XMLTV Import
Howto install and configure
How to install and configure xmltv-import on Enigma2 Pli-images :
When you have installed OpenPli on your box, you can go to Applications, press the green button. Then you'll see a menu, go to extensions and look for xmltv-importer.
Press OK to start the installation. Return to the applications list and you will notice the new "EPGImport" entry.
Now go into this program, and press the blue button to go to the sources. Here you can select which EPG data you like to download, by highlighting your selection and pressing OK, which will put a checkmark in front of each active source.
Press the green button to save this selection. Now we are back into the first menu where we can change the time when the plugin should start. Do not set this time before 06:30am.
If your box is in deep-standby you could wake it up to start the automatic download. The plugin will not put the system back into sleep state though.
You can set the amount of days for full descriptions, which is helpful if you have selected a lot of epg sources and your box has limited memory (like the dm7025). If you se the number of days to 2, the epg data is loaded for 2 days with descriptions and 5 days without full descriptions.
Remember to save this config by pressing the green button, which returns you to the applications menu.
If you can't wait untill the automatic import, which I can imagine, you can go into the EPGImport panel and press the yellow button for a manual download, you will be asked if you agree by pressing OK. While the import is running, you can follow the amount of events it is processing. Otherwise, it will display the date/time and number of events of the last import.
The import runs in background, so you don't have to wait until it is finished. You can close the panel at any time, and return if you want to track its progress. You will even see events appear into the EPG views while the data is being imported, and you can query the EPG even before the import is completely done.
How to install the plugin on NON-PLI images :
After the installation of another Enigma2 image (Gemini, Ozoon, Newnigma, LT) you have to install a few more files in this image. Download the file python_ipks.zip above and unzip it on your computer.
Also download the above files enigma2-plugin-extensions-xmltvimport_x.x-rxx_mipsel.ipk and enigma2-plugin-extensions-xmltvimport-rytec_xxxxxxxx-rx_all.ipk to your computer.
Use for example DCC to connect to your dreambox. Then copy the following files to the folder /tmp on your dreambox :
python-zlib_2.5.1-ml4_mipsel.ipk
python-compression_2.5.1-ml4_mipsel.ipk
python-shell_2.5.1-ml4_mipsel.ipk
enigma2-plugin-extensions-xmltvimport_1.0-rxx_mipsel.ipk
enigma2-plugin-extensions-xmltvimport-rytec_xxxxxxxx-rx_all.ipk
Depending on the image's features, the plugin may need to restart Enigma2 in order to load the EPG data. Also, you may not see the new events until the import is completely done. Your system may occasionally 'stutter' a bit while the import is running, and react a bit sluggish at times. This does not interfere with the box's normal operations such as recording and watching TV.
For Gemini users :
go to blue panel in Gemini and select filemanager, browse to the folder /tmp and select first the python-zlib file and press the green button to install this package.
Next we select the python-compression for installation, then python-shell, then we select the xmltv-import plugin and at last the xmltv-import-rytec and install it too.
Now restart Enigma2 and you should be able to activate the EPGimport through the applications panel.
For other users who do not have a filemanager in their image, they can make a Telnet session to the box and install the ipk's by using the command "ipkg install /tmp/python-zlib_2.5.1-ml4_mipsel.ipk"
There are incompatibility problems if you use Gemini 4.5 or higher, keep this in mind !! Reason : Gemini is implementing epg.dat functions.
Reporting Issues
If you experience problems with the plugin, the "log" may help. You can display and save it by pressing the "info" button on the remote while in the EPGImport main configuration panel.
At which time should I set the update.
It is recommended not to download before 0630 (GMT + 2). This because the update is only ready by then.
No epg is imported after the box comes out of deepstandby.
When using deepstandby, and autotimer, there could be a problem with the automatic update.
This is because when the box starts, the time is not set properly until the box is tuned to a channel. Now if you use autotimer, this tuning to a channel could take a minute longer as usual, because of autotimer.running. Now the XMLTV importer sets a wrong update tme, because the system time is still incorrect
The solution is to install the systemtime plugin and select upon startup to set system time by NTP server.
