Solved Amber playlist issue in Linux-Ubuntu
#1
For some unknown reason, Amber isn't functioning on linux as it does on Windows.  The issue relates to playlists.  If I want to change the action of of a home screen menu item like "Movies", I select "Change Action" of what happens when you click the Movie button.  The default is "ActivateWindow(Videos,vVdeoDB://Movies/Titles/.Return) and this works as expected. 

If I want to  change the action to instead show a playlist, I would in Windows Kodi, select Change Action->Video Library->Playlist (not playlistS) and I would be presented  with a list of all the Video playlists, select one, and the new action would be a subset of all the movies depending on the playlist.  In Windows, it's all good. 

In Linux (Ubuntu), the list of playlists is empty with nothing to choose from, even though there are playlists in the /.kodi/userdata/playlists/video folder as evidenced by selecting the playlist button on the Movies sub menu.  It's the same for any sub menu button as well.  Movies-Sub Menu (Comedy) button.  No way to select a playlist for the button.  A workaround is select a Custom action and manually type in ActivateWindow(videos,special://profile/playlists/video/movies-comedy.xsp,return) which is what the result would have looked like had I been able to select the playlist by Change Action->Video Library->Playlist.  Needless to say, that's not as expected.

I've tried several different PC's with different flavors of Ubuntu.  The version of Kodi is 19.2 Matrix.  Amber version is 3.4.11 from Kodi repository.

Thanks in advance for any ideas what might be happening.
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#2
(2021-10-17, 01:20)dpetr Wrote: For some unknown reason, Amber isn't functioning on linux as it does on Windows.  The issue relates to playlists.  If I want to change the action of of a home screen menu item like "Movies", I select "Change Action" of what happens when you click the Movie button.  The default is "ActivateWindow(Videos,vVdeoDB://Movies/Titles/.Return) and this works as expected. 

If I want to  change the action to instead show a playlist, I would in Windows Kodi, select Change Action->Video Library->Playlist (not playlistS) and I would be presented  with a list of all the Video playlists, select one, and the new action would be a subset of all the movies depending on the playlist.  In Windows, it's all good. 

In Linux (Ubuntu), the list of playlists is empty with nothing to choose from, even though there are playlists in the /.kodi/userdata/playlists/video folder as evidenced by selecting the playlist button on the Movies sub menu.  It's the same for any sub menu button as well.  Movies-Sub Menu (Comedy) button.  No way to select a playlist for the button.  A workaround is select a Custom action and manually type in ActivateWindow(videos,special://profile/playlists/video/movies-comedy.xsp,return) which is what the result would have looked like had I been able to select the playlist by Change Action->Video Library->Playlist.  Needless to say, that's not as expected.

I've tried several different PC's with different flavors of Ubuntu.  The version of Kodi is 19.2 Matrix.  Amber version is 3.4.11 from Kodi repository.

Thanks in advance for any ideas what might be happening.
@dpetr , I am not sure that this is an Amber issue.  Could you please try another skin that uses script.skinshortcuts for the menu configuration and see if you have that same problem? You could try Aeon Nox Silvo or Arctic Horizon.  I ask this to try to pinpoint if it is a skinshortctus error in Ubuntu.  Thanks.

Also, it would be interesting if you could provide a debug log that shows when you are trying to add the playlist as a menu item and you get an empty list back.  Perhaps there is something in the log that gives more of a clue of where the error is.

Regards,

Bart
Amber Maintainer
Main HTPC: Intel Core i7, 32GB, nVidia GTX1080, Windows 11 Soundbar: Samsung HW-Q950A TV: LG CX Kodi: 19.3 Skin: Amber
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#3
You are absolutely correct.  The other two skins have the same issue.  The log files are littered with errors.  I even get a Kodi crash log on every exit, so I suspect this isn't going to be an easy fix.  I can post the logs, but it probably would be easier to load any version of ubuntu into a virtual machine if that is possible and have a go at it.  A small portion of kodi.log:

