How To: Add custom online video feed definitions (default STV; v6.4+)

[Opus4]

Note: This topic covers how to add custom online video links; to discuss custom links that you've added, see: Post your Favorite Online Service Feeds!!

Support has been added to SageTV v6.4.2 and later for a simplified way to add custom online video feeds. Sample custom properties files are attached to this post.

Previously, to customize your online videos, you had to edit the default online video definition files, which would get overwritten during the next SageTV update. Now, you can leave those files alone and edit the custom online video files instead. The installer won't have copies of those custom files, so they won't get overwritten. As of v6.4.2, the custom feed definitions have been simplified compared to v6.3.10 -- feeds and their categories are defined on a single property line instead of two, and feeds can be assigned to multiple categories on that one line.

Note: You can continue to use the old v6.3.10 online video feed property format, so you don't have to update your existing custom feeds.

The attached CustomOnlineVideoLinks.zip file contains 2 files:

• CustomOnlineVideoLinks.properties
• CustomOnlineVideoUIText.properties.

These properties files can be added to the <install dir>\SageTV\STVs\SageTV3\OnlineVideos directory and then used to customize the online video feeds.

You will need to use the default STV from SageTV v6.4.2 or later in order to use these properties files.

See the comments near the top of the CustomOnlineVideoLinks.properties file for (hopefully) simplified instructions for adding new links. The first time you access a new link in SageTV, the titles and icon URL will be automatically created in the CustomOnlineVideoUIText.properties file, which you can edit later, if you wish. The links are listed in the UI in alphabetical order, based on the feed's property name ('FeedName').

Oh -- and the custom files can be used to modify the default set of links -- if the custom properties files contain the same properties as the default properties files, the custom setup will be used instead. Just remember, if you do this, your custom setup will still override the default definitions for every upgrade install afterwards.


Additional notes:

1. The "Weather" and "TV Show Editorials" items on the Online Services menu are not part of the online video properties files; they are part of the STV. Weather will always be 3rd in the list & editorials will be at the end.
   
   
2. The default online video properties files will automatically be updated when updates are available. If you really insist on disabling updating the default properties files, and thus missing any fixes that the properties file updates would take care of, you can set the online_video/update/auto_update property to false in your SageTV properties file. Please be sure to remember that you've done this if you have problems with the online feeds in the future.

Updates (Requires SageTV v6.6.2)
2009-10-07: Updated samples in attachment to include sample podcast subcategories.

2009-10-13: Updated samples in attachment to include info about using multiple custom online video properties file sets and how to format the podcast FeedURL to use a custom external application to generate the XML feed.

- Andy

[qhplar]

I looked at the new properties format for the online videos and I must say that I don't understand the change. All the podcast links are in one big heaping stack with no order and no way to make sense of it. Before if I wanted to change the order that the podcasts were displayed I could go to that section and change the order of the tag names; simple. Now it's just a mess all tags and links are mixed together with no order. If you are going to do it this way at least group the podcast categories together each in its own section.

[Opus4]

The new layout is a step up, as far as I'm concerned, becuse it is simpler & less error prone to add new links.

They don't need to be listed in any particular order in the properties file & there is no such thing as listing them by category because they can each belong to multiple categories, even though most are just in 1 category right now. In the UI, they are listed in alphabeticval order, based on the feed's property name, so the order in the proeprties file has no bearing on that. See the details above & the sample customizations files.

Do NOT customize the default files because they will be overwritten by the installer or the auto-updater. Organize your custom files any way you want.

- Andy

[qhplar]

Originally Posted by Opus4

The new layout is a step up, as far as I'm concerned, becuse it is simpler & less error prone to add new links.

In the UI, they are listed in alphabeticval order, based on the feed's property name, so the order in the proeprties file has no bearing on that.

Do NOT customize the default files because they will be overwritten by the installer or the auto-updater. Organize your custom files any way you want.

- Andy

I agree that the new format makes it much simpler to add links but forcing alphabetical order is a poor choice. I like to put the podcasts that I watch the most on top so that I don't have to scroll through other podcasts just to get to the ones I want. Some podcasts get updated daily, weekly and monthly. I don't want to have to scroll through all the monthly podcasts just to get to my daily ones' because it falls at the end of the alphabet.

The custom file is alright as long as you use the default STV. For people who don't use the default STV it's useless.

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by qhplar

I like to put the podcasts that I watch the most on top so that I don't have to scroll through other podcasts just to get to the ones I want.

There may or may not be a different ordering method in the future, but for now, alphabetical is what it will be -- knowing that, what you can do is copy & rename the links in the custom properties file to put your favorites at front of the sorted list. I suppose you could do the same thing in the default properties files, just be aware that you have to keep backup copies with your changes.

The custom file is alright as long as you use the default STV. For people who don't use the default STV it's useless.

If it can't use the custom properties files, then the custom STV can't use the new layout anyway. Once the code is updated for the new layout, the custom files should work too. All of that code goes together.

- Andy

[qhplar]

Originally Posted by Opus4

There may or may not be a different ordering method in the future, but for now, alphabetical is what it will be -- knowing that, what you can do is copy & rename the links in the custom properties file to put your favorites at front of the sorted list. I suppose you could do the same thing in the default properties files, just be aware that you have to keep backup copies with your changes.

If it can't use the custom properties files, then the custom STV can't use the new layout anyway. Once the code is updated for the new layout, the custom files should work too. All of that code goes together.

- Andy

Yes I notice SageMC only shows Google and Youtube now the other catagories are blank.

