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[rpalmer68]

I have a remote PC in my living room loading my library off my Library Server in the office (Both running MC11).

When the remote PC boots it automatically loads MC11 downloads the library and goes into theatre view.

This all works fine unless MC can't find the library server for some reason (and there seems to be a few of these somethimes), then the remote MC comes up with a prompt to search the local drive to import files into the local library.

If I cancel this, next time MC loads it opens the local library rather then trying to access the library server again.

Is there a way of setting MC so that it will only open the library off the library server, and won't prompt for a local library? (Maybe a prompt to Retry if the remote library isn't found.)

I'm trying to make the remote MC as idiot proof as possible so don't want it defalting to any library other than the remote one I have setup for the family to use.

Also the ability to disable or password protect the "Exit" buttin would stop accidental exiting from Theatre View which might be useful.

Cheers
Richard

[glynor]

If I cancel this, next time MC loads it opens the local library rather then trying to access the library server again.

Is there a way of setting MC so that it will only open the library off the library server, and won't prompt for a local library? (Maybe a prompt to Retry if the remote library isn't found.)

I could be wrong, but I don't think there is.  People have asked before for an automation command that will load a specified library, but I don't think they've added it yet (or at least if it's there I couldn't find it in the Windows Messages documentation).

I believe that the problem is that MC cannot load without an active library, so it defaults to creating a new one (rather than not loading at all).  This is probably the best design choice because otherwise, if you somehow damaged your only library it would be difficult to get MC working again.

One possible solution for you would be to abandon the Library Server, and use a scheme more like what I described here.  That way, since it would always be using a local library, you shouldn't have trouble with it not finding the library on startup!

[vetty]

I have this problem too + another one that is similar:

My (only) library is on a server.
But when I boot my WIFI based HTPC, MC starts BEFORE the WIFI connection is established.

It leads to a similar problem: else you get an error because you don't have any local library or else it loads the wrong library (the local one)

The annoying thing is that my HTPC is controled by NetRemote and has NO screen :-(

So it'd be great to get a couple options like this:
- retries X times on library failure
- exit on library failure (so it loads the right library next time in case the retries don't work)

The retry option would also be great in the case the library host PC crashes during a movie... it happens sometimes and it's rather annoying ;-)

Thanks for listening,

Laurent

PS: Glynor, your method is indeed valid but implies you have enough space on all your PCs. This is unfortunately not the case for me :-(

[glynor]

PS: Glynor, your method is indeed valid but implies you have enough space on all your PCs. This is unfortunately not the case for me :-(

Why would you need enough space on the HTPC for my method?  My local library on the HTPC rarely gets much above 20mb (even with 20,000+ files and all those thumbnails).  I would hope ANY Windows machine you would be running would have 20 megs free!!  (I mean, really you need 1-2 GB free AT LEAST for swap space.)

Just to be clear, when I'm copying the library around, I'm only talking about the database (the "Media Center Library") not the actual music/video/image files.  None of my media files live on ANY of my Windows computers.  They all live on a Linux box!

The retry option would also be great in the case the library host PC crashes during a movie... it happens sometimes and it's rather annoying ;-)

I might spend some time trying to figure out why the Library Server machine is crashing!

All of this is not to say that I wouldn't like to see an Automation command to load a specific Library (and possibly a retry value).  I would!  I just think that in both of your specific cases, the setup I mentioned may work a little more reliably, at least until the MC Database is migrated to a true, network-friendly, relational database (or a reasonable faxcimile of one).

[rpalmer68]

Glynor,

Have setup as you suggested and seems to be working OK.

As you say, this should be much more reliable.

Cheers
Richard

[vetty]

Glynor, you are right: I was thinking about duplicating the library + the data :-(

Now I tried your solution but it does not solve this problem:
MC is launched at startup and runs before the wireless connection is established and the network drives are mapped.

As a consequence, the lib is loaded locally (fine!) but all the items in it are not found as my shared drive is not mapped. As a matter of fact I have to open an explorer pointing to the shared drive to "force" the remapping.

I know it's not really an MC problem but am I alone with this knid of problem?
Should I try Girder to delay MC launch and open an explorer before?
I tried to add a shortcut to the explorer w/ the shared drive in parameters but I get an explorer error: it's also launched before the WIFI connection is established.

Thanks for your helps,
Laurent

[rpalmer68]

Laurent,

I'm using a wireless connection too but mine is via an ethernet bridge so I guess the connection is always up.

I would have thought that as long as the library loads locally OK, then once your wireless connection is up, then MC will be able to play the files on the network share. Is this not the case?

Richard

[rpalmer68]

If I am going to do this library copy process are there files or directories under the library directory I shouldn't copy?

Also it appears I still have to exit and re-load MC to get the library to be reloaded.  Is there a way of having MC reload the library without exiting? 

I'm using MC in theatre mode to try to make it easy for the family so would really like the library to be reloaded after the script copies the new data over. 

I think it would be very useful for a lot of people to have maybe some sort of command that can be sent to the currently running MC to say "reload Library", this would reload the currently loaded library (local or remote via library server) but would not reload if path/server not available.


Richard

[vetty]

Laurent,

I'm using a wireless connection too but mine is via an ethernet bridge so I guess the connection is always up.

I would have thought that as long as the library loads locally OK, then once your wireless connection is up, then MC will be able to play the files on the network share. Is this not the case?

Richard

As I said I don't think this is strictly an MC problem:
I just have to open an explorer pointing to my shared folder to have other apps getting access to files there. This is weird, no ;-)

Anyway I'm going to test Girder to open this explorer, then launch MC.

Richard, Glynor, thanks to both of you. BTW I'll keep Glynor's method of duplicating libraries ;-)

Laurent

[glynor]

You could use a script like this and put it in your Startup Program folder:

Code: [Select]

<package>
   <job id="vbs">
      <script language="VBScript">
         set WshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
         WScript.Sleep 5000
         WshShell.Run("C:\WINDOWS\explorer.exe /e,m:\")
         WScript.Sleep 1000
         WshShell.Run("C:\WINDOWS\system32\mjextman.exe /Power")
      </script>
   </job>
</package>

Where the drive "m:\" is your network drive.  I'm assuming that you have your network share mapped to a drive and set to reconnect at logon.  Mine all reconnect immediately, but I'm using a wired Gigabit switched network.

[vetty]

Thank you so much Glynor, your script was the solution to my slow WIFI startup :-)
(in fact it takes 45 seconds after startup to get a connection to a network folder!)

Laurent