Headed towards Xlobby / HD DVD Bliss...few more steps HELP!

[jmv]

Well, I am still on pre-beta free Xlobby...following others lead, I just associated .xpl filetype with PowerDVD 7.3 in windows filemanger and bammo I can double click the .xpl in windows and PowerDVD launches and started playback.

I then added a new database using the movie template and added .xpl to the filetypes list and bammo my HD movies are accessible in Xlobby.

Now I need some elegance! My file structure is just like on an HD DVD

XPL location:
\\Movie Name\ADV_OBJ\*.XPL
EVO/MAP Location:
\\Movie Name\HVDVD_TS\*.EVO, *.MAP
Cover Art Location:
\\Movie Name\*.png

Problem is that in my normal DVD rips, it does not matter if I have the files in a DVD like structure eg \VIDEO_TS\*.ifo or a flat structure with coverart and IFO, all in the movie name directory. I click the coverart in Xlobby and bammo TT 2.4 launches and plays back the DVD. With the HD rips, Xlobby doesn't know to launch the movie when I click the cover art. Instead it digs down and shows me the \ADV_OBJ directory, and then when I click on the ADV_OBJ directory, it launches the movie. How do I set up xlobby so that it launches the movie without the second click?

Thanks,

mv

[bmblank]

It sounds to me like you need to make sure you have all the right file types in the "file types" tab. IE, make sure you have .xpl filetypes associated with powerdvd IN xlobby. As far as I know, xlobby doesn't simulate doubleclicking the file in question, but it opens the program that you have it set to open and then plays said file.

[jmv]

It's not an association problem, everything launches fine, it is just that you have to click both the top directory cover and the cover for where the file is located...

HD DVD structure:
c:\HDMovie1\ADV_OBJ\xxx.xpl
c:\HDMovie2\ADV_OBJ\xxx.xpl
...
c:\HDMovieN\ADV_OBJ\xxx.xpl
Top directory (e.g. HDMovie1 contains coverart folder.png and the ADV_OBJ subdirectory which holds the movie)

This is identical to my DVD structure:
c:\Movie1\VIDEO_TS\xxx.ifo
c:\Movie2\VIDEO_TS\xxx.ifo
...
c:\MovieN\VIDEO_TS\xxx.ifo
Top directory (e.g. Movie1 contains coverart folder.png and the VIDEO_TS subdirectory which holds the movie)

...the only difference, is that with my DVD structure, I just click the original coverart and boom the movie launches...in my HD DVD structure, I click the original coverart, and it shows me the ADV_OBJ folder...I then click the ADV_OBJ folder and boom the movie launches...it's this folder opening, 2nd clicking I am trying to eliminate...

mv

[cmhardwick]

when you created the new database, did you create a new template or just use the movies one?
You might try creating a new one, using the movies MetaMask but replacing the video_ts with ADV_OBJ in each line. This might let it actually create the database to do what you want (the parameter would be correct).

Just a thought, don't know if it will work or not.

[jmv]

Well I have an update:

Using the Template:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<import>
<extentions>xpl</extentions>
<coverart>png</coverart>
<folderitem>item</folderitem>
<metamasks>
<mask>\\(?&lt;name&gt;.*)\\(?&lt;name&gt;.*)\\ADV_OBJ\.xpl</mask>
</metamasks>
</import>

