Cor.

[stigzler]

Just how good is this???? dl'd yesterday, done some diggin with ColbySkin2 and I'm amazed at this thing's versatility!!! Is it really just one chap developing this??? Well done to him!

I'm REALLY tempted to migrate from present jukebox software to this, but this would involve re-structuring 100G worth of mp3s! (ie. sorting folder structures, putting jpg's into each folder etc... - big job). My one Q is this - how is it at handiling large music db's (like 1000s of albums???). Any slowdown on use?

Anyways... congrats on a great project and i've got some decisions to make!

[Colby]

My music is about 600 albums or so (65 GIG), with high quality coverart. There isnt really any problems, except the immediate pause on first load as it caches the music category's covers. After that it scrolls an sorts just fine. Never had problems with any of the database.

As far as redoing your whole structure, you could possible leave it and just create and import mask, or dL a tool that will quickly and easily do it for you.

welcome aboard.

[m_masta]

I think the new .exe can import mp3 files and organize them by id3 exclusively and ignore folder structure.

[stigzler]

Thanks Colby - fantastic skin btw. Would love to create an import mask, but wouldn't know where to start. Think db on my existing juke software can be opened in access. Any pointers? Also, big Q this - messed around with your skin last night - gotta make it suitable for 800x600 res, and also wanted to lessen what's on the screen (for e.g taking words off buttons, and using a kinda tooltip system - function displays in a box). BUt.... if I spend a few days doing this and you update it with the other functions (t.v. guide, webcams etc.) I'll have to do it all over again, won't I?

Thanks masta (!).

thanks fellas, and looking forward to messin with this some more (now.... back to variables and events).

[stigzler]

-EDIT-

Hmm... looked into this some more. I had brief hope that I could export my current music and film database in xml (dunno much about xml) and then load into xlobby. Don't think it's gonna be that simple!

Present music = norbeat's jukebox (can open this db in access). Music = movie collector (collectorz.com). There is an option to export this db in xml format.

2 q's:

1. I see you can import xml exported from DVD porfiler to xlob. How come you can't import form any other app (is an exported xml file not the same despite the source application?).

2. Import xml file for music database doesn't appear to be possible. Could do import via mp3 tags, but also want to import other fields such as 'favourite' and 'rating' - is this possible - it appears as if just artist, album + trackname etc. are imported?

lastly, how does updating work? Say i import my music db and then add more files at a alater time, does xlob automatically update its db, or is there a way of adding new files without scanning over already added tracks (i.e. doing total scan of my albums root).

Thanks for any help that can be offered,

Stig

[Colby]

1. I see you can import xml exported from DVD porfiler to xlob. How come you can't import form any other app (is an exported xml file not the same despite the source application?).

Just because something is xml database doesnt mean it will readily import into xlobby.

2. Import xml file for music database doesn't appear to be possible. Could do import via mp3 tags, but also want to import other fields such as 'favourite' and 'rating' - is this possible - it appears as if just artist, album + trackname etc. are imported?

I dont know what are all the id3 tags that import, Steven just added a bunch more this week. http://www.xlobby.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4134

lastly, how does updating work? Say i import my music db and then add more files at a alater time, does xlob automatically update its db, or is there a way of adding new files without scanning over already added tracks (i.e. doing total scan of my albums root).

This is actually your 3rd question though you said two , When you import a database it finds the files and collects the information. If you add more to the database you update the database and it will scan all files again looking for changes, it ADDS to what is there, it does not replace. If you have renamed or added custom tags, (ie. ratings) it will keep these to even though the original file doesnt contain them. Basically an update is finding new entries an populating info, if they are there in location already then the info isnt re populated. So yes you can keep adding to a database and not worry about undoing changes.

if I spend a few days doing this and you update it with the other functions (t.v. guide, webcams etc.) I'll have to do it all over again, won't I?

No I dont update my skin but every 2 years or so And unless there is an overhaul on the page which you edit you wont have redo anything. All new eventgroups I append, not replace, as to not break old skins. So you can just update them if need be. When I created this skin, It was setup to be a starting point for people to customize for themselves. Many menus dont do anything, but there are there in case. Heck, I dont even use this skin.

[stigzler]

Fantastic Colby, thanks for your reply and time spent doing it. I'm growing keener on Xlobby, but why is it when you open one box you find 20 more!!! way of things huh?

anyways, guess I've got some reading to do on xml. Backgorund of mysql and bit puzzled by the database working on xlob.

thanks again

[jowaldo]

:D Fantastic Colby, thanks for your reply and time spent doing it. I'm growing keener on Xlobby, but why is it when you open one box you find 20 more!!! way of things huh?

anyways, guess I've got some reading to do on xml. Backgorund of mysql and bit puzzled by the database working on xlob.

thanks again

Keep chuggin away at it.. It may look a bit daunting at first, but I promise its not that hard!

[briands]

Steven, Colby, JoWaldo or anyone else who may know...

Where can I read up on the DB editor/ definition within XLobby? Or is there something more general that I should look at.

There is an application (actually 2) that creates XML with details of Sage TV recordings.

One automatically creates a seperate for each Show that is named the same as the file name.XML
http://home.insightbb.com/~briands/AmericanChopper-BillyJoelBike-1745655-0.mpg.xml

The other runs from a webserver link and creates a single XML that has all of the current shows in one file (similar to a DVD profiler) but there are other elemnts besides shows (Channel, favorites, etc)
http://home.insightbb.com/~briands/recordings.xml

Ideally, I would prefer to use the individual files since they are created (and deleted automatically) but I could probably figure out how to get the other to update as needed using an event in XL.

I would like to figure this out, but am clueless as to where to start.

[jowaldo]

Steven, Colby, JoWaldo or anyone else who may know...

Where can I read up on the DB editor/ definition within XLobby? Or is there something more general that I should look at.

There is an application (actually 2) that creates XML with details of Sage TV recordings.

One automatically creates a seperate for each Show that is named the same as the file name.XML
http://home.insightbb.com/~briands/AmericanChopper-BillyJoelBike-1745655-0.mpg.xml

The other runs from a webserver link and creates a single XML that has all of the current shows in one file (similar to a DVD profiler) but there are other elemnts besides shows (Channel, favorites, etc)
http://home.insightbb.com/~briands/recordings.xml

Ideally, I would prefer to use the individual files since they are created (and deleted automatically) but I could probably figure out how to get the other to update as needed using an event in XL.

I would like to figure this out, but am clueless as to where to start.

To do something like that where it reads those xml files you'd probably have to use some type of plugin that could read those and make it interact with xlobby.

when it comes to learning about db's there are no super specific guides that i know of. best bet is to check out the help link at the top / compare the db's inside of xlobby / use the db editor in xlobby (just hit f2, go to the database's tab, then edit one) / post specific questions in the support section of this forum..


hope that helps