[mythtv-users] Converting scripts to not use the database directly

[Mike Rice]

On Sun, Nov 2, 2014 at 8:55 AM, Paul Harrison <mythtv at sky.com> wrote:

> On 02/11/14 16:40, Mike Rice wrote:
>
>  On Sat, Nov 1, 2014 at 6:47 PM, Mike Rice <mikerice1969 at gmail.com
>> <mailto:mikerice1969 at gmail.com>> wrote:
>>
>>
>>     I believe I have it generally working by using urlencoded data and
>>     remapping the keys since as Bill mentioned they are different.  To
>>     me this seems pretty dangerous.  Much more dangerous than using
>>     mysql to set a single column.
>>
>>     As far as I can tell you need to supply each parameter to the
>>     function:
>>
>>     bool Channel::UpdateDBChannel( uint  MplexID,
>>                                    uint  SourceID,
>>                                    uint  ChannelID,
>>                                    const QString &CallSign,
>>                                    const QString &ChannelName,
>>                                    const QString &ChannelNumber,
>>                                    uint  ServiceID,
>>                                    uint  ATSCMajorChannel,
>>                                    uint  ATSCMinorChannel,
>>                                    bool  UseEIT,
>>                                    bool  visible,
>>                                    const QString &FrequencyID,
>>                                    const QString &Icon,
>>                                    const QString &Format,
>>                                    const QString &XMLTVID,
>>                                    const QString &DefaultAuthority )
>>
>>     If you don't supply the parameter it ends up zero and your table
>>     is updated with a zero value for that column.  If I am careful I
>>     can get this right now but if someone adds a parameter here and
>>     does not add it with the same name in the GET function (or if my
>>     script doesn't use those keys) it will be zero when I call the
>>     function.
>>
>>
>> To answer my own question.  The wsdl info describes all the parameters to
>> the routine.  So the script can build the parameter data by walking the
>> wsdl parameters and then only issue to POST call when we have data for each
>> parameter.  This would solve my concern about unspecified fields getting
>> zero values.  It's also safer than relying only on the documentation.
>>
>> At some point when I get a better understanding of this stuff I will
>> update the Wiki with some examples.
>>
>>
> It sounds like UpdateDBChannel has been implemented incorrectly it's not
> meant to update a value which was not specified.
>
> Paul H.
>

Are all the APIs that update implemented like this or is this just an
anomaly?  If it could just be called with ChannelID=1005&visible=false that
sure would make simpler and safer to use.

Anyway as it turns out writing a simple sql command was so easy I never
really gave this 'visible' problem much thought.  After spending time
trying to write a script for it I've come to the conclusion that I don't
really even want this script anymore.  I think I can do better just
adjusting my recording rules.

Currently I have rules that:
1. Record my favorite hockey team on any channel
2. Record my favorite baseball team on any channel

There are a set of channels GAME* that require an extra subscription and I
typically only buy the hockey version.  To avoid trying to record baseball
from those channels I would change the visible field.

I now realize a better solution would be to change rules 1 and 2 so they do
not record on the GAME channels.  Then add a third rule that only records
on the GAME channels.  With this I can easily (without a script) deactivate
the rule when I do not have the subscription and reactivate it when I do
(or when there is a free preview happening).  This should be much better
for me.

The next script I looked at appears to have the same issue.  I record all
'New Movies" from a set of premium channels.  Then daily use a script to
change the Recording Group to "Movies-Best, Movies-Better,
Movies-Subtitled, etc." based on the "stars" rating.  Instead I really
should just set up separate rules for each and then they would
automatically go to the correct group.  With rules I can also modify the
priorities of each rule so "Movies-Best" would be recorded before
"Movies-Good" and "Movies-Bad" would be expired before "Movies-Best".

I don't know if this is true for all my scripts but thought I'd bring it up
here.  Turns out that because I could write a sql query easily I've been
doing stuff sub-optimally for years.

I am still going to purse learning how to use these APIs but by the time I
am done reviewing my scripts I might not actually need to use them.
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