Plugin: ADM - Another Dynamic Menu

[PLUCKYHD]

Originally Posted by bialio

A view in phoenix is a VFS instance that is populated with media. There is no correlation with menu items - we have quite a few views, and most of these views don't have a menu-item pointing at them.

Okay so same thing we use filters and you do it in VFS with filters/expressions. You probably have additional filters we don't have yet in public release anyhow

[nyplayer]

Originally Posted by PLUCKYHD

The downside to this is xmls. That is the biggest downfall IMHO standard users don't know xml syntax and was always one of the pitfalls of SageMC dynamic menus as well. I was constantly helping users with xml syntax and issues with SageMovieWall. I seee the same questions coming up on phoenix. It works and is dynamic but isn't very user friendly outside of "Techies" so to speak. Where as this is all UI driven and doesn't require any of the learning curver behind it and the reason I think JusJoken did it that way (corret me if I am wrong).

Yes he could make a ui editor for phoenix dynamic menus but even the phoenix guys don't have the time for that so It is time consuming.

My 2 cents

I have to agree with you I consider myself a SageTV power user but... I really do not want to go coding etc... views when I could use the UI as in ADM. Hence I tried Phoenix but was too busy for me and I quickly went back to Diamond. I do like the way JusJoken did it.

PS not Knowing the future of Sage I really want to keep it simple.

[jusjoken]

Thanks everyone for the comments and suggestions on how I could've accomplished what I did with ADM but the foundation is already done... and was a lot of work (my first real Java work)... but I enjoyed it so that's OK. I am sure I could have done this differently and others may come up with other similar solutions but quite honestly this is a gap that has existed for a long time (custom menus for the standard STV) so I decided to take a shot at it.

My base premise was not to recreate the wheel as SageTV provides a perfectly good wheel already so I just built around the existing menu implementation.

I hope ADM meets a number of users needs and I am very willing to adjust it as needed such as providing some more lists to handle other plugins.

Keep the suggestions coming... I should quickly have an Advanced feature so users can select from a dynamic list of Widgets if the internal list is missing what they are looking for.

k

[jusjoken]

Originally Posted by pjpjpjpj

Thanks for the response. Any chance you could add a section to the wiki with a little more-detailed info about how to find that Studio widget? For example, what would I look for to add the "Stock Manager" or "MovieTimes" (a plugin which adds a menu item in level 2)?

FWIW, I don't mind the "mile-long list".

As a short term "work around" just create a Menu Item in Advanced mode and use Execute Widget by Symbol and type in this symbol...

Stock Manager - Widget Symbol = "ZKCBH-11510" (do not enter the quotes)

Movie Times - Widget Symbol = "XDNVX-68250"

Now movie Times also opens a 3rd Level menu which I do not let you add in the UI so for that you need to wait for another release to be able to do that.

k

[ChePazzo]

I am having a bit of trouble getting this working. Basically, there is no main menu and ADM Manager does not have a 'List By' option. There is no option to create a new menu item. I try to load default menus and it appears to complete, but does not result in any main menu items.

I am on Linux and notice this in the logs:

Tue 7/5 21:52:43.615 [EventRouter-0023a5001197@1d06911] ADM: ImportMenuItems: file not found inporting menus ADM.utiljava.io.FileNotFoundException: /opt/sagetv/server\STVs\ADM\defaults\ADMDefault.properties (No such file or directory)
Tue 7/5 21:52:43.615 [EventRouter-0023a5001197@1d06911] ADM: LoadMenuItemDefaults: loading default menu items from '/opt/sagetv/server\STVs\ADM\defaults\ADMDefault.properties'

Could there be an issue with the / vs \ in the filenames (like my sageRoot is Linux and the rest of the path is Windows)?

I couldn't find a reference to this file in any properties files in my sage server directory to try to change to see if it helped.