Are you saying name my custom links with underscores like _Tekzilla to get it on top of the alphabetical list or does custom list always show up before the default list?

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by qhplar

Are you saying name my custom links with underscores like _Tekzilla to get it on top of the alphabetical list or does custom list always show up before the default list?

... or whatever works to put them at the front of the list.

BTW: did you notice the comment in the first post here that says the STV can still use the old property format? It still sorts the new way, though. Use whichever one you prefer, but I think the new style is better.

- Andy

[qhplar]

Understood.

I still don't like the forcing alphabetical order; it limits customizations. Hopefully more people will complain and it will be changed.


thank for your help

[JREkiwi]

Andy, thought I'd just post to say that for me, this new format certainly is a lot simpler and more logical.

The examples make everything a lot clearer without having to reference anywhere else.

Just used it to create a theme categorized TEDTalks view. Eeeasy

John

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by JREkiwi

Andy, thought I'd just post to say that for me, this new format certainly is a lot simpler and more logical.

Yeah -- I added many new feeds over the last couple days & it goes much faster now.

Just used it to create a theme categorized TEDTalks view. Eeeasy

I'm curious -- are there several feeds from that source? One of the new ones I added was their HD feed, which someone posted a while back in another thread. It was added to the HD & Science/Tech categories and should be in your auto-update by now.

- Andy

[JREkiwi]

There's a separate feed for each theme. I've attached my custom properties.

John

[JREkiwi]

Andy, is there a way to use subcategories in the Custom definitions?

A structure like this
Online Services/Science-Tech/another category/feeds

For example, I would like to have a folder of the Theme Categorized TEDTalks inside the Science-Tech category.

I have no problem getting a custom feed to show inside the Science-Tech category, but can't see how to create a subcategory.

John

[Opus4]

I don't believe I've added any capability for such subgrouping yet -- I think it has been brought up before & would be a useful organization tool. YouTube's Top Channels goes one level deeper, but that was a special case.

- Andy

[garyellis]

Andy, help, please...

I noticed that my online links are all messed up for a couple of weeks now. But, I just finally had time to go figure out what happened. I read this thread and looked in my online folder.

I noticed that my online.properties files are getting automatically overwritten as new ones become available. ????

Is there a way to shut that off.... I took a lot of time creating online property files to have them exactly the way I wanted them, in the order I wanted them and with the titles that I wanted. With only the podcasts that I wanted. Now it seems that all of this has been overwritten and will continue to be overwritten.

Fortunately I saved back ups... Please tell me I can turn this off...

I do not want the new feeds added..I will add as I want...There are many feeds that I do not want in my online folders. There are many that I would prefer that the kids do not look at.

Please just tell me I can decide which way I want it...update or not....and I prefer not...

Thanks,

Gary Ellis

[Tiki]

Gary,

Did you read the first post in this thread? It explains how to make custom feed definitions so they don't get overwritten. It also says you can override the default feeds which will block them from getting updated automatically.

[Opus4]

If you really insist on disabling updating the default properties files, and thus missing any fixes that the properties file updates would take care of, you can set the online_video/update/auto_update property to false.

Please be sure to remember that you've done this if you have problems with the online feeds in the future.

- Andy

[garyellis]

Thank you, thank you, thank you...


Gary Ellis

[mightyt]

First, I love having the ability to add my own feeds.

I have several questions ...

1 - Is there a way to make my Custom Online Video Feeds show up on top in Online Services?

2 - Is there a way to remove or turn off the Weather link? I don't see any reference to it in the default files. Is there a way to turn it off in a Custom override?

3 - If I create Customs files in V.6.3.10 and then move to 6.4.x when it is released, what will happen to the Customs files? Will they get upgraded?

This reminds of when Nielms Dynamic Menu first came out and I used to edit the menu file before he made it GUI driven. Would be great to see a GUI for adding and searching for Online Video Feeds in the future. And, as he added the feature to easily move menu items up/down and cut/copy/paste, that would be great here so you can custom sort things to your liking.

I also agree, it would be great if we could create sub-categories in the Custom files similar to You Tube and Google in the Default files?

That said, it is terrific being able to add your own feeds. Now, I need to find more sources for tech and TV to feed my addiction!

Thanks … T.

[mightyt]

Bump ...

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by mightyt

1 - Is there a way to make my Custom Online Video Feeds show up on top in Online Services?

Please read the documentation I've provided, both in the first post and in the downloaded sample files. As is noted in the custom properties file in the first post:

...
# To add additional items on the Online Services menu, define the custom source
# categories here. These items will be listed after the default items on the
# Online Services menu in the order they are listed here.
#
# NOTE: Do not use the property named "Sources", unless you wish to override the
# default list of online source categories.
...

Thus, to override the default layout, you have to override the property named "Sources".

2 - Is there a way to remove or turn off the Weather link? I don't see any reference to it in the default files. Is there a way to turn it off in a Custom override?

Weather and TV Show Editorials are not part of the online video properties files; they are part of the STV. Weather will always be 3rd in the list & editorials will be at the end. I will add this note to the first post.

3 - If I create Customs files in V.6.3.10 and then move to 6.4.x when it is released, what will happen to the Customs files? Will they get upgraded?

Again, as noted in the first post:

The installer won't have copies of those custom files, so they won't get overwritten.

and

Note: You can continue to use the old v6.3.10 online video feed property format, so you don't have to update your existing custom feeds.

The whole point of the custom properties files is that the installer won't touch them.

- Andy