Automatic soft padding running on the TiVo

[maxwells_daemon]

I suppose the question is what version of EndPad?
Sanderton's or Maxwells_deamon?

It's Sanderton's (the log messages would have been different - I added the channel name to some of them), though I doubt the bug is restricted to that version, since I only made small changes to the logic.

[6022tivo]

Could it be it is running twice one time with 14 mins padding and another with 15, both ammending to the log file??

[pmk]

Can anyone tell me what command I should use to see what processes are running via telnet? I can then check if nothing is running more than once. I doubt this however as nothing has been changed for months.

TIA

[6022tivo]

at a bash prompt type

ps -ax



to kill a process type

kill -9 ****

where **** is the process ID

[maxwells_daemon]

As 6022tivo suggests, you can use
ps ax
to list processes. One of them should have "endpad.tcl" as part of the command string. There shouldn't be two.

However I would urge you not to kill endpad with the kill command. That can cause your TiVo to reboot. Instead, create a file endpad.kill in the directory where endpad.tcl is located. After a few minutes, all endpad processes should have stopped (you can see in the logfile).

If you don't have "ps" installed on your TiVo, you can get it from Craig Leres' page (http://www.xse.com/leres/tivo/downloads/) (or a newer port from my page, but that comes as part of a bigger package).

[sanderton]

The 14 1/2 minutes is a/the clue I think.

Endpad checks the start time of the next but one show as well when adding padding. For it have reduced that time by 30 seconds, there must have been a show scheduled to start 14:30 after the start of Hit me Baby One More Time. That show would have forced the recording of HMB1MT to be cancelled as it is 15 mins long.

Looks to me like the datbase got itself well confused over a period of minutes. I don't think that was directly caused by EndPad - I can't see how it could "imagine" a show starting 14.30 later - but it being busy accessing the database at the time may have added to the confusion.

I'd just restart your Tivo.

[pmk]

ps showed only one copy of endpad running.

Thanks I will restart my TiVo just in case - luckily I noticed HMB1T had not started recording and managed to see the last 2 minutes so I know who won.

Cheers

[pmk]

luckily I noticed HMB1T had not started recording and managed to see the last 2 minutes so I know who won.

Same problem happened yesterday except this time I did not manage to catch it so I do not know who won. I use 2 min starting and 15 min end padding. Could there be a problem if the program you are trying to record matches the length of the end padding? Appears funny the problem seems to be reproducible?

TIA

Saturday 18:42:00 : Woken up
Saturday 18:42:00 : Recording {Doctor Who} on BBC1NW now
Saturday 18:42:00 : Recording Scheduled End Time: 18:45
Saturday 18:42:00 : Next recording is {Doctor Who Confidential} on BBC3 at 18:45
Saturday 18:42:00 : Gap to next programme is 0 seconds
Saturday 18:42:00 : Can't add end padding to {Doctor Who}
Saturday 18:42:00 : Next end padding setting due 19:10
Saturday 18:42:00 : Gap to previous recording is 0 seconds
Saturday 18:42:00 : Can't add start padding to {Doctor Who Confidential}
Saturday 18:42:00 : Next start padding setting due 19:10
Saturday 18:42:00 : Next wake up will be 19:10
Sleeping, checking every minute for kill signal.............................
Saturday 19:10:00 : Woken up
Saturday 19:10:00 : Recording {Doctor Who Confidential} on BBC3 now
Saturday 19:10:00 : Recording Scheduled End Time: 19:15
Saturday 19:10:00 : Next recording is {Hit Me Baby One More Time} on ITV1GRA at 19:15
Saturday 19:10:00 : Gap to next programme is 0 seconds
Saturday 19:10:00 : Added 870 seconds end padding to {Doctor Who Confidential}
Saturday 19:10:00 : Next end padding setting due 19:25
Saturday 19:10:00 : Not time to add start padding yet
Saturday 19:10:00 : Next start padding setting due 19:12
Saturday 19:10:00 : Next wake up will be 19:12
Sleeping, checking every minute for kill signal...
Saturday 19:12:00 : Woken up
Saturday 19:12:01 : Recording {Doctor Who Confidential} on BBC3 now
Saturday 19:12:01 : Recording Scheduled End Time: 19:29
Saturday 19:12:01 : Next recording is {Click Online} on BBC24 at 19:30
Saturday 19:12:01 : Not time to add end padding yet
Saturday 19:12:01 : Next end padding setting due 19:24
Saturday 19:12:01 : Not time to add start padding yet
Saturday 19:12:01 : Next start padding setting due 19:27
Saturday 19:12:01 : Next wake up will be 19:24
Sleeping, checking every minute for kill signal..............
Saturday 19:24:30 : Woken up
Saturday 19:24:30 : Recording {Doctor Who Confidential} on BBC3 now
Saturday 19:24:30 : Recording Scheduled End Time: 19:29
Saturday 19:24:30 : Next recording is {Click Online} on BBC24 at 19:30
Saturday 19:24:30 : Gap to next programme is 900 seconds
Saturday 19:24:30 : Added 900 seconds end padding to {Doctor Who Confidential}
Saturday 19:24:30 : Next end padding setting due 19:55
Saturday 19:24:30 : Not time to add start padding yet
Saturday 19:24:30 : Next start padding setting due 19:27
Saturday 19:24:30 : Next wake up will be 19:27
Sleeping, checking every minute for kill signal....
Saturday 19:27:00 : Woken up
Saturday 19:27:00 : Recording {Doctor Who Confidential} on BBC3 now
Saturday 19:27:00 : Recording Scheduled End Time: 19:30
Saturday 19:27:00 : Next recording is {Click Online} on BBC24 at 19:30
Saturday 19:27:00 : No end padding required:
Saturday 19:27:00 : End padding of 900 seconds already set
Saturday 19:27:00 : Next end padding setting due 19:55
Saturday 19:27:00 : Gap to previous recording is 0 seconds
Saturday 19:27:00 : Can't add start padding to {Click Online}
Saturday 19:27:00 : Next start padding setting due 19:55
Saturday 19:27:00 : Next wake up will be 19:55
Sleeping, checking every minute for kill signal.............................
Saturday 19:55:00 : Woken up
Saturday 19:55:00 : Recording {Click Online} on BBC24 now
Saturday 19:55:00 : Recording Scheduled End Time: 20:00
Saturday 19:55:00 : Next recording is {CSI: NY} on FIVE (Suggestion) at 20:25
Saturday 19:55:00 : Gap to next programme is 1500 seconds
Saturday 19:55:00 : Added 900 seconds end padding to {Click Online}
Saturday 19:55:00 : Next end padding setting due 21:20
Saturday 19:55:00 : Not time to add start padding yet
Saturday 19:55:00 : Next start padding setting due 20:22
Saturday 19:55:00 : Next wake up will be 20:22
Sleeping, checking every minute for kill signal............................

[sanderton]

Got it! Found the bug-ger. 1.4.2 is now in the top post.

For those who have forked the code, the issue in line 439:


if {[expr $cendtime - $cexistingendpadding + $endpadding] >= [expr $longstop - 30]} {


which should read:


if {[expr $cendtime - $cexistingendpadding + $endpadtoset] >= [expr $longstop - 30]} {


The bug would only manifest itself if a recording was followed by another the EXACT length of the padding AND another recording was due IMMEDIATELY after that.

Sorry Pmk! For the 1,355 folks who downloaded 1.4.1 - if your padding is only a few mins this is incredibly unlikley to happen, so you are pretty safe sticking with the old version if you want.

[pmk]

Sorry Pmk!
No problem, I love EndPad and could not live without it. I am just pleased I could help in some little way by providing feedback. Thats two odd bugs solved for people who use long end padding. Who counting though :D

[sanderton]

You may remember that I asked that if you use EndPad you consider making an appropriate donation to charity.

There is now a link through which you can make a donation to Cancer Reasearch if you use and enjoy EndPad:

http://www.justgiving.com/brigid

This link is for donations in memory of a friend of mine who died from breast cancer just before Christmas. She was 39 and had two young children.

Please put "EndPad" in the comment if you make a donation.

Thank you.

[Fozzie]

Done. (Thanks for the reminder Stuart). A worthy cause.

[6022tivo]

I lost my wife earlier this year after she contracted MRSA during a stay in hospital. We also have two children, one who is my avartar (with a wig on!!). Don't know the full family situation, but we are dealing with this, best we can, and I can understand in some small way what Brigid's family are going though. I have sent across a donation, only small, but every little helps I suppose.

Thanks again for the great module Stuart.

[staffie2001uk]

I had an unexpected reboot whilst fine tuning DailyMail and cron since when EndPad will not run. I am getting the following when I run it from the command line.
Any help will be greatly appreciated.

> exec /tvbin/tivosh /var/hack/endpad/endpad.tcl -s 1 -e sugqual 75 -sugeq
EndPad v1.4.1 (c) 2004 Stuart Anderton
Strictly no commercial distribution
See file header for terms of use and distribution
Switching to background...
couldn't execute "/var/hack/endpad/endpad.tcl": no such file or directory
while executing
"exec $argv0 $argv -run >>& $errfile &"
(file "/var/hack/endpad/endpad.tcl" line 521)

[sanderton]

The clue is in the error: "couldn't execute "/var/hack/endpad/endpad.tcl": no such file or directory" - have you checked to see if you still have a /var /hack directiory?

[staffie2001uk]

Stuart

Yes, /var/hack is still there. In fact, it is an error from a line in the file it is claiming is not there! It is the line that calls EndPad in the background.

I don't have a clue what the problem is, but I'm certain it's not a fault with EndPad, it's a linux issue. I could be wrong though.

When I first installed EndPad, I am pretty certain I could run in from the bash prompt in telnet without having to use exec and specify the shell. Again. my memory could be faulty.

Colin.

[maxwells_daemon]

> exec /tvbin/tivosh /var/hack/endpad/endpad.tcl -s 1 -e sugqual 75 -sugeq
EndPad v1.4.1 (c) 2004 Stuart Anderton
Strictly no commercial distribution
See file header for terms of use and distribution
Switching to background...
couldn't execute "/var/hack/endpad/endpad.tcl": no such file or directory
while executing
"exec $argv0 $argv -run >>& $errfile &"
(file "/var/hack/endpad/endpad.tcl" line 521)

Perhaps your /var/hack/endpad/endpad.tcl doesn't have execute mode. Try
chmod 755 /var/hack/endpad/endpad.tcl

Also, I'm not sure about the way you are running the command. Why exec it? Why specify /tvbin/tivosh explicitly (except as a way of trying to get round the lack of execute mode)? And I think you are missing the number on the -e option. I would use something like
/var/hack/endpad/endpad.tcl -s 1 -e 5 -sugqual 75 -sugeq

By the way, in my modified endpad.tcl (http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=2768468&&#post2768468), I changed the background switch to use
exec [info nameofexecutable] [info script] $argv -run >>& $errfile &
to ensure that the background process was started in the same way as the main one. That works even if endpad.tcl doesn't have execute mode (assuming you got it to run in the first place with /tvbin/tivosh).

Tim.

[staffie2001uk]

endpad should have execute mode, I have chmodded it.

By the way, in my modified endpad.tcl (http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=2768468&&#post2768468), I changed the background switch to use
exec [info nameofexecutable] [info script] $argv -run >>& $errfile &
to ensure that the background process was started in the same way as the main one. That works even if endpad.tcl doesn't have execute mode (assuming you got it to run in the first place with /tvbin/tivosh).

Tim.

As shown below, the file error goes if substitute your code for the original, but the after "switching to background..." appears the prompt does not reappear until I hit [Return].

TiVo: {/var/hack/endpad} > ls
endpad.err endpad.tcl
TiVo: {/var/hack/endpad} > chmod 755 ./endpad.tcl
TiVo: {/var/hack/endpad} > ls -l
total 25
-rw-r--r-- 1 0 0 0 May 31 20:44 endpad.err
-rwxr-xr-x 1 0 0 23951 Jun 9 16:03 endpad.tcl
TiVo: {/var/hack/endpad} > exec /tvbin/tivosh /var/hack/endpad/endpad.tcl -s 1 -
e 10 -sugqual 75 -sugeq
EndPad v1.4.1 (c) 2004 Stuart Anderton
Strictly no commercial distribution
See file header for terms of use and distribution
Switching to background...
TiVo: {/var/hack} >

Also, I'm not sure about the way you are running the command. Why exec it? Why specify /tvbin/tivosh explicitly (except as a way of trying to get round the lack of execute mode)?

I agree, I don't think I should need to specify exec or the shell, I just get a "No such file or directory" error. When I can see the file is present, has execute set and can be run specifically by specifiying the shell.

TiVo: {/var/hack/endpad} > ls -l
total 25
-rw-r--r-- 1 0 0 0 May 31 20:44 endpad.err
-rwxr-xr-x 1 0 0 23951 Jun 9 16:03 endpad.tcl
TiVo: {/var/hack/endpad} > ./endpad.tcl -s 1 -e 10 -sugqual 75 -sugeq
bash: ./endpad.tcl: No such file or directory
TiVo: {/var/hack/endpad} > /var/hack/endpad/endpad.tcl -s 1 -e 10 -sugqual 75 -sugeq
bash: /var/hack/endpad/endpad.tcl: No such file or directory
TiVo: {/var/hack/endpad} >

Very, very puzzled, but I am sure it is a linux issue and I know to little to figure it out.

Colin.

[LJ]

Try deleting the file from the TiVo and then re-FTPing it across making sure you're in binary mode.

Something like this should run it ok:

/var/hack/endpad.tcl -s 1 -e 3 -auto >> /dev/null &

[sanderton]

I think, Mr J, that you may have identified the problem.

[staffie2001uk]

I think, Mr J, that you may have identified the problem.

*sigh* Sadly not.

I had copied my archived endpad.tcl across as soon as it failed to run, and I deleted it from the TiVo and copied it back just to be certain. The result was as below, using Mr J's suggested command line. It hung at the point I've marked with ********** until I hit "return" and then gave me the exit line.

> /var/hack/endpad.tcl -s 1 -e 3 -auto >> /dev/null &
[1] 430
> bash: /var/hack/endpad.tcl: No such file or directory
**********

[1]+ Exit 127 /var/hack/endpad.tcl -s 1 -e 3 -auto >>/dev/null
>

[LJ]

Maybe your archived copy is corrupt too. I'd try downloading a fresh one.

"No such file or directory" might mean that the file has DOS line endings... it's been a while since I've seen that error first hand...

[sanderton]

Yes, it usually means that there is ^M at the end of the line. Bash tries to interpret it as part of the command and you get a "No such file or directory" error.

