[Johnston]

Hi, Long time lurker and Kodi user. Put Jarvis onto a mates Laptop but having issues.

Windows 10
Jarvis

Kodi installed fine, I then put a build on I did myself, all based on Add-ons we use and know that work, personalized to their interests and as easy as possible to find what they want. Everything seemed fine. But after a shutdown it went back to a bog standard Confluence skin. All settings gone.

Tried to reinstall the build, everything seems to go okay but none of the Data is saving. Tried to manually drag 'n drop the files into the Kodi folder but got an error. (Sorry, by this time I was too Eff'd off to write down the code if I have no luck I'll get it next time)

Only thing that seems to save are add-ons although some have stopped working. Everything installs and works fine on both my Windows 10 and Linux boxes. It would put you in mind of a Permissions issue but I have also tried to run it as Administrator with the same problems.

Any Ideas? First time Kodi has ever had me stumped.

[Dangelus]

We don't support installing "builds" in Kodi. They are not the correct way to install add-ons, can destabilise systems and are generally associated with piracy.

I'd suggest looking elsewhere for support but I'll leave this open for now as you have not indicated directly that you are wanting support to install piracy add-ons.

[Johnston]

No not looking support for anything like that.

I had it set up with Aeon and custom backgrounds linked with their favourite teams, that sort of thing. A section for their son on the Menu with his favourite wrestlers as backgrounds and shortcuts to child friendly addons in the Sub-Menu.

But none of that will save. Even if done manually. I only done it as a 'build' as it let me do it on my computer at home rather than leave him computerless and I wanted to learn more about the guts of Kodi anyway.

[trogggy]

It's not really clear what you're trying to do, or how you're going about it.
FWIW I'd say if you're on windows use a portable build (sorry Dangelus, I've called it that for years) - makes everything easier to find and you can have multiple builds (did it again) to try different things.
I just make a portable install (better?), then paste what I want directly into the portable_data folder* created and start kodi. Then add anything else I want from zips /repos and tweak the guisettings (eg set the skin / theme).
There are some things you can make changes to manually while kodi's running (by chucking files in), but in general that's a bad idea.
As Dangelus says though, it's not a recommended method. If you can describe what you want to add and how you're going about it I'll see if I can spot anything.
Which folders are you trying to write into? And is kodi running at the time?

*Typically a bunch of addons and addon-data folders, databases, thumbnails, sources, playlists, advancedsettings.xml, favourites etc.
Would have been a guisettings.xml pre-jarvis, now I don't bother. I'll add the same 'base' in different os's, then specifics for each.

[Johnston]

Basically they wanted Kodi and I talked them out of buying a pre-loaded-box/firestick and installed it on his Laptop until they get a Pi.

Instead of just installing a vanilla Kodi and I was already looking at customising our own set up. So I put together Aeon Nox with customised Menu and Backgrounds. (Mostly Liverpool FC but sneaked in a few Man U for balance lol) for a bit of practice. I followed a Tutorial on YT for making a 'Wizard'. I know I didn't need too but I'm trying to learn to code with my Pi so delving deeper into everything.


First time I installed it on his Lap top I did it as a backup as I wasn't finished yet. Everything seemed okay. But after a reboot all the backgrounds and Custom menu were gone. It was back to a plain vanilla Confluence.


By this stage I had the 'Build' finished I tested the Wizard on my system, both on Windows 10 and Linux. Everything worked okay. In fact I think it's still on my Windows partition. But on his computer everything looks as if it's installing okay, force close Kodi but when you open again it's still vanilla.

After that failed even as Admin I tried to drag and drop the appropriate folders and files into c:/users/[username]/appdata/roaming/kodi (Think thats the path I spend most of my time in Linux). That just caused Windows to throw out an Error and by that stage I was close to throwing his Laptop out the window (touchpads screwy). I had tried things with Kodi open, Kodi closed, as Administrator, without Admin rights and pretty much every combination.

I'm beginning to think either his OEM version of windows doesn't have the right permissions set. Or there is something not right with his computer.

[trogggy]

Firstly I know literally nothing about wizards and how they work /install.
Never used one.
Having said that...
If everything's working fine and as you want it on your windows pc then I'd convert that into a portable build on your machine, check it's still working properly and then copy it to your mate's laptop - making sure it goes to exactly the same place.
eg I have a folder - E/xbmc stuff - on all my pc's. Any portable build is put in there, so I can copy from 1 pc to another and everything (actually just shortcuts in my case) still works.

