Kodi PVR Channel Template Loader

[Alucard]

I think I finally have this running good enough to share. This is a tool to create templates for all your channels and groups so you do not have to spend hours resetting your guide back to the way you had it because you had to reset your your guide data. This tool will only run on Windows. Their is a pdf that contains the instructions on how to use it. It also includes utilities to help reset MAC Addresses and First time Stalker Setup.

Some Features:
Creates a group (My Channels) that contains all the channels you have enabled.
All hidden channels also have epg disabled to prevent loading of EPG data that is not needed
When loading template, it will let you know how many new channels have been added since last time the channels were updated.
PPV are always added
Channel Renaming
Deleted channels are automatically removed from your groups
Channel reordering, You can use back-end channel order or the order that you placed them in under My Channels


For Android devices, you will have to copy the TV database to the Windows machine so the database can be updated and then copied back. This is in the included instructions.

Just unzip the folder to the c:\ drive and run the exe in the folder. If updating extract the .exe file and overwrite the one you currently have.

2015-10-04: Ver. 1.1.1 release:
Application now will look first in the Kodi Database folder for the TV289.db, then the template loader folder and if not found will ask for the folder location where the TV29.db can be found.

[tinybilbo]

Hi Alucard,

This looks great! only problem is that I want to use it for KodiBuntu,
I tried following the android instructions by copying TV29.db to C:\Users\***\AppData\Roaming\Kodi\userdata\Databas e
But no luck! Your app could not find the database...
The only other thing that might interfere is that I'm running KODI nightlies (Isenguard).

Can this be made to work for me?

Many thanks

[Alucard]

If that version uses the TV29.db then it should work. What is the issue you are having?

[Blackbear199]

Linux doesn't use the path your using,its like this on my Linux pc.
/home/YOUR PC NAME/.kodi/userdata/Database

notice the .kodi,its a hidden folder(like appdata in windows) so u must select show hidden files,google it for the Linux distro you use.

[Alucard]

The application is a Windows app so you need to copy the TV29.db to a Windows machine and then back. Just like you would for an Android box but you use your path instead.

[tinybilbo]

Linux doesn't use the path your using,its like this on my Linux pc.
/home/YOUR PC NAME/.kodi/userdata/Database

notice the .kodi,its a hidden folder(like appdata in windows) so u must select show hidden files,google it for the Linux distro you use.


The application is a Windows app so you need to copy the TV29.db to a Windows machine and then back. Just like you would for an Android box but you use your path instead.

Thanks guys for your replies...

I am aware of which .db file I need (TV29.db) and the location from which to retrieve it from the KodiBuntu install,
and have in fact already FTP'ed from the linux machine to the (windows) path given in supplied readme.

I have copied TV29.db to C:\Users\***\AppData\Roaming\Kodi\userdata\Databas e

1072

You can see from the snipped image that both the file and location are correct (I think!)

But when I run the app I get:

1073

The only other thing I can think of is that I don't actually have Kodi installed on my Win machine....

Any other thoughts?!!

Thanks

*Edit* eventually when I get this work I was hoping run this automatically (if possible) on the windows machine, and have the linux machine retreive it using rsync via a cronjob on the kodibuntu install after startup...

[haragan]

Thank you very much Alucard. This is the first time I can have my own custom channel group and it does not reset every time I run Kodi. I've done it for both Windows 10 and Nexus player and for some reason when I used the working tv29.db file on Nexus player, it did not like it. I ended up using the tv29.db file form the Nexus player, modified and now it works. So at least those two do not seem to be interchangeable even after deleting the epg10.db file.

Much appreciated!

[Alucard]

Thanks guys for your replies...

I am aware of which .db file I need (TV29.db) and the location from which to retrieve it from the KodiBuntu install,
and have in fact already FTP'ed from the linux machine to the (windows) path given in supplied readme.

I have copied TV29.db to C:\Users\***\AppData\Roaming\Kodi\userdata\Databas e

1072

You can see from the snipped image that both the file and location are correct (I think!)

