Utility: Vista Sidebar Gadget

[cncb]

This is a Vista Sidebar or Windows 7 gadget that allows you to see what is currently recording and upcoming recordings in SageTV with a flyout that shows the recording schedule. It can be run on any Vista or Windows 7 PC networked with the Sage server but requires nielm's web server or the Jetty web server to function.

Download here.



Version 1.1 - Nov. 22, 2008

• Added options to launch web server with or without login (IE can't handle login).
• Now gets SageTV install/launch directory location from registry.
• Option to show channel logos in schedule.
• Split out settings into multiple pages.

Version 1.2 - Nov. 30, 2009

• Fix URLs for Jetty web server.
• Shows system message icons (requires Jetty web server). Clicking on icon opens web server system message page in browser.
• Added option to include padding in start and end times.
• Recording schedule now groups recordings by day and shows start and end times.
• Clicking recording title opens web server recording details page in browser.
• Recordings in progress are shown in red in recording schedule.
• Multiple airings of same program are now all shown in schedule.

Version 1.2b - Dec. 09, 2009

• Fix error when not showing padding in times.

Version 1.3 - Feb. 21, 2010

• Correctly show system message alert status if reset (requires Jetty web interface v2.26).
• Increase maximum number of displayed current recordings to 12.

Version 1.4 - May 5, 2010

• Now shows upcoming recordings in gadget along with current recordings (can return to show only current recordings by unchecking "Show upcoming recs" Display option).

[Brent]

Aw man! Craig, don't tempt me into buying Vista just to play with this stuff.

Seriously though - a job well done! I've been wondering why we didn't see more of these sort of things for Vista in SageTV.

[cncb]

Originally Posted by Brent

Aw man! Craig, don't tempt me into buying Vista just to play with this stuff.

I created a gadget a while ago for JRMC so you could get a 2 for 1 deal if you buy Vista (assuming you still use JRMC, of course) .

[fearless]

Thanks, I love Vista gadgets ...
Tried installing it but getting a debug error at line 9 - Object Expected
I am unable to right click and select options to change the configuration details.
I am running Vista Business SP1

Regards

[cncb]

Originally Posted by fearless

Tried installing it but getting a debug error at line 9 - Object Expected
I am unable to right click and select options to change the configuration details.
I am running Vista Business SP1

Sorry, I'm not sure what the problem is. I just downloaded and installed the file I submitted on the download page to make sure that it isn't incomplete or corrupted and it seems to be fine. I developed this on Home Premium but I would be surprised if they are not compatible. Maybe it is some kind of administrator rights issue?

[fearless]

Hmmm ... I will have another go at it when I get home tonight, it seems like the gadget just after installation straight away it tries to connect to a server and errors out.
I tried to edit the sage.js file and pre-populate my server details but once I edit the zip file I can't seem to be able to install the gadget anymore ...
By the way do you need to have Sage Client installed for this to work or is it only dependent on the Sage webserver?
Because I only have a placeshifter client installed on my laptop ...

Thanks

[cncb]

Originally Posted by fearless

Hmmm ... I will have another go at it when I get home tonight, it seems like the gadget just after installation straight away it tries to connect to a server and errors out.
I tried to edit the sage.js file and pre-populate my server details but once I edit the zip file I can't seem to be able to install the gadget anymore ...
By the way do you need to have Sage Client installed for this to work or is it only dependent on the Sage webserver?

It will try to connect right away but should fail gracefully until you have all your settings correct. All you need is the web server installed on your Sage server - nothing special on the "client". Maybe you should try to open/install the gadget file as an "administrator"?

Are you by any chance using this on a PC set up for a country other than the US? If so, I think you will need to rename or copy the "en-US" folder to one named for your locale.

[bialio]

Very nice! Good work.

btl.

[Brent]

Originally Posted by fearless

Hmmm ... I will have another go at it when I get home tonight, it seems like the gadget just after installation straight away it tries to connect to a server and errors out.
I tried to edit the sage.js file and pre-populate my server details but once I edit the zip file I can't seem to be able to install the gadget anymore ...
By the way do you need to have Sage Client installed for this to work or is it only dependent on the Sage webserver?
Because I only have a placeshifter client installed on my laptop ...