[staffie2001uk]

Maybe your archived copy is corrupt too. I'd try downloading a fresh one.

"No such file or directory" might mean that the file has DOS line endings... it's been a while since I've seen that error first hand...
Downloaded v1.4.2 from the head of the thread and copied it across, chmod'ed and got the same file error.

Don't know if I can live without EndPad! Don't know how I'll cope if you can't fix this for me. Do you think I can get the donation back ;) [That was a joke, I'm just trying to keep myself cheerful]

[LJ]

:eek:

Describe every step you're doing to get the file from the website to the TiVo (are you using IE, how do you FTP etc etc)

And what's the size of the file once it's on the TiVo?

[staffie2001uk]

:eek:

Describe every step you're doing to get the file from the website to the TiVo (are you using IE, how do you FTP etc etc)

And what's the size of the file once it's on the TiVo?

Looks like it was the FTP (Filezilla). The file size was increasing when copied across. Strange, as I have had no previous problems with FileZilla. I went through the settings and changed and reset all the options and it copied with no size increase. Then EndPad ran.

Was the file size increase due to DOS carriage returns getting added?

Thanks to everyone who contributed. I think a moderate drink is in order, ah heck, maybe a large one :)

However, what I really don't understand is how the TiVo file got corrupted in the first place to get DOS characters into it?

[ncjok]

v.1.4.2 is giving me the following errors in /var/log/endpad.log :

Monday 01:00:25 : endpad.tcl 1.4.2 log file, starting up
Monday 01:00:25 : Start padding set to 120 seconds
Monday 01:00:25 : End padding set to 300 seconds
Monday 01:00:25 : Suggestions will be padded, even if that means cancelling a subsequent suggestion
Monday 01:00:25 : Detected TiVo software version 2.5.5-01-1-023
Monday 01:00:25 : Suggestions will be recorded in Best
Monday 01:00:26 : Woken up
Monday 01:00:26 : Error detected
Monday 01:00:26 : can't read "rectype": no such variable
while executing
"if {$rectype == 3} {

# Recording active
set isrec 1

# Get details of currently recording programme
R..."
Monday 01:00:26 : Attempting to recover
Monday 01:00:56 : Woken up
Monday 01:00:56 : Error detected
Monday 01:00:56 : can't read "rectype": no such variable
while executing
"if {$rectype == 3} {

# Recording active
set isrec 1

# Get details of currently recording programme
R..."
Monday 01:00:56 : Attempting to recover
Monday 01:00:56 : Too many errors, stopping
downloaded endpad.1.4.2.zip using IE6
unzipped it with WinZip
copied to TiVo using FlashFXP, binary
didn't chmod it (already appears as 755)
/etc/rc.d/rc.sysinit.author line is
/var/hack/endpad.tcl -s 2 -e 5 -sugqual 100 -auto >> /dev/null &

Any help welcome :)

edit: fixed by re-transferring endpad.tcl via a DOS window :D

Good script, thanks!

[ncjok]

spoke too soon..

Since the last post I've got dailymail working (minor error in dailymail.cfg) and installed the cron-3.0pl1_TiVo-2.tar.gz package. However, from that point on, endpad.tcl refuses to run at startup, and when run manually is only there (ps) for a few seconds.

/var/log/endpad.log says:

Wednesday 01:26:02 : endpad.tcl 1.4.2 log file, starting up
Wednesday 01:26:02 : Start padding set to 120 seconds
Wednesday 01:26:02 : End padding set to 300 seconds
Wednesday 01:26:02 : Suggestions will be padded, even if that means cancelling a subsequent suggestion
Wednesday 01:26:02 : Detected TiVo software version 2.5.5-01-1-023
Wednesday 01:26:02 : Suggestion quality change disabled
Wednesday 01:26:02 : Woken up
Wednesday 01:26:02 : Error detected
Wednesday 01:26:02 : can't read "nextbutonerecstartdate": no such variable
while executing
"expr $nextbutonerecstartdate * 86400 + $nextbutonerecstarttime"
Wednesday 01:26:02 : Attempting to recover
Wednesday 01:26:32 : Woken up
Wednesday 01:26:32 : Error detected
Wednesday 01:26:32 : can't read "nextbutonerecstartdate": no such variable
while executing
"expr $nextbutonerecstartdate * 86400 + $nextbutonerecstarttime"
Wednesday 01:26:32 : Attempting to recover
Wednesday 01:26:32 : Too many errors, stopping

I've redownloaded the endpad zip, retransferred it, etc. No luck this time. I've removed the cron entry from rc.sysinit.author, which atm reads:

#!/bin/bash
/var/hack/bin/tivoftpd &
/var/hack/tivoweb-tcl/tivoweb
/var/hack/autospace/autospace.tcl start > /dev/null 2>&1
#/var/hack/bin/cron &
/var/hack/endpad.tcl -s 2 -e 5 -sugqual 100 -auto >> /dev/null &

:confused:

[sanderton]

Are there at least two items in the To Do List?

[ncjok]

Stuart,
It had one item in the To Do List at the time of my last post. I added a second show, and sure enough it worked :up: Sorry if this had been discussed elsewhere in the thread.

If TiVo reboots for whatever reason in the future, does this mean that Endpad is again likely to fail if I have an insufficient number of planned recordings?

Regards

[sanderton]

It will fail unless there are at least two items in the TDL. I really ought to fix that sometime, but as most people's TDLs are full to overflowing it only really effects brand new or cleaned out machines.

[Bakdraft]

Hi,

For some reason my endpad no longer wants to play ball...

If you start from a fresh boot and manually start endpad it at first glance runs fine.. deleting the old pid and then waiting as normal.

But on examination of the log it clearly stops but I do not know why?

/var/log/endpad.log/
Friday 08:26:57 : endpad.tcl 1.4.0 log file, log rotated
Friday 08:26:57 : Start padding set to 300 seconds
Friday 08:26:57 : End padding set to 300 seconds
Friday 08:26:57 : Suggestions will be padded, even if that means cancelling a subsequent suggestion
Friday 08:26:57 : Detected TiVo software version 2.5.5-01-1-023
Friday 08:26:57 : Suggestion quality change disabled
Sleeping, checking every minute for kill signal..
Friday 08:27:57 : Stopped due to kill signal


running ps ax shows end pad is not running.

can anyone give me some reasons as to why it received the kill signal and suggest some ways to troubleshoot it...

I miss my endpad.

.....you don't know what you got till it's gone..... :(

Dave

[sanderton]

The kill signal is a file in the same directory as Endpad called something like endpad.kill; delete it.

[Bakdraft]

The kill signal is a file in the same directory as Endpad called something like endpad.kill; delete it.

Hi Sanderton,

Thanks for your reply...

I have checked the endpad directory /var/hack but there is no endpad.kill file or any kill file see below

bash-2.02# ls -a
. cron joerc tivoir.cfg tytools
.. endpad.tcl scripts tivoir.cfg~
RecStatus.tcl etc sendbackup tivoweb-tcl
bin joe tivoir tmp
bash-2.02#

Do you have any other suggestions?

[sanderton]

No idea! You're a couple of version out of date, so try installing the latest one.

[Bakdraft]

No idea! You're a couple of version out of date, so try installing the latest one.

Interestingly, i did not have any problems with this version until now. After a few weeks of Airnet failure I upgraded to cache card, but then found my complete hack directory had gone!

I had to recreate it.

Also since then I have added Tytools, which has a program that runs in the background.

Do you think either of these may be responsible?

I will try the latest version now..

[sanderton]

Shouldn't. The kill signal is quite explicit; not sure how it can be given accidentally!

[Bakdraft]

Hi

New version loaded... Message change but no padding done. Log shows:
Friday 23:03:59 :
Friday 23:03:59 : endpad.tcl 1.4.2 log file, starting up
Friday 23:03:59 : Start padding set to 300 seconds
Friday 23:03:59 : End padding set to 300 seconds
Friday 23:03:59 : Suggestions will be padded, even if that means cancelling a subsequent suggestion
Friday 23:03:59 : Detected TiVo software version 2.5.5-01-1-023
Friday 23:03:59 : Suggestion quality change disabled
Friday 23:03:59 : Woken up
Friday 23:04:00 : No recording in progress
Friday 23:04:00 : Next recording is {Big Brother} on C4 at 20:10
Friday 23:04:00 : No end padding required:
Friday 23:04:00 : No recording in progress
Friday 23:04:00 : Next end padding setting due 21:00
Friday 23:04:00 : Not time to add start padding yet
Friday 23:04:00 : Next start padding setting due 20:04
Friday 23:04:00 : Next wake up will be 23:34
Sleeping, checking every minute for kill signal...................

but 20 mins later this log has not changed despite scheduled recording

ps ax does show endpad :

bash-2.02# ps ax
PID TTY STAT TIME COMMAND
1 ? S 0:00 (init)
2 ? SW 0:01 (kflushd)
3 ? SW 0:04 (kswapd)
59 ? S 0:00 update (bdflush)
67 ? S 1:12 syslogd -p /var/dev/log -m 10000
69 ? S 0:01 klogd
77 ? S 0:05 EventSwitcher
78 ? S 4:48 MfsDaemon
79 ? S 0:00 fancontrol
106 ? S 0:00 Sark (mcp)
108 ? S 0:00 /var/hack/tytools/tserver -s /var/hack/tytools/NowShowing.tc

111 ? S 0:01 Sark (mcp)
113 ? S 0:00 PipeListen
114 ? S 0:01 Mcp event
115 ? S 0:00 tcphonehome
116 ? S 0:00 (bash)
119 ? S 0:00 (tcphonehome)
121 ? S 0:00 /sbin/tnlited 23 /bin/bash -login
123 ? S 0:00 (tivoftpd)
124 ? S 0:00 PipeListener
125 ? S 0:00 FsMpStream
126 ? S 0:01 (tcphonehome)
128 ? S 0:00 dbgc-mcp
129 ? S 9:59 dbgc-mcp
130 ? S 0:00 PipeListener
131 ? S 0:00 MyWorld
132 ? R 0:09 MyWorld
133 ? S 0:00 PipeListener
134 ? S 0:00 FsMpStream
135 ? S 0:32 EventLog event
136 ? S 0:00 TmkSinkMixAud
137 ? R 0:02 UI Timer Heart
138 ? R 0:27 TmkClipCache0
139 ? S 0:25 TmkClipCache1
140 ? R 44:10 TvMomMpegSink
141 ? S 0:00 TvMomMpegSink
142 ? R 0:51 Mediaswitch0
143 ? S 1:44 TvRecorder
144 ? R 0:50 TmkTaskManager
145 ? S 1:14 Scheduler
146 ? S 1:26 Prioritizer
147 ? S 3:49 ContextMgr eve
158 ? R 0:48 tivosh /var/hack/tivoweb-tcl/httpd-tt.tcl
217 ? S 0:01 tivosh ./endpad.tcl -s 5 -e 5 -run
222 ? S 0:00 sh -c $TIVO_ROOT/tvbin/tivosh $TIVO_ROOT/tvbin/TClient -bac

223 ? S 2:16 /tvbin/tivosh /tvbin/TClient -backup -auto
259 ? S 0:00 /bin/bash -login
260 ? R 0:00 ps ax

How much time after loading is needed before endpad should work, i.e. is 5 mins enough?

Dave

[sanderton]

Friday 23:04:00 : Next wake up will be 23:34


but 20 mins later this log has not changed despite scheduled recording


Er, 20 minutes after 23.04 being before 23.34, yes?

[Bakdraft]

Fixed! :)

Thanks for your patience Sanderton.

Your help is very much appreciated by us all

By the way...... does this mean if you add a recording thats due to tostart before the wakeup signal time, then that recording will not be padded, If so I will need to start the endpad program at 10 mins to the hour so as to capture the majority of late requests.

Dave

[Fozzie]

By the way...... does this mean if you add a recording thats due to tostart before the wakeup signal time, then that recording will not be padded...It won't get any start padding but should still get end padding due to Endpad waking up during the recording.

If so I will need to start the endpad program at 10 mins to the hour so as to capture the majority of late requests.Why? I don't follow :confused:

[sanderton]

Endpad checks every 30 minutes for any new programmes in the schedule, so shows where you hit record while watching may be missed if under 30 mins to go.

I was concerned not to make EndPad have a significant performance overhead.

[Fozzie]

Endpad checks every 30 minutes for any new programmes in the schedule, so shows where you hit record while watching may be missed if under 30 mins to go.

I was concerned not to make EndPad have a significant performance overhead.But the time that it wakes up moves around doesn't it, depending on when it last checked, according to when things are being recorded etc.? Hence, I didn't see the point of trying to start it at a specific time :confused:

[sanderton]

Correct, there is no point starting it a particular time.

[Bakdraft]

It won't get any start padding but should still get end padding due to Endpad waking up during the recording.

Why? I don't follow :confused:

According to my log Endpad was waking up at 5mins to the hour and 25 mins past the hour.. regular as clockwork....

so if it woke up and say 25 mins to the hour and 5 mins past the hour, then anything I wanted recording that is on the hour or 30 mins past the hour that I requested at late in the day i.e. after 25 mins etc would not be padded. Thus by setting a wakeup for say 6 mins before the hour, would mean it would see it and still be able to pad it..... Err I think!!?? ;)

This would not happen if it happen to be at 25 mins before... OK it gonna happen rarely but if setting the wakeup time to this point helps then....

Of course all this theory is probably a load of b******t! as I am sure Sanderton is about to tell me!

Dave

[Fozzie]

It is a load of b******t ;) Endpad will wake up just before a recording is about to start or just before it is about to end or half an hour; whichever is the shortest time interval.

It doesn't matter what time you start it it will wake up at different times, according to your recording schedule.

[sanderton]

Indeed. If a recording doesn't require a wake up at a particular time, it will set one for 30 minutes after the current time, whatever that may be.

[Bakdraft]

Indeed. If a recording doesn't require a wake up at a particular time, it will set one for 30 minutes after the current time, whatever that may be.

OK..OK.... I believe you both...

But my understanding was based on Sandertons answer just a few replies ago.....

Endpad checks every 30 minutes for any new programmes in the schedule, so shows where you hit record while watching may be missed if under 30 mins to go.

I was concerned not to make EndPad have a significant performance overhead.

Dave

[Fozzie]

... which remains correct. If there's no recording scheduled during the next half an hour when Endpad has woken up, it will sleep for 30 minutes before waking up again. If you hit record during that 30 minutes, or schedule a recording to start within that 30 minutes, then Endpad will only know about it when it wakes up (and the recording is in progress) and so will only be able to apply end padding, if it can.

