Upload of EPG data from XMLTV to 3PG

[JiriH]

Hallo, I am brand new user of 3PG (und mein Deutsch is nicht sehr gut). I have TF5400 PVR, insatlling 3PG 1.22 (not other TAPs running). I am able to see in 3PG EPG infotmation, which is provided by the TV service sender.
I have downloaded .xml data from internet (TrueMovies from RT - Radio Times) using xmltv utility. I have looked in the .xml file and it has correct data. I have converted .xml file to .tgd file and uploaded it to Topfield EPGdata subdirectory using Altair. I have created .ini file with info described in .pdf manual, provided on this forum and put it into ProgramFiled subdirectory. Finally I have marked True Movies channel in 3PG to green (info from scan and TGD) and activated TGD data upload. I can not see updated EPG data for TrueMovies in 3PG
Can somebody help me?
- Is there some log in 3PG, so I could see what is wrong? (I did not find it)
- Are the file names case sensitive - I am using small letters
- What means channel number in .ini file - just sequence number of entry?
- How are data of the service in .xml file linked with data provided in .ini file - through service name as True Movies?
- Which format should .ini file has (Unix or Windows?)
- Can I find somewhere other detailed data (i have .pdf manual, which is excellent)
I spent already three long night on this - can somebody help me?
Thank a lot,
JiriH

[mvordeme]

Hi Jiri,

which tool are you using? The description in the "Leitfaden" is a little outdated and there are new tools around. You could try [thread=11956]TGD Builder[/thread] which directly converts RadioTimes data to TGD and generates the epg_upload.ini file, as well.

and activated TGD data upload.

Did you see a little note on the screen about the number of events imported?

Is there some log in 3PG, so I could see what is wrong? (I did not find it)

Unfortunately, no.

Are the file names case sensitive - I am using small letters

They are.

What means channel number in .ini file - just sequence number of entry?

Yes.

How are data of the service in .xml file linked with data provided in .ini file - through service name as True Movies?

They are linked via the service_name entry.

Which format should .ini file has (Unix or Windows?)

It works fine with Windows. I have not tried UNIX so far, but I believe that should work as well.

Can I find somewhere other detailed data (i have .pdf manual, which is excellent)

The most likely reason is a mistake in the epg_upload.ini file (believe me, I made some when writing it manually ). With TGD Builder, it will be generated for you. The instructions are in German, though, but I am currently working on an English manual...

Good luck,
-- mvordeme

[JiriH]

Hallo, thanks a lot for the help. I didi not see any note - it skipped directly to EPG view. I will test TG Builder tonight and I will see. JiriH

[JiriH]

Hallo, I made 3PG download running using TGDBuilder

The difference was in epg_upload.ini file, where my original entry was:

service_name=True Movies

and now is:

service_name=6.TRUEMOVIES

(Service number.name)
Thanks a lot for the help TGDBuilder is an excellent tool.

JiriH

[mvordeme]

[quote="JiriH"]The difference was in epg_upload.ini file, where my original entry was:

service_name=True Movies

and now is:

service_name=6.TRUEMOVIES[/quote]This probably was not the problem, since the name in the TGD file(s) should have been different, too. But if it works now (and it did not take you another three nights), it is fine. Thanks for the feedback.

Cheers,
-- mvordeme

[JiriH]

Hallo,

I am sorry for another request (I have not read whole documentation yet). I do not see extended EPG information of True Movies, though the xml file downloaded from radio times includes it.

U have checked TGD Builder configuration - I have the original configuration - where is:

description = header, extended-info, director, cast, footer

Do you have an idea, why I can not see it?

Thx once more for the help. I will test modification of epg_upload.ini

JiriH

[mvordeme]

In order to see the extended information you select an EPG entry and press the i button on your remote.

Regards,
-- mvordeme

[JiriH]

Thanks for help - I realized my mistake. The problem was in the setting of 3PG EPG info screen. As I understand 3PG offers two modes: short description, long description. True Movies RT info contains long description only, whereas DVB-T EPG contains both. Now everything seems to be OK

I will now investigate where was the problem in my original epg_upload.ini, which was:

[General]

TGD directory=EPGdata
Number of Services=1

[TV Parameters]

[Channel 1]
service_name=True Movies
service_id=52320
transport_stream_id=2410
original_network_id=2

JiriH

[mvordeme]

Maybe your TGD file was not named yyyyMMdd.tgd with a date not in the past. At least that is one mistake I made the first time.

If you want to see (the first bit of) the extended description in the short description field in case there is no short description, you can edit the property info in the 3PG.properties and change it to info = episode | info | extended-info. Make sure to remove the # at the start of the line.