Thanks

Not sure if this article would help you at all but just in case...
Can you view the sage webserver from that PC that you are doing this on? Just wondering if there is a port you needed to have opened or something.

[ke6guj]

looks good.

One thing I saw, that some people may have issue with, is the that the password for the webserver is in clear text.

[ghostlobster]

Originally Posted by fearless

Thanks, I love Vista gadgets ...
Tried installing it but getting a debug error at line 9 - Object Expected
I am unable to right click and select options to change the configuration details.
I am running Vista Business SP1

Regards

Exact same issue here. I wsa able to be quick enough to get the config settings entered, but everytime I mouseover it, I get the error.
I, too, am running Vista Business.

[briands]

Not a vista user... so I 'm not sure how these things work... would this be a way to finally take advantage of a small touch screen on a client machine? Use this on the touchscreen while having sage full screen on the primary display?

[cncb]

Originally Posted by ke6guj

One thing I saw, that some people may have issue with, is the that the password for the webserver is in clear text.

Yes, it stores the password and sends it in clear text so I would not recommend using it on a PC that is not on your local network.

[cncb]

Originally Posted by ghostlobster

Exact same issue here. I wsa able to be quick enough to get the config settings entered, but everytime I mouseover it, I get the error.
I, too, am running Vista Business.

Strange that Vista Business would behave differently. Are either of you using a non-US setup?

[fearless]

Originally Posted by cncb

It will try to connect right away but should fail gracefully until you have all your settings correct. All you need is the web server installed on your Sage server - nothing special on the "client". Maybe you should try to open/install the gadget file as an "administrator"?

Are you by any chance using this on a PC set up for a country other than the US? If so, I think you will need to rename or copy the "en-US" folder to one named for your locale.

Regional settings are English Australia and tried to change to English US but the same thing is happening.
I managed in between the errors to click on the configure button and it is actually listing the active recordings but the moment I try and hover the mouse pointer over the gadget the error pops up again ... very strange.
I ran the ms debugger and it seems to be getting stuck at sage.html and I checked the permissions and made sure the files are not read only.
I am a member of the local administrators group and I have UAC turned off.
I also turned off all security in IE7 just in case.
I will keep trying

[cncb]

Originally Posted by briands

Not a vista user... so I 'm not sure how these things work... would this be a way to finally take advantage of a small touch screen on a client machine? Use this on the touchscreen while having sage full screen on the primary display?

I don't think so. These are little gadgets that sit at the side of the screen. So they wouldn't really be feasible to use on a small touchscreen. This one also doesn't offer any control of Sage playback.

[cncb]

Originally Posted by fearless

I managed in between the errors to click on the configure button and it is actually listing the active recordings but the moment I try and hover the mouse pointer over the gadget the error pops up again ... very strange.

Interesting. Does it give an error when you mouse over any area of the gadget? In particular, can you try the upper right corner that is empty and doesn't use the "hand" cursor?

You could also try to copy the whole "en-US" directory and rename it to "en-AU" (in the "C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Sidebar\Gadgets\SageTV.Gadget" directory). Reboot and see if you get the same errors.

[killervette]

Nice gadget!!! loving it

[JerryB]

I like the gadget. Very nice, indeed. My only problem is that you've hardcoded the location of programs such as sagetvclient at "C:\program files\sagetv\sagetvclient.exe". To try to eliminate some of the issues with UAC, I don't install all my software into the default program file directory and SageTV is one of the programs that is not installed in this default directory. As a result, clicking on the gadget to launch a program such as the SageTVClient fails since the gadget doesn't find the program file at the hard coded location. Is it possible to add the SageTV install directory as a configuration option?

Jerry

[cncb]

Originally Posted by JerryB

I like the gadget. Very nice, indeed. My only problem is that you've hardcoded the location of programs such as sagetvclient at "C:\program files\sagetv\sagetvclient.exe".

Yeah, I was afraid of this. I was going to get the install directory from the registry but I didn't see any easy way to do this from the gadget. I could add the install dir as an option but that page is full (I would have to do something with multiple pages). In any case, in the meantime you can edit the "C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Sidebar\Gadgets\SageTV.Gadget\js\sage.js" in Notepad and edit the CLIENT_EXE string at the top.