First - Thanks MUCH to the developer and any other contributors! Great app (WAY overkill for my simplistic needs) but seems to do a great job of collecting the guide related resources and making them available to WMC.
Have been reading docs and searching and will continue to do so. Appologize if these answers are out there and I am missing them. Using zap2xml xmlTV source.
1: Selecting Local image download - I overlooked selecting this option when I first configured things but images were downloaded and saved in the AppData\images folder [~ 1.5 gb / 14 day 20 OTA chan]. I subsequently did select the option and seemed to end up with aboutthe same size images folder. Is the difference in storing thumbnails vs full images or does the option not really make a difference with my setup?
2: I prefer to encapsulate the app and its data, or at least understand and control where items are stored if possible/practical ("portable"). Is that practical with this app? Does it store any files beyond the app folder structure and AppData folder structure? Is it practical to control the location of those folders without having things get confused/messed up with future updates? I also read that the app does not do anything to the registry, which is great. Certainly not a big deal if not a practical solution.
Again, thanks for this app and for the ongoing support evident in these forums!
Last edit: s armstrong 2020-02-23
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I don't believe EPGC downloads any images for an import file unless the option is ticked. Then it just uses the link in the Zap2it file so it doesn't know if the file is a thumbnail or full size.
EPGC stores the images locally using the Zap2it reference and won't download it again unless the reference changes. If Zap2it used the same reference to point to a thumbnail and then subsequently to a full size image EPGC would only download the first. You could always delete the images directory and they would be downloaded again.
It will only store data outside of that structure if you set a EPGC paramter to do so. For example you can store the collection parameters anywhere you like or create an XMLTV output file anywhere. If you choose the default locations it will stay within the structure.
You can specify a custom 'data' directory using the environment variable EPGC_DATA_DIR. You can point this wherever you like. Future updates do not touch the 'data' directory.
The comments about the registry refer to the install. An msi install obviously updates the registry with installation data so the app can be uninstalled. This is not a function of EPGC. The comment really means that EPGC does not put any custom entries in the registry. You can always use the zip base install to avoid msi registry updating.When EPGC is run the only time it updates the registry is if you set the WMC import option to stop WMC's built in guide loader. If you were using Rovi for example then setting this option doesn't really have any effect as you are no longer getting any data anyway but for DVB systems the option is still relevant as the EPG data can be downloaded from the broadcast stream. I don't think WMC ever downloaded ATSC EPG data from the broadcast but I may be wrong there.
Any more questions, please ask.
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
First, Thanks very much for the quick answers and support!
Just an FYI - when setting EPGC_DATA_DIR to a new location it seemedto do as expected EXCEPT this file: WMC Export.xml was created in the default/old/original location.
May be by design or may not matter. Just an FYI.
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
First - Thanks MUCH to the developer and any other contributors! Great app (WAY overkill for my simplistic needs) but seems to do a great job of collecting the guide related resources and making them available to WMC.
Have been reading docs and searching and will continue to do so. Appologize if these answers are out there and I am missing them. Using zap2xml xmlTV source.
1: Selecting Local image download - I overlooked selecting this option when I first configured things but images were downloaded and saved in the AppData\images folder [~ 1.5 gb / 14 day 20 OTA chan]. I subsequently did select the option and seemed to end up with aboutthe same size images folder. Is the difference in storing thumbnails vs full images or does the option not really make a difference with my setup?
2: I prefer to encapsulate the app and its data, or at least understand and control where items are stored if possible/practical ("portable"). Is that practical with this app? Does it store any files beyond the app folder structure and AppData folder structure? Is it practical to control the location of those folders without having things get confused/messed up with future updates? I also read that the app does not do anything to the registry, which is great. Certainly not a big deal if not a practical solution.
Again, thanks for this app and for the ongoing support evident in these forums!
Last edit: s armstrong 2020-02-23
I don't believe EPGC downloads any images for an import file unless the option is ticked. Then it just uses the link in the Zap2it file so it doesn't know if the file is a thumbnail or full size.
EPGC stores the images locally using the Zap2it reference and won't download it again unless the reference changes. If Zap2it used the same reference to point to a thumbnail and then subsequently to a full size image EPGC would only download the first. You could always delete the images directory and they would be downloaded again.
It will only store data outside of that structure if you set a EPGC paramter to do so. For example you can store the collection parameters anywhere you like or create an XMLTV output file anywhere. If you choose the default locations it will stay within the structure.
You can specify a custom 'data' directory using the environment variable EPGC_DATA_DIR. You can point this wherever you like. Future updates do not touch the 'data' directory.
The comments about the registry refer to the install. An msi install obviously updates the registry with installation data so the app can be uninstalled. This is not a function of EPGC. The comment really means that EPGC does not put any custom entries in the registry. You can always use the zip base install to avoid msi registry updating.When EPGC is run the only time it updates the registry is if you set the WMC import option to stop WMC's built in guide loader. If you were using Rovi for example then setting this option doesn't really have any effect as you are no longer getting any data anyway but for DVB systems the option is still relevant as the EPG data can be downloaded from the broadcast stream. I don't think WMC ever downloaded ATSC EPG data from the broadcast but I may be wrong there.
Any more questions, please ask.
First, Thanks very much for the quick answers and support!
Just an FYI - when setting EPGC_DATA_DIR to a new location it seemedto do as expected EXCEPT this file: WMC Export.xml was created in the default/old/original location.
May be by design or may not matter. Just an FYI.
Thanks for reporting it. That's a bug.