[vdr] Re: Beginners Questions

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

Hello Roland,

>Reinhard wrote:
>RWB> Would it be possible to make an install version of VDR?

>RWB> VDR has gone thru numeros revisons, updates and patches.
>RWB> What I mean is a full version of ALL files and an installation
>RWB> routine, which asks what should be installed (so that even
>RWB> dummies, like me, can install VDR ;o)). Of course, VDR
>RWB> keeps changing, but that way people have a ground basis to
>RWB> start on. After all, two years of Klaus' work have resulted in
>RWB> lots of files ;o) This install file would only need an occassional
>RWB> update (say once or twice a year, or so). That way people don`t
>RWB> need to hunt the internet to find ALL files and check which
>RWB> files work with which revision. Also conflicts with older software
>RWB> or revisions are kept to a minimum. It might even be a good
>RWB> idea to make two install versions (stable and developer edition).

>Windows user, right ;-)

Now I "knew" I was going to get that as a response ;o). Yes, since V2.0.
Aside from that BeOS, OS/2, Netware 3.11-5.12, DOS, Basic, NT
and a little bit of Unix (some 12-13 years ago).

>The installation of VDR isn't that hard; once you know what to do it
>takes a few hours "from scratch".

Yes, I think I CAN manage that, but your exact key words are "a few
hours". Esp. when rebuilding an OS that is a waste of time. After all
your VDR has a remote and / or an IR keyboard. You "could" attach
a cable keyboard or hardbuttons on a front panel of your VDR. It
would work, but is it comfortable? No! For timer programming, you
"could" use an electronic timer installed in the power cord of your
vdr, but would you? No, it's not comfortable, so you use the built
in epg timers of vdr.

Most people want to use their multimedia-vdr-system. It is no longer
a "simple" vdr. It has become a system. Right now I just want to
use the system to become comfortable with it. After a while, when
I see what the system is missing (and I find the time), then I can
start programming addons.

>There are only a few files you need: the main vdr-archive, maybe
>the AIO-patch or some plugins, thats it. Then read the README's
>(like the name says) and you get all the information you need.

Right and then you have to check what runs with which version. I
"think" I have downloaded ALL the files there are, but now I have
to find what works with which version.

> I don't think a "install version" is a good idea.

And why not?

>RWB> Would it be possible to have a basic VDR setup like the above
>RWB> and be able to install (new) updates via VDR? In other words,
>RWB> you have your basic VDR system and a menu called "plugins".
>RWB> All (new) plugins which are developed must be copied into a
>RWB> certain directory (like plugins ;o). At each start VDR scans this
>RWB> directory and if it finds a new plugin, it shows an OSD message
>RWB> and asks if the user would like to install it. If the user says no, it
>RWB> is marked accordingly and VDR doesn't ask again (but it still
>RWB> appears in the plugin OSD)

>Why not unpack the archive, move it into PLUGINS/SRC and do
>a "make plugins"??

Once again it is possible to do it this way, but itīs not the easy way
to do it and install problems will arise.

RWB> Doing both of the above would provide the advantage, that
RWB> everyone has the same basic system and all updates are done
RWB> via VDR. That way we can eliminate installation problems
RWB> (and internet hunting ;o}).

>Every distribution is different from another; the only thing you
>could do is to make your own custom "VDR-distribution";

Yes, maybe, but the basic system IS the same and the user options
would be covered with my idea. I have been on this list a few days
now. A lot of the posts concern installation problems. Sure, people
like Klaus (who designed the system) can say with a glance what
the problem is, but it would easier for people with a predefined
install routine. This does NOT kill the modularity of the system
and users can still create their "own" system.

>or simply port VDR to Windows ;-)

Hmm, I doubt that would be that easy ;o))

Don`t get me wrong, I'm not too lazy to do it by hand, but it isn't
comfortable. I mean, a few mails above your reply to my post, you
are asking if someone would maintain a channels database for vdr
users to download. You could do it by hand, but it is easier, quicker
and less error prone if everyone has the same channels database
(so it's quite understandable ;o))

greetz,
Reinhard