But when I run the app I get:

1073

The only other thing I can think of is that I don't actually have Kodi installed on my Win machine....

Any other thoughts?!!

Thanks

*Edit* eventually when I get this work I was hoping run this automatically (if possible) on the windows machine, and have the linux machine retreive it using rsync via a cronjob on the kodibuntu install after startup...

Can you post your tv29.db. Maybe it is different in linux but would not think so. I will see about have an option to select the db file if not found. I will work on that this weekend.

[tinybilbo]

Can you post your tv29.db. Maybe it is different in linux but would not think so. I will see about have an option to select the db file if not found. I will work on that this weekend.

Sure... here it is...

http://www.fileconvoy.com/dfl.php?id=g64049a9b57eac35699972964973157cf1ea3bc 099

And thanks for taking the time to look into this.

My (uneducated) guess, is that the database has changed for Isenguard...
It's certainly the case for the movie .db...
I had to roll back to helix in order to export the library out manually, then upgrade to Isenguard and import manually to fix my library...

[Alucard]

Sure... here it is...

http://www.fileconvoy.com/dfl.php?id=g64049a9b57eac35699972964973157cf1ea3bc 099

And thanks for taking the time to look into this.

My (uneducated) guess, is that the database has changed for Isenguard...
It's certainly the case for the movie .db...
I had to roll back to helix in order to export the library out manually, then upgrade to Isenguard and import manually to fix my library...

I checked your file and I can open it with the tool. I updated the tool so you can just drop the DB in the same folder as the TemplateLoader.exe file if Kodi is not installed on the computer.

[tinybilbo]

I checked your file and I can open it with the tool. I updated the tool so you can just drop the DB in the same folder as the TemplateLoader.exe file if Kodi is not installed on the computer.

Works fine now!

Must be a quirk with my Win7 install...

Thanks for taking the time to alter it for me! (I guess no-one else has had this problem!)

[Puska]

@Alucard this is great app, but I'm running raspberry pi 2 and OpenELEC, and I can't copy tv29.db with kodi off, but when I copied it to computer putting it both in kodi folder and same folder as koditemplate always says unable to load database. Windows computer is running Windows 10 if that's of importance.

[Alucard]

can you upload your DB and I will check it.

[Puska]

currently at work, and my team viewer can't see my laptop for some reason, but will upload as soon as I can, thanks a lot for all the effort.

[Puska]

@Alucard here is my database, let me know if you're able to open it.


https://www.dropbox.com/s/nqei3g868niuqt2/TV29.zip?dl=0

[Puska]

I reinstalled Kodi had some beta 15 ver. now with final 15.2 and it actually opens tv29.db that I copied from Raspberry Pi 2. So everything seems to be working, thanks a lot for the app its extremely useful tool.

[Puska]

Update: So I modified the list, made template but when I apply changes, it doesn't update tv29.db when I open it again it's the same unmodified version, and you can see while applying changes there's file tv29 - journal but the main tv29.db after applying stays unmodified (timestamp doesn't change)

[Alucard]

Update: So I modified the list, made template but when I apply changes, it doesn't update tv29.db when I open it again it's the same unmodified version, and you can see while applying changes there's file tv29 - journal but the main tv29.db after applying stays unmodified (timestamp doesn't change)

If you do not get any errors, it is updating. If the tool could not apply the changes to the DB it would through an error.

[Puska]

If you do not get any errors, it is updating. If the tool could not apply the changes to the DB it would through an error.

No tool isn't throwing any errors whatsoever, but that same tv29.db if I try to load it again it is my understanding should show changes for groups, renamed channels, like it is in template correct ? But for me it just loads same unmodified tv29.db. I tried copying it regardless but it doesn't show, and of course I did turn off all those sync options with backend.

[Zuggi]

I think I finally have this running good enough to share. This is a tool to create templates for all your channels and groups so you do not have to spend hours resetting your guide back to the way you had it because you had to reset your your guide data. This tool will only run on Windows. Their is a pdf that contains the instructions on how to use it. It also includes utilities to help reset MAC Addresses and First time Stalker Setup.

