[braz]

Thanks for all your help Bob, I appreciate it!

[braz]

Hello again.

I'm taking another stab at the autoreload method. I have it working for library content, but it's not working for widgets from ExtendedInfo or PinkBike addons. I noticed in my log that for library content, "&reload=autoreloadStringAnd..." gets appended to the path. For plugin content, however, the "&reload=" part is missing. Is it supposed to be like this?

Here's my log:

http://goo.gl/c1qqMy

And here's my entire template file:

http://goo.gl/CBxjvq

Thanks Bob!

[User 224999]

I'm curious about the autoreload stuff too. Tried to make that work but in the end there was always an addon/path which didn't like something to be added to the path, for example the YouTube addon.

BTW: If you're using skinhelper service in your skin there are a few interesting properties to use for the reload:

$INFO[Window(Home).Property(widgetreload)] --> will change if any video content is changed in the library or after playback stop of any video content

$INFO[Window(Home).Property(widgetreload-episodes)] --> same as normal widgetreload but only for episodes
$INFO[Window(Home).Property(widgetreload-movies)] --> same as normal widgetreload but only for movies
$INFO[Window(Home).Property(widgetreload-tvshows)] --> if tvshow content is added/changed in the library
$INFO[Window(Home).Property(widgetreloadmusic)] --> will change if any music content is changed in the library or after playback stop

$INFO[Window(Home).Property(widgetreload2)] --> changes every 10 minutes

The properties

[BobCratchett]

@braz - I'm not near an actual computer at the moment but it sounds like I may have misspoken earlier (I did say I was still learning how to use this feature ) - it sounds like you may need to use $PYTHON[$SKINSHORTCUTS[python snippet]] after all, but I'll look into it properly tomorrow.

@marcelveldt - That's why I have the interest in trying to do this with Python, so limited processing can be done and we can get back something that always can be correctly appended without breaking the widget. It's very much a wip, and may well prove to be impossible yet . I haven't tried it with YouTube, but will put that on my to-do list to see if I can re-create and fix the problem there.

[braz]

No rush Bob, thanks!

Update: I changed it to $PYTHON[$SKINSHORTCUTS[autoreload]] and that fixed the problem with SimplePlaylists and PinkBike paths. The only one that isn't working for me now is a YouTube path, as Marcelveldt mentioned.

[User 224999]

@marcelveldt - That's why I have the interest in trying to do this with Python, so limited processing can be done and we can get back something that always can be correctly appended without breaking the widget. It's very much a wip, and may well prove to be impossible yet . I haven't tried it with YouTube, but will put that on my to-do list to see if I can re-create and fix the problem there.

Sounds great, I was already thinking about a toggle for each widget to enable the autorefreshes but if it can be fully automated that would be best. Speaking of that, I think that this is something that most skinners are stuggling with and maybe it would be nice to just handle it fully in the skinshortcuts code (optional off course).

Otherwise we all have to copy the template code to do the same trick while it might be handled already if skinshortcuts just adds the correct reload property automated (assuming skinhelperservice is also installed)
For all widgets provided in the default widgets list in skinshortcuts I already handled this as you know, because that listing is provided by skinhelper and the correct reloads param gets appended.

[BobCratchett]

Yes, I've been thinking along the same lines - I'm reading semi-regular reports of plugins not refreshing, so appending one of the skin helper reloads when creating the widgetPath (if we can do it without breaking, for example, the YouTube plugin) when creating a widget seems like a sensible idea.

(This widgetReload trick that we're trying to get working here is a slightly different issue, though - where a widget disappears because the page was closed whilst it was being loaded - as fixing that requires detecting that the widget has 'stalled', to me this feels better handled skin-side if possible - particularly as the method I'm using requires adding onunload's to the window in question)

[User 224999]

(This widgetReload trick that we're trying to get working here is a slightly different issue, though - where a widget disappears because the page was closed whilst it was being loaded - as fixing that requires detecting that the widget has 'stalled', to me this feels better handled skin-side if possible - particularly as the method I'm using requires adding onunload's to the window in question)

Hmm, it seems that my skin is affected by that too....
http://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=...pid2275421

I think this has something to do with the fact that the home window stays in memory so the widgets won't be reloaded when you leave the home and return.

[braz]

Hey Marceveldt and Bob, here's what I've noticed with Mimic....

1) Implemented templates for widgets so they wouldn't have to reload when switching menu items. Noticed that some or all widgets would disappear occasionally, seemingly at random. Couldn't figure out how to reliably replicate the issue.

2) Implemented custom IDs for widgets based on the menu item ID. This seemed to help, but still experienced disappearing widgets a time or two.

3) Today, I implemented the autoreload python method for the home widgets. Although YouTube based widgets are not currently working, I hoped this would resolve the disappearing widgets issue. However, I just experienced the widgets disappearing again. It seems like its the widgets that have plugin paths that disappear most often. Reloading the skin brings them right back, as it did when they disappeared before.

Hope this helps, I'm available for any testing. Thanks!

[BobCratchett]

Just tried a YouTube widget (using Kolifanes YouTube fork) - specifically the 'Popular Right Now' node - along with the auto-reload stuff and it's worked fine for me (with an adjustment to $PYTHON[$SKINSHORTCUTS[autoreload]], so that the python snippet actually gets evaluated ) - The YouTube widget loads correctly, and refreshes if it gets stalled when the window is next opened (this is in a custom window for me, as I can easily reproduce the stalling widgets there). If there's a particular node within the YouTube plugin that isn't working with this method, let me know.

[braz]

Bob, the one that didn't work for me is the Eurogamer widget that is provided by skin helper service, which pulls from YouTube.

[BobCratchett]

Looks like Extended Info doesn't like anything being added to its path, so a version of the snippet which leaves it alone:

Code:

<property name="autoreload">'' if path in 'script.extendedinfo?' else autoreloadStringAnd %( id ) if path in 'plugin' and path in '?' else autoreloadStringQuestion %( id ) if path in 'plugin' else ''</property>

[braz]

Thanks Bob, I'm using the updated snippet to ignore ExtendedInfo. What's interesting is I'm still experiencing disappearing widgets from time to time. I'm going to keep a close eye on it and see if I notice any patterns.

[BobCratchett]

I tried to use the workaround on my main tv last night and, well, it didn't go well. There's just too many widgets that the workaround doesn't work for or break (library nodes, extended info, sources). My next attempt will be building a template which will call ReloadSkin() if a widget appears to have stalled (probably by setting a window property onunload, and having a button that clears said property and issues the command onload if the property is empty. That will be this evenings job.

I'm also going to open a Trac ticket about it (now done) because it does appear to be a Kodi issue with dynamically filled lists (and not least because I have another ticket I've said I'll open), and it may be worth opening the discussion up within the skinning forum in case anyone has come across and dealt with this issue before (whilst discussions about ways to use Skin Shortcuts to work around it are welcomed here!)

[braz]

Thanks Bob, I read the Trac ticket, very well explained! Let me know if I can do any testing or if you need any information from me. Hopefully this is something that can be fixed in core and won't need workarounds.