2021-10-17 18:02:31.380 T:13684    INFO <general>: Loading skin file: Home.xml, load type: KEEP_IN_MEMORY
2021-10-17 18:02:31.383 T:13684 WARNING <general>: Skin has invalid include: skinshortcuts-template-shelfgroup2shelvesbackground
2021-10-17 18:02:31.383 T:13684 WARNING <general>: Skin has invalid include: skinshortcuts-template-shelfgroup3shelvesbackground
2021-10-17 18:02:31.383 T:13684 WARNING <general>: Skin has invalid include: skinshortcuts-template-shelfgroup1
2021-10-17 18:02:31.383 T:13684 WARNING <general>: Skin has invalid include: skinshortcuts-template-shelfgroup2
2021-10-17 18:02:31.383 T:13684 WARNING <general>: Skin has invalid include: skinshortcuts-template-shelfgroup3
2021-10-17 18:02:31.383 T:13684 WARNING <general>: Skin has invalid include: skinshortcuts-template-shelfgroup4
2021-10-17 18:02:31.383 T:13684 WARNING <general>: Skin has invalid include: skinshortcuts-template-shelfgroup5
2021-10-17 18:02:31.383 T:13684 WARNING <general>: Skin has invalid include: skinshortcuts-template-shelfgroup6
2021-10-17 18:02:31.383 T:13684 WARNING <general>: Skin has invalid include: skinshortcuts-template-ShelfIndicator
2021-10-17 18:02:31.384 T:13684 WARNING <general>: Skin has invalid include: skinshortcuts-template-ShelfOnUpMainMenu
2021-10-17 18:02:31.422 T:13745    INFO <general>: initializing python engine.
2021-10-17 18:02:31.544 T:13745   ERROR <general>: Skipped 1 duplicate messages..
2021-10-17 18:02:31.544 T:13745   ERROR <general>: EXCEPTION Thrown (PythonToCppException) : -->Python callback/script returned the following error<--
                                                    - NOTE: IGNORING THIS CAN LEAD TO MEMORY LEAKS!
                                                   Error Type: <class 'ImportError'>
                                                   Error Contents: cannot import name 'favourites' from 'lib' (/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/lib/__init__.py)
                                                   Traceback (most recent call last):
                                                     File "/home/harvester/.kodi/addons/script.favourites/default.py", line 2, in <module>
                                                       from lib import favourites
                                                   ImportError: cannot import name 'favourites' from 'lib' (/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/lib/__init__.py)
                                                   -->End of Python script error report<--
                                                   
2021-10-17 18:02:31.551 T:13745    INFO <general>: Python interpreter stopped
2021-10-17 18:02:31.860 T:13746    INFO <general>: CPythonInvoker(7, /home/harvester/.kodi/addons/script.skinshortcuts/default.py): script successfully run
2021-10-17 18:02:31.871 T:13746    INFO <general>: Python interpreter stopped
2021-10-17 18:02:45.411 T:13684    INFO <general>: Loading skin file: SkinSettings.xml, load type: LOAD_EVERY_TIME
2021-10-17 18:02:52.179 T:13780    INFO <general>: initializing python engine.
2021-10-17 18:02:52.445 T:13684    INFO <general>: Loading skin file: /home/harvester/.kodi/addons/skin.amber/1080i/script-skinshortcuts.xml, load type: LOAD_ON_GUI_INIT
2021-10-17 18:02:52.511 T:13782   ERROR <general>: GetDirectory - Error getting /home/harvester/.kodi/userdata/library/video
2021-10-17 18:02:52.512 T:13782   ERROR <general>: GetDirectory - Error getting /home/harvester/.kodi/userdata/library/music
2021-10-17 18:02:52.515 T:13782   ERROR <general>: GetDirectory - Error getting upnp://
2021-10-17 18:02:52.517 T:13782   ERROR <general>: Traceback (most recent call last):
                                                   
2021-10-17 18:02:52.517 T:13782   ERROR <general>: 
2021-10-17 18:02:52.517 T:13782   ERROR <general>:   File "/home/harvester/.kodi/addons/script.skinshortcuts/resources/lib/library.py", line 971, in playlists
                                                       for line in xmldata.getiterator():
                                                   
