[mythtv-users] Enhancement suggestion

[Michael T. Dean]

On 06/26/2008 12:21 PM, jedi wrote:
> On Wed, Jun 25, 2008 at 12:30:34PM -0700, Brad DerManouelian wrote:
>   
>> I'm not saying this shouldn't be done, but if you want to do it right  
>> now, you should set up a custom record rule. The magic SQL to add onto  
>> the end of your rule is:
> It would be cool if there were custom defined templates for this sort
> of stuff presented in a more "simple/easy" manner. The rule generator 
> in older versions was cool (don't get me wrong).

You mean the same thing that exists in current versions?  The part where 
you scroll through a list of common/useful SQL fragments and add them 
one by one to build up a complete rule from "building blocks"?

If you feel there are some useful SQL fragments that aren't in there, 
let us know and I'm sure (if they're determined to be useful to a large 
enough number of users) they can be added.

>  None of the frontend
> stuff should require a keyboard to use properly.
>   

Hit Select on the remote in a text entry widget...  No (hardware) 
keyboard required.

No matter what, though, someone is going to have to change the specifics 
of the rule, which will require text entry (either through a keyboard or 
using the remote with the on-screen keyboard).  It's not like we can 
have a fragment/template for "Match an exact title" with every possible 
title (scrolling through an infinite list would be a pain).  And, it's 
not like we can have it pre-populated with every title that appears in 
the (current) program listings, after all, I often create rules like 
that for shows that haven't started airing, yet, or to get shows/movies 
"just in case they ever air on my channels."

> The idea is that you could download new templates and choose which ones
> will be visible by default.

But you'd still have to edit those templates, right?

So, the difference is you want "complete" rules as opposed to building 
blocks?  If so, the only hard part is the "downloading."  We currently 
have a way to save complete power search rules (which can then be used 
as complete templates).  All that's left to do is a) get Chris Petersen 
(or whomever) to agree that it's worth adding to services.mythtv.org, b) 
write the code for the service, c) figure out how are new templates 
submitted and approved for inclusion, and, finally, d) add the code to 
MythTV to download the templates and store them.

Mike