2004-11-02, 19:17
while were at it, gglaze do you mind adding this one to you todo list too:
http://www.xboxmediaplayer.de/cgi-bin....;t=7165
http://www.xboxmediaplayer.de/cgi-bin....;t=7165
2004-11-02, 19:26
will do...
ok, back to the original topic - which was something like how to resolve my issue of needing to have a way to access imdb scan in an "offline" way...
now that i am starting to understand how it currently works, i am thinking about creating a kind of xbmc-imdb-database-editing tool, which runs on windows (will be .net) and gives a specialized interface to do the following:
1. automatically downloads and uploads the db from the appropriate location on the xbox using ftp;
2. allows data to be edited in a user-friendly way, from windows;
3. provides a scan feature that can be used in an offline mode somehow;
this would resolve all of my current issues, and may also help others, at least in terms of having an easy way to make custom modifications to their dbs. so i'm guessing maybe this would actually be useful for others, even if the "offline scan" feature is not really useful for anyone else.
the issue is that i would write it in c#, and so it would have a completely different codebase than xbmc. maybe not optimal, but i just don't feel like doing such a tool in c++ when i'm mostly just doing it for myself. if there does happen to be anything that can be massively reused to help construct this, such as the actual imdb scanning code, i might try to wrap the c++ part in managed c++ and reference it directly, instead of rewriting it.
ok, back to the original topic - which was something like how to resolve my issue of needing to have a way to access imdb scan in an "offline" way...
now that i am starting to understand how it currently works, i am thinking about creating a kind of xbmc-imdb-database-editing tool, which runs on windows (will be .net) and gives a specialized interface to do the following:
1. automatically downloads and uploads the db from the appropriate location on the xbox using ftp;
2. allows data to be edited in a user-friendly way, from windows;
3. provides a scan feature that can be used in an offline mode somehow;
this would resolve all of my current issues, and may also help others, at least in terms of having an easy way to make custom modifications to their dbs. so i'm guessing maybe this would actually be useful for others, even if the "offline scan" feature is not really useful for anyone else.
the issue is that i would write it in c#, and so it would have a completely different codebase than xbmc. maybe not optimal, but i just don't feel like doing such a tool in c++ when i'm mostly just doing it for myself. if there does happen to be anything that can be massively reused to help construct this, such as the actual imdb scanning code, i might try to wrap the c++ part in managed c++ and reference it directly, instead of rewriting it.
2004-11-04, 14:16
this sounds promising!! i also don't have my box connected to the net (or even to a computer), so with offline freedb.org querys i could finally use xbmc to rip my cd's. 
so please :bowdown: please extend this feature to include music cd look-ups aswell (the database is available as gamester17 said in his post), and not just imdb.
personally i consider offline music lookups more important, as i know many xbmc users that are in a similar position as me. some don't even own a computer nor have internet, but would like to use their xbox as a jukebox. this feature would allow just that.
-munde
so please :bowdown: please extend this feature to include music cd look-ups aswell (the database is available as gamester17 said in his post), and not just imdb.
personally i consider offline music lookups more important, as i know many xbmc users that are in a similar position as me. some don't even own a computer nor have internet, but would like to use their xbox as a jukebox. this feature would allow just that.
-munde
2004-11-04, 16:02
although offline video info is my personal top priority, i'd also like to have music, so i'll put this on my list after i get the video part working. the issue is that i have no idea how cd info is "discovered", or how cdda works, or whatever - so i'll have to do some research on that one. imdb lookup (with simple matching to cleaned up file names) on the other hand is fairly straightforward, and i could probably implement it myself from scratch without even looking at how it's currently done.
it also sounds like you are looking for some kind of offline solution that would allow you to get info without even being connected to a computer - is that right? if so, how could it work? you would have to burn a special cd/dvd and pop it in with all the info, and then xbmc would have to do some kind of auto-update from the cd/dvd? or am i missing something?
it also sounds like you are looking for some kind of offline solution that would allow you to get info without even being connected to a computer - is that right? if so, how could it work? you would have to burn a special cd/dvd and pop it in with all the info, and then xbmc would have to do some kind of auto-update from the cd/dvd? or am i missing something?
this offline tool idea sounds really good, my own case - i could get the info no doubt a bit faster running on a pc than on xbmc - for no apparent reason, imdb lookups take best part of 5 mins each !
2004-11-04, 16:26
wow, i'm a bit suprised to see so many positive responses - i had imagined i was the only one wanting to do something like this.
ok, for you guys who think this might be useful - are you still going to be able to use it if it requires .net? note that .net is already pre-installed if you use windows xp, but needs to be installed separately if you use anything older.
i'm planning to make my app receive the xml settings from xbmc (again over ftp), and use that to determine where the shares are, and then to replicate the directory structure you would see if you were using xbmc, and then allow you to select what to scan from that directory structure. personally i only use smb: shares. i have no idea how to deal with other kinds of shares from my app, but if anyone who is going to use this tool uses some other kind of file sharing, let me know, because i'll have to investigate how to make it work with those kinds of shares.
ok, for you guys who think this might be useful - are you still going to be able to use it if it requires .net? note that .net is already pre-installed if you use windows xp, but needs to be installed separately if you use anything older.
i'm planning to make my app receive the xml settings from xbmc (again over ftp), and use that to determine where the shares are, and then to replicate the directory structure you would see if you were using xbmc, and then allow you to select what to scan from that directory structure. personally i only use smb: shares. i have no idea how to deal with other kinds of shares from my app, but if anyone who is going to use this tool uses some other kind of file sharing, let me know, because i'll have to investigate how to make it work with those kinds of shares.
2004-11-04, 19:52
well i would also think this is a great idea i had looked before for an app to update the movie db on my computer.
would also be cool if when you upgrade you xbmc version you can then upload the movie db again so you don't lose anything. i know you can do this by copy over old files, but i prefer to do a clean install each time.
i had looked before for an app to update the movie db on my computer. would also be cool if when you upgrade you xbmc version you can then upload the movie db again so you don't lose anything. i know you can do this by copy over old files, but i prefer to do a clean install each time.
2004-11-04, 23:20
(gglaze @ nov. 04 2004,14:02 Wrote:.....yes gglaze, the idea i am aiming at is basically to be able to have cd info available offline. without net or connection to a computer. as in instead of looking via internet at freedb.org, it would connect to an offline database stored on the xbox's hdd. as gamester17 pointed out, the db is available for download at http://www.freedb.org/modules....rtid=12 and since the online lookup is already available in xbmc, i would imagine that adapting the code for an offline database should be possible... i could be wrong though?
it also sounds like you are looking for some kind of offline solution that would allow you to get info without even being connected to a computer - is that right? if so, how could it work? you would have to burn a special cd/dvd and pop it in with all the info, and then xbmc would have to do some kind of auto-update from the cd/dvd? or am i missing something?
this would make the xbox a great standalone jukebox that could be practically used for cdda ripping. in current state one needs net connection for practical ripping (=to get artist, track names etc.)
i know updating the database could be a problem (?)... and probably not the only problem...
well anyways, hope got the idea i was aiming at.
-munde
2006-12-01, 12:59
Sorry to drag this thread up from the dead - but I've spent the past week trying to find a solution, as I too have no internet connection at home, but would love to have an offline IMDB lookup for videos on the xbox HDD.
Was there ever anything developed as a result of this thread, as the ideas being discussed sounded ideal!
Was there ever anything developed as a result of this thread, as the ideas being discussed sounded ideal!
