InTheaters plugin via XScript - Discontinued

[tswhite70]

I think movies.com made a change in the last couple of weeks if I remember right. I'm not seeing the problem ya'll are describing with my latest version so I've uploaded it. Nothing new really, although I've done some work on the extended searching for indiafm.com. Let me know if this doesn't solve the problem...

v5.5 06/06/2007
Steven’s Simplicity Default skin files & script:
http://home.houston.rr.com/rswhite/inth ... eaters.zip
(No changes were made to the skin files, so if you already have them you can just download the script.)

InTheaters_GetMovies script only:
http://home.houston.rr.com/rswhite/inth ... movies.zip

good luck,
tsw

[Marbles_00]

Worked GREAT!

Thanks again tswhite.

[tswhite70]

There was a problem today with the Itunes trailer code, the pages for Fox Searchlight Pictures was returning some bad xml. I've updated the error handling for the trailers so the script doesn't bomb out.

v5.6 06/15/2007
Steven’s Simplicity Default skin files & script:
http://home.houston.rr.com/rswhite/inth ... eaters.zip
(No changes were made to the skin files, so if you already have them you can just download the script.)

InTheaters_GetMovies script only:
http://home.houston.rr.com/rswhite/inth ... movies.zip

good luck,
tsw

[tswhite70]

Itunes made a change on the back end, it was causing the trailer regex to run for about 4 minutes per movie at 100% CPU on my overclocked Althon 2600+. I've updated the trailers code to match the change, also updated the IMDB extended searching code since the last update I believe.

v5.9 09/01/2007
Steven’s Simplicity Default skin files & script:
http://home.houston.rr.com/rswhite/inth ... eaters.zip
(No changes were made to the skin files, so if you already have them you can just download the script.)

InTheaters_GetMovies script only:
http://home.houston.rr.com/rswhite/inth ... movies.zip

good luck,
tsw

[WannaTheater]

Great plugin! One thing I need to do is create a "truncated" version of the <runtime> item: Instead of "1 hr 20 minutes," i need "80' (I have limited display space as my touchscreen is a PPC, so all my other media items are displayed in minutes)... kind of like your filterrateing vs. rating items.

I was plannign on just modifying your script, and I noticed a few things which prompts me to ask about your development process.
1) When I modified the script, it appears that the changes are not reflected when you re-run it from within XL, i.e. a change requires an XL restart?
2) Or are you developing the script outside of XL? (perhaps changint the file extension to .vbs)
3) If 2, how are you stubbing out the callback to the XL progress updates?

An additional reason I ask is because I have several scripts I have been writing that I need make accessible from within XL, so I am trying to streamline my upcoming XL-script-integration-develop-debug process. Any advice would be appreciated. (I am not using a debugger for VBscript, which makes deelopment/debug very painful, and I can only imagine if I need to restart XL with every change )

Thanks!

[WannaTheater]

Here is another question about thin client use with InTheaters plugin:

My setup is XL running as server, but all interaction is done through a Dell PPC (XL as thin client). When I execute the "Refresh intheaters" event from the XL Server, the "progress" overlay shows up on server, updates properly, then closes. When I execute it from the thin client, the progress overlay show up ON THE SERVER, updates properly, then closes. So I thought I would be smart, and modify your
XLobby.ExecCommand("xlobby", "show overlay", ProgressOverlay) to read
XLobby.ExecCommand("xlobby", "show global overlay", ProgressOverlay)

Now when I run from the client or server side, the following happens:
1) Overlay opens on server, updates properly, then closes on server
2) THEN Overlay opens on client... it remains blank, and freezes.

So I guess the question has to do with how XLobby updates overlays (and global overlays) on clients. It looks like you are using
Xlobby.Invalidate() to update. Do you know if there is a similar command to make sure all clients get updated as well (in synch with server?)

Thanks!

[tswhite70]

WannaTheater....

1) When I modified the script, it appears that the changes are not reflected when you re-run it from within XL, i.e. a change requires an XL restart?

Yes, once the script compiles successfully the first time you must restart XL to see any new changes. I actually requested a "debug" setting in the XScriptNG thread - sadly the developer has dissapeared.

