v1.3.9.0 -> v1.3.9.10 Release

An evolving, supported alternative to Rovi
Forum rules
★ Download the latest EPG123 here: https://garyan2.github.io/ <> Setup guide here: https://garyan2.github.io/install.html
User avatar
garyan2

Posts: 7438
Joined: Fri Nov 27, 2015 7:23 pm
Location:

HTPC Specs: Show details

#41

Post by garyan2 » Sat Jul 18, 2020 7:49 pm

Gripweed wrote: Sat Jul 18, 2020 7:06 pm Just testing out 1.3.9.10. You wrote "you will just need go to WMC settings->TV->Guide->[Get Latest Guide Listings]. That will run your epg123 update scheduled task on demand."

When I do that I get this...

Image https://imgur.com/a/leclX20
I saw this once as well when experimenting so not sure what my configuration was at that point. Check to make sure the "mcupdate" task is enabled in Task Scheduler, \Microsoft\Windows\Media Center. You should also verify that the 'Actions' of the "mcupdate" task is directed to epg123Client.exe instead of mcupdate.exe. This should have been done by EPG123 when you created the new task.
- Gary
Keeping WMC alive beyond January 2020. https://garyan2.github.io

Space

Posts: 2838
Joined: Sun Jun 02, 2013 9:44 pm
Location:

HTPC Specs: Show details

#42

Post by Space » Sat Jul 18, 2020 8:01 pm

Oh, I see, I didn't even think of just editing the task. I guess WMC leaves that task alone except if it sees it's missing and then just adds it as a new task. But what do you mean by "all the arguments"? Is WMC able to call the task with arguments to alter it's behavior without actually editing the task to add those arguments?

I don't have access to my WMC machine at the moment, and don't remember what arguments I use with mcupdate in my garbage cleanup task. I think I use -dbgc, but not sure if I have any other switches. Should I just use "-dbgc -updateTrigger" ?

User avatar
garyan2

Posts: 7438
Joined: Fri Nov 27, 2015 7:23 pm
Location:

HTPC Specs: Show details

#43

Post by garyan2 » Sat Jul 18, 2020 9:14 pm

Space wrote: Sat Jul 18, 2020 8:01 pm Oh, I see, I didn't even think of just editing the task. I guess WMC leaves that task alone except if it sees it's missing and then just adds it as a new task. But what do you mean by "all the arguments"? Is WMC able to call the task with arguments to alter it's behavior without actually editing the task to add those arguments?
Correct. If you look at the task action, you will see it is filled with "$(Arg0)" which basically means it passes arguments to the program/script that runs. A [Get Latest Guide Listings] will send the task the arguments "-u -manual -nogc -p 0"... if the task is redirected to EPG123 then it recognizes it is a guide update request and will run the epg123_update task. WMC will also send that task periodically a "-u -nogc" or "-uf -nogc" which EPG123 will ignore.
Space wrote: Sat Jul 18, 2020 8:01 pm I don't have access to my WMC machine at the moment, and don't remember what arguments I use with mcupdate in my garbage cleanup task. I think I use -dbgc, but not sure if I have any other switches. Should I just use "-dbgc -updateTrigger" ?
Yah, just use "-dbgc -updateTrigger" to only perform the garbage collection. You don't need to try to download the client maintenance package since it is no longer available, and the reindexing is done with your EPG123 update.
- Gary
Keeping WMC alive beyond January 2020. https://garyan2.github.io

User avatar
Gripweed

Posts: 132
Joined: Sun Feb 03, 2013 6:35 pm
Location: Scranton,PA_USA

HTPC Specs: Show details

#44

Post by Gripweed » Sun Jul 19, 2020 1:57 am

garyan2 wrote: Sat Jul 18, 2020 7:49 pm
I saw this once as well when experimenting so not sure what my configuration was at that point. Check to make sure the "mcupdate" task is enabled in Task Scheduler, \Microsoft\Windows\Media Center. You should also verify that the 'Actions' of the "mcupdate" task is directed to epg123Client.exe instead of mcupdate.exe. This should have been done by EPG123 when you created the new task.
No, Action of mcupdate task is directing to mcupdate.exe (with a $(Arg0) at the end). Another thing is the mcupdate_scheduled task is disabled. Should I try re-installing 1.3.9.10? Or do you want me to manually edit the mcupdate task and to what?

AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH! Stupid, stupid, stupid! I can't believe I did that (or more precisely I didn't do that)! I forgot to change the task schedule time. I knew I had to do it. Action now shows EPG123Client. But a quick look at the epg123 log doesn't show what I thought it should after clicking on Get Latest Guide Listings. Not getting error though. More later.
Last edited by Gripweed on Sun Jul 19, 2020 2:22 am, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
garyan2

Posts: 7438
Joined: Fri Nov 27, 2015 7:23 pm
Location:

HTPC Specs: Show details

#45

Post by garyan2 » Sun Jul 19, 2020 2:15 am

Just need to delete your current EPG123 task and create a new one. Check the mcupdate task in Task Scheduler again to make sure it changed to epg123client.exe.

The mcupdate_scheduled task can be left alone.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

- Gary
Keeping WMC alive beyond January 2020. https://garyan2.github.io

Space

Posts: 2838
Joined: Sun Jun 02, 2013 9:44 pm
Location:

HTPC Specs: Show details

#46

Post by Space » Sun Jul 19, 2020 4:41 am

garyan2 wrote: Sat Jul 18, 2020 9:14 pm ...
Correct. If you look at the task action, you will see it is filled with "$(Arg0)" which basically means it passes arguments to the program/script that runs. A [Get Latest Guide Listings] will send the task the arguments "-u -manual -nogc -p 0"... if the task is redirected to EPG123 then it recognizes it is a guide update request and will run the epg123_update task. WMC will also send that task periodically a "-u -nogc" or "-uf -nogc" which EPG123 will ignore.
...
Ah, nice! This was similar to the idea I had only I was just thinking of creating a wrapper for mcupdate.exe, but this is much better.

McGary

Posts: 173
Joined: Mon Feb 03, 2014 1:03 am
Location:

HTPC Specs: Show details

#47

Post by McGary » Sun Jul 19, 2020 8:19 am

The notes for v1.3.9 indicate that "... To take advantage of the first 2 bullets below, you will need to delete your current scheduled task and create a new one "

If I don't do that, does the update still work okay (other than the fact that the WMC "Get Latest Guide Listings" won't do that) ??

I presume the current scheduled tasks will still do the updates every night with the new version -- is that correct?

User avatar
IT Troll

Posts: 1172
Joined: Sun Nov 27, 2011 9:42 am
Location: Edinburgh, UK

HTPC Specs: Show details

#48

Post by IT Troll » Sun Jul 19, 2020 9:42 am

Space wrote: Sat Jul 18, 2020 7:37 pm Note that losing the recording history is not a big deal if you use "New" on all your Series. It only really has significance if you use "New & Rerun" on one or more of your Series (and only then if reruns of that series are airing).
True in theory, but it practice that is not always possible. Some shows are flagged as a rerun because they have been shown on some other channel, somewhere else in the world previously. The same sometimes happens for revised extended episodes e.g. QI XL. Sometimes the New/Rerun status is just wrong.

I use New (only) when possible, but quite a few require New & Rerun. The Recording History then really helps in preventing lots of duplicate recordings.

garyan2 wrote: Sun Jul 19, 2020 2:15 am The mcupdate_scheduled task can be left alone.
Wouldn't it be best to disable this now? As the tasks are now handled by EPG123 and it will otherwise still try to download the update package.
Are you a Recorded TV HD user or want to give it a try? Check out the new community-made update; Recorded TV HD v2.1.1

User avatar
garyan2

Posts: 7438
Joined: Fri Nov 27, 2015 7:23 pm
Location:

