Old MCEPG files

[IT Troll]

I was always under the impression that old MCEPG files/folders could be deleted after a database recovery event. However, I am seeing something odd with my files.

My most recent recovery event was about a week ago; resulting in the creation of mcepg3-11. In fact you can see that the previous database, mcepg3-10.db was last modified on 9 July. However, it appears that mcepg3-9.db is still being modified by something and files in the mcepg3-9 folder are newer than those in the mcepg3-11 folder. It seems very odd that the database version -2, is being updated by anything.

[garyan2]

I always believed the same, but I've heard some talk that once you get into double digits for the iteration funny things happen.

[tirebiter]

Does anyone know if these databases can be opened by SQLite? If so, do you know the pass key? I'd like to peek inside and see if they contain the recording history. It's not in the backup folders.

[garyan2]

Use the epg123 client with the -x argument, "epg123client.exe -x". There will be 2 new buttons above the left side tuner channel list. The one called store explorer will let you rummage around the database.

EDIT: I see you may have been talking about inactive/old database. The client will only do the active database.

Sent from my SM-G781U1 using Tapatalk

[tirebiter]

I started the client with the -x argument, but I can't see the "store explorer" button. I'm running the latest version. What am I doing wrong?



This is what's in the command prompt:

Code: Select all

C:\epg123>epg123client.exe -x

C:\epg123>[10/3/2023 10:45:59 AM] =====================================================================================
[10/3/2023 10:45:59 AM] EPG123CLIENT: Activating the client GUI. version 1.8.2.2
[10/3/2023 10:45:59 AM] =====================================================================================
[10/3/2023 10:45:59 AM] *** Windows 7 Professional, 64-bit [Version: 6.1.7601.23964] ***
[10/3/2023 10:45:59 AM] *** .NET Framework 4.7.02558 is installed. ***
[10/3/2023 10:45:59 AM] *** Windows Media Center [Version: 6.1.7600.16385] is installed. ***
[10/3/2023 10:45:59 AM] [ INFO] Successfully queried the Task Scheduler for status. Ready. Last Run 10/3/2023 4:00:00 AM. Exit: 0x0000BAD1

[garyan2]

Right beside the 'All Scanned Sources' combo box, there is a down arrow ish button to view the rest of the buttons on the toolbar.

Alternatively, maximize the client and you will see it.

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[tirebiter]

Hurrah, I found the button.

Ignore the rest of this post except the last line. One of my superpowers is answering my own questions the second after I press "submit". I'll be busy writing scripts to import the .mxf file into SQL Server for quite a while now. Oh joy.

It is very interesting but I still haven't found the data in the "History" tab of the "view scheduled" option that shows if a request was recorded, not recorded, partial, deleted, etc. I'm most interested in shows that WMC deleted to free up space.

This database is pretty heavily normalized. I'd like to make queries or views with joins and filters to help piece that information together more clearly. Ideally, I'd like to import the tables to SQL Server. Is there anyway to export them to XML files the way that some tables are stored in the "backup" folders in the "ehome" directory? I've already imported the "recordings" file.

Thanks for your help!

[StinkyImp]

I still haven't found the data in the "History" tab of the "view scheduled" option that shows if a request was recorded, not recorded, partial, deleted, etc.

As a proof of concept a few years ago I cobbled together a utility to pull this information into a concise report.

I designed it with a "drop-down" for the individual shows in the history BUT I also allowed the ability to type in a phrase (like "automatically deleted by the system to create disk space") to create a report of those too.

If you'd like to write your own program to extract this information, the discussion (including where to find the history) as well as some valuable insights and feedback by Space, IT Troll, and technodevotee, the post starts here...

[Space]

...

Ignore the rest of this post except the last line. One of my superpowers is answering my own questions the second after I press "submit". I'll be busy writing scripts to import the .mxf file into SQL Server for quite a while now. Oh joy.

It is very interesting but I still haven't found the data in the "History" tab of the "view scheduled" option that shows if a request was recorded, not recorded, partial, deleted, etc. I'm most interested in shows that WMC deleted to free up space.
...

I assume by the first line that you know this, but just to alleviate any frustration by someone else who stumbles across this thread, the History gets it's data from the Event Viewer logs, it is just a subset of these logs, so it is not located in the WMC database (except, I guess, there may be some cached entries, but I really have no idea).

When you "clear" the History in WMC, it doesn't really clear anything, it just sets the current date/time as the limit when querying the Event Viewer logs.

By the way, if you are looking for the Series "recorded" history, this is a totally separate thing. It keeps track of what individual episodes were recorded within a Series (and is deleted when you delete the Series), and I would assume that it IS in the WMC database. A tool that could view and modify this would be cool.

[tirebiter]

I assume by the first line that you know this, but just to alleviate any frustration by someone else who stumbles across this thread, the History gets it's data from the Event Viewer logs, it is just a subset of these logs, so it is not located in the WMC database (except, I guess, there may be some cached entries, but I really have no idea).

When you "clear" the History in WMC, it doesn't really clear anything, it just sets the current date/time as the limit when querying the Event Viewer logs.

By the way, if you are looking for the Series "recorded" history, this is a totally separate thing. It keeps track of what individual episodes were recorded within a Series (and is deleted when you delete the Series), and I would assume that it IS in the WMC database. A tool that could view and modify this would be cool.

Yes, I did figure out that WMC's history came from the Event Viewer rather than its database. StinkyImp's app is very useful, as is directly viewing event logs. As StinkyImp points out somewhere else you can increase the number of events by increasing the memory, and as he suggested, I set it to 49984. But now, when I select "history" WMC crashes. Maybe it will stop when more entries are stored, but it's not the end of the world. Either the log parser or the Event Viewer will suffice.

With the help of Gary's excellent "export store" feature, I've begun writing SQL scripts to insert table data to SQL Server. I don't see using it to build a tool, because SQL Server isn't portable. Maybe an Access database would work, but you'd still have to export the store and import the result to a database fairly regularly. I'm not expert enough with XML to query it directly. The data is cool though. I like the "recordings" table where the actors are listed in a single column, separated by slashes. I've noticed in the past that a wishlist movie was being recorded based on an actor, but eventually forgot the movie's name. Now I can query the SQL Server table for that actor and see all the recordings they appear in.

[StinkyImp]

I've begun writing SQL scripts to insert table data to SQL Server. I don't see using it to build a tool, because SQL Server isn't portable.

You might want to look at SQLite Database Browser. It does just about everything you want to do and they have a truly "portable" version. I've used it to create SQL databases, modify/add/delete fields and indices, inject and delete records, and all manner of SQL functions.

In my case I've done it all manually but I'd just about bet they have the means to perform those functions programmatically. As always... YMMV

[tirebiter]

You might want to look at SQLite Database Browser. It does just about everything you want to do and they have a truly "portable" version. I've used it to create SQL databases, modify/add/delete fields and indices, inject and delete records, and all manner of SQL functions.

In my case I've done it all manually but I'd just about bet they have the means to perform those functions programmatically. As always... YMMV

I did try SQLite, but it prompted me for a passphrase on the WMC database. Do you know how to open it?

[StinkyImp]

Do you know how to open it?

That's a great question! I've used "DB Browser for SQLite" on a number of SQL databases and also created my own, but I never tried to open the WMC database. I just tried and you're correct! It can't be opened without a password or pass phrase.

I'm curious if the access phrase/method is documented anywhere or if it's lost to time? It seems silly for them to withhold that information for a piece of software they've deprecated and thrown by the wayside.

Someone, somewhere, knows it. It's just a matter of finding it.