Is this possible? Confirmation light

[JP]

I have been using Xlobby 2.0 for a while now. It works perfectly for what I want. I simply use it with DVD Profiler and then I can keep an ongoing list of what I have. I import the list into Xlobby and then others can see my collection in my home theater and if I want to play one that happens to be on my hard drive I can do that as well. However, I have been running into one issue. I can never tell what dvds are backed up to my hard drive. I always have to click on the cover art then hit the play button see indeed whether it is or is not on the hard drive. I would love to adjust the skin so I could add something like a little button or light above each cover art pic that glows green if it is on my hard drive and glows red if it is not (but of course I have it on the shelf if I want to insert it in the dvd drive).

Is this possible and if so how? Thanks for any help

[Colby]

Today it isnt possible but it will be by the end of the month, Im all most certain. Do you have a lot of ripped dvds or only a handful. If it was me, I would goto edit database and add meta tags to the database entries of either the few online, or offline dvds.

1.Click the dvd db entry create a custom tag (like year, title, genre, rating, or whatever) named something like "stored" then you can type in the text field offline or online.

Next in your skin create a textbox that with the display of category>movies>stored . This textbox will show if the selected movie is online or offline, depending on what you typed in the text field of edit database.

Thats just a thought. In a few weeks we should have the ability to add pictures instead of just text, so you can do a similar thing like how you want. And it should be automatic.

[JP]

Great! Automatic would really be nice. I have about 70 backed up dvds but a collection of about 400. It is very difficult to figure out what I have on the hard drive and what isn't.

You mentioned that this ability would be available by the end of the month. Is there something specific I should be looking for to be released? A version number or something like that?

Thanks,
JP

[JP]

Colby, I read over your post again and I am confused about something. You mentioned that something would be automatic. Just having something with text is all I really need. However, I was hoping there would be a way that Xlobby could check to see if on the hdd it actually existed there...sort of like an IF THEN statement. IF video_ts folder is availalble then return "online" IF NOT then return "offline."

I was hoping to not have to adjust the database for each individual entry but it may be inevitable regardless. Any thoughts?

Thanks for your help.
JP

Today it isnt possible but it will be by the end of the month, Im all most certain. Do you have a lot of ripped dvds or only a handful. If it was me, I would goto edit database and add meta tags to the database entries of either the few online, or offline dvds.

1.Click the dvd db entry create a custom tag (like year, title, genre, rating, or whatever) named something like "stored" then you can type in the text field offline or online.

Next in your skin create a textbox that with the display of category>movies>stored . This textbox will show if the selected movie is online or offline, depending on what you typed in the text field of edit database.

Thats just a thought. In a few weeks we should have the ability to add pictures instead of just text, so you can do a similar thing like how you want. And it should be automatic.

[Colby]

The picture part would be automatic, . With the new category thing steve is working on you could essentially put an image labled online into every online movie folder. Then you could specify category>online.jpg and if it had one it would be displayed, in addition to coverart. In this way it would be automatic and you wouldnt have to edit the db.

[JP]

Wow, that is just way too cool. Your descriptive response has me thinking now of about a million different things I could do with this

Let me ask one more question and I promise to leave you alone. Is there something particular I should be looking for that would let me know when this functionality will be added?

Thanks again,
JP

The picture part would be automatic, . With the new category thing steve is working on you could essentially put an image labled online into every online movie folder. Then you could specify category>online.jpg and if it had one it would be displayed, in addition to coverart. In this way it would be automatic and you wouldnt have to edit the db.

[Colby]

million different things I could do with this

I thought the same. Here is from a feature request post of mine April.

In my movie DB I make a tag called "sound" that displays THX, Dolby Digital, SDDS, DTS, etc. Then when that info is displayed it would show the corisponding graphic.

In my music DB I make a tag called "videos" that displays the music video name. Then if that album track has a music video associated with it it would show a button called play a video, which I could execute.

In my games DB I make a tag called "system" that displays SNES, NEO GEO, Atari, Playstation etc. when I view a game title the display would show the corrisponding system picture and/or logo.

These are only a few example of what I would do. Give us this ability, please!

I promise to leave you alone

Dont worry about it. I dont mind helping.

...when this functionality will be added?

yeah steve is working on it now. You'll know.
http://www.xlobby.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2105

[edgley]

JP,

Do you store your ripped movies in DVDprofiler too?

Are you manualy editing the database for file location?

thanks,

simon.

[JP]

JP,

Do you store your ripped movies in DVDprofiler too?

Are you manualy editing the database for file location?

thanks,

simon.

Sorry it took me so long to respond. I don't remember getting notification. Anyway, yes, I have everything in DVDProfiler. This is the only way I know to easily get the information for Xlobby. I am not manually editing really anything other than letting Xlobby know I am using Theatertek and what file to import for all the cover art and associated data.

I really don't need a light. I could even just have an asterik displayed above each cover art letting me know if it was the hdd or not. I just don't know how to do it of if this is even easily possible right now.

[a06lp]

In my movie DB I make a tag called "sound" that displays THX, Dolby Digital, SDDS, DTS, etc. Then when that info is displayed it would show the corisponding graphic.

In my music DB I make a tag called "videos" that displays the music video name. Then if that album track has a music video associated with it it would show a button called play a video, which I could execute.

In my games DB I make a tag called "system" that displays SNES, NEO GEO, Atari, Playstation etc. when I view a game title the display would show the corrisponding system picture and/or logo.

Did this ever happen?
This si exactly the kind of feature that would give me the drive to figure out the huge learning curve on this program!!

[Colby]

Yes you can do this now. Using special variable skin://. Thanks for reminding me I would like to add these things.

[m_masta]

Yes you can do this now. Using special variable skin://. Thanks for reminding me I would like to add these things.

Do you know where I can read up about using that variable? I'm not familiar with it.