[mythtv-users] Merging recordings from 2 backends

[Mike Perkins]

On 07/11/2023 15:33, Stephen Worthington wrote:
> On Tue, 7 Nov 2023 09:41:06 -0500, you wrote:
> 
>> Just curious if this is possible...
>>
>> Let's say you have two mythboxes in different physical locations. Let's say
>> a cottage or RV. At some point, you decide you'd like to have the
>> recordings from box B on box A. Is it possible to import the recordings
>> data into the database so that the recording info appears on box A?
>>
>> I realize that one could export the recordings as videos and just place
>> them in the Video storage group, but if you want to import them into
>> Recordings so you can easily edit them, is there a way to export/import
>> their info from the database?
> 
> Yes, that is what mythexport/mythimport does.  Mythexport has a web
> page that allows you to select the recordings to be exported, and
> where to store the exported files.  Each recording file is accompanied
> by a .sql file with all the metadata from the database.  Then
> mythimport will read the .sql file and add it the destination
> database, and move the recording file into a storage group directory.
> I use this to export recordings from my main MythTV box to drives I
> mount on my laptop, so I can take recordings away on holiday with me.
> 
> Mythimport is easy to set up - just put its python file into
> /usr/local/bin.  Mythexport is rather more difficult now, as there are
> no proper package files.  I have not done it for ages, but if it still
> works, you would download the mythexport package and do an "apt
> install ./<package>.deb" command.  Then you would need to download
> some updated files and put them over the old files in the directories
> they are installed in.  Let me know if you would like to try this, and
> I will get together the updated files and put them on my web server.
> 
> I have also written a "mythsgu" program that has a command "mythsgu
> exportdir" which creates all the export .sql files for mythimport to
> use for an entire directory of recording files.  Then you can use
> "mythsgu copydir" to copy that directory over the network to the
> destination PC or just simply copy the entire directory to a portable
> drive and attach that to the destination PC.  Then you can run
> mythimport on the directory.
> 
> http://www.jsw.gen.nz/mythtv/mythimport/mythimport
> http://www.jsw.gen.nz/mythtv/mythimport/mythexport_2.2.4-0ubuntu5-jsw3.deb
> http://www.jsw.gen.nz/mythtv/mythsgu
> 
I would add that, since mythtv doesn't care which storage directory your recordings are in, it would 
be possible to move them /out/ from among the countless other recordings and place them into a 
separate directory before using mythsgu. Of course that new directory would have to be added as a 
recording storage group, at least for the life of the export process.

-- 

Mike Perkins