v1.3.7 Release

[garyan2]

It's been a while since I released something that adds new features, but I'm pretty excited about this one. The biggest add to this release is the ability to select what style of station logos you want. The options are "white", "gray", "logos for dark backgrounds", and "logos for light backgrounds". I've added a sample contact sheet for what the logos will look like, but this is a great addition to EPG123. Thanks to @rkulagow for making this happen. Since adding this to be selectable (preferred style and alternate), I busted out of my configuration panel and went tabular. There is now a completely separate tab dedicated to XMLTV which was probably needed and I added controls to options that already existed but had to be manually edited in the .cfg file.

The logos ending with "_d" are for dark backgrounds, "_g" are grayscale, "_l" is for light backgrounds, and "_w" are white. Schedules Direct will be rolling this out to a lineup near you soon, hopefully. Until then, EPG123 will function just as it did before and will automatically change to new logos based on your selection when they become available in your lineups.
_

[Space]

I'm wondering if there is an option to use the SD logo for the HD version of the network?

I only have one version of any particular network enabled in my lineup (if there is a HD version, it is enabled, otherwise the SD version is enabled), so it seems unnecessary to display a special logo with an "HD" on it, which can often make the logo smaller and harder to read.

MyChannelLogos had this option, so it is possible to do, but I'm not sure how the SD and HD versions of the same network are associated with each other so that you know they are the same, perhaps that information is available from Schedules Direct?

[garyan2]

No, each station has its own set of logos, and the HD channel has a different stationID than the SD channel... so they both have their own set. I think we'll have to see when the lineup becomes active, but I've noticed that most of the station logos from Gracenote/SD don't have the 'HD' in their logos anymore. There certainly weren't any in my sample of a lineup that has already been converted over.

[Space]

Yes, I know that they have separate stationIDs, that is why I added the last paragraph about somehow associating the SD and HD version of the same network. If that information is not available, then it would require maintaining a manual mapping which might be a pain (at least when new networks are added).

If SD will only have a single logo for both SD and HD versions then this feature would be unnecessary.

I also hate using "SD" to mean two different things in this thread

[garyan2]

We could always throw in SiliconDust as well to round this out.

There is no association/link between the HD and SD versions of a station in the data provided by Scheduled Direct, so I'm not really interested in attempting such a feat. As you point out, that would be a real PITA.

Note the MCL XL could do this because they kept a list of the station callsigns and what the HD and SD version logos would be, if available. They also relied on the station affiliate for OTA channels and the user to tell them if HD or SD was needed. I am doing no such thing.

Let's see what the logos look like after the transition to see if there is a real need to change anything or add another feature.

[IT Troll]

Thanks for this. I see from the change log there are quite a few more new features and fixes in this release.

I may finally switch from using MCL for my logos. I take it there is still a way to override with your own logo if you don’t like the one served from SD?

[garyan2]

Thanks for this. I see from the change log there are quite a few more new features and fixes in this release.

I may finally switch from using MCL for my logos. I take it there is still a way to override with your own logo if you don’t like the one served from SD?

The override is if you enable the option to 'Include station logos in .\logos folder', set your preferred logos to 'do not download SD logos'. It will not download anything from SD but will still use the [callsign].png file in the .\logos folder if available.

This is a global setting though, so if you like all your logos from SD except one, you may just want to copy over the existing logo based on your options. The new logos will have the '_d', '_g', '_l', and '_w' appended to the callsign.

[StinkyImp]

Hi Gary!

This morning I noticed that the client version number didn't increment after updating to 1.3.7.10.

Code: Select all

[5/13/2020 12:15:08 AM] ===============================================================================
[5/13/2020 12:15:08 AM]  Beginning epg123 update execution. version 1.3.7.10
[5/13/2020 12:15:08 AM] ===============================================================================
[5/13/2020 12:15:31 AM] [ INFO] epg123 update execution time was 00:00:23.3143335.

[5/13/2020 12:15:31 AM] ===============================================================================
[5/13/2020 12:15:31 AM]  Beginning epg123 client execution. version 1.3.7.0
[5/13/2020 12:15:31 AM] ===============================================================================
[5/13/2020 12:16:09 AM] [ INFO] EPG123 client execution time was 00:00:37.0611198.

There's zero effect on the guide update so I guess this is simply an FYI.

[mwpeterson]

I noticed some of my logos had changed. Checking the sdlogos directory all the logos end with -1, -2, -3, and -4 instead of _d, _g, _l, and _w. Does EPG123 handle these correctly or is SD still switching these over?

Thanks.

[garyan2]

I noticed some of my logos had changed. Checking the sdlogos directory all the logos end with -1, -2, -3, and -4 instead of _d, _g, _l, and _w. Does EPG123 handle these correctly or is SD still switching these over?

Thanks.

For the SD logos (.\sdlogos folder), I kept the same process of just collecting all logo images in the data and adding a numbered suffix. I did not know whether there could be multiple dark logos, multiple light logos, or anything like that so using the numbers was the best route to ensure we get all of them. The logos in the .\logos folder will have the lettered suffix to separate them and will be a first come first served basis (if there are multiple dark logos, then the first one will be saved and the rest will be ignored).

Note those filenames are generated by EPG123 and not SD. SD's format appears to be "s<stationID>_<light|dark|gray|white>_<width>w_<height>h.png". I just save them as callsign_<l|d|g|w>.png to better find and maintain.