This file *does* exist, however:
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 30905 2011-07-01 15:03 /opt/sagetv/server/STVs/ADM/defaults/ADMDefault.properties

[Fuzzy]

Originally Posted by ChePazzo

I am having a bit of trouble getting this working. Basically, there is no main menu and ADM Manager does not have a 'List By' option. There is no option to create a new menu item. I try to load default menus and it appears to complete, but does not result in any main menu items.

I am on Linux and notice this in the logs:

Tue 7/5 21:52:43.615 [EventRouter-0023a5001197@1d06911] ADM: ImportMenuItems: file not found inporting menus ADM.utiljava.io.FileNotFoundException: /opt/sagetv/server\STVs\ADM\defaults\ADMDefault.properties (No such file or directory)
Tue 7/5 21:52:43.615 [EventRouter-0023a5001197@1d06911] ADM: LoadMenuItemDefaults: loading default menu items from '/opt/sagetv/server\STVs\ADM\defaults\ADMDefault.properties'

Could there be an issue with the / vs \ in the filenames (like my sageRoot is Linux and the rest of the path is Windows)?

I couldn't find a reference to this file in any properties files in my sage server directory to try to change to see if it helped.

This file *does* exist, however:
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 30905 2011-07-01 15:03 /opt/sagetv/server/STVs/ADM/defaults/ADMDefault.properties

That's probably the problem. for crossplatform java support, hard-coding / or \ isn't correct, instead, you should use File.pathSeparator to build your path strings.

[PLUCKYHD]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy

That's probably the problem. for crossplatform java support, hard-coding / or \ isn't correct, instead, you should use File.pathSeparator to build your path strings.

Yup that would be the issue darn linux users

[cat6man]

i plan to try this out later today, but i was wondering about the following:

does this allow me to change only the main menu or the sub-menus as well?

all i really want to do is
a) eliminate some options i never use
b) re-order the ones i do use
c) apply above to main and sub-menus

thanks

[graywolf]

Originally Posted by cat6man

i plan to try this out later today, but i was wondering about the following:

does this allow me to change only the main menu or the sub-menus as well?

all i really want to do is
a) eliminate some options i never use
b) re-order the ones i do use
c) apply above to main and sub-menus

thanks

Took a quick look and it does at least Top and 2nd Level. Haven't looked enough if it goes to the 3rd level but suppose it does.

You can also easily move between levels also. IE. Change System Messages to Top Level if you wish. Although the Font Size appears to retain the 2nd Level Font Size.

Just from my quick playing with it.

[jusjoken]

Originally Posted by cat6man

i plan to try this out later today, but i was wondering about the following:

does this allow me to change only the main menu or the sub-menus as well?

all i really want to do is
a) eliminate some options i never use
b) re-order the ones i do use
c) apply above to main and sub-menus

thanks

Absolutely... it does all of those things.

[jusjoken]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy

That's probably the problem. for crossplatform java support, hard-coding / or \ isn't correct, instead, you should use File.pathSeparator to build your path strings.

Who knew .

I will fix this in the next release... coming soon with a new COPY function so you can COPY any existing menu item including those added by other plugins

Hopefully tomorrow I will get the next version out.

k

[cat6man]

Originally Posted by jusjoken

Absolutely... it does all of those things.

as my daughter would say, 'awesome sauce'...........going to try it this evening.



edit: tried it, simple as pie to set up to do the delete/re-order functions i was looking for.
about 10 minutes total (and intuitive, so i haven't even read the wiki yet)..........great app!!

only issue i've found is a lack of some sub-menus to play with, which would be appreciated.
if this is known issue, please ignore..........if you'd like to know the specific sub-menus
i was looking for, just let me know and i'll itemize them for you.
[just had a thought-------maybe lower level sub-menus are available if i enter adm at a lower level??]

thanks for a great little app..........i've been looking to do this for years, and days after sageTV is sold
it pops up here

re-edit: nope, still don't see it.

i'm specifically looking for the sub-menu options for the following:

search/
browse file systems/
*.*

[jusjoken]

Originally Posted by cat6man

re-edit: nope, still don't see it.

i'm specifically looking for the sub-menu options for the following:

search/
browse file systems/
*.*

It's there. In the default menus it's under Search... after Online Videos. Try changing your List by: to Grouped and see if you see it down the list.

