How to create a favourites section??

[Ford1]

As the title suggests I am trying to get my head around creating a favourites section in abm. I believe this entailes creating a favourites.xml file. I have read, and plan to re read the information I have found, but just wondered if anybody has a working file I can butcher for my preferences. (yes I want to steel someone elses work!!)
I need to see a working file so I can hopefully learn how it works, and how to create my own.

I have 4 xtrend et8000 sat boxes that all require different channels to be in their respective favourites bouquet.
Ideally I would have 1 file and modify that for each box then upload it to each in turn.

if I successfully compile a favourites list, what format should I save it as, and what's best to create it on, i.e. wordpad/notepad/excel etc?
Once the file has been created, and uploaded will it auto update every time ABM runs? each box is currently set to scan at 4am every day.

Any pointers or help would great, thanks.

[abu baniaz]

Best to make you a sample file.

Give me five channels numbers for person 1
five for person 2
five for person 3

Once you see it, you can modify as you like.

[Ford1]

Thanks for the offer of help!
If we concentrate on just one, the channels include,
Bt sport 1
Bt sport 2
Sky sports 1
Sky one
Watch
Sky Atlantic

If you can show me the starting points for this file I'm sure I'll get the idea and be able to do the rest.

Also, if I wanted to do a +1 bouquet, what would I name it and would it be the same structure as the favourite list?

Thanks again. Asking is the only way to learn. :D

[abu baniaz]

General Statement (will make sense later, I hope): If someone had two providers set, Freesat and Freeview, the keypad entry method will direct chanenls to the first provider. The numbers are based on the order that the bouquets are loaded.

I have to say the bit about numbering to avoid clashes later on. I hope the whole numbers debate does not kick off again. Unless someone is going to re-write E2, it is just the way it is.

Think of the favourites.xml as another provider. It has components which are similar to a normal abm provider. In the attached xml file.

Name:
Line 2: This is the name of your "provider". I have called it "Cockpit man bouquets"

Sections:
In this example, the "sections/bouquets" are defined. This includes the names as well as number ranges within this virtual provider.
"+1 channels" is a valid entry and should be clear enough. You can have whatever you want. You do not need to list every section. You can have however many channels in teh section taht you want.

Tip:
Leave gaps as you may change things later.

Inserts:
This is where you insert the channels you want to use. You can import from various providers. E.g Freeview UK, Sky IT etc....

Target= What number you want it to have within your favourites
Source= The official channel number on the provider that you want to import. Eg. on Freeview, Channel 4+1 HD is 109

Whenever you run ABM, example files are created in /usr/lib/enigma2/python/Plugins/SystemPlugins/AutoBouquetsMaker/custom You can refer to them for the numbers.

Provider= Which provider you want to import from. This is the the name of the provider's xml file without the.xml

The names bit at the end is just for information and has no impact on the output.
This is what I have in the example
Line 15 =<insert target="001" source="821" provider="sat_282_sky_uk"></insert> <!-- COLORS -->

This will work fine
Line 15 =<insert target="001" source="821" provider="sat_282_sky_uk"></insert>

In the example, I have a few popular channels from the international bouquets, the rest in alphabetical order.


Main
This defines whether you want a cumulative bouquet containing all the sections you made.
This is line 727 on the example. 0 = false, 1 = true

Sections
This defines whether you want the individual bouquets/sections you made.
This is line 728 on the example. 0 = false, 1 = true

Placement
As you may recall, it was mentioned that the favourites.xml is a virtual provider. In the ABM menus, you can define the order of the normal providers. Unfortunately, the favourites.xml does not feature in that menu. You can still organise where you want to have the "favourites provider". This is done by the placement value. In the example, this is 2. It will slot in that order of providers

That hopefully concludes the description of the xml file

Everytime ABM runs it will make the bouquets as per the xml file. You do not have to worry about the frequency changes etc. You will only have to do something when the offcial number that you used as a source changes.

I don't know why people have got into the habit of doing ABM scans and CrossEPG downloads at 4AM. Pretty sure Sky put their receivers into deep standby until 6 AM, so any changes coudl still be happenimng. They normally chaneg things on Tuesday and Thursday. Some people set power timers to put the box to sleep, wake the box up, operate ABM/Cross and then go back to sleep and wakeup a couple of hours later. Use whatever time suits you. If that is 4am, then there is nothing wrong with that.

Best to use a linux comptible editor to do the editing.
However, I use an excel file that you may find easier to work with. You can then paste the entries you want.