[mwpeterson]

Perfect. Thanks.

[Space]

If I have manually placed logos in .\logos for various stations, will any be replaced automatically based on any settings in EPG123? If a new channel is added to the lineup or if a logo becomes available for an existing channel that did not have a logo previously in the .\logos folder, will the logo be automatically downloaded and added to the .\logos folder?

If a logo is updated on the SD server, will an existing logo in the .\logos folder be replaced automatically, or will any notification of that new logo's existence be logged?

[garyan2]

Any files that already exist in the .\logos folder will not be replaced at anytime by EPG123.

If your preferred logo is 'do not download SD logos', then it will use the <callsign>.png logo if it exists.

If your preferred logo is 'white', 'gray', 'dark backgrounds', or 'light backrounds', it will use *_w.png, *_g.png, *_d.png, or *_l.png files respectively. If the file does not exist, and it is available for download, it will do so and save in the .\logos folder.

If the preferred logo does not exist, then it will check the alternate same as above.

If neither the preferred nor the alternate exist, it will use the <callsign>.png file. It it does not exist, and there is a default logo available, it will download and save the default logo in the .\logos folder.

If you are using the <callsign>.png file currently, and either the primary or alternate become available, it will automatically download and use the primary/alternate logo.

If a new channel is added to the lineup, and that channel is automatically added, then it will follow the same rules above.

[garyan2]

Note to all. I'm going to release another version soon. I'm seeing logos, particularly white logos, that EPG123 is cropping off too much. If any of your logos look like they are not complete, this will fix that. (v1.3.7.20)

[garyan2]

Hi Gary!

This morning I noticed that the client version number didn't increment after updating to 1.3.7.10.

Code: Select all

[5/13/2020 12:15:08 AM] ===============================================================================
[5/13/2020 12:15:08 AM]  Beginning epg123 update execution. version 1.3.7.10
[5/13/2020 12:15:08 AM] ===============================================================================
[5/13/2020 12:15:31 AM] [ INFO] epg123 update execution time was 00:00:23.3143335.

[5/13/2020 12:15:31 AM] ===============================================================================
[5/13/2020 12:15:31 AM]  Beginning epg123 client execution. version 1.3.7.0
[5/13/2020 12:15:31 AM] ===============================================================================
[5/13/2020 12:16:09 AM] [ INFO] EPG123 client execution time was 00:00:37.0611198.

There's zero effect on the guide update so I guess this is simply an FYI.

Mainly laziness on my part, but I justify it with the fact the client is untouched and this is a minor release. You will see I did it again for v1.3.7.20.

[Space]

...
If neither the preferred nor the alternate exist, it will use the <callsign>.png file. It it does not exist, and there is a default logo available, it will download and save the default logo in the .\logos folder.

If you are using the <callsign>.png file currently, and either the primary or alternate become available, it will automatically download and use the primary/alternate logo.
...

Can you clarify what the <callsign>.png file is?

Since you say the existing logos in .\logos are not touched, it makes the second paragraph above unclear. Since ALL the logos I currently have in .\logos are in <callsign>.png filename format, does that mean they are all subject to be replaced automatically if I have the corresponding options enabled?

Here is my idea of what may be possible behavior (just brainstorming):

There can be two kind of logos in the .\logos folder, static and dynamic. Static logos are ones placed there manually and should never be replaced automatically. Dynamic logos can be replaced automatically if a more appropriate one is found or the existing logo is updated.

Perhaps filenames in the .\logos folder can be <callsign>.png for static logos, and <callsign>_<letter>.png for dynamic.

If the existing used logo is dynamic and preferred, then periodically check SD to see if a new version of the preferred logo exists, if it exists, replace with the new version.
If the existing used logo is dynamic and alternate, then periodically check SD for the preferred logo, if it exists, replace the alternate logo with the preferred logo.
If the existing used logo is dynamic and alternate, then periodically check SD to see if a new version of the alternate logo exists, if it exists, replace with the new version.

Perhaps keep a copy of old versions of logos in case a logo is dynamically updated and you want to go back to the previous logo (install it as a static logo).

The above may all be overkill, and perhaps these queries to the SD server may be too much for such a minor feature (plus there may be no practical way to determine if a new version of the logo exists), but just some things to think about...

[garyan2]

There could be up to 5 logos for each channel in your .\logos folder; <callsign>.png, <callsign>_b.png, <callsign>_d.png, <callsign>_l.png, and <callsign>_w.png. At no time will EPG123 replace a logo in the folder if a file already exists. The only way they will be dynamic is if the user deletes the folder contents periodically to force a refresh... I will not be tracking or archiving station logo MD5 checksums.

I think this is one thing that I will leave alone. I could force a refresh of the logos periodically based on the hash of the callsign like I do with series images, but I seriously doubt users will want to see their logos change by themselves after they may have put some work in to get them exactly the way they want.

[glorp]

The 1.3.7.30 version is missing the spaces at the end of the episode description that separates it from the Season #, Episode # text again when the Episode # is displayed at the end.

[garyan2]

I changed that code from using 2 spaces plus 2 newlines (" \n\n") to using the unicode CRLF ("\u000D\u000A"). I verified they both presented just fine in WMC on both Win7 and Win8. Is it messing up your XMLTV consuming program, if you're using the XMLTV?

[garyan2]

It's jogged my memory a bit... I'll get those spaces back in the code on next release... or at least 1 space.

Where do you see the CRLF not being used?