[akira6968]

Hi, long-time user, first-time poster. I have a fun setup here, with several computers all running Windows 7, and a Server 2008 box hosting lotsa stuff. I'd like for it to host xbmc, or at least userdata, particularly source info. the idea is for every computer, and every user, to be set up with the same sources. There is no use of plugins, nothin special, just sources.

I'm no genius, I just spend an incredible amount of time reading and learning but I've decided Dev Codes are out of my ability to grasp. I have very little understanding of XML, but given enough of the right examples I can put some things together sometimes.

Anyway, I found the xbmc.log file. It states that the masterprofile is at c:\blahblahblah. i can't find what it is that directs that setting though.

is there a way to direct it to \\server08\xbmc\userdata ?
or maybe a mapped networked drive? I did try installing from local machine onto networked drive, giving the option to store userdata in same directory. No dice, even when i run command line "cd /dz:\xbmc\xbmc.exe" xbmc will run, but the whole xbmc directory including userdata gets created in local user folders (appdata/roaming/xbmc/).

can't think of anything else to post, but ill post whatever anyone thinks will help to know.

[jhsrennie]

It isn't possible for XBMC running on two or more PCs to share the same userdata folder.

If you configure your 2008 server as a domain controller and use domain accounts you could configure this by using group policies to redirect the appdata folder to a network location, then logon to all the PCs as the same user account. However you'll get conflicts when the two copies of XBMC try, for example, to open the same xbmc.log for writing.

It is possible to have a shared library running on a central MySQL server (MySQL works just fine on Windows 2008).

JR

[akira6968]

thanks for the reply. i wondered about that... guess thats whhy they have svn lol.. well i guess it wont be tooo easy but wish me luck.

edit- ok so i did a lil research on folder redirection and thats gonna be a no-go for me. for my situation i have to learn how to make custom policies that do a custom registry hack that i dont fully understand....sounds fun really but im trying to get this done quicker than i can learn that.

i did however find another option that may yet work and just wanted to share for anyone else.

if xbmc runs on a server which hhosts aall files and therefore will always haave the most current userdata files i assume i could set up a logon script to just run a batch file to xcopy that info to the local user profile.... gonna give it a go. hopefully this could work for copying all the scraped stuff too maybe...

sorry bout all the double letterss this tablet keyboard in my work truck sucks

and thx agaiin JR yoou got me on the right track i think

akira

[RckStr]

Osx allows sharing the userdata dir using symlinks, I do so myself. I imagine windows allows you to do the same. Beware that only one instance may be running while scraping.

[cold_realms]

folder redirection does not require any registry alterations. Simple group policy is all that is needed.

[akira6968]

the only folders i can redirect, without changing the registry, are the pre-determined ones like music, videos, app data, etc.... can't redirect any ol folder tho. am i missing something?

[jhsrennie]

the only folders i can redirect, without changing the registry, are the pre-determined ones like music, videos, app data, etc.... can't redirect any ol folder tho. am i missing something?

It's the app data folder you need to redirect. That's where the userdata folder is.

I would stick to using batch files though. There is a significant risk of data corruption if two instances of XBMC are using the same userdata folder.

JR

[cyber7]

You can also try and use RSYNC to copy the data from the one machine to the other. I do it and it works 100%. The only drawback is the watched content will always show as from the master.

I keep 2 XBMC-LIVE releases in step (2*1TB/1*2TB disks - content) and the userdata. As a matter of fact, I keep the entire XBMC home directories in step. It then passes all the picture info and database info to both...

Just my 10c
Aubrey

[mwkurt]

I am just setting up a network with a central PC running Windows 7 as a server, and as of right now, just one client, another Windows 7 machine in my movie room. I have decided for now to go with syncing my folders. The only folder that I really care about is the "Thumbnails" folder from the userdata directory on the my server PC. But you could do the whole "Userdata" folder if you choose. I use Allway Sync http://allwaysync.com/ to keep my folders in check. I have a copy of XBMC always open and updating on my serverpc. I have Allway take a copy of my Thumbnails folder whenever there is no activity in userdata for a period of 10 minutes. It takes the Thumbnails folder and copies it directly to my other PC in my movie room. Has worked wonderfully so far. Whenever I tell my client PC to update the library, everything comes through great. The only downside to this option is that I now do not have any "watched" indicators. I will probably at some point, set up the mysql database on the server to get that functionality back.
I highly recommend Allway Sync. It has a vast array of options for syncing folders over a network and it is free! You can sync from one folder to as many as you have on your network. I was going to create a new thread suggesting Allway Sync to those of us who might be wanting to sync folders on our XBMC networks. But this hopefully will put the name out there.

Mark

[akira6968]

allway sync is nice, i use it as well....but if you get carried away with syncing it will trigger the program to tell you it thinks you're a business or something and you have to buy.... no longer free lol. I just bought it. Not as much fun as trying to host the whole app from a central location, or like you have done... but with group policy on a win2k8 box pushing a logon batch script. check this one out...

---------------------------------------------------------------------


@echo off
if not exist Y:\nul goto create_Y
MD Y:\mytemp
if not exist Y:\mytemp\nul goto NOT_READY
Rmdir Y:\mytemp
net use Y: /delete
goto create_Y

:NOT_READY
echo Drive Y:\ No network available
goto fout_Y

:create_Y
if not exist "\\server2008-01\SERVER PROGRAMS" goto fout_Y
net use Y: "\\server2008-01\Server Programs"
echo Drive Y:\ Server Programs.
goto next

:fout_Y
echo Can't make drive Y:\ until network is restored

goto next

:next
if not exist Z:\nul goto create_Z
MD Z:\mytemp
if not exist Z:\mytemp\nul goto Z_NOT_READY
rmdir Z:\mytemp
net use Z: /delete
goto create_Z


:Z_NOT_READY
echo Drive Z:\ No network available
goto fout_Z

:create_Z
if not exist "\\server2008-01\SHARED STUFF" goto fout_Z
net use Z: "\\server2008-01\Shared Stuff"
echo Drive Z:\ sHARED STUFF.

%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe "Z:"

:fout_Z
echo Can't make drive Z:\ until network is restored
exit
:end
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

if not exist %userprofile%\appdata\roaming\xbmc goto xp

xcopy "\\server2008-01\server programs\xbmc\userdata\*.*" "%userprofile%\appdata\roaming\xbmc\userdata" /k /y /h /c /e /d
goto end

:xp
if not exist %userprofile%\application data\xbmc goto end
xcopy "\\server2008-01\server programs\xbmc\userdata\*.*" "%userprofile%\application data\xbmc\userdata" /k /y /h /c /e /d

:end

exit
--------------------------------------------------------------


These two batch files set up the network drives every logon, and copy the userdata folder, but only files/folders that have been modified or are new. Then I have another script that creates a shortcut on the desktop of all users for xbmc.

Now onto the next challenge.... how to deploy XBMC through group policy.....

[akira6968]

Thank you all for your help....truly appreciated
be on the lookout for my next thread, as mentioned above:
How the heck can I make XBMC automatically install on a machine through group policy OR how can I turn XBMC into a .MSI? Ah, fun stuff.

edit: did some research, found a method of .msi creation called "differing" which IS pretty easy, but XBMC it seems is too complicated a software for this approach. Here ends my search/journey to deploy XBMC through group policy

The software I found is called "WINinstall" LE by Scalable. Works for simpler stuff, but not so easy with something like XBMC which does some kind of live download/install of DirectX and VC+ redist...

I suppose there's not (relatively) too many xbmc users with a domain setup anyway, but thought I'd throw out what I found.