Check your windows install is working properly.
Have a read up on portable installs on the wiki. It's very straightforward though...
Decide on a location - needs to be somewhere that has write access (so not eg program files). And somewhere you can reproduce on your mate's laptop.
Make a folder with a catchy name ('kodiportable' if you're being boring) in that location.
Copy the contents of your kodi folder in program files into that folder.
Now make a new folder called 'portable_data' inside that 'kodiportable' folder.
Copy everything from the kodi folder in c/users/yourusername/appdata (appdata is a hidden folder)into that portable_data folder.
Now make a shortcut to kodiportable/kodi.exe and add the -p switch as described in the wiki.
Start kodi with that shortcut - does it work?

[DarrenHill]

That sounds like there's perhaps an issue with the guisettings.xml file which is preventing it getting reloaded, due to corruption or somesuch.

What may be the simplest route is to just get the set-up configured as you want it and stable (surviving a reboot), then close Kodi, go to %APPDATA% in Windows Explorer and make a zip file of the Kodi folder you'll find there.

On the new machine install Kodi, and then copy that zip file into their %APPDATA% folder and unzip it there. Then when they start Kodi it should start up as a clone of your original, as that Kodi folder is where the program stores everything.

Oh and a word to the wise, using the term "wizard" around here makes people even more nervous than using the word "build"

[Johnston]

Cheers Trogggy, I'll look that up and give it a go.

[Johnston]

Oh and a word to the wise, using the term "wizard" around here makes people even more nervous than using the word "build"

Ha Ha, yeah I thought that might be the case but had no idea how else to describe it.

But have no fear other than the template for the 'Wizard' and Kodi obviously. Everything else I put together myself. No pre-built build here

[trogggy]

That sounds like there's perhaps an issue with the guisettings.xml file which is preventing it getting reloaded, due to corruption or somesuch.

What may be the simplest route is to just get the set-up configured as you want it and stable (surviving a reboot), then close Kodi, go to %APPDATA% in Windows Explorer and make a zip file of the Kodi folder you'll find there.

On the new machine install Kodi, and then copy that zip file into their %APPDATA% folder and unzip it there. Then when they start Kodi it should start up as a clone of your original, as that Kodi folder is where the program stores everything.

Oh and a word to the wise, using the term "wizard" around here makes people even more nervous than using the word "build"

More than likely.
The advantage of the portable thingy though is that you're guaranteed to be running the same version of kodi, you're not messing with your mate's kodi / appdata and it's literally paste it into the laptop, start it up and check the firewall box and (hopefully) away.
I do sometimes wonder why anyone would want to run anything else other than portables on windows tbh.

[DarrenHill]

True (one being a superset of the other, presuming the portable data's equivalent of %APPDATA% was placed within the same folder and the whole lot got zipped and moved).

I just noted that there's potentially an OpenElec Pi potentially coming in the future, where such a portable installation won't be possible. The copy/paste of the Kodi folder though would more or less work into the .kodi folder on the Pi though (if there were no add-ons which made use of specific Windows requirements of course).

[trogggy]

True (one being a superset of the other, presuming the portable data's equivalent of %APPDATA% was placed within the same folder and the whole lot got zipped and moved).

I just noted that there's potentially an OpenElec Pi potentially coming in the future, where such a portable installation won't be possible. The copy/paste of the Kodi folder though would more or less work into the .kodi folder on the Pi though (if there were no add-ons which made use of specific Windows requirements of course).

That's how I do it. Same for android.
It's easier - for me at least - to sit in front of a monitor with keyboard and put something together / mess about then throw it at openelec.
More chance of it (the monitor) being free for a start.
Obviously you have to make sure any paths are internally valid (special) but other than that - and the odd specific addon / setting /.xml it just works.

I guess the easier way to move to the pi is to use the backup addon.

[Derek]

yeah wizard = i use pirate add-ons and i'm getting NO support whatsoever.

[Johnston]

No I used a Wizard template and followed a YT vid tutorial on how to do your own build/wizard. The only file downloaded bar the images for Backgrounds from various wallpaper sites was the Templates. NO 3rd party builds. Mainly because a) I wanted to know how to do it/how it works because I am trying to learn to code. The more I do the more I learn. Perfect exercise.

I did the set up on Kodi then uploaded to Dropbox etc pointed the Wizard to MY links.

AND if read the thread you'd see I had already posted that AND that even when I did it through the Backup add-on it still didn't save.

this is the Video I used.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeKNz0G-w0U

Which I found by going to the Channel of the Videos on this page
http://kodi.wiki/view/HOW-TO:Create_a_re...or_add-ons

Which I am going to assume is the Official Kodi wiki especially seeing as it is crossed linked to this forum?

In which case how on earth is anyone supposed to know something is not acceptable when they get to it through an Official Kodi site?

[Derek]

I meant thats the general default response thats all mate, i know not everyone is using pirate addons