Trust the several hundred (maybe even into 4 figures?) of people that have downloaded and are using Endpad - it works :)

[tivo_boj]

IT DOES WORK. AND BL**DY WELL TOO!!!. ITs Still the Best Addition to TIVO, Bar None. I beleive the best that could be achieved without Tivo puting in smart padding in their UK software. ( sanderson can correct me on this, as he is the king!!!)

[magistral]

I too have a problem with endpad stopping. Not sure if its related. Can anyone suggest a cure. This is my log file:

Mike

Monday 20:35:33 :
Monday 20:35:33 : endpad.tcl 1.4.2 log file, starting up
Monday 20:35:33 : Start padding set to 60 seconds
Monday 20:35:33 : End padding set to 300 seconds
Monday 20:35:33 : Suggestions will be padded, even if that means cancelling a subsequent suggestion
Monday 20:35:33 : Detected TiVo software version 2.5.5-01-1-023
Monday 20:35:33 : Suggestion quality change disabled
Monday 20:35:33 : Woken up
Monday 20:35:33 : Error detected
Monday 20:35:33 : can't read "rectype": no such variable
while executing
"if {$rectype == 3} {

# Recording active
set isrec 1

# Get details of currently recording programme
R..."
Monday 20:35:33 : Attempting to recover
Monday 20:36:03 : Woken up
Monday 20:36:03 : Error detected
Monday 20:36:03 : can't read "rectype": no such variable
while executing
"if {$rectype == 3} {

# Recording active
set isrec 1

# Get details of currently recording programme
R..."
Monday 20:36:03 : Attempting to recover
Monday 20:36:03 : Too many errors, stopping

[sanderton]

Odd; it seems there is a show recording when you launched EndPad, but it can't access the details of it from the database.

It might be that the database was very busy and rejecting requests.

Have you tried starting it manually?

Alternatively, is your TiVo'd To Do List completely empty?

[magistral]

Thanks for the reply Stuart. I just started it manually and got a different failure. Maybe I will reboot the box when it's not in use and see if that helps. This is the latest log:

Mike

Tuesday 18:54:50 :
Tuesday 18:54:50 : endpad.tcl 1.4.2 log file, starting up
Tuesday 18:54:50 : Start padding set to 60 seconds
Tuesday 18:54:50 : End padding set to 240 seconds
Tuesday 18:54:50 : Suggestions will be padded, even if that means cancelling a subsequent suggestion
Tuesday 18:54:50 : Detected TiVo software version 2.5.5-01-1-023
Tuesday 18:54:50 : Suggestion quality change disabled
Tuesday 18:54:50 : Woken up
Tuesday 18:54:51 : Error detected
Tuesday 18:54:51 : can't read "nextbutonerecstartdate": no such variable
while executing
"expr $nextbutonerecstartdate * 86400 + $nextbutonerecstarttime"
Tuesday 18:54:51 : Attempting to recover
Tuesday 18:55:21 : Woken up
Tuesday 18:55:21 : Error detected
Tuesday 18:55:21 : can't read "nextbutonerecstartdate": no such variable
while executing
"expr $nextbutonerecstartdate * 86400 + $nextbutonerecstarttime"
Tuesday 18:55:21 : Attempting to recover
Tuesday 18:55:21 : Too many errors, stopping

[sanderton]

Looks to me like you've installed it on a "blank" TiVo - EndPad will fail if there are less than two things in the Now Playing list. Add some schedules recordings and it should be OK.

Really Really Must Fix That.

[magistral]

You could be right. There was only one scheduled recording for Top Gear that evening. I will schedule some more and try again.

Thanks,

Mike

[mesaka]

Just a quick thank-you. This has been installed less than 48hours and has already saved me from the wrath of SWMBO!

[wsware]

I'm running endpad on my 6.2 and it working good.

I do have one question. Should it be trying to add time to recordings I am inserting with mfs_ftp? Sleeping, checking every minute for kill signal...............................
Tuesday 05:55:05 : Woken up
Tuesday 05:55:07 : Recording {CSI: NY} on CT3 now
Tuesday 05:55:07 : Recording Scheduled End Time: 03:00
Tuesday 05:55:07 : Next recording is {TiVo Service Data} on TIVOR at 06:30
Tuesday 05:55:07 : Gap to next programme is 8911800 seconds
Tuesday 05:55:07 : Added 180 seconds end padding to {CSI: NY}
Tuesday 05:55:07 : Next end padding setting due 06:55
Tuesday 05:55:07 : Not time to add start padding yet
Tuesday 05:55:07 : Next start padding setting due 06:27
Tuesday 05:55:07 : Next wake up will be 06:25
Sleeping, checking every minute for kill signal...............................
Tuesday 06:25:07 : Woken up
Tuesday 06:25:07 : Recording {CSI: NY} on CT3 now
Tuesday 06:25:07 : Recording Scheduled End Time: 04:00
Tuesday 06:25:07 : Next recording is {TiVo Service Data} on TIVOR at 06:30
Tuesday 06:25:07 : Gap to next programme is 11932200 seconds
Tuesday 06:25:07 : Added 180 seconds end padding to {CSI: NY}
Tuesday 06:25:07 : Next end padding setting due 06:55
Tuesday 06:25:07 : Not time to add start padding yet
Tuesday 06:25:07 : Next start padding setting due 06:27
Tuesday 06:25:07 : Next wake up will be 06:27
Sleeping, checking every minute for kill signal...
Tuesday 06:27:00 : Woken up
Tuesday 06:27:01 : Recording {CSI: NY} on CT3 now
Tuesday 06:27:01 : Recording Scheduled End Time: 04:03
Tuesday 06:27:01 : Next recording is {TiVo Service Data} on TIVOR at 06:30
Tuesday 06:27:01 : No end padding required:
Tuesday 06:27:01 : End padding of 180 seconds already set
Tuesday 06:27:01 : Next end padding setting due 06:55
Tuesday 06:27:01 : Gap to previous recording is 11932020 seconds
Tuesday 06:27:01 : Added 120 seconds start padding to {TiVo Service Data}
Tuesday 06:27:01 : Next start padding setting due 06:55
Tuesday 06:27:01 : Next wake up will be 06:55
Sleeping, checking every minute for kill signal.............................

Also some requests is you ever make any updates.
I do my own log rolling so it would be nice if there was a flag to disable that. I just commented it out in the code. Also I run it from /usr/local/bin so I had to change where it writes the endpad.err to /var/tmp it would be nice if we had only one log file.

[sanderton]

It does attempt to pad mfs_ftp inserts, but it didn't seem to have any ill effects when I tested it so I didn't bother making it ignore them.

I suspect that anyone who needs a non-standard setup is probably well capable of making the code alterations.

[terryeden]

Bit of a complex one, this. I've set the Soft Padding so that any suggestion is recorded at Medium.

What I'd like is for any suggestion recorded off BBC Radio 2, 4 and 7 be recorded in Basic.

I can't find any way to easily specify channel quality.

I suspect that this is beyond the scope of this program... but I'd like to be proved wrong!

T

[iankb]

I'm guessing here, but if you were to use VBR bitrates, I would expect the static picture to use a very low bitrate.

[sanderton]

You could adapt the code easily enough to choose a quality based on station. There are commenets in the code if you want to try and work it out!

Ian's suggestion is easier.

[Gavin]

Is there any easy way of putting or a tutorial walking me through) the endpad startup line into the rc.sysint.author?

I know PC's I don't know linux and all this changing mode malarky is probably simple but seems complex to me. All I want is to make endpas start up on bootup, I have Tivoweb and Endpad on the tivo, and to be honest I don't want to add a text editor to add one line to a boot file...

[dogsbody]

This is how I did it without a text editor...

mount -o remount,rw /
echo "/var/hack/scripts/endpad.tcl -s 1 -e 3 -auto >> dev/null &" >> /etc/rc.d/rc.sysinit
mount -o remount,ro /
sync

[Milhouse]

I think it would be a better idea to add endpad to /etc/rc.d/rc.sysinit.author

If you're going to append it to rc.sysinit using the commands in the previous post please remember to use two chevrons and not one otherwise you'll zap your main startup script and be left with a doorstop!!!!

[maxwells_daemon]

Got it! Found the bug-ger. 1.4.2 is now in the top post.

For those who have forked the code, the issue in line 439...I've applied this fix to my version of endpad (http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=2768468#post2768468) (adds channel-specific padding and a few other improvements). You can find it here (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/maxwells.daemon/tivo/downloads/endpad-1.4.2-md1.tar.gz) or attached to this message.

Sorry for the delay in posting. I wanted to check that it didn't cause any new problems and then forgot about it. It should also have been tried by someone who asked for the update in a private e-mail some time ago.

Stuart, would you now consider updating the standard version with my changes? It has worked for me without problems for the last 3+ months. It should be entirely upwardly compatible with your version. The changes in the code are mostly "round the edges". The core logic is the same, it just picks up the parameters in a different (possibly channel-specific) way. It does all I want and I have now moved onto other projects (teletext decoding at the moment), so don't plan any continued development in the near future. However I'm happy to help support it (though you're doing a pretty good job of that!) - particularly the new features.

This would mean that bug fixes need only be applied once, and would allow people to find it without wading through 1000+ posts. It would be nice to avoid another fork (or should I have started with EndPadPlus in the first place?).

However if you really don't want to take on this version, would you alternatively consider posting a separate link and/or attachment to the top of the thread ("extended version with channel-specific settings"), so at least people can find it if they want to.

Thanks,
Tim.

[maxwells_daemon]

Bit of a complex one, this. I've set the Soft Padding so that any suggestion is recorded at Medium.

What I'd like is for any suggestion recorded off BBC Radio 2, 4 and 7 be recorded in Basic.

I can't find any way to easily specify channel quality.This should be possible with my modified version endpad. See the last post for the latest version, and my earlier post (http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=2768468#post2768468) for some documentation. To set the suggestion recording quality to Basic for those radio stations, you can putchannel BBCR2,BBCR4FM,BBCR7 sugqual 0in a file endpad.config. You can either specify the other options in the file (see my post for details), or keep them on the command line. Suggestions on other channels will be recorded with the global 'sugqual' setting that you have already set.

I record everything in Basic anyway, so I haven't tried this option. Let me know how you get on.

Tim.

[schwinn]

Sanderton:

Excellent program - can't wait to see it in action!

One thing - the readme file still calls for an incorrect rc.sysinit.author line - the readme calls for "dev/null" while it should be "/dev/null" of course... might want to fix that.

[shanew]

Following a period of anger from my partner regarding the end missing off Sundays recording of "Where the heart is" (because TiVo was recording "Pelican Brief" straight after on C5) this morning I decided to have a go at the negative padding problem.

If you want to try it bear the following in mind:
1. Can't say how stable it is (though its been working fine for the last hour on my tivo)
2. Can't say if it'll work ok on a US tivo (as i haven't got one!)
3. Not sure if its going to affect the 28 day rule (though with the implementation i don't see why it would)
4. I'm happy to address any bugs/modifications but don't hold me responsible for any adverse affects.
5. Give major thanks (which i do) to Stuart Anderton, author of the original & awsome code :up:

So here it is :-)

P.S. Use the same syntax as the original.
eg stop endpad with "endpad.tcl -stop"
and start endpad with "endpad.tcl -s 2 -e 2 -n 1" (where n = negative start padding)

[iankb]

... start endpad with "endpad.tcl -s 2 -e 2 -n 1" (where n = negative start padding)Wouldn't n have to be at least as large as (if not equal to) e? Or will e be automatically reduced to the same value as n, if an overlap occurs.

[shanew]

Or will e be automatically reduced to the same value as n, if an overlap occurs.

Exactly. Basically what happens is that if the gap is smaller than 'n' then the start of the following program gets delayed so the gap is exactly 'n'. Then endpad's default process continues by adding as much endpadding as possible - in this case, only 1 minute.

[petestrash]

Tim,

Someone had asked a few pages back, but was not responded to, would it be possible to include some sort of configuration by time of day.

We have problems with stations running mostly to time during the day, but running well over starting at 7:30pm and continue right through to 6am. Some days they can be up to 20 minutes late.

Using your example it would be good if we could alter the config file to something like:

endpad 2
channel BBC1STH,BBC2STH,BBC4 endpad 5
time 1930 0000 channel BBC1STH,BBC2STH,BBC4 endpad 20
time 0000 0600 channel BBC1STH,BBC2STH,BBC4 endpad 20
channel SKYONE startpad 1

Peter.

[Ian_m]

Also how about adding padding depending on programme name ?

egendpad 2
channel BBC1STH,BBC2STH,BBC4 endpad 5
Casualty endpad 15

ie add endpadding of 15 minutes to a programme call casualty.

[iankb]

Also how about adding padding depending on programme name ?Or adding padding to the end of that, plus all subsequent programmes on the same channel until (say) 6am.

[maxwells_daemon]

Someone had asked a few pages back, but was not responded to, would it be possible to include some sort of configuration by time of day.Hi Peter,

OK, this new version (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/maxwells.daemon/tivo/downloads/endpad-1.4.2-md2.tar.gz) should do what you want. You can now specify a validity period in the endpad.config file.validity 17-23 startpad 1
channel BBC1STH,BBC2STH validity 19:30-06:00 endpad 20The former is for all channels, while the latter is only for the BBC, and wraps around midnight (7:30pm to 6am). If the programme is scheduled to start within the validity period, then those options come into effect (channel-specific settings take precedence over time-dependent settings, which take precedence over global settings).

One restriction, that I hope won't be too onerous, is that the validity period is given in a fixed time zone. You can now specify a time zone with the -tz option (eg. -tz 01:00 for BST) and this is used for the validity period and also for EndPad's log file messages. However this will not be automatically changed when BST ends next month. That shouldn't be serious: if you miss this, you'll just get the different padding applied an hour earlier or later, but I guess the definition of "evening schedules" is anyway not so precise.

For the record, I also improved the methods used for options parsing and background task invocation. See my earlier post for a summary of my other changes.

I'm still concerned that EndPad is branching into different versions: apart from mine and Stuart's original, there's also shanew's negative padding and EndPadPlus (a rewrite to support dual tuners), and perhaps more. Stuart, what did you think of my previous suggestion to update the version at the head of this thread, or to at least to reference the other versions? shanew, should we try to merge our versions?

Anyway, enjoy!

Tim.

PS. Stuart, the Cancer Research donation page (http://www.justgiving.com/brigid) doesn't seem to work any more. Should I donate direct? Sorry, I know it's taken me long enough (6 months!) to get round to it.

[petestrash]

Wow, thanks Tim.

