[AntiPontifex]

If, perhaps, you are taking requests for other add on projects, you may want to tackle this site:

https://blackfilmarchive.com/

They seem to have quite the online archive going. Again, thank you for your efforts.

[barney63]

@jbinkley60

Getting the nfb.ca and generic Kodi Playback error when trying to play some videos in the Based on Childrens' Books category.  I checked the website and they both play there.  I haven't checked to see what other videos may not play...  Did a quick check, several other vids in the category won't play.

I Want a Dog
The Girl Who Hated Books

Kodi 20/Win 7/Addon version 0.0.990e/Using new t1mlib

Tks

[jbinkley60]

@jbinkley60

Getting the nfb.ca and generic Kodi Playback error when trying to play some videos in the Based on Childrens' Books category.  I checked the website and they both play there.  I haven't checked to see what other videos may not play...  Did a quick check, several other vids in the category won't play.

I Want a Dog
The Girl Who Hated Books

Kodi 20/Win 7/Addon version 0.0.990e/Using new t1mlib

Tks

Sorry I missed this previously.  I was out on vacation when it was originally sent.  I am able to reproduce the error.  I took a quick look and it looks like the website is sending back two different types of JSON responses for this data item (single elements and lists).  The addon is failing on the list responses.  Give me a couple of days and when I have some spare time I should be able to craft a quick fix.


Thanks,

Jeff

[barney63]

Sorry I missed this previously.  I was out on vacation when it was originally sent.  I am able to reproduce the error.  I took a quick look and it looks like the website is sending back two different types of JSON responses for this data item (single elements and lists).  The addon is failing on the list responses.  Give me a couple of days and when I have some spare time I should be able to craft a quick fix

Right on, good to see you back

[jbinkley60]

I've added a check to catch the error condition.  It will not popup a dialog box telling you the video is not playable.  I've uploaded version 0.0.990f which has the fix.   The error I am seeing has something to do with authentication.  I don't see an obvious cause but will need to dig further through the code that fetches the list of items to play.  Does this website require any type of login or credentials ?


Thanks,

Jeff

[barney63]

I've added a check to catch the error condition.  It will not popup a dialog box telling you the video is not playable.  I've uploaded version 0.0.990f which has the fix.   The error I am seeing has something to do with authentication.  I don't see an obvious cause but will need to dig further through the code that fetches the list of items to play.  Does this website require any type of login or credentials ?

There is a sign-in but you don't need it to play videos from the website.  Both of the examples I posted will play from the website.

Is the word not (above) a typo?  A popup does appear saying NFB.ca "unable to play selected video"

[jbinkley60]

Is the word not (above) a typo?  A popup does appear saying NFB.ca "unable to play selected video"

Yes, that's a typo.  A popup will appear.  You are seeing it.  When I get more time I'll look into the root cause vs. just catching the errors.  From what I can tell it is a bit random but consistent when the problem occurs (i.e. always on the same videos and always with the same error).


Thanks,

Jeff

[barney63]

Yes, the popup is working properly, sometimes it is followed by the Kodi Playback Failed error box, if that makes a difference.  It happens very intermittently though, not too often.

[jbinkley60]

Yes, the popup is working properly, sometimes it is followed by the Kodi Playback Failed error box, if that makes a difference.  It happens very intermittently though, not too often.

I saw that a couple of times.  I am not sure why.  I will investigate that more too.  You aren't seeing the Kodi Failed Playback error without the NFB.CA popup are you ?


Jeff

[barney63]

You aren't seeing the Kodi Failed Playback error without the NFB.CA popup are you ?

The NFB popup always comes up first when video is unable to play.

[jbinkley60]

I spent some time reviewing this addon yesterday with regards to the popup errors saying an item can't be played.  They are still coming from the source website where it doesn't provide any JSON data for the requested video.  It responds properly for those which work.  I can't find any key to proactively determine whether something will play or not.

If someone can post an example of one which plays from the website but fails in the  addon, with a link to the working website video I will take another look and see if I can determine why.  My screen scraping Python skills have gotten a little better. 

I also will be updating the addon in the next couple of weeks to make it more Kodi 20 / 21 compatible and to get rid of the errors in the Kodi log which say:

"warning <general>: Setting most video properties through ListItem.setInfo() is deprecated and might be removed in future Kodi versions. Please use the respective setter in InfoTagVideo."

These are Kodi 20 /21 errors.


Thanks,

Jeff

[barney63]

If someone can post an example of one which plays from the website but fails in the  addon, with a link to the working website video I will take another look and see if I can determine why.  My screen scraping Python skills have gotten a little better.

@jbinkley60

Hey Jeff, good to see you back.

Here are a couple that work at the website and not in the addon

Canada Vignettes
Canada Vignettes: Calliope
Canada Vignettes: Instant French

[jbinkley60]

Hey Jeff, good to see you back.

Here are a couple that work at the website and not in the addon

Canada Vignettes
Canada Vignettes: Calliope
Canada Vignettes: Instant French

The first one plays for me with the addon.  The second one, Instant French, does throw the error in the addon.  Maybe I can find something different between the webpage and the addon but screen scraping is always hit-miss. This could end up being some type of browser User-Agent issue, which might be difficult to identify.  I'll see what I can find.


Thanks,

Jeff

[barney63]

@jbinkley60

I retried Calliope in the addon and it worked.  I exited the addon, went back in and it didn't work (got the error) and upon clicking it again it did work.

Canada Vignettes: Skier seems to not work in the addon, no matter after exiting and re-entering the addon and clicking multiple times

One of my favourites Hockey Films - Thunderbirds in China is the same as Skier above

Thanks

[jbinkley60]

I have posted a new test release of the addon which is more Kodi 20+ compatible.  It should  eliminate the error messages in the Kodi logs like:

Kodi log errors:
2023-09-10 05:31:38.242 T:5708  warning <general>: Setting most video properties through ListItem.setInfo() is deprecated and might be removed in future Kodi versions. Please use the respective setter in InfoTagVideo.

It doesn't add any new features or rectify some of the video not playing errors.  I am looking to potentially address those playback errors in the next test release.  They appear to be caused by bad information from the NFBCA website.  I may have another method to find the real URLs,

Please do some testing to ensure I didn't break anything.  Mainly look for Kodi errors or if there is information missing on any of the menus or video information screens. Also look to see that the above errors are gone in your kodi.log files, if you are on Kodi 20 and higher.  For Kodi 19 users there are no changes.


Thanks,

Jeff