Regards,
-- mvordeme

[JiriH]

Sorry for asking support again. I can not download data to 3PG again

Using TGBuilder I have generated .tgd and epg_upload.ini file for TrueMovies only (one channel). I was able to download 14+ tgd files

Then I scanned all channels on Astra 2, willing to add additional channels. again I used TG Builder and generated .tgd files for these channels. I made uload to 3PG and it did not worked. Then I realized, that I did not changed epg_upload.ini so I generated it using TGBuilder, trying the upload again - it did not worked

I tried to generate .tgd file for BBC Prime myself using xmltv grab from radiotimes, creating epg_upload.ini myself and renaming .tgd file to yyyymmdd.tgd (you are right - this was my mistake. It did not work.

What would be your suggestion? Should I erase 3PG.dat and .ini files and start from zero?

JiriH

[mvordeme]

I can only think of a few questions:

• Did you place epg_upload.ini in the right directory?
• Did you place the TGD in the right directory?
• Did you mark all channels you want to import TGD for either green or blue or red in 3PG? (preferably blue)

I am going to be away for a few days, so I will not be able to help before Monday.

Regards,
-- mvordeme

[JiriH]

I have done everything what you have described, though it is not working. What will happen if I will erase 3PG.dat and 3PG.ini? Will I start from scratch?

[mvordeme]

3PG.ini contains your settings and 3PG.dat the EPG data. After deleting the 3PG.ini, you have to restore your 3PG settings. 3PG.dat will be restored after the next scan and can be safely deleted.

[JiriH]

Finally .tgd files upload is working. The problem was, that I could not find, whether TGDdata directory should be directly under TF root or under Program Files.

Now I know, that TFroot/TGDdata is the correct postioning.

I have still one remaining problem. I have uploaded data from Ratio Times using xmltv grab, than converted it using xml2tgd utility and renamed it to correct format (yyyymmdd) I could see, that the file was correctly recognized, but it showed, that 0 entries were done.

One line of .TGD file looks like:

prime.bbc.com 2008-04-30 06:00 15 Boogie Beebies Pirate Gang - Thursday / Children Children's music programme. A chance to viewers to dance. Boogie with Pete and Nat as they set out to sea with the Pirate Gang. N

I entered prime.bbc.com as the name in epg_upload.ini.

Can you help me, where could be the problem?
Is there some other way how to create .tgd from xmltv?

Thanks a lot for the help.

[mvordeme]

If I were you, I would try the latest version of TGD Builder. It comes with a new setup dialog and English instructions. TGD Builder can convert RadioTimes data directly to TGD but it can also convert XMLTV data (although you will lose some details by converting twice).

The TGD record you quoted is in the past and thus will not be imported by 3PG.

Regards,
-- mvordeme

[JiriH]

Sorry for asking support again, but after few hours of investigating....

I am still using the older version of TGBuilder
I have generated .xmltv file using TVxb tool and I wanted to import it, but to make the life easier I wanted first to import regular file, getting from radiotimes using xmltv. So I generated .xml file using xmltv grab, getting also tv_grab_uk_rt.conf. One line of this files looks like:

channel animalplanet.discoveryeurope.com

I edited tgbuilder.properties file, putting there just xmltv as the source:

sources = xmltv

I edited xmltv.properties, putting there reference to the files:

# ***** Paths *****
#
# URL or file path of the channel list.
# For xmltv sources, the channel list is included in the event list.
# Optionally, the channels can be read from the XMLTV configuration file.
channelsPath = ./tv_grab_uk_rt.conf
#
# URL or file path of the event lists.
# Semantics depend on the source format.
# For xmltv sources, this is the URL or file path of the XML file.
# Copy the xmltv.dtd to the same directory, if not already present.
eventsPath = ./bbcprime20081005.xml

When I start the TGBuilder, everything is OK, there is nothing in log file, so the files were properly recognized.

When I click on Channel(source) I see just null <xmltv>. What I have missed? I understand, that it should show entries from tv_grab_uk_rt.conf file ???

As I am planning to use TVxb .xmltv files I understand, that I will have to edit xmltv.dtd. Are there some more detailed guidelines how to do it apart from xmltv.dtd help?

I have tried also TGBuilder 5.0 getting this message during the start:

D:\tgbuilder>java -cp "tgdbuilder.jar" tgdbuilder.Boot
java.lang.NullPointerException: null

Where can be the problem?

