[mythtv] Autodiscovery Patch for MythFrontend.

[Chad]

On 4/8/07, David <mythtv at theblains.net> wrote:
> Attached is a patch against Revision 13184 that adds Auto-Discovery to the
> Frontend.
>
> NOTE: The Screens to pick a backend and enter a password are downright UGLY!
>
> The code in the patch is completely functional, and only needs cosmetic
> changes.
>
> A few things to note:
>
> - Themes don't work without a database available for settings.  This
> includes the existing dialog that should be presented to the user if
> mysql.txt is missing and the defaults don't work.  I was able to trick it
> into working by calling OverrideSettingForSession with 31 settings, however
> as soon as the MythMainWindow is created, it tries to insert all of the
> global key bindings into the database which fails.  Although I could have
> continued down this route, it seemed like too much of a hack so I scrapped
> it for the current implementation.
>
> - I tried to make as few changes to mythcontext as possible.  If the user
> chooses "No master Backend" it will default to the existing program flow.
>
> - A new Command Line option -p or --prompt will force the selection screen
> to be displayed even if the config.xml file has a valid USN in it.
>
> - The autodiscovery code stores the users default selection in the
> .mythtv/config.xml file.  It's also the file that can be used to override
> default UPnP settings.  (See prior commit for more details on file format).
>
> - Only the USN (Unique Service Name) of the backend is stored, not it's IP
> address.  This allows the backend to change IPs at will, and the frontend
> will always be able to connect to it with no user intervention.
>
> - All of the poorly designed dialog boxes are in the masterselection.cpp/.h
> files in case anyone wants to improve upon them.
>
> - With this patch, the frontend starts to participate in the UPnP protocol
> as a AVMediaRenderer.  A full implementation at this time would make the
> patch too complex.  If this, or a modified version of this patch gets
> committed, I will add the remaining classes to stub out all services needed
> for a fully compliant UPnP Renderer.  (However, this patch does make the
> frontend a discoverable device).
>
> Let me know if anyone has any questions.
>
> David Blain.
>
>
> _______________________________________________

I've been looking into autodiscovery and came across this message and
one from about a year ago (during the SoC project) also associated
with a closed ticket (due to the SoC project mfd work... which was
never completed TTBOMK, that ticket can be seen:
http://svn.mythtv.org/trac/ticket/750 ).  I realize I'm showing my
naive side, but I'm not that familiar with UPnP yet.  Does this patch
make it so a frontend can basically just "work" as in (for example):
Lets say I have a backend running with this patch applied and I throw
a knoppmyth CD (for asumption lets assume it's running the same SVN
revision...) with this patch applied.  After bootup can I just start
using my frontend?  Or is there still a requirement to use a keyboard
(or SSH) connected to the frontend to perform some setup?

Thank you!

-Chad