Endpad has certainly been developed into a very flexible add-on.

I will download your new version and give it a run over the next week.

At the moment I am wasting a lot of hard drive space by endpadding all shows an extra 18min, when really only the late night shows need it.

Thanks, I'll report back after a week of usage.

Peter.

[iankb]

Great Tim. It was probably me who was subtly-pleading for time-based padding.

I would be interested in the merging of Shanew's negative padding, but has anybody tried it and found it stable in the long-term? I always knew that negative padding wasn't going to be that simple, or Stuart would have included it in his version.

[sanderton]

Good stuff Tim.

Thank's for pointing out the expired link. The URL still gets you to a Cancer Research donation page, so if anyone would like to make a doantion for their EndPad use, please use that.

[mrtickle]

I'm strongly in favour of merging versions - I found the dailymail mail thread a nightmare!

[sanderton]

Tim - are you happy thet the latest mods are stable?

If so let's rechristen this 1.5 and I'll amend the top post.

[maxwells_daemon]

Tim - are you happy thet the latest mods are stable?Yes, I'm happy with them. However since petestrash (and maybe iankb?) said they'd give it a go, why don't we wait a week to check that it works for someone other than me.

The only other change I have considered in detail was to make the timezone setting automatic. I guess I could borrow the code from TivoWeb, but that looks pretty haphazard.If so let's rechristen this 1.5 and I'll amend the top post.That would be great. Thanks!

What do you think about merging in shanew's negative padding changes? I haven't tried it out yet, but the code changes look like they are fairly self-contained, so won't be activated unless someone specifies negative padding.

Tim.

[sanderton]

I haven't got the time to be code merging - if you and shanew want to do that then great.

[maxwells_daemon]

Don't worry, Stuart, I wasn't trying to dragoon you into doing the work. I was just interested to hear what you thought of the idea.

[iankb]

Yes, I'm happy with them. However since petestrash (and maybe iankb?) said they'd give it a go, why don't we wait a week to check that it works for someone other than me.I'm currently using it and, according to the endpad.msg log, it's got everything right so far. However, since I haven't recorded more than one program from the 'exceptional' channels, it could take a little longer to soak-test it. Will keep you posted.

[petestrash]

Hi,

I am having some trouble with endpad-1.4.2-md2

With the suggested /var/hack/endpad.tcl -sugeq -auto >> dev/null & in rc.sysinit.author endpad did not start. Replacing with /var/hack/endpad.tcl -auto worked ok.

But the more major issue I believe is it's handling of station names.

In endpad.conf I have the following:
startpad 1
endpad 5
channel Ten-WA,Seven-WA,Nine-WA validity 19:30-06:00 endpad 18
sugeq

When endpad starts it shows:
Sunday 19:22:44 : endpad.tcl 1.4.2-md2 log file, starting up
Sunday 19:22:44 : Start padding set to 60 seconds
Sunday 19:22:44 : End padding set to 300 seconds
Sunday 19:22:44 : Suggestions will not be padded if another suggestion immediately follows them
Sunday 19:22:44 : Detected TiVo software version 3.0-01-1-000
Sunday 19:22:44 : Suggestion quality change disabled
Sunday 19:22:44 : Timezone 00:00
Sunday 19:22:44 : Configuration options:-
Sunday 19:22:44 : default: endpad 5 sugeq 0 sugqual -1 startpad 1
Sunday 19:22:44 : channel NINE-WA validity 19:30-06:00 endpad 18 sugeq 0 sugqual -1 startpad 1
Sunday 19:22:44 : channel SEVEN-WA validity 19:30-06:00 endpad 18 sugeq 0 sugqual -1 startpad 1
Sunday 19:22:44 : channel TEN-WA validity 19:30-06:00 endpad 18 sugeq 0 sugqual -1 startpad 1

When it came time to pad a show in the validity period, only the default padding was added:
Sunday 20:55:00 : Woken up
Sunday 20:55:01 : Recording {60 Minutes} on Ten-WA now
Sunday 20:55:01 : Recording Scheduled End Time: 21:00
Sunday 20:55:01 : Next recording is {Backyard Science} on ABC-WA at 10:20
Sunday 20:55:01 : Gap to next programme is 48000 seconds
Sunday 20:55:01 : Added 300 seconds end padding to {60 Minutes} on Ten-WA
Sunday 20:55:01 : Next end padding setting due 10:25
Sunday 20:55:01 : Not time to add start padding yet
Sunday 20:55:01 : Next start padding setting due 10:18
Sunday 20:55:01 : Next wake up will be 21:25

I am guessing the reason it's happening is because the station name in endpad.conf had been converted to Caps by endpad (Ten-WA to TEN-WA), but it might be something else.

Peter

[iankb]

You don't show a location but, from the station names, I assume that you are based in Western Australia. I don't know about the US, but in the UK EPG data all station names are uppercase.

Since your EPG slices are home-cut, it's possible that your 'provider' has chosen to use mixed-case station names whereas official TiVo data always uses uppercase. Hence the problem, although I'm sure that it is easily solvable.

[maxwells_daemon]

Hi Peter,

Thanks for testing it out.I am having some trouble with endpad-1.4.2-md2

With the suggested /var/hack/endpad.tcl -sugeq -auto >> dev/null & in rc.sysinit.author endpad did not start. Replacing with /var/hack/endpad.tcl -auto worked ok.I can't reproduce your problem with specifying -sugeq. Can you post what's in your endpad.err file? That can be a little confusing because new runs are appended to old ones, so one can't tell which time gave an error. To be sure, you could move or delete endpad.err and try again.But the more major issue I believe is it's handling of station names.

I am guessing the reason it's happening is because the station name in endpad.conf had been converted to Caps by endpad (Ten-WA to TEN-WA), but it might be something else.You are right. I didn't know that channel names could be mixed case (maybe that's a feature of version 3). Here is a new version (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/maxwells.daemon/tivo/downloads/endpad-1.4.2-md3.tar.gz) that doesn't force all names to be upper case. This does mean that everyone has to be careful to specify the correct case, but that's par for the course on Linux.

I don't know where you are located, but I guess (from the channel names and the fact that you are using TiVo software version 3) it's not in the UK. Please be aware that the validity times you specify are in GMT, unless you specify a different timezone with the new -tz option. I only mention this because your example looks like you are trying to specify an evening validity.

Tim.

[petestrash]

Thanks for testing it out.I can't reproduce your problem with specifying -sugeq. Can you post what's in your endpad.err file? That can be a little confusing because new runs are appended to old ones, so one can't tell which time gave an error. To be sure, you could move or delete endpad.err and try again.

Thanks Tim, I tried again and there is nothing showing in endpad.err as endpad just doesn't start at all with '/var/hack/endpad.tcl -sugeq -auto >> dev/null &' in rc.sysinit.author, but '/var/hack/endpad.tcl -sugeq -auto' it starts fine.

This doesn't bother me, just thought I'd point it out.

I am in Australia, and since TiVo isn't here we run our own emulator.

Your new version now works fine with our channel assignments.

I don't think Timezone will be an issue for us as it is handled differently here because there is no native tivo support for our timezones. So far it seem ok.

Thanks, I'll leave it for a week and drop a note back here.

Peter.

[LJ]

Maybe it's a typo when posting here, but there's a "/" missing before the "dev".

[sanderton]

My bad, I still haven't fiexed the docs. The end of the line should be:

/dev/null &

[petestrash]

My bad, I still haven't fiexed the docs. The end of the line should be:

/dev/null &

Doh, I should have picked that.

I was following the readme.

Needless to say starts fine now.

Thanks,

Peter.

[petestrash]

My bad, I still haven't fixed the docs.

Seems to be working fine so far.

I might have a go at updating the readme to include all the new features.

I assume global options set at the command line are overruled by global options in the config file.

Peter

[mrtickle]

I assume global options set at the command line are overruled by global options in the config file.


Other way around surely?

[petestrash]

I'll leave it for Tim to confirm,

But the way I read it is that command line switches set a default unless something in the config file overrides it.

So a global setting in the config file will override a command line global setting.

Peter.

[tym]

Command line options override config file default options.

BTW. I'm currently testing an enhanced version of 1.4.2-md3 that adds matching based on program title.

Tym

[maxwells_daemon]

Seems to be working fine so far.

I might have a go at updating the readme to include all the new features.That would be very kind. Writing the documentation always seems to be the most painful bit for me :D

Since this is to replace the standard 1.4.2, I guess the settings in the packaged endpad.config should be commented out so if people upgrade from 1.4.2, they don't see any unexpected change of behaviour.

When that's done, we can bump the version number to 1.5.

I assume global options set at the command line are overruled by global options in the config file.No, the order of precedence is (highest to lowest, with higher overruling lower)

1) time-dependent, channel-specific settings (in config file)
2) channel-specific settings (in config file)
3) time-dependent settings (in config file)
4) command-line settings (all global)
5) global settings in config file

Although it's probably not much use, if there happens to be more than one setting that applies at any one level, the last one specified (in the config file or on the command line) is used.

Tim.

[petestrash]

Ok, I'll have a go at putting some docs together over the weekend.

Peter.

[Ian_m]

Command line options override config file default options.

BTW. I'm currently testing an enhanced version of 1.4.2-md3 that adds matching based on program title.

Tym

1. Does this mean the start line in rc.sysinit.author.edit (or eqiv) could be:-

/var/hack/endpad.tcl -auto >> /dev/null &

with start and end values being taken from the .config file ?

2. Excellent. Casualty is the only prog I have added padding to as it sometimes runs about 10mins late on Saturday, thats why I mentioned it.

[Fozzie]

Casualty is the only prog I have added padding to as it sometimes runs about 10mins late on Saturday, thats why I mentioned it.Why not just add 10 mins to the stop time in the SP itself?

[Ian_m]

Why not just add 10 mins to the stop time in the SP itself?

I have done (actually 15mins), but this "hardpadding" often stops the subsequent programme, usually on the same side, recording, which is why Endpad is better.

[Fozzie]

I don't know what region you're in, but the most I've ever had Casualty overrun is a couple of minutes.

The only way to be sure of catching the end is to hard-pad. I've already been through the dilema of soft-padding vs. hard-padding and missing the next recording; I went for the hard-padding :)

[tym]

This attached version adds program name based padding and auto config reloading to maxwells_daemon's 1.4.2-md3 endpad. There are a couple of minor bugfixes as well.

I've also added an integrated shanew's negative padding mods with a few additions that allow finer control of negative padding based on the current and next programs (eg. don't negative pad into specific programs).

Unfortunately shanew's negative padding doesn't work on my ozTiVo (TiVo v3 - failed when trying to create manual recording) so I've used some code from the manrec tivoweb module to truncate the recording - this should work in UK and other tivos.

I've tested this for a couple of days, but obviously it needs more diverse testing (especially the negative padding feature).

startpad 1 endpad 10 # Global defaults
# Hi-5 is almost always on time, and I don't want my child watching next prog
channel Nine-Mel program {Hi-5} -s 0 -e 0
# Temptation always runs over, see the end rather than start of the next prog
channel Nine-Mel program {^Temptation$} negpad 4
# Never take off start of any CSI program
channel Nine-Mel program CSI maxneg 0

Tym

[maxwells_daemon]

This attached version adds program name based padding and auto config reloading to maxwells_daemon's 1.4.2-md3 endpad. There are a couple of minor bugfixes as well.Very impressive! So far, I've just had a look at the code changes without trying it out on the TiVo. I found a few minor problems, which are corrected in the attached version (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/maxwells.daemon/tivo/downloads/endpad-1.4.2-md4.tar.gz).

1) The program can crash if a time-specific setting line follows a programme-specific setting line ("can't read newopt(program)"). Eg.
program Buffy endpad 20
validity 18-05 endpad 102) Command-line configuration options are ignored!

3) The timezone setting on the command-line was overridden by a setting in the config file. Command-line global options should always take precedence.

4) Up here, the spelling is "programme", not "program" :D (for a TV programme, as distinct from a computer program). I set it to allow both spellings in the config file.

I also tidied up the code and comments a little further. If you look at the differences, you might prefer diff -b to skip all the spacing-only cleanups.

One remaining oddity is that if both programme-specific and time-specific setting lines match, then the last one specified in the config file is the one used. Eg. in the example config above, if Buffy us on between 6pm and 5am, then an end padding of 10 minutes is used.

Ideally I guess, the programme-specific setting should take precedence, but implementing that is a little cumbersome. I think it's easier just to document this wrinkle and suggest people put the programme-specific settings at the end.

Tim.

PS. I called it 1.4.2-md4 because 1.4.2-md3-tk1-md1 would be a bit much. But it is based on your version 1.4.2-md3-tk1.

[tym]

Tim,

Looks good.

I notice now that I forgot to remove the warning comment from the code regarding v3 tivos and negative padding (this isn't an problem now).

A few other ideas...:
- For completeness you should be able to enable or disable sugeq (rather than just enable it with no ability to disable). I don't know why you would want to do this though - it'd probably be only used globally anyway.
- It would be nice to have rules based on day of week rather than just time of day. We have stations here which are notorious for running late on specific evenings.

Tym

[maxwells_daemon]

- For completeness you should be able to enable or disable sugeq (rather than just enable it with no ability to disable). I don't know why you would want to do this though - it'd probably be only used globally anyway.Great minds think alike. I considered the same thing while I was admiring your improvements. The change could be a little confused, because enabling sugeq sets sugcancancelsug to 0. What way round should the option be? Also should we worry about compatibility with previous versions of endpad.config?

- It would be nice to have rules based on day of week rather than just time of day. We have stations here which are notorious for running late on specific evenings.I'm having a go at this now. So far I got it to recognise and display "validity Sun" or "validity Sat/18:00-05:00". I still need to think through the best way to make the comparison in getConfig.

Tim.

[cwaring]

Hi Guys!

Just insatalled this much-lauded module but it's not working.

Here's what I have done:

the .tcl and .config are in '/var/hack' and my 'rc.sysinit.author' looks like this:


/var/hack/tivoweb-tcl/tivoweb &
/var/hack/endpad.tcl -s 2 -e 5 -auto >> dev/null &


I have not enabled any options in the .config file. Thought I'd leave everything to default to start with. Have also re-booted Tivo.

If anyone has any idea as to what I might (probably have!) done wrong, it would be very-much appreciated :)

Thanks.

