[vdr] Re: tech patch for vdr 1.1.24

["Reinhard Walter Buchner" <rw.buchner@freenet.de>]

Hi Stefan,

> > plugin interface (fonts, color, tech ;o)), etc). With the tech
> > patch for example, how would you reach the needed DVB
> > calls when they aren't even implemented? So plugins: no
> > sorry, it just isn't possible.
 
> For the tech patch this is probably not really useful, as the
> information is not used anywhere except for the meter that the
> tech patch provides. (even though one could write a plugin allowing
> to adjust your sat dish using sound instead of the meter so you
> don't have to see the TV) 

Well that is what my motor diseqc plugin will do ;o)) It's on
the backburner right now, as I am interested in getting the
basic VDR the way I want it ;o))
 
> For other components it's more useful. For example addon fonts
> should really go into plugins, so that plugins like vdrmail don't
> need a patch against vdr to work, when they bring their own fonts.

This, too, doesn't work. How would I go about using small fonts
globally (one of my mods) out of a plugin? Lets say Klaus uses
fontOsd for the main menu (well he does ;o)) A plugin will never
be able to reach this code to switch it into a fontOsd2 (small
font). The VDR code ALWAYS dominates the plugin code.

Similar situation for the colors. Klaus defines these in osdbase.h
and he enumerates them. How can a plugin divide the channelinfo
OSD into two parts (Elchi style) and change the colors or the
transparency (another one of my mods). It can't.

I changed the cursor behaviour of VDR. Standard VDR has hard
stops at the end of a menu. My mod allows  you to flip back to
the end or beginning of a menu by just pressing the down or up
key once more (an option which I *never* want to miss again
;o)). This, of course, also works on multiple page menus such
as the channels or schedual menu.

My "move plugin" is another example. I can move all plugins
into a submenu to prevent from cluttering up the main menu
"desktop". Now you are asking a *plugin* to manipulate it's
own plugin manager ;o))? Not possible. Thats kind of asking
your bank to increase the amount of money on your account
as you use up the money (turning debts into credit ;o))

Last example ;o)): I modded the timers. Now you can:

record normally
record only the audio
record nothing, but view the movie

Here a plugin won't be able to reach the add new recorder
in dependancy of what you put into the timer. In this case
I also added the possibility to change the timers with an
external program (vdradmin, etc). All that is needed, is to
send a certain bit (see my mail from a few days ago) to be
able to program the timer correctly with the new things. I
did insert a failsafe mechanism. So if the bit is "illegal",
VDR will record everything (no loss)

Let's face it, most mods, including mine, dig deep into
the main VDR code and there is no way a plugin can reach
this level (it isn't supposed to, if I figure the concept right
;o)) I realize there will be some problems with e.g. DXR3
(actually this is the ONLY plugin which won't work out of
the box)

In order to be able to do what you are asking, would mean
to turn VDR completely modular. Klaus won't do this and
I agree with him here (it was discussed quite a while ago)
See the ML archives.

However, what I am doing differently than the old patches
is to make *all* changes setupable. This allows everyone
to customize their VDR the way *they* want it. Plus if
you don't like a certain function the next day, you don't
need to repatch a vanilla VDR. You just turn it off in the
setup ;o))

> > to apply 150 patches? Couldn't we make an AIO?

> 150? Wow. I could not even think of so many things to
> improve vdr :-)

Okay, so I was exaggerating a little, but really there are
quite a few mods ;o))

> When's your next release?

I can't say exactly (unplanned things like Reiserfs happen ;o)),
but I will release one more version before the stable is out
(unless Klaus releases it in the next few days ;o)).

Greetz,
Reinhard


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