[moshoodo123]

@RayW1986, thats how the set up box I used behave. it goes to the input channel number regardless of the category you are in.


@primaeval , Happy New Year. thanks for this great addon.

[Jeffers24]

@samueljones You shouldn't need to follow any of these new instructions if your xmltv_ids work.

@RayW1986 The ID won't skip Categories at the moment. It just checks if the number is in the list of ids currently shown.
Maybe it should but that would mean switching back to All Channels and might be confusing.
What do set-top boxes do?

Set-top boxes I have used tend to skip to any channel number id input regardless of what section of the epg you're in.

I do see how this could become confusing though, and we can only work on assumptions that make sense to us. For example, when I had Sky TV, I would only choose a category in the EPG when either A) I wasn't sure what I wanted to watch but knew what kind of channel I wanted to watch, or B) didn't know a channel's number but knew it would be in Music/Sport/etc so used it as a shortcut. While in a category I browsed using the directional keys on my remote and never with channel input.

I make this assumption that others would have similar experiences or use the guide the same way I do because it makes sense to me. You, and others, most likely use a guide differently and so make other assumptions of users.

I'm not sure what we can do here as a common ground, frankly it isn't that important right now, we have time to think.

I use mine the same as Ray, I would browse a category using the up/down keys, I would only use a channel number because it's one I use all the time, I know it's channel number and I want to go to it from wherever I am.

[primaeval]

version 0.0.280
- Settings \ Playback \ Shortcut Editor (run the guide once to create the file)
- xmltv loading fix for 0.0.279

There was a bug in 0.0.279 when loading an xmltv if all the mappings weren't done. It should be ok now.
If you are unlucky you might have to do a database force refresh to clean some nonsense channel listings.

Thanks for the input about changing channels. I'll have a look later and try not to jump back to All Channels if possible.

Here is a simple Shortcut Editor that you can use from the Settings menu.
I've just realised it needs an extra step if the file hasn't been copied and renamed. Hold tight for an update.

[MikeKL]

Running beta 0.0.280 where its been a while since I have needed to update my channel-Stream links and wanted to add an alternative for ITV. For me I now have no addons appearing (TV Fullscreen cant find?) in order to browse and select a specific stream from a specific addon to select channel
(I have always used basic browse addons and select channel method)

Stream Setup option



Llooking through all top options in settings = empty screen?



Using alternative stream method



I can see possible alternative streams, but only from same add-on, cannot move/see other addons I have installed etc?



Is this a bug, would it be a good idea to reset DB and perhaps even start clean with add-on etc?
(Note don't think this has occured in very recent beta release, as over christmas been away from home etc)

PS Happy New Year to all

[primaeval]

version 0.0.281
- initialise Shortcut Editor

This should fix the Shortcut Editor initialisation.

I tried to just play the channel if it isn't in the current Category but there are too many things depending on there being a current visible program.
Is going back to All Channels a bad idea if the channel can't be found?

@MikeKL are you using Jarvis or Kodi Xyclone or Kodi Zeta now? It is ok in Jarvis for me.

[MikeKL]

@MikeKL are you using Jarvis or Kodi Xyclone or Kodi Zeta now? It is ok in Jarvis for me.

OK, understand could be LibreELEC build related, currently using latest nightly #0101, from here on my rpi2
http://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=298461

---edit---Looks like going to need to rollback to Krypton or even Jarvis ;-) as loving the work on this add-on.

[TheGame1986]

@primaeval is the height of the channel column pre-defined? I'm working on something and I can't make it smaller, even though I've changed the XML accordingly.

EDIT: Nevermind, I'm an idiot.

[myname]

@primaeval is the height of the channel column pre-defined? I'm working on something and I can't make it smaller, even though I've changed the XML accordingly.

EDIT: Nevermind, I'm an idiot.

If you are working on a skin, be aware of your font files. I started testing Krypton again yesterday and noticed many of my fonts were wrong. I looked into Confluences font.xml and then Estuarys and noticed there are MANY font inconsistencies. Most of the IDs don't match up between versions and if they do the default size is different. font13 and font10 work in both skins, but they are different sizes (grrrrr). The "Big" text i use is weird; "font_MainMenu". I find its a common size and ID amongst versions and was the only one i could find for big text in common but i wish it was 5 smaller. The font10 caused a few buttons to "bleed" (scroll) too. The logical answer would be to add a font.xml to the epg skin but i tried and couldn't figure it out, nothing was recognized. IMO if someone figures out how to add our own custom fonts we are golden, otherwise we are stuck with compromising. Some of 17 is pretty nice, but some is infuriating. I'm on the fence whether to switch over.

Also, switch in to pip mode occasionally to ensure your backgrounds hide properly when the epg is transparent. I had to put the backgrounds at the top of the main.xml and hide them with <visible>!Control.IsVisible(5000)+Control.IsVisible(5002)</visible>

[primaeval]

@primaeval is the height of the channel column pre-defined? I'm working on something and I can't make it smaller, even though I've changed the XML accordingly.

EDIT: Nevermind, I'm an idiot.

If you are working on a skin, be aware of your font files. I started testing Krypton again yesterday and noticed many of my fonts were wrong. I looked into Confluences font.xml and then Estuarys and noticed there are MANY font inconsistencies. Most of the IDs don't match up between versions and if they do the default size is different. font13 and font10 work in both skins, but they are different sizes (grrrrr). The "Big" text i use is weird; "font_MainMenu". I find its a common size and ID amongst versions and was the only one i could find for big text in common but i wish it was 5 smaller. The font10 caused a few buttons to "bleed" (scroll) too. Also, switch in to pip mode occasionally to ensure your backgrounds hide properly when the epg is transparent. I had to put the backgrounds at the top of the main.xml and hide them with <visible>!Control.IsVisible(5000)+Control.IsVisible(5002)</visible>

That's why I stick with Jarvis and Confluence. The skinners world is a madhouse. When they start using fanart as icons I just give up.