I get the database:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<database>
<sortorder>display</sortorder>
<template>HD take2 Folder Item</template>
<paths>
<path>M:\HD DVD</path>
</paths>
<item>
<parameter>M:\HD DVD\Movie1</parameter>
<coverart>M:\HD DVD\Movie1\folder.png</coverart>
<display>Movie1</display>
<type>folder</type>
<subitems>
<item>
<parameter>M:\HD DVD\Movie1\ADV_OBJ\VPLST000.XPL</parameter>
</item>
</subitems>
<information>
<name>Movie1</name>
<date>Saturday, July 28, 2007 12:42:04 AM</date>
<directory>Movie1</directory>
</information>
</item>
<item>
<parameter>M:\HD DVD\Movie2</parameter>
<coverart>M:\HD DVD\Movie2\folder.png</coverart>
<display>Movie2</display>
<type>folder</type>
<subitems>
<item>
<parameter>M:\Movie2\ADV_OBJ\VPLST000.XPL</parameter>
</item>
</subitems>
<information>
<name>Movie2</name>
<date>Tuesday, July 24, 2007 5:18:54 PM</date>
<directory>Movie2</directory>
</information>
</item>

This works, but again, gives me the double click I want to avoid. I can manually go in and cut the parameter from the subitem "<parameter>M:\Movie1\ADV_OBJ\VPLST000.XPL</parameter>" and replace the parameter from the item "<parameter>M:\HD DVD\Movie1</parameter>". And then delete the subitem...and Voila! it does what I want. What I can't figure out to save my life is how I get this to happen automatically when I import the database or if it is even possible to trick the database into loading the xpl as the parameter associated with the movies top level directory. Again HELP!!!

[tswhite70]

I don't think it will work with the "movie" subtype, at least I don't think so... Try using the following as your import template...

Code: Select all

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<import>
  <extentions>vplst000.xpl</extentions>
  <coverart>png</coverart>
  <folderitem>ignore</folderitem>
  <metamasks>
    <mask>\\(?&lt;name&gt;.*)\\adv_obj\\vplst000.xpl</mask>
  </metamasks>
</import>

good luck,
tsw

[jmv]

tsw,

Thanks for the reply. I gave it a shot, and it did accurately create the right database for 1 click launch, but it ignored the coverart. The coverart is in the top level directory, the xpl is in the subdirectory. Is there a way to modify the import template so that it looks for the coverart in the top level directory, but sets up the path from the subdirectory. My other DVD's are all set up this way, so I would rather not move the cover art to the sub directory, but if there isn't a straight forward way to do that, it isn't too much skin off my back to just copy the coverart into both directories...

PS, is there any where you would recommend I look to get a more fundamental understanding for how this stuff works. I've searched this site and google, and I am learning extremely little

thanks,

mv

[tswhite70]

I don't think it will import the coverart from any directory but the one the file is in - a consequence of using the IGNORE setting for Custom imports. To be honest, I don't really understand much more than you about the imports/metamasks - I was home sick from work yesterday and thought I'd try and help you out and maybe learn something in the process. It appears from my testing that Steven has hardcoded some portion of the import process when using the Movies setting for the standard video_ts DVD file structure to make it work "correctly" for DVD's but other file structures don't seem to work right - showing the results you were getting regardless of the metamask as far as I can tell.

Steven stated in a post that the import process actually has nothing to do with the metamasks - it is only the directory structure and file type that effect the import. The metamasks are designed to designate the xlobby variables, as specified in the regex of the metamask, in the xlobby db. But the metamasks can't actually change the imported data, or exclude data from import. Here's the post: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1981

The metamask is really just a Regular Expression - there are lots of "regex" tutorials on the web, in the Spiders post in the Tips & Tricks forum under there's a post by me early in the thread about learning regex and using it for Spiders in particular (although my example is no longer usable)...

good luck,
tsw

[jmv]

thanks, I really appreciate your help...I figured the hardcoded part might be my problem...some day Steven will release the commercial version and I'll be able to complain "as a paying customer this kind of stuff should be fixed". Until then, I'll put coverart everwhere!

[P3rv3rt B3ar]

some day Steven will release the commercial version and I'll be able to complain "as a paying customer this kind of stuff should be fixed". Until then, I'll put coverart everwhere!

yeah, and ull be put on hold to listen elevator music for $4.95 per minute... when u finally reach somebody ull be told kindly... sorry to hear u wasted your bucks on HD-DUD sir, ever wondered why X in xlobby is blu?