Mapped Drives vs. UNC paths

[JUC]

Hey all, well I finally got around to installing a server/client setup in my house. I would like the client to access the commercial skips and ripped DVD's on my server---does this require UNC paths or can I just map the drives on my client to the server drives? Any benefits of either one? I am also a little confused as why the client can't see the com skip text files to begin with (without mapped or UNC paths). Seems like if it can access the server and see the shows--it should be able to figure out where the comm skip files are without any additional configuration.

Thanks
JUC

[salsbst]

SageTV's built in client/server communications occur through streaming -- the client does not read the files from the server's hard drive, rather it receives them from the Server app through a special pipe.

ComSkip works through actual access to the file system on the server.

I believe it is possible for both client and server to access the files through mapped drives (mapped to the same letter) IF AND ONLY IF the server does not run as a service.

If you run the server as a service (and you really should), you MUST use UNC paths. I won't go into the whys and wherefores, but this is because all Windows Services are unable to use mapped drives.

Bottom line: use UNC paths.

[JUC]

good enough for me.
thanks

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by JUC

Hey all, well I finally got around to installing a server/client setup in my house. I would like the client to access the commercial skips and ripped DVD's on my server---does this require UNC paths or can I just map the drives on my client to the server drives? Any benefits of either one?

IMO, UNC paths are the way to go, they work on all machines without setting up anything special (beyond verify the appropriate permissions). Also the service can't access mapped drives.

But to answer your question no, you don't need UNC paths, but each client (that wants to play DVDs) needs to be able to see them at the exact same path, if they're on D:\DVDs on the server (where Sage sees them) then you need to map it such that they are at d:\DVDs for the client as well. The reason is that the client asks the server where the files are and the server only knows where it sees them at.

I am also a little confused as why the client can't see the com skip text files to begin with (without mapped or UNC paths). Seems like if it can access the server and see the shows--it should be able to figure out where the comm skip files are without any additional configuration.

Because for recordings, the server reads the file and streams it to the client. For Comskip files, the client accesses it directly. So the Client needs access to the disk where the comskip files are.

[Wakecrash]

I am sure I did it wrong but I had to use both UNC and mapped drives.

Setup Sage with UNC, but had map the drives in Windows on my client just to have it log on and the server allow the connection from the client.

[ToonGal]

Have the same problem as Wakecrash. ComSkip works fine on the server. Video files play on both just fine, but no comskip on my new client.

Current config: Win2k, SageTV v2.2.8, Cayars17. Tried v3, C18E, both with no change. Below are the two lines from my SageClient.properties config files.

Server (named "SageTV"):
seeker/video_storage=V\:\\My SageTV,20000000000,3;

Client:
seeker/video_storage=\\\\SageTV\\V\\My SageTV,20000000000,3;

Any other config lines need changing? Do I really need to map the drive on my client unit as well? Any help appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[stanger89]

Your client (AFIAK) will be looking for your comskip files on V:\My SageTV. I don't think the video_storage param does anything on the client (although I've never messed with it).

So if V: isn't mapped on your client, it won't see the comskip files.

Wakecrash, I'm not clear on your problem or setup

[Wakecrash]

Originally Posted by stanger89

Your client (AFIAK) will be looking for your comskip files on V:\My SageTV. I don't think the video_storage param does anything on the client (although I've never messed with it).

So if V: isn't mapped on your client, it won't see the comskip files.

Wakecrash, I'm not clear on your problem or setup

After rereading my post, I'm not clear either. It looks like a bad translation from Chinese.

The applications Sage Client and server is setup using UNC. The trick for me was to map a network drive on the client PC. The only purpose of the mapped drive on the client PC is to autologon (logon ID and PW) to the server at bootup.

[silkshadow]

For comskip/showanalyzer to work you need to use UNC paths unless, by some miricale, you are using the same drive letters for mapping and recording to. This means that you need to setup your recorded to drives like \\[servername]\[recording directory]. Then the comskip marks will show up in your progress bar on the client. Unfortunately, the Sage GUI does not navigate to UNCs when you hit browse so you have to manually type it in.