[TheGame1986]

@primaeval is the height of the channel column pre-defined? I'm working on something and I can't make it smaller, even though I've changed the XML accordingly.

EDIT: Nevermind, I'm an idiot.

If you are working on a skin, be aware of your font files. I started testing Krypton again yesterday and noticed many of my fonts were wrong. I looked into Confluences font.xml and then Estuarys and noticed there are MANY font inconsistencies. Most of the IDs don't match up between versions and if they do the default size is different. font13 and font10 work in both skins, but they are different sizes (grrrrr). The "Big" text i use is weird; "font_MainMenu". I find its a common size and ID amongst versions and was the only one i could find for big text in common but i wish it was 5 smaller. The font10 caused a few buttons to "bleed" (scroll) too. The logical answer would be to add a font.xml to the epg skin but i tried and couldn't figure it out, nothing was recognized. IMO if someone figures out how to add our own custom fonts we are golden, otherwise we are stuck with compromising. Some of 17 is pretty nice, but some is infuriating. I'm on the fence whether to switch over.

Also, switch in to pip mode occasionally to ensure your backgrounds hide properly when the epg is transparent. I had to put the backgrounds at the top of the main.xml and hide them with <visible>!Control.IsVisible(5000)+Control.IsVisible(5002)</visible>

Thanks for the advice. I actually did all the skins for FTV Guide so I'm quite versed in testing every little thing.

I will only use font13 for the most part, as deviating away from that will cause issues from skin to skin. Maybe some day we'll be able to use our own fonts in add-ons, who knows?

[myname]

@primaeval haha. the second a skin starts installing 50 random dependencies i want to uninstall it.

@RayW1986 Thanks for the skin. It was my training wheels for skinning (i suck). This skins core is pretty similar, but it has alot of extra ids that took a little deciphering. If it helps, heres my main.xml that has cliffs notes here and there and most of the original co ordinates that i changed are indented. font13 should be fine besides a 5 pixel difference, but big and small font regulars like font10 and font30_title were useless. I'd share the whole skin but i modded it quite a bit with custom things i added.

http://pastebin.com/A8VJ9Cji

[primaeval]

@myname and @RayW1986 and anyone interested. I've been thinking about putting some more hooks into the playback code so that it can run other code, similar to the AutoPlayWith mechanism.
If I can turn that into a sort of plugin framework people could add their own features without needing my services and I could get more sleep.
Let me know if that might be any use.

[TheGame1986]

@myname and @RayW1986 and anyone interested. I've been thinking about putting some more hooks into the playback code so that it can run other code, similar to the AutoPlayWith mechanism.
If I can turn that into a sort of plugin framework people could add their own features without needing my services and I could get more sleep.
Let me know if that might be any use.

That sounds interesting. Although I'm happy to just work around what I want to do. I'm doing it in this skin and I don't feel it's limiting me at all, just offering up another challenge.

[myname]

@primaeval

Something that plays the likes of these would be great.
Channel=ActivateWindow(10025,plugin://plugin.video.addonname/?mode=my_calendar,return)

Another idea is maybe appending from the normal kodi favourites.xml to the favourites.xml (isearch) in the epg addon. It's a sleeping giant i have been tinkering with. Playercorefactory.xml too. I was thinking of adding an if android exists show android stuff button.

While skinning is being discussed, i'm really lazy and use a mouse for 99% of the commands. My main keyboard is slim missing many common buttons like end and pg up\down so i try to create mouse buttons to click. There's only 3 times i need a keyboard; to enter channel number, to hit enter in the osd while channel surfing to tune to a different station, and going to the first channel number with "end" key. So, is there a sendclick for enter and end that would work, and maybe add an onscreen keyboard for channel numbers as a setting? I find it funny how much i get away with using only a mouse and am amazed these are the only commands i can't do.

[primaeval]

@primaeval

Something that plays the likes of these would be great.
Channel=ActivateWindow(10025,plugin://plugin.video.addonname/?mode=my_calendar,return)

Another idea is maybe appending from the normal kodi favourites.xml to the favourites.xml (isearch) in the epg addon. It's a sleeping giant i have been tinkering with. Playercorefactory.xml too. I was thinking of adding an if android exists show android stuff button.

While skinning is being discussed, i'm really lazy and use a mouse for 99% of the commands. My main keyboard is slim missing many common buttons like end and pg up\down so i try to create mouse buttons to click. There's only 3 times i need a keyboard; to enter channel number, to hit enter in the osd while channel surfing to tune to a different station, and going to the first channel number with "end" key. So, is there a sendclick for enter and end that would work, and maybe add an onscreen keyboard for channel numbers as a setting? I find it funny how much i get away with using only a mouse and am amazed these are the only commands i can't do.

I like using the mouse too if I can find a flat surface near the sofa. It should be easy enough to add some dialogs for numeric input.

Someone asked about playing Android channels. Have you found a way to do it?

The PlayWith command is a neat Kodi feature that I've never seen used before. I use it in the AutoPlayWiths to launch a channel with a player from the PlayerCoreFactory.xml. That is why I suggested the Playback hooks, which could let you do some powerful stuff with a bit of external code.

The ActivateWindow command should be easy enough to add. I think I've got most Favourites types to play in Simple Favourites now but there are a bazillion ways to launch shortcuts in Kodi.