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Add sort by date added on movies library mode?
Ok, so I did read this entire thread to get a sense of the discussion, and I see that the devs are not completely aboard with this idea.

May I ask the XBMC Developers one question: Would it be a fair middle-ground / ask to request that when loading the database for the FIRST time, XBMC should use the file modification timestamp to import media and build its database.

In this way, the database doesn't have to be modified to add the file modification date, from a user's perspective, the 'recently added' list will make sense, as it is truly what was most recently added to his machine (and in turn library). Which will make the first time user experience better (as to them, items most recently added to their machine is correctly communicated via XBMC).

This will also make life much easier for folks who test out XBMC, as it allows for the database to be rebuilt in a usable fashion for them (imagine if you have only 1 machine, you decide to test out a new build which doesn't work well, and you must start fresh). Your family is looking at the recently added list, and are not overly pleased with your 'experiment.'

Thanks for your time guys!


[EDIT] It looks like there is hope!!! Big Grin
http://forum.xbmc.org/showpost.php?p=101...count=1661
[/EDIT]
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Just made a simple script in Perl that will sort on mtime. It will only sort the Movies, not the Series nor the Music vids. Use at your own risk!
- XBMC Movie Sort

It will probably only work on linux, not sure, sorry...
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Just in time since this has now officially been added to XBMC.
First to the db as date added and then as a list property to skins to sort by (and is working in the latest nightlies)
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(2012-05-08, 17:22)sho Wrote: Just in time since this has now officially been added to XBMC.
First to the db as date added and then as a list property to skins to sort by (and is working in the latest nightlies)

Good to hear that! Not using the nightlies though... Smile
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Is there a way to disable this new behavior for items in the Movie database? The mtime of the movie files I add to my library can vary greatly. Meaning that if I add a movie with an mtime from 2 years ago, I will never see that movie show up on my recently added list.I do like this behavior for TV shows, it just does not work for me for Movies.
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No there isn't.
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Wait, you completely removed the old behavior? I thought it was made pretty clear by others in team xbmc that database related properties should stay in database view, and filesystem related properties should stay in files view. Also, it's still called "sort by: date added", which is very misleading because that's not what it is at all. It's sorting by file last modified time when it was first added to the database.
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So you prefered the old behaviour where a movie that was manually refreshed (but may have already been part of your collection for a few years) appears at the top of the recently added list?

For me "date added" means "date added to my collection" which is either the creation date or the modification date (in case I re-rip a DVD and replace the old one) of the file. I was the one who implemented it and I basically implemented it the way I think it makes most sense. That this will not suit everyone is obvious (there's never a solution that suits everyone) but in the end I was the one who coded it so basically I get to decide how it's done. The feedback I got from within team xbmc was only positive so that's good enough for me.

I already changed the implementation from always using the modification date to using the newer one of creation and modification date and I have to admit I don't like it. It screws things up if I move a video from one harddisc to another so that's basically already further than I'm willing to go. The only thing I might consider is adding an advancedsetting to skip the retrieval of creation/modification date and just use the date when the video was added to XBMC's database but I'm not sure if that will even work on manual refreshes or if it will end up in the same stupid behaviour we had up until now.
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The only other option I can see being useful is like you say, taking the date it's first added/scanned to the library. You can keep time stamps etc. using cp with "--preserve" in linux. On Windows I think you need to find a program to do it.
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To be fair, the refresh thing is a problem with the way XBMC updates the database (delete/recreate), so remedying it by using a filedate is workaround rather than a fix (but IMO one that also adds an extra ability that wasn't there before). It would need a lot of work to handle the update nicely, however - particularly for mass changes (and still wouldn't handle the case where the user specifically removes an item and then rescans later). The single-refresh change is probably a little easier to handle, but still not trivial (requires touching VideoInfoScanner).

Still, even if the date was changed to "date added to library" it wouldn't actually be "date added as a movie/show/episode" - it would be "date added to the files or path" table, which may coincide, but also may not. So IMO the way it's done now based on filedate is likely more consistent behaviour than any other date in the files/path tables. The biggest problem with it is that these dates are unfortunately unreliable. We may well need a setting for it in addition to the logic used (advanced, ofcourse).

Cheers,
Jonathan
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Do not e-mail XBMC-Team members directly asking for support. Read/follow the forum rules.
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(2012-05-13, 21:14)Montellese Wrote: For me "date added" means "date added to my collection" which is either the creation date or the modification date (in case I re-rip a DVD and replace the old one) of the file.

First of all, there's not such thing as creation date. To me it appears (a least sometimes) to be using the change timestamp. For me, "date added" in library view means "date added to my library". Problem is, that's not what it does. If you add a movie that happens to have an old timestamp, it may not end up on top, even if it was added right now. It may end up somewhere in the middle.

