STV Import: External Apps for the Default STV (v4.0.3 18/November/2007)

[JREkiwi]

An import that provides a button on the Video Options menu that can be used to run any external application, using the current video filename (among other things) as an argument. Download from here.

Installation is a 3 step process.
Step 1. Unzip into SageTV maintaining the directories. (The df_sageutils.jar from the zip file needs to be in the JARS directory)
Step 2. Restart Sage so it will pick up the jar.
Step 3. Load the import


Options in Setup -> Detailed Setup -> Customize -> External App Options
Specify the External App directory where your batch/exe files are.
In each "slot" you can specify a Name, the batch/exe file you want to run, whether it should be available while a video is still recording or whether an xml file for the video needs to exist. And what Sage should do when you run the app, Sleep, Wait, Exit or have the app run in the Background.

Parameters passed to the batch file are:
%1 = MediaFile
%2 = Title
%3 = Episode
%4 = Description
%5 = Channel Number
%6 = Duration
%7 = Date
%8 = Category
%9 = SubCategory

Changes:
(4.0.1)
- Fix for choosing run option (Background, Sleep, Wait, Exit)
- Add option for completion popup message when running in Background
(4.0.2)
- Fix missing button on SageTV 6.2.6
(4.0.3)
- Importable into SageMC 6.3.5
- Fix paths for linux


John

[JREkiwi]

Updated the version for download

(4.0.1)
- Fix for choosing run option (Background, Sleep, Wait, Exit)
- Add option for completion popup message when running in Background

John

[nyplayer]

John,

I don't seem to see the button for external applications with SageTV 6.27

[bcjenkins]

Would it be possible to pass the tuner name too? I could see a benefit in being able to use this as a way to send additional commands to the DirecTV box

Thanks,

B

[JREkiwi]

Originally Posted by bcjenkins

Would it be possible to pass the tuner name too? I could see a benefit in being able to use this as a way to send additional commands to the DirecTV box

B, I'll have a look. But then you'll have the problem of handling more than 9 arguments.

John

[JREkiwi]

Originally Posted by nyplayer

I don't seem to see the button for external applications with SageTV 6.27

That will be because you're not using the version I've just uploaded.

(4.0.2)
- Fix missing button on SageTV 6.2.6

I'm now using nielm's method of finding the options panel which is more robust that the method I was using before.

John

[kricker]

Would it be possible to get a version of this for SageMC?

For now I am trying this with the default stv. I am trying to use this to fire off mencoder after making edits with the video edit addin. I am saving .edl files for mencoder to use, and I am trying to get the right batch file syntax. Each time I fire off my current batch file it happens invisibly, which is great except for while I am testing. I would like to see the cmd box and watch what the batch file is doing. Is this possible? Also it seems I need to pass the filename minus the extension as a variable in order to build the mencoder batch file successfully. Here is an example of mencoder from the command line.

mencoder MickeyMouseClubhouse-SleepingMinnie-4049539-0.mpg -edl MickeyMouseClubhouse-SleepingMinnie-4049539-0.edl -oac copy -ovc copy -of mpeg -o E:\Archived\MickeyMouseClubhouse-SleepingMinnie-4049539-0.mpg

[oshapir]

I'm having problem using your External program launcher from my client -
It seems that the PATH to the external commands directory is the server and not the local client and even if I try to run a BATC file from the server - It's not running.

Any Idea what's wrong?

Thanks,
Oren.

[JREkiwi]

I usually just have the batch files being called set up to call a real batch file to actually do the processing. So for your example.

External Apps calls Compressit.cmd which contains

@echo off
C:
cd "C:\Program Files\SageTV\SageTV\Compressor"
start "Compress" /MIN /LOW /WAIT compress.cmd %1 %2 %3 %4 %5 %6 %7 %8 %9

and C:\Program Files\SageTV\SageTV\Compressor\compress.cmd contains

mencoder %1 -edl %~dpn1.edl -oac copy -ovc copy -of mpeg -o E:\\Archived\\%~n1.avi
exit

In SageMC which panel would you like it to be called from?

John

[kricker]

First of all, Thanks a bunch!

I would like it to be in the 'send to' panel that SageMC has, with the ability to only see the chosen external apps. In the standard STV I see all the slots one can choose from, I just wanna see the ones I actually have doing something (which is only going to be the mencoder one ATM). This will mostly be done by my wife who will be editing her shows with the video editing plugin. After she edits them, I need an easy way for her to send them to mencoder to actually do the editing. So until Bob adds this into the video edit, this is my best option. If there was some way to add it into the video edit screens...OMG...that would kick some serious booty. But, I'll take whatever I can get.

[kricker]

Any chance you are working on this for the new SageMC?

[JREkiwi]

Haven't had a chance to do anything lately, but it is on my list of things to do

John

[kricker]

Okay, whenever, I can be patient. I'm just glad to hear it's on the list.

[duglin]

Will this work on Sage v4?
thanks
-Doug

[JREkiwi]

Originally Posted by duglin

Will this work on Sage v4?

Doug, I don't have a version 4 STV to test on, but the change I made for it to work on 6.2.6 should probably mean it will import on 4.

Give it a try and let us know.

John

[duglin]

Originally Posted by JREkiwi

Doug, I don't have a version 4 STV to test on, but the change I made for it to work on 6.2.6 should probably mean it will import on 4.

Give it a try and let us know.

John

Well I tried it on v4 and it appears to have imported correctly.
By that I mean that SageTV3-x.xml file was updated and sage it using
the new one. However, I don't see anything new under the Customize
window/menu. Is there something I should look for that I did wrong?
In the sage...xml file I do see your <Hook> element.
-Doug

[JREkiwi]

What version of java are you running?

John

[duglin]

Originally Posted by JREkiwi

What version of java are you running?

John

java 1.5.0

-Doug

[JREkiwi]

Doug, I think the df_sageutils that is included is compiled for java 1.6.

Try this version of df_sageutils and see if that helps.

John

[duglin]

Originally Posted by JREkiwi

Doug, I think the df_sageutils that is included is compiled for java 1.6.

Try this version of df_sageutils and see if that helps.

John

Nope, still don't see it on the menu.
I have debug turned on - should I notice anything in the log file?
-Doug