[Fozzie]

Just insatalled this much-lauded module but it's not working.Not the most helpful of explanations. :rolleyes:


/var/hack/tivoweb-tcl/tivoweb &
/var/hack/endpad.tcl -s 2 -e 5 -auto >> dev/null &
Change 'dev/null &' to '/dev/null &' ;)

[cwaring]

Not the most helpful of explanations. :rolleyes:
I'm confused. What else can I tell you. It's not adding any padding at the start or end of a recording, therefore it doesn't work :D

Change 'dev/null &' to '/dev/null &' ;)
Interesting, as I just copied that straight from the readme.txtfile

However, will do. Thanks. Will I need to re-boot or is there another way to re-run that .author file?

[iankb]

With regards to the channel and time-based changes, I've run for a week or so and have to report that none of my recordings fitted into the special ranges that were able to take advantage of soft-padding. However, the good thing is that the standard settings still worked fine. So I see no reason not to use the new version, because it appears to be at least as good as the standard version. :up:

[Fozzie]

I'm confused. What else can I tell you. It's not adding any padding at the start or end of a recording, therefore it doesn't work :DSo if you have a problem with your car, you'd just drop it off at the garage, say it doesn't work and then walk out the door?! A decription of the problem, symptoms, what you've tried, what's in the log etc. is always helpful, rather than just a "it doesn't work". I would have thought someone with so many posts would have known that?

Interesting, as I just copied that straight from the readme.txtfile
Halfway up this very page, you should have seen >>this<< (http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=3284305&&#post3284305) post. ;)

[cwaring]

So if you have a problem with your car, you'd just drop it off at the garage, say it doesn't work and then walk out the door?! A decription of the problem, symptoms, what you've tried, what's in the log etc. is always helpful, rather than just a "it doesn't work". I would have thought someone with so many posts would have known that?

I'm sorry. I thought I had adequately described what I had done and which files I had put where.

Problem: It doesn't work.
Symptoms: No padding at start or end of programmes
What I have done/tried: See original post. To whit...

Here's what I have done:

the .tcl and .config are in '/var/hack' and my 'rc.sysinit.author' looks like this:


/var/hack/tivoweb-tcl/tivoweb &
/var/hack/endpad.tcl -s 2 -e 5 -auto >> dev/null &


I have not enabled any options in the .config file. Thought I'd leave everything to default to start with. Have also re-booted Tivo.

Which error log (there are quite a few!) should I be looking in?

Halfway up this very page, you should have seen >>this<< (http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=3284305&&#post3284305) post. ;)
Well, I did say didn't have the time to read 30-odd pages. Okay, so that was on the last page and I will admit that I missed it. My bad :(

Edited to add: Sorry, again. I've just realised what I think you were getting at. I can't try anything to solve the problem as I know nothing at all about Linux so wouldn't have a clue where to start looking for problems

[Fozzie]

Which error log (there are quite a few!) should I be looking in?Errr, the endpad.log. (And before you ask, you can view it from Tivoweb by clicking on the 'logs' menu item).

You haven't actually said whether the change I suggested earlier has got it running? Have you done a 'ps ax' from the BASH prompt to see if is running as a process? What does the endpad log say? Have you tried running it from the BASH prompt (this should be normal practise prior to putting it in a startup file, to make sure you get the command syntax correct and don't hang the TiVo)?

[cwaring]

Errr, the endpad.log. (And before you ask, you can view it from Tivoweb by clicking on the 'logs' menu item).
Can't see an 'endpag.log' in the logs. I assume that means that maybe it's installed as properly as I thought?

You haven't actually said whether the change I suggested earlier has got it running?
No I didn't, sorry. However it didn't help.

Have you done a 'ps ax' from the BASH prompt to see if is running as a process?
"command not found". Something I've not installed?

Have you tried running it from the BASH prompt (this should be normal practise prior to putting it in a startup file, to make sure you get the command syntax correct and don't hang the TiVo)?
Again, something I never thought of. Suppose I should have!

Anyway, this is the result of running it as you suggest:

TiVo: {/var/hack} % ./endpad.tcl -s 2 -e 5
EndPad v1.4.2-md4 (c) 2004 Stuart Anderton
Strictly no commercial distribution
See file header for terms of use and distribution
Switching to background...
TiVo: {/var/hack} %

I'm guessing that that is normal so there is a problem with the .author file? Maybe it's not pointing to where it should. I'll check that now and report back.

Thank-you for your assistance.

A few minutes (and one reboot) later:

Well, I checked the .author file and there was a couple of extraneous characters in there. Corrected and re-booted but I still don't think it's loaded as the log file only goes up until 15:21 which is when I re-booted.

[Fozzie]

"command not found". Something I've not installed?'ls' & 'ps' available from >>here<< (http://www.boygenius.co.uk/tivo/index.html)

(I'm assuming you've done everything >>here<< (http://tivo.stevejenkins.com/network_cd.html#_Toc101001772) - particularly sections 4, 6, 7 & 8)

[cwaring]

Darn! Knew there was something I'd forgotten. I've downloaded his SP Backup but meant to go back for the other two :(

[sanderton]

"command not found". Something I've not installed?




This doesn't seem to be a problem with EndPad as such; can I suggest that this discussion takes place in Carl's thread, where he can complete the set of re-iterating every hacking thread on the board. :)

[cwaring]

I never for one moment thought the hack was the problem. I'm not Captain Whatever-his-name-was :)

Oh, and I'm sorry for taking up your thread with my lack of knowledge :(

[Fozzie]

This doesn't seem to be a problem with EndPad as such; can I suggest that this discussion takes place in Carl's thread, where he can complete the set of re-iterating every hacking thread on the board. :)Good point! You mean there's other threads that cover all this? :p

[cwaring]

I do so sincerly apologise for messing up your thread with my lack on Linux skills.

Of course, the fact that the more knowledgable on this board can write TCL and know everything about Linux and has a few years more experience of hacking Tivo than me is totally by-the-by :(

[sanderton]

I think we thought you might have picked up a few things having been reading the board every day for however many years it is now!

[cwaring]

I have indeed picked up a lot of things. However, as hacking and Linux have both been of no interest until now, I didn't bother reading those threads that relate to hacks.

Also, I knew there'd be problems like this. Hence my past hesitance. I was hoping for some support from my friends on this board, not chastising for asking what may be about simple stuff for those who know what to do when things go wrong; as I do with my PC but know nothing about Linux :)

For example, I was going to ask where I should put the afore-mentioned "PS" file so I don't put it somewhere that might break my Tivo but I daren't now for fear of ridicule :D

Anyway, I shall leave this thread for posts relating exclusively to errors with Endpad itself ;)

[sanderton]

The last part is the important one. We're all very happy to help back in your own thread! :)

[alpriest]

Hi,
I've had a look over this thread and i'm going to install endpad tonight. Could someone confirm that the latest version is endpad-1.4.2-md4.zip as detailed here (http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=3304787&&#post3304787)

Thanks
Al

[Ian_m]

I have been running md3 since release no problem. Padding works.

I think md4 added per programme name padding in the config file, which is nice and I will get round to installing one day.

[alpriest]

md4 worked perfectly straight out of the box (apart from the /dev/null bit in the readme).

Thanks.

[maxwells_daemon]

Here's a new version (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/maxwells.daemon/tivo/downloads/endpad-1.4.2-md5.tar.gz) that I am testing. It has a number of improvements (including a couple that tym sent me):-

a) stop a suggestion's endpad encroaching on a recording's startpad, and cancel a suggestion that overlaps the following recording's startpad. [from tym]

b) remove case sensitivity from channel names comparison (a better way to fix this). [from tym]

c) allow selection by the day of week, eg. to select an end padding of 20 minutes from Saturday 7:30pm to Sunday 5am, you can specify in endpad.config:

validity Sat/19:30-05:00 endpad 20d) We once more have a well-defined order of precedence of selection options. It is (highest to lowest, with higher overruling lower):-

1) channel-specific settings (in config file)
2) programme-specific settings (in config file)
3) weekday-specific settings (in config file)
4) time-dependent settings (in config file)
5) command-line settings (all global)
6) global settings in config file

If there happens to be more than one setting that applies at any one level, the last one specified (in the config file or on the command line) is used.

This might seem a bit arcane, but in most cases it does what you expect, eg.

programme {Doctor Who} validity Sat/19-20 endpad 30
programme {Doctor Who} endpad 20
validity Sat endpad 10will use a 20-minute end padding for Doctor Who, even if it's on a Saturday, unless it starts between 7 and 8pm, when a 30 minute endpad is used. Other programmes on Saturday use 10 minutes.

e) Log file rotation happens at midnight local time (according to the -tz setting).

f) I fixed the /dev/null path in the docs :D

Tim.

[sanderton]

Re: a) - it did that anyway?

[tym]

Re: a) - it did that anyway?
Not in my experience... on my system startpadding seemed to be missing some of the time (which no adjacent recording) - there appeared to be nothing in the code to handle things differently if the current recording is a suggestion, so the addtional code cancels the suggestion and does the startpadding before the suggestion starts recording.

Tym

[sanderton]

Ah yes, thanks for the memory jog - there's a reason for that. If you try to cancel a currently recording show and then extend the start padding of the next show to overlap the current show the results are, ahem, unpredictable. I've seen the TiVo crash, but most often I've seen the user set show fail to record as it gets confused about the overlap. It's possible that there is a way of doing it without these issues, but I didn't find one easily and therefore the EndPad code plays it safe and never cancels a recording which is actually recording already,

[tym]

EndPad code plays it safe and never cancels a recording which is actually recording already,The new code preserves this. A not yet recording suggestion is cancelled if it will overlap the startpad of the subsequent real recording. It will then immediately add the startpad to the real recording to avoid another overlapping suggestion being scheduled.

Tim

[sanderton]

The just-in-time setup of EndPad means that it only adds start padding a couple of minutes before the show+padding is due to start. Any suggestion before it will therefore be already recording.

[tym]

The suggestion that will overlap the startpadding of a real recording is cancelled before the suggestion starts recording. If a suggestion is already recording it will not be cancelled, but this is unlikely as a check is made at each wake up. This changes the just-in-time behaviour slightly to ensure start padding occurs, which is not a big problem in my opinion...

[sanderton]

Ok

[sanderton]

Hey, TiVo have added negative padding to v. 7.2.1:

http://www.zatznotfunny.com/wordpress/wp-content/clip.jpg

[Fozzie]

So c'mon Stuart - what's your excuse now?! ;)

[petestrash]

Hi,

I have been running endpad.tcl 1.4.2-md3 for about a month now without any problems on a few Series 1 TiVo's.

The last few days on just one TiVo some of the validity rules have been ignored and the global padding settings used instead.

This TiVo has a current up time of 9 days (but this issue only started a couple of days ago). I have not touched the config file since it was setup.

I have attached the relevant parts of the log for one missed event (the only one today).

Tuesday 00:25:01 : endpad.tcl 1.4.2-md3 log file, log rotated
Tuesday 00:25:01 : Start padding set to 60 seconds
Tuesday 00:25:01 : End padding set to 300 seconds
Tuesday 00:25:01 : Suggestions will not be padded if another suggestion immediately follows them
Tuesday 00:25:01 : Detected TiVo software version 3.0-01-1-000
Tuesday 00:25:01 : Suggestion quality change disabled
Tuesday 00:25:01 : Timezone 00:00
Tuesday 00:25:01 : Configuration options:-
Tuesday 00:25:01 : default: endpad 5 sugeq 0 sugqual -1 startpad 1
Tuesday 00:25:01 : channel 7CEN validity 20:00-22:00 endpad 18 sugeq 0 sugqual -1 startpad 1
Tuesday 00:25:01 : channel 7CEN validity 22:01-06:00 endpad 20 sugeq 0 sugqual -1 startpad 1
Tuesday 00:25:01 : channel GWN-WA validity 20:00-22:00 endpad 18 sugeq 0 sugqual -1 startpad 1
Tuesday 00:25:01 : channel GWN-WA validity 22:01-06:00 endpad 20 sugeq 0 sugqual -1 startpad 1
Tuesday 00:25:01 : channel IMP validity 20:00-22:00 endpad 18 sugeq 0 sugqual -1 startpad 1
Tuesday 00:25:01 : channel IMP validity 22:01-06:00 endpad 20 sugeq 0 sugqual -1 startpad 1
Tuesday 00:25:01 : channel WIN-WA validity 20:00-22:00 endpad 18 sugeq 0 sugqual -1 startpad 1
Tuesday 00:25:01 : channel WIN-WA validity 22:01-06:00 endpad 20 sugeq 0 sugqual -1 startpad 1
Sleeping, checking every minute for kill signal...............................
...SNIP...
Tuesday 22:55:00 : Woken up
Tuesday 22:55:00 : Recording {Last Man Standing} on GWN-WA now
Tuesday 22:55:00 : Recording Scheduled End Time: 23:00
Tuesday 22:55:00 : Next recording is Cunnamulla on ABC-WA at 00:30
Tuesday 22:55:00 : Gap to next programme is 5400 seconds
Tuesday 22:55:00 : Added 300 seconds end padding to {Last Man Standing} on GWN-WA
Tuesday 22:55:00 : Next end padding setting due 01:55
Tuesday 22:55:00 : Not time to add start padding yet
Tuesday 22:55:00 : Next start padding setting due 00:28
Tuesday 22:55:00 : Next wake up will be 23:25

Even though I have channel GWN-WA set for 'validity 22:01-06:00 endpad 20', at 22:55 only the global 5 minutes endpading was added not 20.

As I have said this has been running fine for a month and still fine on another couple of machines. Just thought I'd point it out FYI.

I have stopped and restarted endpad and so far seems ok again.

Peter

[cwaring]

Can't help with your problem, but I just have to ask:)

You really have to set some channels to 20 minutes end padding? They over-run that much? Often?

[petestrash]

Those channels are every night! Usually about 15 minutes, but I set 20 to be safe.

one of the channels even has a 15 minute filler scheduled each day around 5:00am, needless to say it is rarely actually shown. They just drop the filler each day to fix the time before 6:00am.

It's a game the stations play, they run their primetime shows long hoping that you miss enough of the next show on a different station that you will be forced to stay on the current station. Thank heavens for multiple TiVo's :D

Peter.

[cwaring]

It's a game the stations play, they run their primetime shows long hoping that you miss enough of the next show on a different station that you will be forced to stay on the current station.
They do that over here too, but never by that long! 5 mins max.

[mike0151]

They do that over here too, but never by that long! 5 mins max.
Apart from when they run 10 minutes late :rolleyes: :eek: :mad:

[cwaring]

Of course :rolleyes: What I meant was that the "norm" is to over-run by a relatively small amount. To my knowledge (and barring LIVE events or extended news coverage) no UK channel has ever deliberately over-run by your stated ten minutes just because they felt like it.