Some Features:
Creates a group (My Channels) that contains all the channels you have enabled.
All hidden channels also have epg disabled to prevent loading of EPG data that is not needed
When loading template, it will let you know how many new channels have been added since last time the channels were updated.
PPV are always added
Channel Renaming
Deleted channels are automatically removed from your groups
Channel reordering, You can use back-end channel order or the order that you placed them in under My Channels


For Android devices, you will have to copy the TV database to the Windows machine so the database can be updated and then copied back. This is in the included instructions.

Just unzip the folder to the c:\ drive and run the exe in the folder. If updating extract the .exe file and overwrite the one you currently have.

2015-10-04: Ver. 1.1.1 release:
Application now will look first in the Kodi Database folder for the TV289.db, then the template loader folder and if not found will ask for the folder location where the TV29.db can be found.


Mate you are a legend and your contribution with this Loader will go a long way in defining this service. Have been able to create my ideal channel list and works like clockwork. NFPS please take note!!!

[Alucard]

No tool isn't throwing any errors whatsoever, but that same tv29.db if I try to load it again it is my understanding should show changes for groups, renamed channels, like it is in template correct ? But for me it just loads same unmodified tv29.db. I tried copying it regardless but it doesn't show, and of course I did turn off all those sync options with backend.

The template will not change. It will ask if you want to add new channels if you load the template and new channels have been added to the system.

Are you sure you are looking at the correct DB? It should take a couple of minutes to update everything. If you want to post your template I can take a look and make sure it is correct.

[Puska]

@Alucard thanks for all the help, so I tried just with renaming channels, and that works, than I added groups, and I can see in your tool when Applying changes that it's updating groups, but when I transfer file to the pi 2 it doesn't see them, I tried also deleting all the groups that it picks from server and than transfer tv29.db still nothing, tried creating group that I know I created but its empty. So its definitely something related to my setup, will try today to put modified group file into windows kodi and if that will work

[Alucard]

@Alucard thanks for all the help, so I tried just with renaming channels, and that works, than I added groups, and I can see in your tool when Applying changes that it's updating groups, but when I transfer file to the pi 2 it doesn't see them, I tried also deleting all the groups that it picks from server and than transfer tv29.db still nothing, tried creating group that I know I created but its empty. So its definitely something related to my setup, will try today to put modified group file into windows kodi and if that will work

Do you have any groups? If you have the NFPS groups, then they are being overwritten from the back end. But I think you said you already made sure that you disabled the back end syncing. If this is the case, you may try resetting your MAC. I know that I had an issue where I enabled one of the channel back end channel syncing options and once set it would not disable and I had to change the MAC for it to disable.

[Puska]

Do you have any groups? If you have the NFPS groups, then they are being overwritten from the back end. But I think you said you already made sure that you disabled the back end syncing. If this is the case, you may try resetting your MAC. I know that I had an issue where I enabled one of the channel back end channel syncing options and once set it would not disable and I had to change the MAC for it to disable.

If I turn off sync groups from backend and clear data I don't have any groups obviously, but seems something with OpenELEC is going on because on setup like that I add TEST group and channels to it from Group Manager, and I can use it, but it's gone after reboot, which is really strange. Not sure if it's a bug, but need to see how to sort that out, I did try changing MAC but yeah as I said there's something not working properly if groups created inside OpenELEC can't be saved.

[Alucard]

If I turn off sync groups from backend and clear data I don't have any groups obviously, but seems something with OpenELEC is going on because on setup like that I add TEST group and channels to it from Group Manager, and I can use it, but it's gone after reboot, which is really strange. Not sure if it's a bug, but need to see how to sort that out, I did try changing MAC but yeah as I said there's something not working properly if groups created inside OpenELEC can't be saved.

Sorry don't know much about OpenELEC so I can't help you out there. Might try setting up kodi on a PC and see if you have the same issues. Just copy the user kodi folder to the user kodi folder on the PC to duplicate your setup.