HTPC Specs: Show details

#49

Post by garyan2 » Sun Jul 19, 2020 3:38 pm

McGary wrote: Sun Jul 19, 2020 8:19 amI presume the current scheduled tasks will still do the updates every night with the new version -- is that correct?
Correct.
- Gary
Keeping WMC alive beyond January 2020. https://garyan2.github.io

User avatar
garyan2

Posts: 7438
Joined: Fri Nov 27, 2015 7:23 pm
Location:

HTPC Specs: Show details

#50

Post by garyan2 » Sun Jul 19, 2020 4:06 pm

IT Troll wrote: Sun Jul 19, 2020 9:42 amWouldn't it be best to disable this now? As the tasks are now handled by EPG123 and it will otherwise still try to download the update package.
Best? Probably. By turning off the daily downloads in the registry, the only thing this task may run is the 5 day maintenance but that is only if your system had successfully downloaded the maintenance package before MS shutdown the servers. Since EPG123 is running the garbage cleanup, that 5 day maintenance schedule is reset every 5 days which stops the task from ever running; effectively disabling it as long as the EPG123 update is run daily.

The only way for the mcupdate_scheduled task to run would be if the system had successfully downloaded the maintenance package previously, and the user has added the -nogc parameter to their epg123Client action in the epg123_update task OR the garbage cleanup by EPG123 did not run for some reason. It is for this reason that I agree it would be best to disable the task but I haven't gone so far as to have EPG123 go ahead and disable it programmatically.

For new systems it is not an issue since the task will simply never run without that initial maintenance package download.
- Gary
Keeping WMC alive beyond January 2020. https://garyan2.github.io

User avatar
Gripweed

Posts: 132
Joined: Sun Feb 03, 2013 6:35 pm
Location: Scranton,PA_USA

HTPC Specs: Show details

#51

Post by Gripweed » Sun Jul 19, 2020 5:18 pm

IT Troll wrote: Sun Jul 19, 2020 9:42 am
garyan2 wrote: Sun Jul 19, 2020 2:15 am The mcupdate_scheduled task can be left alone.
Wouldn't it be best to disable this now? As the tasks are now handled by EPG123 and it will otherwise still try to download the update package.
Gary goes on to explain it well in the previous message but I just want to point out that when he said it "can be left alone" that was in response to me saying that my mcupdate_scheduled task was already disabled. I took it to mean and I think Gary meant it to mean that I could leave it disabled. I don't think it was a general statement to everybody to leave that task in the state it is in. Again, Gary explains it in fuller detail in the message right before this one.

User avatar
garyan2

Posts: 7438
Joined: Fri Nov 27, 2015 7:23 pm
Location:

HTPC Specs: Show details

#52

Post by garyan2 » Sun Jul 19, 2020 6:24 pm

Gripweed wrote: Sun Jul 19, 2020 1:57 amAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH! Stupid, stupid, stupid! I can't believe I did that (or more precisely I didn't do that)! I forgot to change the task schedule time. I knew I had to do it. Action now shows EPG123Client. But a quick look at the epg123 log doesn't show what I thought it should after clicking on Get Latest Guide Listings. Not getting error though. More later.
I've been waiting on pins and needles for more information on this.

RE: task schedule time... this has been driving me nuts lately while working on this effort. When a task is deleted the time is randomized and obviously it would be best that the time remain the same as the now deleted task. I'll see what I can do about that for the next release.
- Gary
Keeping WMC alive beyond January 2020. https://garyan2.github.io

User avatar
Gripweed

Posts: 132
Joined: Sun Feb 03, 2013 6:35 pm
Location: Scranton,PA_USA

HTPC Specs: Show details

#53

Post by Gripweed » Mon Jul 20, 2020 12:11 am

garyan2 wrote: Sun Jul 19, 2020 6:24 pm
I've been waiting on pins and needles for more information on this.
I am so sorry! Believe it or not I got stuck working on figuring out a bug in another program I use (video processing related) and I forgot to get back to you. It's been a crazy weekend in that regard.
Anyway, when I click on Get Latest Guide Listing I get a popup that says that it is working on it but no indication after the fact that it had completed it. I look at the trace.log and all that is there is this...

