[flatten] Automatically Removing Programmes from Series Folders

[Black Hole]

Glad of that.

 

[linuxtowers]

Only because it was never high enough on my .todo list. I'm looking at it for the next release though since it fits with other stuff I'm adding.

Been able to move a folder from the internal HDD to the external USB, using the Webif or RS (or both) would be very usefull.

The internal Hdd when recording HD content or downloading data from the Internet, can very quickly overflow, been able quickly move all the files in a folder to a external loction would be very cool with a few button presses.

I use Samba on my phone to move folders, but I think it uploads all the data to my phone over wifi and back down to the HDR, which is a waste and not good if you want to go out... must be a better way to do this?

The Humax menu option move does not move all the data files, only the ones it understands.

 

[linuxtowers]

Maybe the answer is to store the data on the external drive (or a sub folder on the internal hdd) in the first place so you don't need to move it. You could define the flaten format type or folder destintion when reserve the program in the EPG.
Example the wife whats to record her HD soaps, but want them flattened or recorded to a external HDD or folder.
I just found out that you can change the location of downloaded Internet data to the external drive using the transmission web interface.

Not sure if helps, just an idea. -

 

[Black Hole]

I think I have a workable scheme for controlling flatten.

Naturally flatten only scans first-level folders, because series recordings are only created in first-level folders.

Instead of looking for protection marker .noflatten or folder names beginning "[", I suggest flatten uses destruct markers stored in the root (My Video) directory, these being marker files .folder_name. When flatten runs it scans the list of .folder_name markers, and if any first-level folders match they get flattened.

To control it, WebIF options allow you to mark a folder to be flattened (by creating .folder_name), or to clear folders from being flattened (by inspecting the list of .folder_name markers and deleting any not required).

In practice, any new folders created by a new series recording (or by the user) will be protected by the non-existance of an equivalent .folder_name marker file, then if the user decides they want to flatten that series, they can mark it in the WebIF (once the first recording has been made). If later (or a new series of the same name comes along) the user decides they don't want those recordings flattened, the marker can be deleted from the list and the series recording will resume being filed away (the orphaned recording can be moved manually once the folder has been recreated).

An alternative to .folder_name markers could be a text file containing the list of flatten candidates, again stored in My Video, but I fancy the creation and deletion of zero-byte files is probably easier.

The .noflatten markers will be redundant, and it will no longer be necessary to check for folder names beginning "[", because no folder will be flattened unless explicitly marked by the .folder_name flag.

 

[Black Hole]

Example the wife whats to record her HD soaps, but want them flattened or recorded to a external HDD or folder.

Not sure about the external HDD, but auto-filer was created to send recordings to elsewhere in the folder tree - eg "Wife", "Kids".

 

[linuxtowers]

Thanks Black hole, I must have play with this package.

 

[af123]

I've just updated the webif so that it allows you to set/remove the noflatten flag on directories, and an icon to indicate the directories that are protected.. I'm sure there will be more evolution of this package and it still lacks a way to flag new recordings before they're flattened...

 

[af123]

I think I have a workable scheme for controlling flatten.

I like this but need to think how to support both schemes for people who are already using the package...

 

[Black Hole]

You wouldn't need to. The fact that the current set of preserved folders do not have a corresponding .folder_name flag would mean the folders continue to be preserved. Future created folders would need to be marked for flattening rather than not flattening.

 

[af123]

But the person who requested this in the first place just wants everything flattened unless he moves it to a specific set of folders. He doesn't necessarily want to have to go in and mark every new series folder as a flatten candidate.

I can see arguments for both approaches depending on how you want to use it (opt-in versus opt-out).

 

[Brian]

Flatten works fine for me as it is at the moment, but I wouldn't object to it being changed so that it had more appeal to other potential users.

I have just updated webif, and see the new flatten features which allow/prevent flatten, and I like the idea of being able to do this via the webif rather than having to telnet them in.

This version of webif seems to have broken something, as I can no longer see the contents of my No-Flatten folders, and get the following error

Error 404: Not Found
File not found

Another thing that I have noticed is that if I "Allow Flatten" on one of my [ ] folders, the folder is renamed by having the [ ] removed.

If the functionality could be changed so that all new series linked programmes created no-flatten folders by default, that would remain so unless the user decided they wanted to flatten a particular series folder, and this could be easily done using the Allow Flatten option in webif, then I would be happy for this to change.

A couple of questions about this,
If I was to chose to flatten a new series folder, would the rest of the series still be flattened OK?
If I some time later decided that I no longer wanted to flatten a series folder, would I be able to re-assign it No-Flatten?

