Auto-Download Images

[arrmo]

Hi,

No, not as bad as it sounds ... LOL. Just a thought. I'd like to download some images locally - absolutely not all of them, as you have noted. No desire for that either. But, perhaps those where the <title> matches / contains a string from a file. Thinking in particular for sporting events, as they are a PITA 😆.

For example, if the file contained a few lines, one being (example), "PGA Tour Golf" ... if this string is in the title, then download the icons for that particular show, perhaps name the files based on <sub-title> (with an -# addendum, as there may be more than one of them?). Just loop over the strings in the file. Make sense? Completely crazy?

Thinking this is pretty minor. I was going to write a script to do it, post-process the XML file. And I can, no biggie - but just thought this may be nice inside the same program? Or if not, perhaps after a scheduled run, trigger to call external scripts? Then I would call my external script to do this.

Thoughts? Am I just bonkers?

Thanks!

[garyan2]

Sorry, I got caught up in other things and forgot about your post. The answer is it would not be easy. The proxy/cache server has no idea what the images are that are being requested. You can certainly write a script to parse the xmltv file and add it to the scheduled task as another action. That way as soon as the xmltv file creation is completed your script will fire off.

[arrmo]

Hi,

OK, my script is working now 😆. Just pulls the few icons I want. But when I got it working, I do see an oddity ... LOL. Of course. Not saying it's a bug in your code, it may be SD, but it is a bit odd. As an example, for PGA Tour Golf, The Sentry ... I get the following icons for the third and final rounds,

Seems odd, no? Is there a way to check if this is what SD is actually providing? I admit, not sure how to do that from my side. Thanks!

[garyan2]

They're fine on my guide. Both have 'The Sentry' artwork. You may have gotten the image links before the final round was assigned the correct image so it used the default series image. You can open the configuration GUI, clear the cache, and run another update to see if you get the current image for the final round.

[arrmo]

That was it, thanks! Hmmm ... wondering now how to "avoid" that. Not really wanting to clear the cache every day - or is that the right answer?

[garyan2]

Not sure how you are using the images, but if you limit the number of days you download or evaluate with the script, you will have a higher success rate of getting program specific images rather than generic series images.

[arrmo]

Will take a look, thanks! But - can you clarify what you mean by "evaluate with the script"?

Also, is there a way to trigger my script, after epg123 updates?

Thanks!

[garyan2]

When you are evaluating the xmltv file to grab the icon links, you can use the programme's start time to determine if it is within X number of days. You can limit the script to only those programs within say 3 days, or a week, so you can be pretty sure that the image links are to program/event images and not generic series images.

You can edit the scheduled task in Task Scheduler and add a second action following the epg123.exe run. It will run immediately after the first action completes.

[arrmo]

When you are evaluating the xmltv file to grab the icon links, you can use the programme's start time to determine if it is within X number of days. You can limit the script to only those programs within say 3 days, or a week, so you can be pretty sure that the image links are to program/event images and not generic series images.

I was within a few days - but the image was cached in epg123, right? So when I pulled the image from the http link, it was using the cache ... somehow the cache needs to decide to refresh? Or am I missing the point?

You can edit the scheduled task in Task Scheduler and add a second action following the epg123.exe run. It will run immediately after the first action completes.

That makes sense, thanks!

[arrmo]

Task Scheduler is working, thanks for the pointer!

But thinking about it a bit more - likely the cache check needs to be inside of epg123? Or am I wrong there? I'm only pulling from epg123, it needs to decide if a refresh is required?

Thanks again.

[garyan2]

What I was saying is you pulled the image from the xmltv file before Gracenote/SD assigned the event image to the programme. Without an event image, it will default back to the series image which was the PGA Tour logo. I don't know how you run your script, but how are you aware that a program's image has changed?

[arrmo]

What I was saying is you pulled the image from the xmltv file before Gracenote/SD assigned the event image to the programme. Without an event image, it will default back to the series image which was the PGA Tour logo. I don't know how you run your script, but how are you aware that a program's image has changed?

Ahh, gotcha. So check the link, see if it has changed? Or perhaps - don't pull it until it's only a few days out? Meaning - that messes with the cache? I pull from the current link, but it seems that once I pull (once), the cache does not get updated => "stock" image is stuck.

Thanks!

[garyan2]

Oh, I see where the confusion is coming from. So take the scenario below:

ProgramX may originally not have an event image, so it will be assigned a generic series image (think playoff games with TBD teams). So it gets series.jpg assigned to it.

Later, when the teams are determined, it gets image event.jpg assigned to it. It is a completely different image with different filename. My cache will then have both images even though the original series.jpg is no longer needed by that program.

That is why I suggested to only process a few days out for a better chance of getting the event.jpg and not the series.jpg. Though there are cases where teams are not determined until the day before. It is up to you to determine how you want to handle that.

[arrmo]

That makes sense, appreciate you taking the time to explain it - thank you!

Just one last question (I think ... LOL). The link will "change", from series.jpg, to event. jpg, once event.jpg is assigned of course. Correct? If so, I could watch for this, or just check dates. I'll fiddle with that, to see which way makes more sense.

Thanks again.

[garyan2]

Correct. If the program event/season/series image is changed, the link will be updated in the xmltv file.

[arrmo]

Perfect, thanks! Thinking my code should work then, as it always grabs the (latest) link, downloads using that link. Will let you know.

Thanks again.