OR - if you are creating the items from scratch - It's in the Action List if you select Execute Standard Sage Menu Action listed under File - Browser (probably should have been named under Search... may change it in another release).

k

[cat6man]

Originally Posted by jusjoken

It's there. In the default menus it's under Search... after Online Videos. Try changing your List by: to Grouped and see if you see it down the list

k

maybe i'm missing something............i'm looking for the levels below
browse file systems, where i normally have 4 options, the main one to
browse import folders

[jusjoken]

Originally Posted by cat6man

maybe i'm missing something............i'm looking for the levels below
browse file systems, where i normally have 4 options, the main one to
browse import folders

If you go to ADM Manager and disable ADM and then return to the Main Menu and go to Browse File Systems under Search, do you get this option to Browse Import Library Paths (that's what mine shows)?

I get this with ADM on or off. I also do not modify that screen at all so I think this is not likely ADM related.

Let me know what you find.

k

[jusjoken]

* New ADM Copy Feature

* allows for the copy of Sage Menu items (Standard and from other Plugins) to ADM Menu Items
* allows for the creation of ADM Menu Items directly from the Videos Folder Browser for an specific Folder
* see ADM Copy Mode on the Wiki for more info

* Fix for Linux path issues
* Fix for issues related to selecting a different Parent
* Other minor fixes

k

[graywolf]

Just got around to trying out/testing ADM and thought I was going to have a problem since I couldn't find SJQ under Setup.

But read the wiki and LOVE the copy feature.

GREAT WORK

I think this will help resolve most of the WAF issues (at least the "more clicks to ..." ones) with upgrading from V6 to V7.

Next best thing since Sliced Bread

[pjpjpjpj]

jusjoken,

Funny the copy function should be mentioned, because I have a question about it. I haven't installed ADM (see below), but I was reading the wiki about it and I wanted to clarify - when you say that, after you enable the copy mode, the "internal Sage menu" is shown, does that mean you see the menu that you had set up before you installed ADM? I'm guessing it does - and that's where you can copy the menu items that were added by plugins, and then add them to the ADM menu?

Last night I was finally going to get to install ADM, and discovered that it required v7.1.9 (I was still a release behind). Thankfully it's still there for the downloading, but I couldn't install it because my wife had two shows recording that went past bedtime. I hope to get a chance tonight.

[graywolf]

Yes, exactly as you surmise.

I definitely would recommend printing (or having it open in a window) the section on the copy mode. Easy to follow, but might not be totally intuitive without at least reading the wiki section on it first.

Put several items on the Top level that my wife uses a lot and complains about number of button hits to get to (program guide, recording schedule, etc) and hide those items that we don't use (music, photos, online, etc)

ADM + Diamond (for the Movies section) make a wonderful combo.

[jusjoken]

Originally Posted by pjpjpjpj

jusjoken,

Funny the copy function should be mentioned, because I have a question about it. I haven't installed ADM (see below), but I was reading the wiki about it and I wanted to clarify - when you say that, after you enable the copy mode, the "internal Sage menu" is shown, does that mean you see the menu that you had set up before you installed ADM? I'm guessing it does - and that's where you can copy the menu items that were added by plugins, and then add them to the ADM menu?

You have it correct. Sometimes it's hard on a Wiki to say something just the right way to get the point across but you got it. Once Copy Mode is enabled then you will be on the menus as if ADM was not installed/enabled. This allows you to cruise through the menus and when you want to Copy an item just press Options/Esc and follow the prompts.

I am also working on version 0.36 with some more improvements and features but the saved menus you create are compatible so no harm in diving into the current release until I get the newer one released.

k