[iankb]

... no UK channel has ever deliberately over-run by your stated ten minutes just because they felt like it.ITV certainly went over by almost 10 minutes once with 'Who Wants To Be a Millionaire'. They were trying to stop people switching over to another programme on BBC1.

[cwaring]

I just knew someone would give an example ;) Fair enough, but as I said, it's not a very common occurence :)

[maxwells_daemon]

Hi Peter,

The last few days on just one TiVo some of the validity rules have been ignored and the global padding settings used instead.Tuesday 00:25:01 : channel GWN-WA validity 20:00-22:00 endpad 18 sugeq 0 sugqual -1 startpad 1
Tuesday 00:25:01 : channel GWN-WA validity 22:01-06:00 endpad 20 sugeq 0 sugqual -1 startpad 1
...SNIP...
Tuesday 22:55:00 : Added 300 seconds end padding to {Last Man Standing} on GWN-WAEven though I have channel GWN-WA set for 'validity 22:01-06:00 endpad 20', at 22:55 only the global 5 minutes endpading was added not 20.Last Man Standing wasn't scheduled to start at exactly 22:00, was it? It is the start time that is important for the validity selection, since if the start of the programme is delayed, chances are the end is too. :D Your time-dependent settings have a gap from 22:00 to 22:01, so if the scheduled start time fell in there, it would pick up the global settings.

To close the gap, you should instead specify

channel GWN-WA validity 20:00-22:00 endpad 18
channel GWN-WA validity 22:00-06:00 endpad 20The validity 20:00-22:00 includes 20:00, but excludes 22:00 (ie. goes up to 21:59:59), so there wouldn't be any overlap (not that that would be a problem).

Does this explain your observation?

Tim.

[mike0151]

I just knew someone would give an example ;) Fair enough, but as I said, it's not a very common occurence :)
The Frank Skinner Show usually over-runs by 8 to 10 minutes on ITV1.

[cwaring]

tarball'd /var/hack from my Tivo and cpio'd it onto my brother's unit.

Got the following in the.log file. Replacing with default .config file didn't help :(


Friday 13:39:54 :
Friday 13:39:54 : endpad.tcl 1.4.2-md5 log file, starting up
Friday 13:39:54 : Start padding set to 120 seconds
Friday 13:39:54 : End padding set to 300 seconds
Friday 13:39:54 : Negative start padding set to 0 seconds
Friday 13:39:54 : Force Negative startpadding is 0
Friday 13:39:54 : Suggestions will be padded, even if that means cancelling a subsequent suggestion
Friday 13:39:54 : Detected TiVo software version 2.5.5-01-1-023
Friday 13:39:54 : Suggestion quality change disabled
Friday 13:39:54 : Timezone 00:00
Friday 13:39:54 : Sorted configuration options (last match used):-
Friday 13:39:54 : startpad 2 endpad 5 negpad 0 forceneg 0 maxneg -1 sugeq 1 sugqual -1
Friday 13:39:54 : Woken up
Friday 13:39:55 : Error detected
Friday 13:39:55 : can't read "rectype": no such variable
while executing
"if {$rectype == 3} {

# Recording active
set isrec 1

# Get details of currently recording programme
RetryTransaction ..."
Friday 13:39:55 : Attempting to recover
Friday 13:40:25 : Woken up
Friday 13:40:25 : Error detected
Friday 13:40:25 : can't read "rectype": no such variable
while executing
"if {$rectype == 3} {

# Recording active
set isrec 1

# Get details of currently recording programme
RetryTransaction ..."
Friday 13:40:25 : Attempting to recover
Friday 13:40:25 : Too many errors, stopping


Probably something simple, like a difference between the two Tivos or something. Just got no idea what :)

[sanderton]

Clean TiVo? Endpad won't run unless there are two items in the To Do list.

Mentioned a few times above. These newbies who don't read the thread before posting. :)

[petestrash]

Hi Peter,

Last Man Standing wasn't scheduled to start at exactly 22:00, was it? It is the start time that is important for the validity selection, since if the start of the programme is delayed, chances are the end is too. :D Your time-dependent settings have a gap from 22:00 to 22:01, so if the scheduled start time fell in there, it would pick up the global settings.

I guess I made too many assumptions :D

My 1st assumption was a validity of 20:00-22:00 was inclusive and not 20:00-21:59 inclusive.

My 2nd assumption was that when endpad woke up at 22:55 to add the endpadding, it would then check the validity rules that applied at that time and then apply the endpad amount. I did not realise the start time was used for endpadding validity.

Unfortunately I didn't keep the logs showing the other programs that had problems, to see if they all fell into the hole at 22:00, but it's quite possible.

Does this explain your observation?

I believe it explains that one, but I also have another anomaly on a different tivo using the same version of endpad.

Friday 00:25:01 : endpad.tcl 1.4.2-md3 log file, log rotated
Friday 00:25:01 : Start padding set to 60 seconds
Friday 00:25:01 : End padding set to 300 seconds
Friday 00:25:01 : Suggestions will not be padded if another suggestion immediately follows them
Friday 00:25:01 : Detected TiVo software version 3.0-01-1-000
Friday 00:25:01 : Suggestion quality change disabled
Friday 00:25:01 : Timezone 00:00
Friday 00:25:01 : Configuration options:-
Friday 00:25:01 : default: endpad 5 sugeq 0 sugqual -1 startpad 1
Friday 00:25:01 : channel Nine-WA validity 20:00-22:00 endpad 18 sugeq 0 sugqual -1 startpad 1
Friday 00:25:01 : channel Nine-WA validity 22:01-06:00 endpad 20 sugeq 0 sugqual -1 startpad 1
Friday 00:25:01 : channel Seven-WA validity 20:00-22:00 endpad 18 sugeq 0 sugqual -1 startpad 1
Friday 00:25:01 : channel Seven-WA validity 22:01-06:00 endpad 20 sugeq 0 sugqual -1 startpad 1
Friday 00:25:01 : channel Ten-WA validity 20:00-22:00 endpad 18 sugeq 0 sugqual -1 startpad 1
Friday 00:25:01 : channel Ten-WA validity 22:01-06:00 endpad 20 sugeq 0 sugqual -1 startpad 1
Sleeping, checking every minute for kill signal...................
...SNIP...
Friday 23:58:00 : Woken up
Friday 23:58:00 : No recording in progress
Friday 23:58:00 : Next recording is Cops on Ten-WA at 00:00
Friday 23:58:00 : No end padding required:
Friday 23:58:00 : No recording in progress
Friday 23:58:00 : Next end padding setting due 00:25
Friday 23:58:00 : Added 60 seconds start padding to Cops on Ten-WA
Friday 23:58:00 : Next start padding setting due 00:25
Friday 23:58:00 : Next wake up will be 00:25
Sleeping, checking every minute for kill signal............................
Saturday 00:25:00 : Woken up
Saturday 00:25:00 : Recording Cops on Ten-WA now
Saturday 00:25:00 : Recording Scheduled End Time: 00:30
Saturday 00:25:00 : Next recording is Raid on SBS-WA (Suggestion) at 00:45
Saturday 00:25:00 : Current recording is on Ten-WA and starts at 00:00 so use endpad 20
Saturday 00:25:00 : Gap to next programme is 900 seconds
Saturday 00:25:00 : Added 900 seconds end padding to Cops on Ten-WA
Saturday 00:25:00 : Next end padding setting due 02:45
Saturday 00:25:00 : Not time to add start padding yet
Saturday 00:25:00 : Next start padding setting due 00:43
Saturday 00:25:00 : Next wake up will be 00:43
Saturday 00:25:00 : endpad.tcl 1.4.2-md3 log file, log rotated
Saturday 00:25:00 : Start padding set to 60 seconds
Saturday 00:25:00 : End padding set to 1200 seconds
Saturday 00:25:00 : Suggestions will not be padded if another suggestion immediately follows them
Saturday 00:25:00 : Detected TiVo software version 3.0-01-1-000
Saturday 00:25:00 : Suggestion quality change disabled
Saturday 00:25:00 : Timezone 00:00
Saturday 00:25:00 : Configuration options:-
Saturday 00:25:00 : default: endpad 5 sugeq 0 sugqual -1 startpad 1
Saturday 00:25:00 : channel Nine-WA validity 20:00-22:00 endpad 18 sugeq 0 sugqual -1 startpad 1
Saturday 00:25:00 : channel Nine-WA validity 22:01-06:00 endpad 20 sugeq 0 sugqual -1 startpad 1
Saturday 00:25:00 : channel Seven-WA validity 20:00-22:00 endpad 18 sugeq 0 sugqual -1 startpad 1
Saturday 00:25:00 : channel Seven-WA validity 22:01-06:00 endpad 20 sugeq 0 sugqual -1 startpad 1
Saturday 00:25:00 : channel Ten-WA validity 20:00-22:00 endpad 18 sugeq 0 sugqual -1 startpad 1
Saturday 00:25:00 : channel Ten-WA validity 22:01-06:00 endpad 20 sugeq 0 sugqual -1 startpad 1
Sleeping, checking every minute for kill signal...................
Saturday 00:43:00 : Woken up
Saturday 00:43:00 : Recording Cops on Ten-WA now
Saturday 00:43:00 : Recording Scheduled End Time: 00:45
Saturday 00:43:00 : Next recording is Raid on SBS-WA (Suggestion) at 00:45
Saturday 00:43:00 : Current recording is on Ten-WA and starts at 00:00 so use endpad 20
Saturday 00:43:00 : Gap to next programme is 900 seconds
Saturday 00:43:00 : Added 900 seconds end padding to Cops on Ten-WA
Saturday 00:43:00 : Next end padding setting due 02:45
Saturday 00:43:00 : Gap to previous recording is 0 seconds
Saturday 00:43:00 : Can't add start padding to Raid
Saturday 00:43:00 : Next start padding setting due 02:45
Saturday 00:43:00 : Next wake up will be 01:13
Sleeping, checking every minute for kill signal...............................
Saturday 01:13:00 : Woken up
Saturday 01:13:00 : Recording Raid on SBS-WA (Suggestion) now
Saturday 01:13:00 : Recording Scheduled End Time: 02:50
Saturday 01:13:00 : Next recording is {Queens Supreme} on Ten-WA at 04:00
Saturday 01:13:00 : Not time to add end padding yet
Saturday 01:13:00 : Next end padding setting due 02:45
Saturday 01:13:00 : Not time to add start padding yet
Saturday 01:13:00 : Next start padding setting due 03:58
Saturday 01:13:00 : Next wake up will be 01:43


On this TiVo the log says "Saturday 00:25:00 : Current recording is on Ten-WA and starts at 00:00 so use endpad 20" which the other TiVo does not show. If it did I wouldn't have posted the previous question :o

There is a 15 minute gap between 'Cops' and a suggestion 'Raid'. The endpad validity is set for 20 minutes, but endpad did not cancel the suggestion and only endpaded the 15 minutes gap.

Then 13 minutes into the endpadding time, endpad woke up again and tried to add another 15 minutes endpading. There were no errors in the log, but the extra endpadding was not added and the suggestion was still recorded.

Peter

PS I have since fixed the 22:00 gap on this TiVo also.

[Fozzie]

Just noticed this:

Thursday 20:58:00 : Woken up
Thursday 20:58:01 : Error detected
Thursday 20:58:01 : no such object: {CONFLICT err=errTmActiveLockConflict}
while executing
"dbobj $cstation get CallSign"
("uplevel" body line 11)
invoked from within
"uplevel $body"
invoked from within
"transaction {uplevel $body}"
(procedure "RetryTransaction" line 4)
invoked from within
"RetryTransaction {
set crec [db $db openid $recfsid]
if {$version >= 3} {
set crecbeh [dbobj $crec get RecordingBehavi..."
Thursday 20:58:01 : Attempting to recover
Thursday 20:58:31 : Woken up
Thursday 20:58:32 : Error detected
Thursday 20:58:32 : no such object: {CONFLICT err=errTmActiveLockConflict}
while executing
"dbobj $cstation get CallSign"
("uplevel" body line 11)
invoked from within
"uplevel $body"
invoked from within
"transaction {uplevel $body}"
(procedure "RetryTransaction" line 4)
invoked from within
"RetryTransaction {
set crec [db $db openid $recfsid]
if {$version >= 3} {
set crecbeh [dbobj $crec get RecordingBehavi..."
Thursday 20:58:32 : Attempting to recover
Thursday 20:58:32 : Too many errors, stopping
And ideas Stuart?

[sanderton]

Restart the TiVo? - it's having trouble retriving data drom the database.

[Fozzie]

Thanks. I've done that just in case. No doubt it's just one of those things that happens from time to time. Still, not bad though since I think that's the first time ever that endpad has keeled; shame I didn't notice yesterday before the end of Casualty was chopped! Makes you realise how vital Endpad is (and Dailymail for telling me it had stopped running). :)

[Ian_m]

Another suggestion for endpad functionality (or a separate CRONable tcl module if anyones interested, Sanderton ???????).

A module/function/endpad functionality to automatically set the ratings for programmes based on the start record time and/or channel. The reason for adding to endpad is it already has CFG init file reading capability and is "active" when a programme is recording. Could also be done as a CRON job once a day to process the ToDo and/or Now Playing list.

This would work in conjunction with the TiVo Parental controls systems to stop kids viewing things they shouldn't ie if they select "Lesbian Lavatory Lust the Series" they would be prompted for a TiVo password (ie 4 numbers). I know Parental controls (possibly) works with films, but not with other recordings.

The cfg file would have a lines like:-

default U
18:00-21:00 12 L
21:00-6:00 18 M
M&M 18 M
CBEEBIES U

Where U=U rating, 12=12 rating etc, M&M = Men and Motors channel, L=strong language, M=violent material. See page 17 of the UK 2.5.5 TiVo user guide for the ratings recognised.

Not to sure if series can have ratings or not. Exploring MFS I can see fields for movies of MpaaRating and Advisory, but nothing equivalent for a series/one off. Wonder if these fields were added to a series/one off the TiVo would honour it in the Parental controls.

Might also need an add-on to TiVoWeb to allow the programme rating to be edited if set wrong. (or the kids to bypass it if they eventually hack TiVoWeb).

Any thoughts anyone ? Looking for an interesting new module Sanderton ?

[Ian_m]

Another suggestion for endpad functionality (or a separate CRONable tcl module if anyones interested, Sanderton ???????).

A module/function/endpad functionality to automatically set the ratings for programmes based on the start record time and/or channel. The reason for adding to endpad is it already has CFG init file reading capability and is "active" when a programme is recording. Could also be done as a CRON job once a day to process the ToDo and/or Now Playing list.

