDPFrog.
 Last edited: by mediadogg
DVD Profiler Unlimited Registrantbspeng
Registered: February 5, 2009
United States Posts: 26
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I don't have the concept completely thought out...

But, is it possible by use of an error level  set by the batch file (exit <integer> ) to set a tag in the  profile.

which is to say, is the return code available to you after you invoke that program?
DVD Profiler Unlimited Registrantbspeng
Registered: February 5, 2009
United States Posts: 26
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I don't have the concept completely thought out...

But, is it possible by use of an error level  set by the batch file (exit <integer> ) to set a tag in the  profile.

which is to say, is the return code available to you after you invoke that program and does the API let you update fields in the database?

here's a hypothetical:
I travel... So I copy various ISO's to a external hard drive... some subset of the my total collection... I use the plugin to set a tag in the database on my notebook to indicate which movies are actually available for viewing. I've scuffed numerous DVD's in my notebook bag.  This would be a great alternative.

The tag could be a number that could coincide with the errorlevel (exit code) set by the batch file, such as Tag "12"... or some fix-named tag...

(Sorry for the repeated post, but, I couldn't delete the previous post and I wanted the post to be contiguous thought.)
DVD Profiler Desktop and Mobile Registrantmediadogg
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Registered: March 18, 2007
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Quoting bspeng:
Quote:
I don't have the concept completely thought out...

But, is it possible by use of an error level  set by the batch file (exit <integer> ) to set a tag in the  profile.

Actually, this plugin is a one-way street. Data is sent to the script, but the script cannot send data back or cause fields to be updated.

Here is probably a simpler method:

(1) Use your script with errorlevels(file exist) to discover the available ISOs and create a flag set. That is just a text file (.LST) with the profile IDs in a list.
(2) On your notebook, just load the flag set, and then you can either sort by flagged first or view flagged.

In fact you could even start by flagging the profiles you want to carry along, then your scripit could actually automate the copies to your notebook as well as create the flag set file. One step.
Thanks for your support.
Free Plugins available here.
Advanced plugins available here.
Hey, new product!!! BDPFrog.
 Last edited: by mediadogg
DVD Profiler Unlimited Registrantbspeng
Registered: February 5, 2009
United States Posts: 26
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Yes, That will work... but is there a good way to crossmatch profile ID to sort name?

a saved flag set only consists of profile Id's.  I'm not sure how to connect the dots...
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