Here is the documenation about favourites,mixes etc
http://www.world-of-satellite.com/showthread.php?45828-CustomLCN-CustomMix-Favourites-List-Hacks

The excel file that I use is here:
http://www.world-of-satellite.com/showthread.php?47379-ABM-Excel-file-to-help-make-customised-bouquets&p=369214&viewfull=1#post369214

I am reluctant to put it in the same thread as the others as it is not a requirement, just a bonus to use. May do so later if theer is no objection.

Here is another thread of a favourites.xml by Realdannys. He has imported from several providers.
http://www.world-of-satellite.com/showthread.php?48481-Update-custom-bouquets

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/8676022/favourites.xml

My personal setup is that I create the large first/main bouquet for Sky UK so as to achieve key pad numbering. I do not create the sections, the favourites.xml file sorts those out. Some providers can be set to not create bouquets/sections, some do not have the option.

[Ford1]

Wow that seems massively complicated for my little knowledge. ive had a go, but save the file in wordpad as a rich text document, do you have any suggestions for a editor to save it as a xml file? If ive done it coffectly, how do then put it on the box, (location) and set ABM to use it?

[abu baniaz]

You were meant to use a linux compatible editor. Notepad++ is very good.

Extract the zip file, using an FTP program transfer favourites.xml to /usr/lib/enigma2/python/Plugins/SystemPlugins/AutoBouquetsMaker/custom/

You do not have to do anything else in ABM, just run it.

[Ford1]

Thanks for your help, had I written the file ok? I didn't get round to it till late last night, so didn't have time to search for a Linux compatible editor, (it was the wife bday!)

as long as I know that works, I can now use it as template for the rest of the box's.

Again thanks for your help and advice.

[Ford1]

Thanks for the help, I have trimmed the file down to just a selection of channels, as it was listing every channel and ABM was also producing bouquets, I found it easier to let ABM do its thing and then just add the file as a group of favourite channels. what do you think?

[abu baniaz]

Is it just the one bouquet you wanted?

[Huevos]

Adding sections is described in the guide (http://www.world-of-satellite.com/showthread.php?45828-CustomLCN-CustomMix-Favourites-List-Hacks). Look at favourites.xml for an example. Basic syntax is as follows:


<custommix>
<sections>
<section number="30">Section name</section>
</sections>
</custommix>

[abu baniaz]

Delete the favourites file. Extract and place this in the custom folder.

[Ford1]

Sorry for the late reply, been at work 18 hrs and just got in, when I put the previous favourites file in custom folder, deleted bouquets, then did a scan, without changing any other settings, the normal bouquets were loaded, as well as the favourites bouquet, that indeed had my "favourites" but also every other channel as well, thus two full channel lists.

If I used the second file, with just 8 channels in a "favourites.xml" file, delete bouquets then rescan, I got what I required, all standard bouquets generated by ABM, then a favourites bouquets, with just the 8 channels in. Perfect.

I don't know if what I did was a hard way round, or I have misunderstood what to do, but everything is working fine. and thank you for your help.

[Ford1]

this is the file modified with the correct channels, and placed in custom folder, with a standard ABM generated bouquets section.

[abu baniaz]

I think it is I who has misunderstood what you want/ed. Initially, I thought you wanted to set up your own sets of bouquets. I gave a very deatiled response on how to do that.

I then asaked if it was just the one bouquet that you wanted. You did not answer, but assumed that was the case after having re-read your thread and inspected content of your favourite file. There has been no feedback regarding the custom mix file in post 11. We were meant to abandon the "favourites" system and use the "custom mix" system to create an additional bouquet.

You've said everything is fine. Please post back if you need any more help. It may be better to say usng file in post X instead of second or third file.

[Ford1]

sorry been a long day at work, and only saw the custom file when I got in, and I think this MAY be the way to for me to add different bouquets myself (a-la +1).

I appreciate everything you have done, and yes your instructions were very detailed, and having read them again, I think I understand better what you trying to do for me. I hope I have not caused you to much inconvenience and believe me when I say the best way to learn (for me anyway) is often through confusion, you have taught me several different things while I was only really interested in one.

I do love sometimes how things can seem to go off at a slight tangent, yet learning something new without even expecting it.

You are a wealth of information, and im glad you chose to share it.

I shall try to more concise in future, and I hope this hasn't put you off responding to my (somewhat amateurish) requests for help.

Thanks again (and sorry for rambling)