RE: Didn't Work

Andy,

Thanks for the reply. After reading your post, I tried the FreeGuide
again. Here are some of my experiences.

I'm using Java 1.4.2 which I downloaded yesterday. I'm using FreeGuide
0.8.1 for Windows. I'm running WinXP Pro.

I got the FreeGuide shortcut to work by adding "C:\Program
Files\Java\j2re1.4.2_06\bin\javaw.exe" -jar before the command included
with the shortcut.

I am behind a firewall. I added http_proxy to the environment variables
so I could connect.

I still couldn't get xmltv to configure using the version in FreeGuide.
I downloaded the latest standalone version of xmltv from sourceforge. I
manually ran the configure successfully with that version
(XMLTV-0.5.37-win32). I figured I should now be able to use FreeGuide
with this version of XMLTV.

I changed the default directories from your
Tools/Options/Advanced/Directories to point to my working directory and
version of XMLTV conf. Pleasantly surprised that the download worked
fine.

I've been playing around with it and it's pretty impressive. I
especially like the configurable channels set. That was a nice touch.

I think it would be fantastic if we had some sorting capability by
channel. My download came all out of order by channel. It was a pain to
have to create a channel set, and reorder the channels manually.

Also, the left hand channel list is left justified and would be easier
on the eyes with a few spaces from the left edge, or possibly consider
centering it.

I didn't really get to test out your configure capability since I
couldn't get the XMLTV version you have working. I'll play around with
it some more when I get a chance.

The Guide seems to be compute intensive. Maybe if the processes where
backgrounded, they'd be nicer. I still think a C/C++ version would be
more responsive. But I understand the desire to use Java. Java just
doesn't run all the cleanly on the Microsoft OS.

Larry W

-----Original Message-----
From: Andy Balaam [mailto:andybalaam@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] 
Sent: Tuesday, December 14, 2004 8:55 PM
To: Woodgeard, Larry A
Cc: freeguide-tv-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [Freeguide-tv-users] Didn't Work


Hi Larry, and thanks for your email.

I hope we can help you to get FreeGuide working on your machine.  From 
some of the things you've said it sounds like you've got hold of an old 
version.  Hopefully the latest version will work.

What version of FreeGuide do you have?

What version of Java do you have?

Woodgeard, Larry A wrote:

> I just wanted to let you guys know that Freeguide didn't work after I
> installed it on my WinXP system.
>
Could you explain what happens to make you say it didn't work?

> WinXP won't run Java standalone, so the shortcut you put on the
> desktop is useless.
>
My copy of WinXP deals fine with this shortcut, as do many of our other 
users'.  However, it is considered a bug to be fixed in the next version

that this shortcut doesn't expressly call the javaw executable.  Thanks 
for the reminder of this problem.

> XMLTV produces weird Perl debug error output when I try to run
> --configure. There is no such thing as tv_grab_na as your instructions

> say. There is a tv_grab_na_dd command but it spews Perl parsing errors

> when it tries to download content.
>
This is the part that makes me think you're using an old version.  You 
shouldn't have to run --configure manually at all.  FreeGuide should run

it automatically for you when you run the First Time Wizard, and ask it 
to "Choose channels".  The grabber you should be using in the US and 
Canada is tv_grab_na_dd, but you shouldn't even need to know this if all

goes well.

The instructions you should be following are in the file README.html, or

here: http://freeguide-tv.sourceforge.net/README.html .

Some grabbers do spew some output: that doesn't necessarily mean they 
are failing.  If, however, after a download you get errors and no 
listings appear I'd appreciate it if you could copy the error messages 
into an email to this list, so that we can look at what is going wrong.

> I personally never had a very high opinion of Perl as a language or a
> development tool. It's good for quickie scripts on Linux but not 
> production quality for anything.
>
I'm sure there are many people who would disagree with you, but I tend 
to agree.  However, XMLTV is a mature set of tools that do a great job, 
so I think it is worth using them.  If they didn't exist FreeGuide 
certainly wouldn't either as there is no way I could maintain grabbers 
for all those countries by myself.

> Your uninstall script doesn't remove the start menu item either, I had
> to delete it manually.
>
Strange.  The uninstall script is generated by NSIS (the NullSoft 
Install System), so it should uninstall the start menu item 
automatically.  It certainly does this on my WinXP system, and I haven't

had similar reports before.  Can you think of anything unusual about 
your system so we can try and identify what the problem is?  Then we can

either fix it in the FreeGuide install script, or report a bug in NSIS.

> As you might have guessed, I don't have a lot of patience for stuff
> that doesn't work, or stuff that takes a lot of fidgeting to get to
work.
>
I am passionate about making FreeGuide "just work", and appreciate you 
taking the time to report the fact that it didn't just work for you.  
With enough reports like yours (followed up by details so we can fix the

problems) we should be able to succeed in this goal.  At the moment 
FreeGuide is alpha software, and so you as a user should expect to 
encounter and report problems.

> To your credit, I think Freeguide is an interesting concept, but the
> implementation and execution need major work.
>
Thanks.

> My synopsis, rewrite XMLTV in C/C++,
>
No chance.  XMLTV is a great project written by a large team of people 
who have chosen Perl.  Even though I intensely dislike Perl, I 
understand their choice since Perl is very good at the kind of text 
manipulation needed for scraping web sites.  A C/C++ implementation 
would likely consist of 5-10 times as many lines of code for the same 
functionality.

> rewrite Freeguide in C/C++,
>
Maybe one day.  At the moment, though, I'm enjoying using Java, and for 
anyone to bother to work on FreeGuide they have to enjoy it :)

(BTW on a side note, if I did rewrite it in C I would use the GTK 
libraries and integrate it with the Gnome desktop environment, which 
would make it difficult or impossible to use on Windows, so some people 
would miss out on the possibility of using it...)

> use a more professional installation tool,
>
I have found NSIS to be fairly good, but I am coming around to the 
opinion that it may not be the perfect solution.  If you have any 
suggestions of any alternatives (preferably Free Software), that would 
be really useful.

> and write some basic instructions that are accurate and qualified on
> all the platforms you intend to support.
>
This one really stings :( This is a primary goal here at the FreeGuide 
project.  I don't know how you came across the inaccurate documentation 
you describe, but the README which is launched from the First Time 
Wizard should be accurate for both Windows and Linux, and along with the

User Guide and FAQ should cover the needs of most users.  If you could 
point out specific mistakes and which file they are in, I'm very keen to

fix them.

> Don't get mad at me either. I'm giving you my free time writing this
> critical feedback because I thought it might help with your project. 
> And I know you can do better than this. But I'm sure you have reasons 
> for it being the way it is.
>
Thank you for taking the time to email your experience.  FreeGuide is a 
100% volunteer project, but we are committed to producing a quality 
product that does not run into the problems you have experienced.  With 
your help we should be able to move closer to that goal.

Best wishes,

Andy

[Please cc freeguide-tv-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx in your replies]

The information transmitted is intended only for the person or entity to which 
it is addressed and may contain confidential, proprietary, and/or privileged 
material. Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of, or taking 
of any action in reliance upon this information by persons or entities other 
than the intended recipient is prohibited. If you received this in error, 
please contact the sender and delete the material from all computers. 163




-------------------------------------------------------
SF email is sponsored by - The IT Product Guide
Read honest & candid reviews on hundreds of IT Products from real users.
Discover which products truly live up to the hype. Start reading now.
http://productguide.itmanagersjournal.com/