Code: Select all

[7/19/2020 6:10:51 PM] ===============================================================================
[7/19/2020 6:10:51 PM]  Activating the epg123 configuration GUI. version 1.3.9.10
[7/19/2020 6:10:51 PM] ===============================================================================
[7/19/2020 6:10:52 PM] [ INFO] Token request successful. serverID: 20141201.web.1
[7/19/2020 6:10:52 PM] [ INFO] Status request successful. account expires: 2020-11-03T02:01:10Z , lineups: 2/4 , lastDataUpdate: 2020-07-19T16:35:05Z
[7/19/2020 6:10:52 PM] [ INFO] system status: Online , message: No known issues.
[7/19/2020 6:10:52 PM] [ INFO] Successfully requested listing of client lineups from Schedules Direct.
[7/19/2020 6:10:52 PM] [ INFO] Successfully retrieved the station mapping for lineup USA-OTA-18510.
[7/19/2020 6:10:53 PM] [ INFO] Successfully retrieved the station mapping for lineup USA-PA37733-X.
[7/19/2020 6:10:53 PM] [ INFO] Successfully queried the Task Scheduler for status. Ready. Last Run 7/19/2020 12:26:59 PM; Exit: 0x00000000
I tried this several times at various times last night and today and it is always the same (times differing, of course). That is including one attempt by right clicking the little WMC Update icon in the right corner of the (Win7) taskbar and clicking Update Data Now. I guess one good bit of news is that my scheduled run of EPG123 worked perfectly at its new scheduled time.

I know that you are focused on getting this working but to be honest with you it is probably as easy, if not easier, to just load up EPG123 Config and click the Save & Execute button. I'm really unlikely to use this feature beyond the testing stage.
RE: task schedule time... this has been driving me nuts lately while working on this effort. When a task is deleted the time is randomized and obviously it would be best that the time remain the same as the now deleted task. I'll see what I can do about that for the next release.
Yes, when it randomized the time for me when setting it up it turned out to be not a good time at all. So, I changed it to like two minutes later than I had it originally. As I said, worked fine.

User avatar
garyan2

Posts: 7438
Joined: Fri Nov 27, 2015 7:23 pm
Location:

HTPC Specs: Show details

#54

Post by garyan2 » Mon Jul 20, 2020 12:26 am

Did you edit the mcupdate task yourself? It is being directed to epg123.exe instead of epg123Client.exe... it is opening the configuration GUI.

You won't get a notification that the guide update is complete in v1.3.9.10. The one I'm working on however will but I think there is a 5 minute timeout for that prompt and those with large MXF files and find that the import takes a long time may not get the completed response.

I haven't been able to find how the notification icon "Update Data Now" did its' thing and I don't think I'll be able to get that to work.

BTW: I've modified the code to keep the deleted task run time so we won't see the randomized time in that case anymore... next release.
- Gary
Keeping WMC alive beyond January 2020. https://garyan2.github.io

User avatar
Gripweed

Posts: 132
Joined: Sun Feb 03, 2013 6:35 pm
Location: Scranton,PA_USA

HTPC Specs: Show details

#55

Post by Gripweed » Mon Jul 20, 2020 1:32 am

garyan2 wrote: Mon Jul 20, 2020 12:26 am Did you edit the mcupdate task yourself? It is being directed to epg123.exe instead of epg123Client.exe... it is opening the configuration GUI.
I just double checked and the mcupdate task shows epg123Client.exe. I didn't manually change anything.
But, (and this may be a biggie) the last time it ran it shows that it gave an error - The requested operation requires elevation (0x800702E4). I pulled up Properties for the mcupdate task and immediately saw a place to checkmark "Run with highest privileges". I checked it and OK'd it. Unfortunately I'm recording my wife's shows now so I don't think I should try to test until after, just in case.