Thanks a lot for help - I am sorry for stealing your time

[mvordeme]

[quote="JiriH"]When I click on Channel(source) I see just null <xmltv>. What I have missed? I understand, that it should show entries from tv_grab_uk_rt.conf file ???[/quote]Can you please post the conf file? I did not have too many example files when writing the import routine. As a workaround solution, it should be enough to comment out the channelsPath setting, again. Anyway, I still don't understand why you are not using the direct RadioTimes import.

[quote="JiriH"]As I am planning to use TVxb .xmltv files I understand, that I will have to edit xmltv.dtd.[/quote]Why? This should not be necessary.

[quote="JiriH"]java.lang.NullPointerException: null[/quote]Guess: The templates directory is missing. (I need to improve exception handling at that point.) Did you extract the whole archive and follow the migration instructions?

[quote="JiriH"]Thanks a lot for help - I am sorry for stealing your time[/quote]That is all right. If people do not report bugs and problems, how can I improve the software? I hope, we can sort this out, quickly.

Regards,
-- mvordeme

[JiriH]

Can you please post the conf file? I did not have too many example files when writing the import routine. As a workaround solution, it should be enough to comment out the channelsPath setting, again. Anyway, I still don't understand why you are not using the direct RadioTimes import.

I hope, that attached is my radiotimes conf file

I wanted to test xmltv import first. My goal is to use any grabber, which can grab TV programes, which are on Czech and Slovak channels. I have tested TVxb configuration and it is working fine. The result is: (beginning - selected channels and one line):

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<tv generator-info-name="TVxb/1.0108" generator-info-url="http://www.tvxb.com/">
<channel id="ct1">
<display-name lang="cs">CT 1</display-name>
<url>http://www.parabola.cz/program.php</url>
</channel>
<channel id="ct2">
<display-name lang="cs">CT 2</display-name>
<url>http://www.parabola.cz/program.php</url>
</channel>
<channel id="ct24">
<display-name lang="cs">CT 24</display-name>
<url>http://www.parabola.cz/program.php</url>
</channel>
<channel id="ct4sport">
<display-name lang="cs">CT4 Sport</display-name>
<url>http://www.parabola.cz/program.php</url>
</channel>
<channel id="nova">
<display-name lang="cs">Nova</display-name>
<url>http://www.parabola.cz/program.php</url>
</channel>
<channel id="novacinema">
<display-name lang="cs">Nova Cinema</display-name>
<url>http://www.parabola.cz/program.php</url>
</channel>
<channel id="prima">
<display-name lang="cs">Prima</display-name>
<url>http://www.parabola.cz/program.php</url>
</channel>
<channel id="stv1">
<display-name lang="cs">STV 1</display-name>
<url>http://www.parabola.cz/program.php</url>
</channel>
<channel id="stv2">
<display-name lang="cs">STV 2</display-name>
<url>http://www.parabola.cz/program.php</url>
</channel>
<programme start="20080510000000 +0200" stop="20080510050000 +0200" channel="ct1">
<title lang="cs">no schedule</title>
<desc>TVxb TERMS AND CONDITIONS: This TVxb guide software may be used by private users for personal use only. Commercial use, sale, or distribution, or bundling of this software with commercial products, is prohibited. The use of TVxb software or this guide to provide a free or paid service is prohibited. The program information in this guide might be protected by copyright and distribution to other people or organizations without the permission of the copyright holders might not be permitted. [ http://www.tvxb.com ]</desc>
</programme>
<programme start="20080510050000 +0200" stop="20080510060500 +0200" channel="ct1">
<title lang="cs">Sama doma</title>
<desc>P?ipravilo Brno</desc>
</programme>

Why? This should not be necessary.

Guess: The templates directory is missing. (I need to improve exception handling at that point.) Did you extract the whole archive and follow the migration instructions?

Sorry - this was my mistake - being in hurry, I just copy/pasted files from archive
I have now installed version 5.0 properly and it is all right, thanks.

That is all right. If people do not report bugs and problems, how can I improve the software? I hope, we can sort this out, quickly.

Regards,
-- mvordeme

Thanks a lot for help once more

[JiriH]

I attach my radio time conf file once more, could you provide me sample of conf file, which will be accepted by TG Buiilder?

[mvordeme]

The file you posted is the XMLTV event data. The conf file should not contain any <angle brackets>. I am currently not at home, so I cannot show you my conf file, but I can post it tonight. Does it work if you do not set the channelsPath property?

The advantage of TGD Builder is that it can read RadioTimes data and XMLTV data at the same time. You only have to configure two sources: sources = RadioTimes, TVxb.

Regards,
-- mvordeme