2) Or are you developing the script outside of XL? (perhaps changint the file extension to .vbs)

No, developing in XL - having to restart XL for each change is a pain. I had to turn "fast interface" off on my dev/office system to help facilitate the restarts. Luckily, for me, most of my original development was done on the original XScript plugin which compiled the script each time it was run - of course it did have a memory leak related to the recompiles.

So I guess the question has to do with how XLobby updates overlays (and global overlays) on clients. It looks like you are using
Xlobby.Invalidate() to update. Do you know if there is a similar command to make sure all clients get updated as well (in synch with server?)

I personally don't have any thin clients right now so I don't have any experience to help. Hopefully someone can help out over on your post in the Support threads. If you do find a solution let me know and I'll incorporate or make it an option in future versions.

Good luck,
tsw

[WannaTheater]

Thanks for the quick reply. I have created a successful workaround for my situation, which allows for a message on the client to show when the importing has completed. The actual updating and status indications are only shown on the server- couldn't get the progress screen to dynamically update on client.

I must compliment you on your nice clean code, complete with documentation . With the ability to turn on/off stills, etc, I was surprized there was no option for not creating the subitems (for each theater, etc). I did this, so now i have a single level .XML database. (I was mostly interested in the %showtimes% field)

I can get ZP to play local mov files, but have not been able to get Zoomplayer to play remote .mov files. I am getting filter errors. But even when I tried with the Quicktime alternative, the remote play was sketchy (sometime audio, no video, etc).


Thanks again for great script

[Marbles_00]

Hey WT,

Could you throw what you did to get a message displayed on the client? I've been so busy with other things concerning the release of my latest ZoneSkin, I do recall and issue that I was not getting any feedback when refreshing the theater database. The thin client seemed to be locked up until the refresh was finished. What did you do to get around that?

[WannaTheater]

Its a complete hack, but it will do for now:

1) Created a screen called "ppcintheaterscomplete" with a single button on it.
2) That button is assigned to a "Close Global Overlay" event
3) Modified InTheaters script, close to the end of the script:

'Empty Xlobby Progress Variables
XLobby.ExecCommand("xlobby", "save to variable", " ~progover")
XLobby.ExecCommand("xlobby", "save to variable", " ~progbarover")
XLobby.ExecCommand("xlobby", "save to variable", " ~progtext")
XLobby.ExecCommand("xlobby", "save to variable", " ~progbar")

'GAM Hack for PPC
XLobby.ExecCommand("xlobby", "show global overlay", "ppcintheaterscomplete")
Xlobby.Invalidate()

I operate everything from PPC, so when I pressed "Refresh Intheaters," i.e. starting script from client, here is what happens:
1) Client appears to freeze
2) Server displays dynamic updating of progress
3) When done, ppcintheaters shows on both client and server.
4) Push the button on client, and both go away.

Its a hack, but at least I know on the PPC when the script is done

Once I play around some more, I will try to get an overlay on the client that shows something like "Updating... Please Wait" Not optimistic on dynamic updating to client, as I think this would require modification in XL internals with the Invalidate code, and client/server event syncing/dispatching

Now if I could only get some of the trailers to actually play I can download and play them with ZoomPlayer when they are stored locally, but I cannot get any to play from their original URL!

[Marbles_00]

Thanks WT, that worked great. Just have to make something better for my server as the little PPC overlay that opens looks a little cheesy.

But many thanks for the tip.

[WannaTheater]

Just out of curiousity, how are you playing trailers? Are you downloading them first, or playing them directly from URL?

[Marbles_00]

Sorry, on my music server, I don't play trailers. I figured that knowing showtimes was a nice option for a whole house audio system, so I didn't incorporate that additional feature into my ZoneSkin4. I may look more into trailers once I get back onto my Mirage skin...just taking a little break from skinning for the next little while and just wanting to enjoy the my music system again.

[defrag]

...just taking a little break from skinning for the next little while and just wanting to enjoy the my music system again.

Surely you can enjoy your music server whilst skinning?

[WannaTheater]

Enjoy the system? I spend all my time working on it!

Over the past 2 days I have stumbled over roadblock after roadblock, but I have found a temporary solution for playing trailers. But now the new problem: Movie times are not updating! I went back to most recent "unmodified-by-me" intheaters script with the same results. For all movies, Logfile states: # of Theaters found showing movie in zip and radius: 0

Looks like regex for Movietickets.com may be having a problem....

PLease let me know if you see the same.