This would work in conjunction with the TiVo Parental controls systems to stop kids viewing things they shouldn't ie if they select "Lesbian Lavatory Lust the Series" they would be prompted for a TiVo password (ie 4 numbers). I know Parental controls (possibly) works with films, but not with other recordings.

The cfg file would have a lines like:-

default U
18:00-21:00 12 L
21:00-6:00 18 M
M&M 18 M
CBEEBIES U

Where U=U rating, 12=12 rating etc, M&M = Men and Motors channel, L=strong language, M=violent material. See page 17 of the UK 2.5.5 TiVo user guide for the ratings recognised.

Not to sure if series can have ratings or not. Exploring MFS I can see fields for movies of MpaaRating and Advisory, but nothing equivalent for a series/one off. Wonder if these fields were added to a series/one off the TiVo would honour it in the Parental controls.

Might also need an add-on to TiVoWeb to allow the programme rating to be edited if set wrong. (or the kids to bypass it if they eventually hack TiVoWeb).

Any thoughts anyone ? Looking for an interesting new module Sanderton ?

[sanderton]

Easiy enough to code in - if it works! Would need someone to try manually adding those attributes to see. As there is no diffeence in MFS between movies and episodes I think there's agood chance it would.

You can use dbget and dbset to try it out.

[Ian_m]

Thinking about it a bit more, a CRON job running once a day would be better as it could have its own CFG input file and own output LOG file, thus not "contaminating" endpads CFG and LOG files.

You could also invoke it manually if needed as well.

I feel the hard bit (if implemented) would be modifying TiVoWeb to allow the attributes to be modded.

I am sure someone a while back said they were looking for ideas for something new to write for their TiVo......

[sanderton]

No, that's very easy. You'd just add a line of code to the Edit Recording page.

Trouble with doing it from cron is that recordings would be unproteced for a while.

[Ian_m]

Trouble with doing it from cron is that recordings would be unproteced for a while.

No it probably wouldn't, as if you put the ratings in the ToDo data and ran the CRON job daily, the programme would have the rating "inserted" maybe upto 2 weeks in advance.

Anyway, for your homework tonight, Mr Sanderton I expect a complete working and debugged programme (CRON script and TiVoWeb mods), to be ready on my desk by the morning, else its no TiVo for you...... :D (only joking:) )

[LJ]

Having a problem with DS9 on Sky at the moment where it always seems to start a little early. Would it be possible to add the start version of "negpad", so the preceeding programme is ended early rather than not being recorded at all?

[maxwells_daemon]

I've been running endpad-1.4.2-md5 for the last six weeks and it seems to work fine. Did anyone else try that version yet?

I noticed one oddity that I hope tym (in particular) can comment on. A few times the logfiles show that the same suggestion is deleted twice "to make room for startpad". The result seems to be OK (the suggestion is gone and the subsequent programme has the padding added), but I don't understand why this should happen. Maybe the suggestion is cancelled too early and so it pops up again.

Come to think of it, why does the suggestion have to be explicitly deleted at all? If the start padding is increased before the previous suggestion starts recoding, won't it give a conflict so the suggestion isn't recorded?

Anyway, this double deletion took place in 3 of the 15 times that my suggestions were deleted to make room for start padding. Here's one example from the logfile:-

Friday 18:58:00 : Woken up
Friday 18:58:00 : Next recording ({Boston Legal} at 20:00 on Fri) starts in 17:00-05:00 so use startpad 1
Friday 18:58:00 : Deleting suggestion {The Simpsons} on SKYONE to make room for 60 seconds startpad of {Boston Legal} on LIVING
Friday 18:58:00 : Recording {Veronica Mars} on LIVING now
Friday 18:58:00 : Recording Scheduled End Time: 19:02
Friday 18:58:00 : Next recording is {Boston Legal} on LIVING at 20:00
Friday 18:58:00 : Next recording ({Boston Legal} at 20:00 on Fri) starts in 17:00-05:00 so use startpad 1
Friday 18:58:00 : No end padding required:
Friday 18:58:00 : End padding of 120 seconds already set
Friday 18:58:00 : Next end padding setting due 20:55
Friday 18:58:00 : Gap to previous recording is 3480 seconds
Friday 18:58:00 : Added 60 seconds start padding to {Boston Legal} on LIVING
Friday 18:58:00 : Next start padding setting due 20:55
Friday 18:58:00 : Next wake up will be 19:28
Sleeping, checking every minute for kill signal...............................
Friday 19:28:00 : Woken up
Friday 19:28:00 : Next recording ({Boston Legal} at 20:00 on Fri) starts in 17:00-05:00 so use startpad 1
Friday 19:28:00 : Deleting suggestion {The Simpsons} on SKYONE to make room for 60 seconds startpad of {Boston Legal} on LIVING
Friday 19:28:00 : No recording in progress
Friday 19:28:00 : Next recording is {Boston Legal} on LIVING at 20:00
Friday 19:28:00 : Next recording ({Boston Legal} at 20:00 on Fri) starts in 17:00-05:00 so use startpad 1
Friday 19:28:00 : No end padding required:
Friday 19:28:00 : No recording in progress
Friday 19:28:00 : Next end padding setting due 20:55
Friday 19:28:00 : Added 60 seconds start padding to {Boston Legal} on LIVING
Friday 19:28:00 : Next start padding setting due 20:55
Friday 19:28:00 : Next wake up will be 19:58Tim.

[maxwells_daemon]

Originally Posted by petestrash on 22nd Oct concerning endpad.tcl 1.4.2-md3

On this TiVo the log says "Saturday 00:25:00 : Current recording is on Ten-WA and starts at 00:00 so use endpad 20" which the other TiVo does not show. If it did I wouldn't have posted the previous question :oThat's odd. Did the two TiVos have the same configuration parameters?

There is a 15 minute gap between 'Cops' and a suggestion 'Raid'. The endpad validity is set for 20 minutes, but endpad did not cancel the suggestion and only endpaded the 15 minutes gap.

Then 13 minutes into the endpadding time, endpad woke up again and tried to add another 15 minutes endpading. There were no errors in the log, but the extra endpadding was not added and the suggestion was still recorded.Sorry, I don't have any ideas (I didn't really look at that part of the code). Can you try the latest version, endpad-1.4.2-md5? That includes tym's code for deleting suggestions to allow start padding too. If there's a bug, it would be easiest to spot in our latest code.

Thanks,
Tim.

[tym]

I noticed one oddity that I hope tym (in particular) can comment on. A few times the logfiles show that the same suggestion is deleted twice "to make room for startpad". The result seems to be OK (the suggestion is gone and the subsequent programme has the padding added), but I don't understand why this should happen. Maybe the suggestion is cancelled too early and so it pops up again.

Come to think of it, why does the suggestion have to be explicitly deleted at all? If the start padding is increased before the previous suggestion starts recoding, won't it give a conflict so the suggestion isn't recorded?

Tim.

Tim

I have thought about relying on the TiVo not recording the suggestion automatically and not deleting the suggestion, but your example above seems to indicate that the TiVo is rescheduling the suggestion even though it should be blocked by the startpadding that is added immediately after the deletion the first time. In any case, the current setup seems to work even though it may be a little heavy handed. I've been using 1.4.2-md5 for 8 weeks now without issue.

You could experiment with commenting out the DeleteSuggestion (but leaving in the rest of the related code, in particular the 'set dostartpadnow 1').

Tym

[petestrash]

I just noticed it has happened again, a suggestion was recorded in preference to end padding a season pass:

Tuesday 00:25:00 : endpad.tcl 1.4.2-md3 log file, log rotated
Tuesday 00:25:00 : Start padding set to 90 seconds
Tuesday 00:25:00 : End padding set to 1200 seconds
Tuesday 00:25:00 : Suggestions will not be padded if another suggestion immediately follows them
Tuesday 00:25:00 : Detected TiVo software version 3.0-01-1-000
Tuesday 00:25:00 : Suggestion quality change disabled
Tuesday 00:25:00 : Timezone 00:00
Tuesday 00:25:01 : Configuration options:-
Tuesday 00:25:01 : default: endpad 5 sugeq 0 sugqual -1 startpad 1.5
Tuesday 00:25:01 : channel Nine-WA validity 19:00-22:00 endpad 18 sugeq 0 sugqual -1 startpad 1.5
Tuesday 00:25:01 : channel Nine-WA validity 22:00-06:00 endpad 20 sugeq 0 sugqual -1 startpad 1.5
Tuesday 00:25:01 : channel Seven-WA validity 19:00-22:00 endpad 18 sugeq 0 sugqual -1 startpad 1.5
Tuesday 00:25:01 : channel Seven-WA validity 22:00-06:00 endpad 20 sugeq 0 sugqual -1 startpad 1.5
Tuesday 00:25:01 : channel Ten-WA validity 19:00-22:00 endpad 18 sugeq 0 sugqual -1 startpad 1.5
Tuesday 00:25:01 : channel Ten-WA validity 22:00-06:00 endpad 20 sugeq 0 sugqual -1 startpad 1.5
Sleeping, checking every minute for kill signal....
...Snip...
Tuesday 20:25:00 : Woken up
Tuesday 20:25:00 : Recording Surface on Ten-WA now
Tuesday 20:25:00 : Recording Scheduled End Time: 20:30
Tuesday 20:25:00 : Next recording is {The Ghost Whisperer} on Seven-WA (Suggestion) at 20:30
Tuesday 20:25:00 : Current recording is on Ten-WA and starts at 19:30 so use endpad 18
Tuesday 20:25:00 : Gap to next programme is 0 seconds
Tuesday 20:25:00 : Can't add end padding to Surface
Tuesday 20:25:00 : Next end padding setting due 21:25
Tuesday 20:25:00 : Not time to add start padding yet
Tuesday 20:25:00 : Next start padding setting due 20:27
Tuesday 20:25:00 : Next wake up will be 20:27
Sleeping, checking every minute for kill signal....

I'll load up endpad-1.4.2-md5 as tim suggested and see if the problems continue.

Peter

[snowrides]

HI All,

Newbie here. I'm having trouble getting endpad to start automatcially.
I'm running a UK series 1 tivo software version 2.5.5a
I'm also a little confused as some threads talk about a config file which overrides the rc script.

If I run the following command manually endpad runs OK, but I cant get it to run automatically.
/var/hack/endpad.tcl -s -2 -e 5 -sugqual 75

My /etc/rc.d/rc.sysinit.author is as follows:

# Call the Tivo Package Manager Startup Scripts
/etc/rc.d/rc.sysinit.tpm
/var/hack/endpad.tcl -s -2 -e 5 -sugqual 75 -auto >> /dev/null &
/var/hack/tivowebplus/tivoweb console

Any help would be much appreciated

thanks

[sanderton]

Are you intending to have minus two as the start padding?

Is TiVoWeb plus running OK - it might be that the call to run /etc/rc.d/rc.sysinit.tpm is not finishing properly and returning control to run the last two lines of this script.

[cwaring]

/var/hack/endpad.tcl -s -2 -e 5 -sugqual 75
Do I spy an extra (ie not-needed) minus sign there before the 2?

[snowrides]

Thanks fior the quick replies.
I've corrected the "-2" typo and still it wont start.
Tivoweb also doesnt start. I have to start it manually , so I guess your right the call for the run script is not finishing.

Any ideas how I can check it?

[tym]

I just noticed it has happened again, a suggestion was recorded in preference to end padding a season pass:

Tuesday 00:25:00 : Suggestions will not be padded if another suggestion immediately follows them

Taking another look at the code, it would appear this is a bug that occurs if you have sugeq option selected or if the suggestion is on the same channel. Possible fix (line 1254):
Old: if {$gap < $endpadding && $nselectiontype == 6 && $ncallsign != $ccallsign && $sugcancancelsug == 1} {
New: if {$gap < $endpadding && $nselectiontype == 6 && {{$ncallsign != $ccallsign && $sugcancancelsug == 1} || $cselectiontype != 6}} {

Tym

[Trinitron]

I've trawled through the thread but haven't found a mention of this quirk, that's happened two weeks running...

We have 2 Season passes set for Thursdays:
1900-1955 The Avengers BBC4
2000-2030 Bleak House BBC1

Endpad is perfectly ok until it wakes up at 1957 to add start padding (default 1.5 minutes). It has added 298 seconds to the first recording at 1950, making the end time 19:59:58. But at 19:57:30 it adds another 298 seconds to the revised end time and overlaps the start of the next programme. Tivo doesn't lose the second recording, just starts it 4 minutes late.

I'm using Sanderton's 1.4.0 version. I'll try one of the later version and hunt for programmes starting 5 minutes apart, but is there an explanation?

Sleeping, checking every minute for kill signal...............................
Thursday 19:27:31 : Woken up
Thursday 19:27:31 : Recording {The Avengers} on BBC4 now
Thursday 19:27:31 : Recording Scheduled End Time: 19:55
Thursday 19:27:31 : Next recording is {Bleak House} on BBC1NW at 20:00
Thursday 19:27:31 : Not time to add end padding yet
Thursday 19:27:31 : Next end padding setting due 19:50
Thursday 19:27:31 : Not time to add start padding yet
Thursday 19:27:31 : Next start padding setting due 19:57
Thursday 19:27:31 : Next wake up will be 19:50
Sleeping, checking every minute for kill signal........................
Thursday 19:50:00 : Woken up
Thursday 19:50:00 : Recording {The Avengers} on BBC4 now
Thursday 19:50:00 : Recording Scheduled End Time: 19:55
Thursday 19:50:00 : Next recording is {Bleak House} on BBC1NW at 20:00
Thursday 19:50:00 : Gap to next programme is 300 seconds
Thursday 19:50:00 : Added 298 seconds end padding to {The Avengers}
Thursday 19:50:00 : Next end padding setting due 20:25
Thursday 19:50:00 : Not time to add start padding yet
Thursday 19:50:00 : Next start padding setting due 19:57
Thursday 19:50:00 : Next wake up will be 19:57
Sleeping, checking every minute for kill signal.........
Thursday 19:57:30 : Woken up
Thursday 19:57:30 : Recording {The Avengers} on BBC4 now
Thursday 19:57:30 : Recording Scheduled End Time: 19:59
Thursday 19:57:30 : Next recording is {Bleak House} on BBC1NW at 20:00
Thursday 19:57:30 : Gap to next programme is 300 seconds
Thursday 19:57:30 : Added 298 seconds end padding to {The Avengers}
Thursday 19:57:30 : Next end padding setting due 20:25
Thursday 19:57:30 : Gap to previous recording is 2 seconds
Thursday 19:57:30 : Can't add start padding to {Bleak House}
Thursday 19:57:30 : Next start padding setting due 20:25
Thursday 19:57:30 : Next wake up will be 20:25
Sleeping, checking every minute for kill signal.............................
Thursday 20:25:00 : Woken up
Thursday 20:25:01 : Recording {Bleak House} on BBC1NW now
Thursday 20:25:01 : Recording Scheduled End Time: 20:30
Thursday 20:25:01 : Next recording is {Sensitive Skin} on BBC2 at 22:00
Thursday 20:25:01 : Gap to next programme is 5400 seconds
Thursday 20:25:01 : Added 600 seconds end padding to {Bleak House}
Thursday 20:25:01 : Next end padding setting due 22:25
Thursday 20:25:01 : Not time to add start padding yet
Thursday 20:25:01 : Next start padding setting due 21:57
Thursday 20:25:01 : Next wake up will be 20:55

[sanderton]

Later versions had some bug fixes; I can't remember if this was one but it rings a bell.