Perhaps if the flatten/no-flatten flag could also be set from the Scheduled Events in webif, this would allow a previously flattened series to be changed to no-flatten before the next episode is recorded, or would this not be required?

 

[Black Hole]

A couple of questions about this,
If I was to chose to flatten a new series folder, would the rest of the series still be flattened OK?
If I some time later decided that I no longer wanted to flatten a series folder, would I be able to re-assign it No-Flatten?

Using my proposed scheme, yes. The existance of a .folder_name flag file would mean that any new creation of a folder matching that name would get flattened, however far in the future. Deleting the flag file would mean that any new recording in that series-link (automatically stored in a series folder every time) flatten_mk2 would not then flatten because there was no flag to tell it to. If necessary, the series folder could even be recreated and previously flattened series recordings transferred into it.

Perhaps if the flatten/no-flatten flag could also be set from the Scheduled Events in webif, this would allow a previously flattened series to be changed to no-flatten before the next episode is recorded, or would this not be required?

One thing my scheme can't cope with is marking a series to be flattened before any programmes have been recorded, but as long as at least one programme has been recorded either the folder exists (not flattened) or a flag file exists that could be used to recreate the series folder.

 

[Black Hole]

But the person who requested this in the first place just wants everything flattened unless he moves it to a specific set of folders. He doesn't necessarily want to have to go in and mark every new series folder as a flatten candidate.

I can see arguments for both approaches depending on how you want to use it (opt-in versus opt-out).

I can see your point. I will contemplate further.

 

[Brian]

Using my proposed scheme, yes. The existance of a .folder_name flag file would mean that any new creation of a folder matching that name would get flattened, however far in the future. Deleting the flag file would mean that any new recording in that series-link (automatically stored in a series folder every time) flatten_mk2 would not then flatten because there was no flag to tell it to. If necessary, the series folder could even be recreated and previously flattened series recordings transferred into it.

One thing my scheme can't cope with is marking a series to be flattened before any programmes have been recorded, but as long as at least one programme has been recorded either the folder exists (not flattened) or a flag file exists that could be used to recreate the series folder.

Perhaps there could be a list of flattened series flags accessible via the webif where a particular flattened series flag could be selected and either deleted from this list, or changed to no-flatten.

 

[Black Hole]

Exactly what I am proposing. The non-existance of a flag = no-flatten.

However, I can see the case where somebody just wants everything to flatten without any intervention, but my scheme fails safe at the moment as its original design intention (newly created series folder, no .folder_name flag by default).

Tell me af123, how much more work would it be to look inside a .folder-name flag file and read a flatten/noflatten flag value?

 

[Brian]

Exactly what I am proposing. The non-existance of a flag = no-flatten.

However, I can see the case where somebody just wants everything to flatten without any intervention, but my scheme fails safe at the moment as its original design intention (newly created series folder, no .folder_name flag by default).

Tell me af123, how much more work would it be to look inside a .folder-name flag file and read a flatten/noflatten flag value?

I am the one who requested this feature, and initially wanted everything flattening, but am happy with the proposed changes. As long as flagging/unflagging can be done via the webif, as I am not too keen on having to use the command line option to make these changes.

 

[Black Hole]

It was having control of the process via WebIF that lead my thinking.

 

[neilleeds]

I think maybe the best approach would be to have a setting in web-if, flatten-by-default or dont-flatten-by-default and then the presence of a marker file '.foldername' or '.flatten.foldername' in the directory would change the behaviour on that folder to the the opposite. I think the .foldername markers should go in the directory the current folder resides in, not the absolute root, this would enable it to support series filer. For non-series filer users this would still be the absolute root.

To maintain full compatibility with series filer this would need to run after series filer I think so maybe the scheduling can be done to allow that? Also I'm not sure of the flatten behaviour in sub folders but I would hope it flattens them only within the sub folder, not to the absolute root.

 

[Black Hole]

Maybe... I'll need to think about that.

No need for flatten to go beyond the first level folders, because anybody using auto-filer won't be wanting those files flattened! Rethink: I suppose they might, if they want all "Kids" programmes to end up in one place for example, but I see that as an enhancement to auto-filer rather than a job for flatten.

 

[neilleeds]

Maybe... I'll need to think about that.

No need for flatten to go beyond the first level folders, because anybody using auto-filer won't be wanting those files flattened! Rethink: I suppose they might, if they want all "Kids" programmes to end up in one place for example, but I see that as an enhancement to auto-filer rather than a job for flatten.

I use filer to file joint, mine and the wife's stuff into directories. I'd like to then try flatten within those. I think flatten is the appropriate place for it, otherwise series-filer would be duplicating flatten functionality.