Agree on the refresh thing tho. But the same thing can be said about this method: if you happen to rename a file, ctime changes, you have to do an update, and it appear at the top of the recently added list.
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(2012-05-14, 13:50)takoi Wrote: First of all, there's not such thing as creation date.
Hm you say there's no creation date but later on you mention "ctime" yourself? What's the difference (besides a different word)?

(2012-05-14, 13:50)takoi Wrote: To me it appears (a least sometimes) to be using the change timestamp.
Please take a look at the code instead of guessing by trying (conclusions based on (empirical) observation almost never cover the whole truth). If for all your files the change timestamp is either equal to or newer than the creation timestamp it obviously will always pick the change timestamp. But that doesn't mean that it will ALWAYS use the change timestamp.

(2012-05-14, 13:50)takoi Wrote: For me, "date added" in library view means "date added to my library". Problem is, that's not what it does. If you add a movie that happens to have an old timestamp, it may not end up on top, even if it was added right now. It may end up somewhere in the middle.
So our definitions of "date added" differ and obviously I implemented the feature to match my (personal) definition of "date added" and not yours. It's that easy.

(2012-05-14, 13:50)takoi Wrote: Agree on the refresh thing tho. But the same thing can be said about this method: if you happen to rename a file, ctime changes, you have to do an update, and it appear at the top of the recently added list.
Renaming a file doesn't change either of the timestamps of the renamed file for me. So your point is invalid.

Like jmarshall said, the current implementation of the video library/database makes it very, very difficult to implement what you are after. The way I implemented it required rather few code changes and suits my needs (and those of others but obviously not all) perfectly fine so I'm not willing to invest a lot of time and effort into coding something I don't want/like.
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(2012-05-14, 14:06)Montellese Wrote:
(2012-05-14, 13:50)takoi Wrote: For me, "date added" in library view means "date added to my library". Problem is, that's not what it does. If you add a movie that happens to have an old timestamp, it may not end up on top, even if it was added right now. It may end up somewhere in the middle.
So our definitions of "date added" differ and obviously I implemented the feature to match my (personal) definition of "date added" and not yours. It's that easy.
Then don't call it "date added". You keep saying "date added" but it sounds like you mean "file created" or something like that, not the date it was added.

(2012-05-14, 14:06)Montellese Wrote:
(2012-05-14, 13:50)takoi Wrote: First of all, there's not such thing as creation date.
Hm you say there's no creation date but later on you mention "ctime" yourself? What's the difference (besides a different word)?

(2012-05-14, 13:50)takoi Wrote: Agree on the refresh thing tho. But the same thing can be said about this method: if you happen to rename a file, ctime changes, you have to do an update, and it appear at the top of the recently added list.
Renaming a file doesn't change either of the timestamps of the renamed file for me. So your point is invalid.
It does. Renaming updates ctime, which is 'change time'. Please at least read this before calling me a liar: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stat_%28sys...l%29#ctime
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(2012-05-14, 14:06)Montellese Wrote: Then don't call it "date added". You keep saying "date added" but it sounds like you mean "file created" or something like that, not the date it was added.
So I have to adopt your personal definition because you don't like mine?

(2012-05-14, 14:06)Montellese Wrote: It does. Renaming updates ctime, which is 'change time'. Please at least read this before calling me a liar: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stat_%28sys...l%29#ctime
First of all I didn't call you a liar. Second of all you are talking linux, I'm talking win32. So on win32 (and on some linux/unix systems) your statement is wrong (which is not the same as lying). And (as already mentioned by others) there are ways to work around this behaviour.

I'm done with this discussion with you. I try to explain why things are done the way they are and that it's very difficult to do it differently but you don't seem to be interested in any of that at all. All that counts for you is that it works (or doesn't work) the way you want. XBMC is open source, feel free to download the source code, hack your desired behaviour into it and use your own build. Getting the old behaviour back is easy (with an advanced setting) and I could have easily coded it in the time I spent discussing with you. But you still don't seem to understand that in the end I do the coding in my free time and not in yours and that I'm the one who actually has to do the work so I don't really see why I should do you this "favour".
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Do not e-mail Team Kodi members directly asking for support. Read/follow the forum rules (wiki).
Please read the pages on troubleshooting (wiki) and bug reporting (wiki) before reporting issues.
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I don't have a problem with you implementing new features to your liking. Obliviously others wanted this feature. But I feel Im entitled to let you know when features gets removed, new problems introduced and other platforms than windows not being considered. And please don't lecture me about open source.
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