2021-10-17 18:02:52.517 T:13782   ERROR <general>: 
2021-10-17 18:02:52.517 T:13782   ERROR <general>: AttributeError: 'xml.etree.ElementTree.Element' object has no attribute 'getiterator'
                                                   
2021-10-17 18:02:52.517 T:13782   ERROR <general>: 
2021-10-17 18:02:52.517 T:13782   ERROR <general>: Traceback (most recent call last):
                                               
2021-10-17 18:02:52.517 T:13782   ERROR <general>: 
2021-10-17 18:02:52.517 T:13782   ERROR <general>:   File "/home/harvester/.kodi/addons/script.skinshortcuts/resources/lib/library.py", line 971, in playlists
                                                       for line in xmldata.getiterator():
                                                   
2021-10-17 18:02:52.517 T:13782   ERROR <general>: 
2021-10-17 18:02:52.517 T:13782   ERROR <general>: AttributeError: 'xml.etree.ElementTree.Element' object has no attribute 'getiterator'
                                                   
2021-10-17 18:02:52.517 T:13782   ERROR <general>: 
2021-10-17 18:02:52.517 T:13782   ERROR <general>: Traceback (most recent call last):
                                                   
2021-10-17 18:02:52.517 T:13782   ERROR <general>: 
2021-10-17 18:02:52.517 T:13782   ERROR <general>:   File "/home/harvester/.kodi/addons/script.skinshortcuts/resources/lib/library.py", line 971, in playlists
                                                       for line in xmldata.getiterator():
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#4
This is not right.  Part of the same log.  GetDirectory fails.  With this many errors, you'd think nothing would work but it does mostly work!

2021-10-17 18:03:04.742 T:13684    INFO <general>: Loading skin file: /home/harvester/.kodi/addons/skin.amber/1080i/DialogSelect.xml, load type: LOAD_ON_GUI_INIT
2021-10-17 18:03:04.744 T:13684   ERROR <general>: Control 3 in window 13001 has been asked to focus, but it can't
2021-10-17 18:03:06.947 T:13684    INFO <general>: Loading skin file: /home/harvester/.kodi/addons/skin.amber/1080i/DialogSelect.xml, load type: LOAD_ON_GUI_INIT
2021-10-17 18:03:06.949 T:13684   ERROR <general>: Control 3 in window 13002 has been asked to focus, but it can't
2021-10-17 18:03:13.631 T:13684    INFO <general>: Loading skin file: /home/harvester/.kodi/addons/skin.amber/1080i/DialogSelect.xml, load type: LOAD_ON_GUI_INIT
2021-10-17 18:03:13.632 T:13684   ERROR <general>: Control 3 in window 13001 has been asked to focus, but it can't
2021-10-17 18:03:20.762 T:13684    INFO <general>: Loading skin file: /home/harvester/.kodi/addons/skin.amber/1080i/DialogSelect.xml, load type: LOAD_ON_GUI_INIT
2021-10-17 18:03:20.767 T:13684   ERROR <general>: Control 3 in window 13002 has been asked to focus, but it can't
2021-10-17 18:03:23.980 T:13684    INFO <general>: Loading skin file: /home/harvester/.kodi/addons/skin.amber/1080i/DialogSelect.xml, load type: LOAD_ON_GUI_INIT
2021-10-17 18:03:23.981 T:13684   ERROR <general>: Control 3 in window 13001 has been asked to focus, but it can't
2021-10-17 18:03:29.628 T:13780    INFO <general>: CPythonInvoker(8, /home/harvester/.kodi/addons/script.skinshortcuts/default.py): script successfully run
2021-10-17 18:03:29.642 T:13780    INFO <general>: Python interpreter stopped
2021-10-17 18:03:31.015 T:13828    INFO <general>: initializing python engine.
2021-10-17 18:03:31.019 T:13829   ERROR <general>: GetDirectory - Error getting settings
2021-10-17 18:03:31.019 T:13829   ERROR <general>: GetDirectory - Error getting SkinSettings
2021-10-17 18:03:31.019 T:13830    INFO <general>: initializing python engine.
2021-10-17 18:03:31.285 T:13830   ERROR <general>: Skipped 1 duplicate messages..
2021-10-17 18:03:31.285 T:13830   ERROR <general>: EXCEPTION Thrown (PythonToCppException) : -->Python callback/script returned the following error<--
                                                    - NOTE: IGNORING THIS CAN LEAD TO MEMORY LEAKS!
                                                   Error Type: <class 'ImportError'>
                                                   Error Contents: cannot import name 'favourites' from 'lib' (/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/lib/__init__.py)
                                                   Traceback (most recent call last):
                                                     File "/home/harvester/.kodi/addons/script.favourites/default.py", line 2, in <module>
                                                       from lib import favourites
                                                   ImportError: cannot import name 'favourites' from 'lib' (/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/lib/__init__.py)
                                                   -->End of Python script error report<--
                                                   
