SageTV2 and SageTV3 Full UI?

[ptaylor]

I recently installed the dockers for SageTV and OpenDCT... In looking through the Plugins, I saw two under Full UI "SageTV 2 UI" and "SageTV 3 UI". There wasn't much of a description, but it said it was by "sagetv", so I installed the SageTV 2 UI plugin to see what it looked like, and don't see any difference, and there isn't another .xml file to selecta different UI. There's no way (via the GUI at least) to uninstall it.

I went looking through my folders and under the PluginInstallers directory, there's a "sagetv2", with a "9.0.1" sub-directory that appears to be empty.

I'm probably just being paranoid (probably due to my background in I.T.) - but this isn't some sort of malware that someone has slipped onto the plug-in server, is it?

[Tiki]

These are old legacy UIs from previous versions of Sage. There were some people who didn't want to move to Sage V9 because they preferred the old UI's. So, someone packaged them up as plugins that could easily be installed on v9. They didn't spend time updating it to support the newer plugin system and there isn't a way to remove it except by reloading the v9 XML file.

But, don't worry-it's not malware.

[jusjoken]

To locate the UI to load you need to move up a folder level from where the typical STV is located and you will see the other folders and then the other STVs to load.

k

[ptaylor]

Thanks!

[RangerZ]

Is there any way to edit the plugins descriptions to at least link hem to this specific post as opposed to the forum in general.

As they are some of the only plugins with a 2017 date they look very attractive as new UI's, but with the "search" not really liking terms 3chrs or less it took me about 20 minutes to find this post.

[Tiki]

The search function built in to the forum is terrible- I never use it.
Instead, you can use Google to do a site-specific search with the keyword "site:".

For example, to search only this forum for "UI", you could go to Google and type:
UI site:forums.sagetv.com

[EnterNoEscape]

I use Google to search websites all the time because it usually works a lot better.

[RangerZ]

I seem to forget that Google can do that, but the real question is can something be done to improve the info/data/descriptions for the 2 plugins?

Per the OP, not clear that these do anything.

As SageTV is now Open source, and we do not have website per say to document things concisely, what ever people see in the plugins (first stop) and the related forum posts, is what there is.

I have hours upon hours of reading the last 2 weeks, most of which is of no value (Phoenix 3 post for example). Lots of little things get lost since my last install 7 years ago, and are invisible to new users (like needing to use UNC paths).

I am concerned that seeing things like these poorly documented and potentially non functional UIs will discourage new user adoption .

[Fuzzy]

Originally Posted by RangerZ

I seem to forget that Google can do that, but the real question is can something be done to improve the info/data/descriptions for the 2 plugins?

Per the OP, not clear that these do anything.

As SageTV is now Open source, and we do not have website per say to document things concisely, what ever people see in the plugins (first stop) and the related forum posts, is what there is.

I have hours upon hours of reading the last 2 weeks, most of which is of no value (Phoenix 3 post for example). Lots of little things get lost since my last install 7 years ago, and are invisible to new users (like needing to use UNC paths).

I am concerned that seeing things like these poorly documented and potentially non functional UIs will discourage new user adoption .

The forum goes back a LONG time, and as such, has a LOT of misinformation that is not relevant to the current state of the project. Cleaning it up and reorganizing things is a daunting task, that no-one really wants to deal with. As it is, the FAQ's are usually a good place to start. A lot of older information can just lead to more confusion, if for some reason it is read before newer info. As an example of this: In what situation are you feeling there is a need to use UNC paths with SageTV, or why new users should be told to do so?

[RangerZ]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy

The forum goes back a LONG time, and as such, has a LOT of misinformation that is not relevant to the current state of the project. Cleaning it up and reorganizing things is a daunting task, that no-one really wants to deal with. As it is, the FAQ's are usually a good place to start. A lot of older information can just lead to more confusion, if for some reason it is read before newer info. As an example of this: In what situation are you feeling there is a need to use UNC paths with SageTV, or why new users should be told to do so?

I was probably not clear. I understand that cleaning up the forum is not feasible, I am refering to the plugins. The old info is of value, but yes I have sometimes ended up reading the old stuff before the new stuff.