User avatar
garyan2

Posts: 7438
Joined: Fri Nov 27, 2015 7:23 pm
Location:

HTPC Specs: Show details

#56

Post by garyan2 » Mon Jul 20, 2020 1:41 am

I believe it gets that error because the task cannot run interactive... it cannot open any forms/GUIs. Changing the mcupdate task to run with highest privileges won't help either. The question is why in the world, even how in the world, could the task be calling epg123.exe instead of epg123Client.exe.
- Gary
Keeping WMC alive beyond January 2020. https://garyan2.github.io

User avatar
dopdahl

Posts: 47
Joined: Thu Jul 09, 2020 12:34 pm
Location:

HTPC Specs: Show details

#57

Post by dopdahl » Mon Jul 20, 2020 12:33 pm

Thanks garyan... that helps. So I guess the only downside of fully regenerating the WMC database is loss of 'already recorded' flags.

I'm using a tool that removes duplicate scheduled recordings (which I assume looks at actual files and metadata in the Recorded TV directory)... and it works pretty well...

It's great to know that there is an option to 'revert' within MediaCenter... Next time, when everything goes poof, I'll use your steps.

What really confused me was that EPG123 lost everything as well, including my Lineup... Not sure what happened there.

Thx,
Dave

User avatar
garyan2

Posts: 7438
Joined: Fri Nov 27, 2015 7:23 pm
Location:

HTPC Specs: Show details

#58

Post by garyan2 » Mon Jul 20, 2020 2:49 pm

dopdahl wrote: Mon Jul 20, 2020 12:33 pmWhat really confused me was that EPG123 lost everything as well, including my Lineup... Not sure what happened there.
Yah, that's confusing. The loss of everything in EPG123 was in the configuration GUI or the client GUI?
- Gary
Keeping WMC alive beyond January 2020. https://garyan2.github.io

MILGEO

Posts: 27
Joined: Thu Dec 15, 2016 11:14 pm
Location: New York State

HTPC Specs: Show details

#59

Post by MILGEO » Mon Jul 20, 2020 8:44 pm

Hi Gary,

I'm not sure where the best place to ask you a question is and I don't see any other problems in the forum similar to mine. I've had EPG123 running since January and I thought it had been updating all the channels that I care about. I had deselected most of those that I don't care about or don't have access to. A few month's ago I noticed that some channels were showing "no data available". Most of the ones I care about update regularly with no problem and I don't see any sudden overall changes. I would like to be able to use at least one or two which I currently can't do. I notice that in the EPG123 program that the problem channels don't have EPG123 preceding the channel info as the others do. They also have a slightly different description stating cable card which the others don't. I thought I chose that selection during setup. There were many to choose from nearby from my cable provider. Is it possible to edit an individual channel and assign a different choice without having to go thought the whole set up again? I don't quite understand why there are other lineups offered or if it is something that could be used to toggle between different choices from my provider. Currently only using one.

I have a screen snip which I would have included, but can't seem to get it on here.

Thanks in advance for any help you might be able to provide.
Last edited by MILGEO on Mon Jul 20, 2020 9:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
garyan2

Posts: 7438
Joined: Fri Nov 27, 2015 7:23 pm
Location:

HTPC Specs: Show details

#60

Post by garyan2 » Mon Jul 20, 2020 9:05 pm

All those other lineups you see in the client are the old MS/Rovi lineups. This means at some point you performed a TV Setup and accepted the the program guide terms of service or you did not perform the client setup starting at Step 1 to delete the current database. Open the client, on the left side do you have 9999 channels? If not, it is because you accepted the program guide terms of service.

Open the client and for each lineup in the right-side pulldown that does NOT start with EPG123, click the red 'X' to the right of that pulldown to effectively delete it from the database. Select you EPG123 lineup and then click the Match by: [# Number] button to see if that gets you what you want.
- Gary
Keeping WMC alive beyond January 2020. https://garyan2.github.io

Post Reply