2021-10-17 18:03:31.286 T:13830    INFO <general>: Python interpreter stopped
2021-10-17 18:03:31.751 T:13831    INFO <general>: CPythonInvoker(11, /home/harvester/.kodi/addons/script.skinshortcuts/default.py): script successfully run
2021-10-17 18:03:31.764 T:13831    INFO <general>: Python interpreter stopped
2021-10-17 18:03:31.929 T:13828    INFO <general>: CPythonInvoker(9, /home/harvester/.kodi/addons/script.skinshortcuts/default.py): script successfully run
2021-10-17 18:03:31.940 T:13828    INFO <general>: Python interpreter stopped
2021-10-17 18:03:31.954 T:13684    INFO <general>: Unloaded skin
2021-10-17 18:03:31.954 T:13684    INFO <general>:   load skin from: /home/harvester/.kodi/addons/skin.amber/ (version: 3.4.11)
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#5
(2021-10-18, 03:47)dpetr Wrote: You are absolutely correct.  The other two skins have the same issue.  The log files are littered with errors.  I even get a Kodi crash log on every exit, so I suspect this isn't going to be an easy fix.  I can post the logs, but it probably would be easier to load any version of ubuntu into a virtual machine if that is possible and have a go at it.  A small portion of kodi.log:

@dpetr , in the log snippets that you posted I do see a skinshortcuts error that could be the cause of the issue for you.  Could you please use the latest skinshortcuts (not yet on the kodi repo): https://github.com/mikesilvo164/script.s...master.zip

Download that zip, remove the -master from the end of the folder name inside the zip file, and just overwrite the current script.skinshortcuts folder with the contents from the zip file.  Quit Kodi before doing this.  I think this new version might have fixes that address the issue you are having.

Please let me know how it goes.  Thanks.

Regards,

Bart
Amber Maintainer
Main HTPC: Intel Core i7, 32GB, nVidia GTX1080, Windows 11 Soundbar: Samsung HW-Q950A TV: LG CX Kodi: 19.3 Skin: Amber
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#6
Also which part of "Do not post logs in the forum. Use https://paste.kodi.tv/ instead." was unclear, just so we can correct it? Wink
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#7
(2021-10-18, 18:01)DarrenHill Wrote: Also which part of "Do not post logs in the forum. Use https://paste.kodi.tv/ instead." was unclear, just so we can correct it? Wink

DarenHill:  Never read that...sorry.  It's sort of like the fine print at the bank...never read that either.  Your comment was funny.  That's the only reason I'll remember to not do that again.  It's a human shortcoming called old age.  I cant even remember what happened a few hours ago without some unique reason to remember what happened.  

bsoriano:  Regards to tip about script.skinshortcuts-master.  Indeed this solved the issue.  Odd they couldn't update that so as to not encounter this problem.  In any event, your wisdom was the key and for that I'm grateful.  Спасибо - Thanks
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#8
Thread marked solved.
Amber Maintainer
Main HTPC: Intel Core i7, 32GB, nVidia GTX1080, Windows 11 Soundbar: Samsung HW-Q950A TV: LG CX Kodi: 19.3 Skin: Amber
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Amber playlist issue in Linux-Ubuntu0