I do think that there are 2 things that can be done to benefit the casual user.
1 - In the actual plugins available from with in SageTV, improve the content specifically by adding\updating the links and pictures (when appropriate). I am also wondering if we need another attribute in the plugins which I will call "UI Compatibility". It seems that not all plugins work in all STVi's (MyTv and MyTv for Diamond - it's in the title so maybe not the est example)
2 - Better maintain the first post in the linked thread including a last updated date.

I think the first should be easy and the second not so sure. (I assume this is only reflected in a SageTV V9 update)

I realize devs like to write code and hate to document, and there is no "website" to store install guides etc. I am looking for low hanging fruit to improve the experience for new users in the existing framework.

Regarding the paths, not sure where, but I have read that when using the Sage Service (with clients?) that the path should not be a local path, which makes sense. Just forgot about this after 7 years when I did the new setup. Now if I look at the Recordings detail I have the older recordings with a local path D:\SageTV and newer ones with \\HTPC\SageTV. No clients yet, so not sure if it's a real issue. I do not see an explicit resolve to this issue here: https://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30697

[jusjoken]

The is a wiki that can be added to....

[Fuzzy]

Originally Posted by RangerZ

Regarding the paths, not sure where, but I have read that when using the Sage Service (with clients?) that the path should not be a local path, which makes sense. Just forgot about this after 7 years when I did the new setup. Now if I look at the Recordings detail I have the older recordings with a local path D:\SageTV and newer ones with \\HTPC\SageTV. No clients yet, so not sure if it's a real issue. I do not see an explicit resolve to this issue here: https://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30697

My point in bringing this up that network path comment was because it isn't necessary. The only reason in the past for doing so was because the comskip playback plugin - if you use it - required the path to the recording to be the same on client and server. The plugin has since been improved for it to not matter, and as such, there is no reason to deal with network paths. As long as the server can access the files, any client can. SageTV has no requirement to use UNC paths, and as such, there is no guidance to do so in the guides or FAQ.

[blade]

Originally Posted by RangerZ

Regarding the paths, not sure where, but I have read that when using the Sage Service (with clients?) that the path should not be a local path, which makes sense. Just forgot about this after 7 years when I did the new setup. Now if I look at the Recordings detail I have the older recordings with a local path D:\SageTV and newer ones with \\HTPC\SageTV. No clients yet, so not sure if it's a real issue. I do not see an explicit resolve to this issue here: https://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30697

As Fuzzy said you don't have to use UNC paths. I've been using sage with local paths for years with no problem.

[RangerZ]

@Fuzzy, Thanks for the history. Doing some more research it appears most of the UNC chatter was real old.

Should the fact that I have mixed paths in the recordings detail be a concern? They all seem to play?

@jusjoken, Seems like the place to start a user guide that will not get buried. Looks like both here and on git hub, to insert a graphic in line, it needs to be hosted elsewhere as opposed to uploaded. Is this correct?

@jusjoken and @Fuzzy. Looking at the wiki,I see the "Issues" tab. Is it better (even desired) to report issues like the issue with these 2 plugins here. Similarly would this be the place to address all the broken "On Line" links (or is this noise that will never really get looked at)?

Not clear what gets reported where.

[Fuzzy]

Originally Posted by RangerZ

@Fuzzy, Thanks for the history. Doing some more research it appears most of the UNC chatter was real old.

Should the fact that I have mixed paths in the recordings detail be a concern? They all seem to play?

@jusjoken, Seems like the place to start a user guide that will not get buried. Looks like both here and on git hub, to insert a graphic in line, it needs to be hosted elsewhere as opposed to uploaded. Is this correct?

@jusjoken and @Fuzzy. Looking at the wiki,I see the "Issues" tab. Is it better (even desired) to report issues like the issue with these 2 plugins here. Similarly would this be the place to address all the broken "On Line" links (or is this noise that will never really get looked at)?

Not clear what gets reported where.

The SageTV issues list on github.com/google/sagetv should be limited to issues with SageTV itself. Plugin discussions should be done with the plugin developer, either in the given plugins subforum, thread, or it's own github, if there is one. Also, github issues should be for improvement requests and bug reports, not technical support.

[RangerZ]

Thanks, yes I agree it's not for support.

[RangerZ]

What about feature request\enhancement which are substantially with in the existing framework like this. https://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64875