[Trinitron]

Ok, I've loaded the latest version and rebooted Tivo for good measure.

I'll try to record 2 progs 5 minutes apart and see what happens.

0025 BBC1 Strutting Our Stuff is scheduled to 0055
0100 BB4 The Late Edition is scheduled to 0130

Start padding is 1.5 mins, end padding 10 mins.

Off to bed now. See what Tivo says in the morning!

[Trinitron]

No good. Same error...

Friday 00:22:30 : Woken up
Friday 00:22:30 : No recording in progress
Friday 00:22:30 : Next recording is {Strutting Our Stuff} on BBC1NW at 00:25
Friday 00:22:30 : No end padding required:
Friday 00:22:30 : No recording in progress
Friday 00:22:30 : Next end padding setting due 00:50
Friday 00:22:30 : Added 90 seconds start padding to {Strutting Our Stuff} on BBC1NW
Friday 00:22:30 : Next start padding setting due 00:50
Friday 00:22:30 : Next wake up will be 00:50
Sleeping, checking every minute for kill signal.............................
Friday 00:50:00 : Woken up
Friday 00:50:00 : Recording {Strutting Our Stuff} on BBC1NW now
Friday 00:50:00 : Recording Scheduled End Time: 00:55
Friday 00:50:00 : Next recording is {The Late Edition} on BBC4 at 01:00
Friday 00:50:00 : Gap to next programme is 300 seconds
Friday 00:50:00 : Added 300 seconds end padding to {Strutting Our Stuff} on BBC1NW
Friday 00:50:00 : Next end padding setting due 01:25
Friday 00:50:00 : Not time to add start padding yet
Friday 00:50:00 : Next start padding setting due 00:57
Friday 00:50:00 : Next wake up will be 00:57
Sleeping, checking every minute for kill signal.........
Friday 00:57:30 : Woken up
Friday 00:57:30 : Recording {Strutting Our Stuff} on BBC1NW now
Friday 00:57:30 : Recording Scheduled End Time: 01:00
Friday 00:57:30 : Next recording is {The Late Edition} on BBC4 at 01:00
Friday 00:57:30 : Gap to next programme is 300 seconds
Friday 00:57:30 : Added 300 seconds end padding to {Strutting Our Stuff} on BBC1NW
Friday 00:57:30 : Next end padding setting due 01:25
Friday 00:57:30 : Gap to previous recording is 0 seconds
Friday 00:57:30 : Can't add start padding to {The Late Edition}
Friday 00:57:30 : Next start padding setting due 01:25
Friday 00:57:30 : Next wake up will be 01:25
Sleeping, checking every minute for kill signal.............................
Friday 01:25:00 : Woken up
Friday 01:25:01 : Recording {The Late Edition} on BBC4 now
Friday 01:25:01 : Recording Scheduled End Time: 01:30
Friday 01:25:01 : Next recording is {The Daily Show with Jon Stewart} on MORE4P1 (Suggestion) at 04:25
Friday 01:25:01 : Gap to next programme is 10500 seconds
Friday 01:25:01 : Added 600 seconds end padding to {The Late Edition} on BBC4
Friday 01:25:01 : Next end padding setting due 04:55
Friday 01:25:01 : Not time to add start padding yet
Friday 01:25:01 : Next start padding setting due 04:22
Friday 01:25:01 : Next wake up will be 01:55
Sleeping, checking every minute for kill signal...............................

[sanderton]

Well I guess the log file could be clearer but that seem to be working fine? It hasn't actualy added 2 lots of 5 mins.

[Trinitron]

Oops. Lesson here is to actually watch TiVo, not just read the logfile! :o

You're right (of course) - First prog has 5 minutes added, the second starts on time.

[petestrash]

Taking another look at the code, it would appear this is a bug that occurs if you have sugeq option selected or if the suggestion is on the same channel.

Thanks Tym,

But unfortunately this does not explain either of the two examples I gave, unless by having 'sugeg option selected' you mean sugeg=0, not 1.

I had sugeg =0 and in both cases the suggestions were on different channels to the season passes being recorded.

That said I have not noticed the problem re-occur since moving to md5 :D.

Thanks,

Peter.

[gregh]

WoW! Endpad just let me down after eons of working fine, not sure if this was a one off funny, or a bug???

Sunday 02:50:00 : Woken up
Sunday 02:50:01 : Error detected
Sunday 02:50:01 : no such object: {CONFLICT err=errTmActiveLockConflict}
while executing
"dbobj $nprogram get Title"
("uplevel" body line 16)
invoked from within
"uplevel $body"
invoked from within
"transaction {uplevel $body}"
(procedure "RetryTransaction" line 4)
invoked from within
"RetryTransaction {
set nrec [db $db openid $nextrecfsid]
if {$version >= 3} {
set nrecbeh [dbobj $nrec get RecordingBehavior..."
Sunday 02:50:01 : Attempting to recover
Sunday 02:50:31 : Woken up
Sunday 02:50:31 : Error detected
Sunday 02:50:31 : no such object: {CONFLICT err=errTmActiveLockConflict}
while executing
"dbobj $nprogram get Title"
("uplevel" body line 16)
invoked from within
"uplevel $body"
invoked from within
"transaction {uplevel $body}"
(procedure "RetryTransaction" line 4)
invoked from within
"RetryTransaction {
set nrec [db $db openid $nextrecfsid]
if {$version >= 3} {
set nrecbeh [dbobj $nrec get RecordingBehavior..."
Sunday 02:50:31 : Attempting to recover
Sunday 02:50:31 : Too many errors, stopping
Wednesday 20:08:47 :

[sanderton]

Just very bad luck; occasionally when trying to access the database it's busy after several retries and returns ActiveLockConflict. You got two in succession so EndPad quit.

[daxab]

Does endpad.tcl care what the time zone is? By default, TZ is unset, but for me, that leads to confusing time (in the log). Would endpad.tcl still work with export TZ=EST5EDT4 (or whatever)?

[maxwells_daemon]

If you use the new version, endpad-1.4.2-md5, you can specify the timezone with the -tz option. Unfortunately it still doesn't know to automatically change for summer time.

[daxab]

Nice! I've upgraded...

Incidentally, I believe if you modified it to call out to the shell and use 'date' instead of tcl's clock function for formatting then you could have it automatically change in the summer.

E.g., at the bash prompt:

TZ=EST5EDT4 date

does the right thing.

[daxab]

I think there is another mention of this error earlier in the thread. I also see the problem. I'm running md5 with vanilla config, startpad 1, endpad 3.

Sleeping, checking every minute for kill signal........................
Tuesday 03:55:01 : Woken up
Tuesday 03:55:02 : Error detected
Tuesday 03:55:02 : no such object: {CONFLICT err=errTmActiveLockConflict}
while executing
"dbobj $cstation get CallSign"
("uplevel" body line 11)
invoked from within
"uplevel $body"
invoked from within
"transaction {uplevel $body}"
(procedure "RetryTransaction" line 4)
invoked from within
"RetryTransaction {
set crec [db $db openid $recfsid]
if {$version >= 3} {
set crecbeh [dbobj $crec get RecordingBehavi..."
Tuesday 03:55:02 : Attempting to recover
Tuesday 03:55:32 : Woken up

[b166er]

Endpad is one of the main reasons I just recently got networked but looking at this 30 page thread I'm getting a bit scared. Are these issues that caused the 30 page thread all resolved? Are the recent error-log posts caused by people customising endpad incorrectly?

Hmmmm. I really wanna try it...

[kitschcamp]

Honestly? You can safely use the current version and not have problems. For the majority of us, it runs with no problem year in year out.

[b166er]

Honestly? You can safely use the current version and not have problems. For the majority of us, it runs with no problem year in year out.
Sweeeeet :)

I wondered about the log file size. Is there a maximum log size? Or is it ever-expanding ?

Could use some extra info on the readme.txt (it's not written for dummies, which I still am at this stage)...

Stuart said "Copy to the TiVo using binary mode FTP", but he didn't say where it should be copied to. I assume because it's a tcl file it should be the tivoweb modules folder ... right?

He also said "then chmod 755 endpad.tcl" .... I assume I need to telnet and enter that command while in the same folder as where the file is ... right ?

Starting and stopping is not entirely clear. Do I need to run cron ? If not then do I need to start endpad each time my tivo decides to reboot itself ?

What's rc.sysinit.author ? Is that a way of making it fully automatic ? So we don't need to type the start and stop commands ?

Sorry for the noob questions :rolleyes: but I don't want to get my tivo in a state where it won't work, and doing this wrong I guess could easily cause that.

[sanderton]

Log files reset themselves every day.

Copy the file wherever you want. In fact the /modules directory is probably the only place I'd say NOT to put it. I guess most folks just put in /var/hack but it doesn't matter.

Yes, use telnet like that.

No, you don't need to run cron.

Yes, if the command to start endpad is in rc.sysinit.author then EndPad will launch every time the machine starts up.

[b166er]

Thanks Stuart :cool:

I got it going, reading the log it seems to be working great :cool:

[maxwells_daemon]

Incidentally, I believe if you modified it to call out to the shell and use 'date' instead of tcl's clock function for formatting then you could have it automatically change in the summer.

E.g., at the bash prompt:

TZ=EST5EDT4 date

does the right thing.That may not work on all different TiVo software versions. TivoWeb has an enormously complicated routine (that I still haven't sussed out completely, although it does use the date command in places) to work out the timezone offset in each version. Apart from pasting in that code (which would make endpad rather larger), I didn't fancy trying to sort this out myself.

[b166er]

Tivoweb also doesnt start. I have to start it manually , so I guess your right the call for the run script is not finishing. Any ideas how I can check it?
I'm having the same issue. I can start it manually but it doesn't start automatically. Here's my rc.sysinit.author file as per the readme file:

#!/bin/bash
/var/hack/tivoweb-tcl/tivoweb
/var/hack/endpad.tcl -s 2 -e 5 -sugqual 0 -sugeq -auto >> dev/null &
/var/hack/tytools/tserver -s /var/hack/tytools/NowShowing.tcl &

[cashew1970]

I have

/var/hack/endpad.tcl -s 2 -e 5 -sugqual 75 -sugeq -auto .. /dev/null &

so 2 dots... not 2 >>

Mine works fine

[b166er]

so 2 dots... not 2 >> Mine works fineThat did the trick it seems. Thanks cashew :) The one-minute dots are ticking along nicely :cool: :cool:

[Fozzie]

/var/hack/endpad.tcl -s 2 -e 5 -sugqual 0 -sugeq -auto >> /dev/null &

is the correct command i.e. the leading '/' is the change to the readme ;)

[b166er]

/var/hack/endpad.tcl -s 2 -e 5 -sugqual 0 -sugeq -auto >> /dev/null &

is the correct command i.e. the leading '/' is the change to the readme ;)
Thanks Fozzie, I had a feeling that might be right with /dev/null because that's what that snowrides dude further up this thread had but his wasn't working so I wasn't sure.

[zippy7272]

Great Routine - Thank You.

1 question though.

Quite often the programs I record run end to end on different channels. EG coronation street on a Monday at 7:30-8:00 then Eastenders from 8:00-8:30 followed by the street again 8:30 to 9:00.

Often the 1st Coronation street runs a bit late, although I can endpad it, I can't because of eastenders starting at 8-00. Now I'm quite happy to have eastenders to start 1 minute late, and corrie to run over by that 1 minute.

Is that possible?

Eastenders to start 1 minute late, corrie to always run over 1 minute?

[b166er]

Is that possible?

Eastenders to start 1 minute late, corrie to always run over 1 minute?I think it the following would work, but let someone else (especially stuart) confirm it though:

Endpad set to startpadding=4mins, end padding = whatever you like

set coronation street SP to have +1 min of hard padding in it's SP (that should stop endpad from wanting to give it any padding at all I think).

set eastenders to be a MANUAL SP that runs 8:05 - 8:30. Endpad should add 4 mins to the beginning (giving you your 8:01) and your chosen padding at the end.

Not entirely sure this would work as I've suggested, I'm making assumptions of Endpad based purely on a short amount of experience of it. Plus I don't know if a manual repeat recording is useful for eastenders, I don't know if it's always on the same day.

[sanderton]

What you are after is negative padding for Eastenders. It's often been discussed; have a search on "negative padding" in this thread and others and see if anyone has come up with a suitable solution for you.

[zippy7272]

I don't know if a manual repeat recording is useful for eastenders, I don't know if it's always on the same day.

Thanks for the suggestion

Unfortunately (in many ways :) ) Eastenders is on multiple nights of the week, and does change times especially around holidays.

Anyone any more suggestions?

[Ian_m]

I have an autorecord wishlist for "Eastenders" with 5 mins end padding, a BBC 1 season pass (no padding) and BBC3 season pass (no padding), in that order.

Usually between these three and endpad of start 1 and end 5, I get all episodes each week with 1min start padding and 5 minutes end padding recorded at either 7:30'ish (BBC1 ) or 10:00 (BBC3). Wife happy, me happy as not bumping out recordings made earlier in the evening. The wishlist also gets the weekend omnibus edition as well, which is handy to prevent my death in the week if for some reason an episode is not recorded.

[mike0151]

Anyone any more suggestions?

Either a second TiVo or record the omnibus editions shown at the weekend.

[maxwells_daemon]

I have made a new version of EndPad, incorporating tym's fix (with a minor correction) into endpad-1.4.2-md5, and improving the documentation (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/maxwells.daemon/tivo/downloads/endpad-readme.txt). Since we've been running this for some time without problems, I decided to bump the version number to EndPad 1.5.0.

sanderton suggested I start a new thread when the new version was ready, so I posted it there. Please continue EndPad discussions there (Stuart said he'd update the top post and have this thread locked).