[Puska]

Will try to do so, but could be something to do with builds for Rasp. Pi 2, just found this link on OSMC forum, so it's not only OpenELEC, maybe since 15.2 final version is out they will make a new build that fixes it, or I will try some nightly of ver. 16 to see if it's fixed in there.


https://discourse.osmc.tv/t/tv29-db-not-preserving-channel-groups-between-boots/8632

[adeelmysore]

The template will not change. It will ask if you want to add new channels if you load the template and new channels have been added to the system.

Are you sure you are looking at the correct DB? It should take a couple of minutes to update everything. If you want to post your template I can take a look and make sure it is correct.

Hi I am having the same issue. I update the channels and groups in the program and afterhitting apply update it seems to be updating the db file, but when I reload the TV29.db back into the program the file does not shows any of the changes I made to it. I am using windows 10 and the TV29.db file is in the same folder as software.

If I use the computer that runs windows and has kodi installed than I the db file gets updated but my groups do not show. In this case the db file is in the default kodi directory.

[Alucard]

You may need to use the DB file from the device that it was created on. I have seen this issue in the past where if I copy a working good DB from a Windows install to an android install it will not work. You need to reset your TV Data and then wait for the files to be updated. Once updated, then copy and use the template loader.

[Puska]

You may need to use the DB file from the device that it was created on. I have seen this issue in the past where if I copy a working good DB from a Windows install to an android install it will not work. You need to reset your TV Data and then wait for the files to be updated. Once updated, then copy and use the template loader.

@Alucard I'm aware you're way more knowledgeable than me, but is it possible that DBs are different on android boxes and other systems, causing issues for some of us? When I use kodi manager from adskiremote everything works, but when I use your version I can see changes happening in status bar but not reflected once its loaded on the box?

[Alucard]

@Alucard I'm aware you're way more knowledgeable than me, but is it possible that DBs are different on android boxes and other systems, causing issues for some of us? When I use kodi manager from adskiremote everything works, but when I use your version I can see changes happening in status bar but not reflected once its loaded on the box?

I am working on the app and revamping it so it will be easier to manage the files on other boxes now so if you want to attach your db that is not updating I will take a look. Also make sure if your copying the file to another box that you delete the EPG10.db.

[Puska]

Thats good news, I can try and test out once you have a beta version.

[yonatan]

I'm not sure I understand how to use this feature. I'm looking for a solution for the issue that makes all my personal channel groups disappear every time I relaunch Kodi. How can I use your feature to keep them?
I'm using Windows10.
Thanks!

[Alucard]

I'm not sure I understand how to use this feature. I'm looking for a solution for the issue that makes all my personal channel groups disappear every time I relaunch Kodi. How can I use your feature to keep them?
I'm using Windows10.
Thanks!

Turn off the syncing of groups with the back end server under the Live TV Settings.

[dinkish]

Thanks for the tool, sped up the process of removing channels greatly

Cheers!

[scottj]

Hey,

Just found this download. Is this still working? Having issues

cheers

[cwh060]

Not sure this works anymore, too bad I think it would have been an excellent tool.

I tried on Windows 10 running Kodi 16RC2 yesterday, the template loader runs but can not find the file. The TV29.db is in the same folder as the .exe. I can play around with the file and eventually get it loaded into the template program but the buttons are greyed out for "Load Channel Data" and "Apply Channels". nothing else works either.

I've resorted to trying SQL lite loading the file into it and playing around.

cwh

[curgs]

does this program still work

[cloak33]

Did anyone find out if its still working? Doesn't appear to be. Any alternatives?

[mwake]

I would like to download and use this toool but the download link doesnt work no more, can anybody post a working link to the tool please.

[StanTek]

Is your download link still active? It won't let me download the Kodi Template Loader.

[Shooty]

Is your download link still active? It won't let me download the Kodi Template Loader.
Obviously not, since the date of the Post!!!
What are you using on Kodi, or what are you trying to do?
If Kodi 18, you should use IPTVXtra2 video addon (install kens Repo and install from that).
Download >
https://tinyurl.com/IPTVXtra2-Repo
/Shooty