Where is the epgimport.log
Open the XMLTV importer.
Press now the info or epg button on your remote.
Now you see the log. This log can be saved, and you find the saved fle in /tmp/
What is the purpose of epg.dat
The epg.dat file is commonly seen as the vehicle for XMLTV.
This is a misconception. The epg.dat is a file from enigma, in which the epg is stored when the enigma is stopped or the receiver is shut down. Upon restart this file is read again in memory to restore the epg.
Misconceptions about epg.dat and XMLTV
On images without the oudeis patch, epg.dat is used to get epg into memory. In these cases the XMLTV importer and Crossepg generate an epg.dat file. Subsequently enigma is restarted and the new epg is read. But this is the only use of epg.dat in this respect. Also Crossepg uses this technique on these images.
How do I now if my image is oudeis patched?
If you import epg via XMLTV or Crossepg and the image automatically restarts then your image is not patched. Gemini is one of the stubborn ones.
The patched images can receive the epg data directly and do not need the use of epg.dat. epg.dat is still used by enigma on these images to fulfil its original role (see above)
Where is epg.dat stored and how to change it.
You can set the storage device for the epg.dat file by editing the settings file in /etc/enigma2 when enigma is stopped.
init 4 (to stop enigma)
edit now /etc/enigma2/settings – add or change
config.misc.epgcache_filename=/media/usb/epg.dat (or another location to your choice)
init 3 (to restart enigma)
How to erase all epg in your box
Install Systemtools. One of the options is erase epg.
The second method is the manual one. I use the program DCC to do this but you also can use Putty or even a simple Telnet session in Windows.
Open a Telnet session to the IP address of your satellite receiver (in most cases Dreambox or Vu).
When you are prompted you can type behind the prompt #
init 4 (This will stop Enigma of working and if you were watching TV it will freeze.)
What I do extra is open a FTP session (in DCC you can switch easy to this) and then go to /tmp and see if there is maybe a file epg.dat, remove it and then go also to /media/hdd if you have a harddisk installed in your receiver and also check if maybe a fil epg.dat is there and remove it. Check also /media/usb
(This step is not always needed but I do it and it does not take a lot of time)
Now go back to the Telnet session and behind the prompt type #
init 3 (This will start Enigma again and after a while you will notice the screen will play again (if you were watching TV).
After this the EPG listings should be empty or only show Now/Next in the infobar, depending on how you have setup the EIT and EPG settings in the system menu.
(keep in mind if you have enabled MHW, EIT, etc then EPG listings will not be empty if you zap to those channels)
How to capture a single service reference
To capture a single service reference use the following procedure:
1st method:
1. Install VLC player on your PC
1. Open the webif of your box.
2. Find the channel from which you want the reference
3. Stream this channel to your PC.
4. VLC opens the channel,
5. On VLC click on extra and Media-Information. Here you will find the service reference
6. Then select the code starting with 1:0:.... by keeping the left mouse button pressed and after you selected the line use CTRL-C to copy it to the clipboard.
7. With CTRL-V you can paste this selection where you want and especially in a topic here on this forum
2nd method:
Use Open Webif.
1. Open Open Webif in your browser
2. Find the channel from which you want the reference
3. Request the epg for this channel .
4. Select and copy the url of the epg (even if the window is empty)
http://192.168.1.19:8088/ajax/epgpop?sref=1%3A0%3A19%3A5221%3AC99%3A3%3AEB0000%3A0%3A0%3A0%3A
5. copy this url into a texteditor (PsPad, Notepadplusplus or even notepad)
6. Search and replace %3A with : and the result will be:
http://192.168.1.19:8088/ajax/epgpop?sref=1:0:19:5221:C99:3:EB0000:0:0:0:
7. The part behind the sref= is the part we want.
How to update XMLTV importer from Telnet
1. Connect to your box ip address with DCC or Putty
2. opkg update
3. opkg upgrade enigma2-plugin-extensions-xmltvimport-rytec enigma2-plugin-extensions-xmltvimport
If you are not sure how a package is called you can use the search function below :
( use opkg list '*xmltv*' to get the correct spelling.)
Thanks to Milo for these commandlines.
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