Entry Points in MCE7 Not Working

[Blue Kachina 12]

Does anyone using MBC customize their Media Center using "Media Center Studio" or "MCE Reset Toolbox"?
If so, have you successfully set up multiple entry points for MBC within it?

I'm presented with error messages when I try clicking on the custom entry points.

I'm using Win 7 Pro x64, and previously used MediaBrowser 2.x but had never tried customizing MCE until now... so those entry points could be remnants of the old version of MB.

 

Tips/Tricks/Suggestions?

 

Thanks

[CWNashvegas 170]

 I use MCE Reset Toolbox. Those entry points are leftover from MB2, so they won't work anymore. Only the main MBC entry point is usable. You'll have to either remove the old ones, or just revert to the original setup and redo your entry points. 

[Blue Kachina 12]

Thanks for the quick response Vegas.


I think I'll do a bit of housekeeping in my registry to get rid of those MB2 leftovers then.
Scanning through the feature requests, it looks like I'm not the only user interested in this, but there are some technical hurdles that block progress on a feature like this.

[Tester 45]

Thanks for the quick response Vegas.

 

I think I'll do a bit of housekeeping in my registry to get rid of those MB2 leftovers then.

Scanning through the feature requests, it looks like I'm not the only user interested in this, but there are some technical hurdles that block progress on a feature like this.

Yep, I am one of those that would love custom entry points negating the need for EHS

[CWNashvegas 170]

Thanks for the quick response Vegas.

 

I think I'll do a bit of housekeeping in my registry to get rid of those MB2 leftovers then.

Scanning through the feature requests, it looks like I'm not the only user interested in this, but there are some technical hurdles that block progress on a feature like this.

You're welcome.

 

The biggest issue is User Profiles - Collections can be different for each and limitations of WMC make dynamic entry point changes impossible. Any changes to an entry point (ie, when the logo was updated) breaks custom menus, requiring the user to manually remove and re-add the entry point, because WMC only updates the entry point if it's in the original location.

 

I'm just so glad that MCE Reset Toolbox is still in active development. I'd be very sad if I had to go back to stock WMC.

[Tester 45]

CWNashvegas, are you saying that it is possible to have custom entry if there was only 1 profile and that profile used at all times ?

For instance, is there a way to set 1 default profile which is hardcoded and allows for custom entry points ?

 

I for one have no use for profiles but would love to see custom entry points in MB3

[Jon 34]

I don't think entry points will ever be re-introduced for MB3.  It was asked in the old forum and I don't believe the stance has changed at all on it.  It was a hack and not something they wanted to complicate things with for MB3.

 

There may be a workaround for it now, but I can't say that it will always work, won't break with each new release, or work the way you want it to.

[CWNashvegas 170]

CWNashvegas, are you saying that it is possible to have custom entry if there was only 1 profile and that profile used at all times ?

For instance, is there a way to set 1 default profile which is hardcoded and allows for custom entry points ?

 

I for one have no use for profiles but would love to see custom entry points in MB3

No, I'm saying the reason it's not implemented is likely because of the limitations I mentioned.  I'm not an MB dev, but I do have some experience working around WMC's quirks, and though I totally understand the desire for additional entry points, what you're requesting is more complicated than it sounds. 

 

There's also the fact that MBC is probably not going to be the primary Windows client once MBT is released. As much as I love MBC (and have no plans to leave it), it would have a high cost in both making it possible and then supporting it, when only a few people would actually use the feature. It's just not worth it overall. 

[James 31]

Very disappointed to see custom entry points is no longer supported. This feature was a cornerstone of my setup. Has anyone come up with any work arounds or will I have to roll back to ver 2?

 

Thanks

[ebr 15549]

Very disappointed to see custom entry points is no longer supported. This feature was a cornerstone of my setup. Has anyone come up with any work arounds or will I have to roll back to ver 2?

 

Thanks

 

There is no work-around but I can't believe that, once you try it out, this one item would be enough for you to give up all the other advantages of MB3.

[Tester 45]

ebr, I have tried MB3 and love it, but like James and some others have pointed out, the lack of custom entry points is killing my setup..  I am still on the fence but for now have decided to keep my rig at MB2 until I upgrade/format maybe next month or during xmas break

[James 31]

I have to say ver 3 has been rock steady and I am happy with results. However no matter how much I play with it, I still feel the exclusion of custom entry points is a serious drawback.

 

If I understand the issue properly, the problem is that it would be impossible to implement dynamic custom entry points based on individual MB profiles. Would it not be possible to have a default profile for which custom entry points could be used? It would then be up to the installer to implement these custom entry points in RTB knowing it points to the default profile and not an individual's profile.

 

If a installer needs individual MB profiles then they can chose not to use custom entry points and rely solely on MB's top level menu.

 

I believe this type of solution would be win-win for everyone

 

Cheers

Edited October 31, 2013 by James

[swhitmore 781]

I believe this type of solution would be win-win for everyone

 

But a lot of work for the developers to support the <1% of people who would use it. So in reality it's not a win for everyone, since resources would have to be taken off other projects to get it working.

 

To be honest though, I think you would still be better with MB3. I used to use custom entry points, but the massive advantages of upgrading made me not even notice they were gone.

[berrick 30]

I'm waiting to try Media browser theater (when is it going to be available??), so in my case I can see if it meets my current requirements and then drop WMC and MB altogether. Currently I still have to use WMC and MB with entry points.

 

I used one of my wishes on the old site to request entry points for JUST the admin user as there is a need for entry points to be available for many users of MB3 regardless of the great improvements and hard work of the devs on MB3. The reason being is this. 

 

Many MB users, like me, have addons to WMC which are either not supported anymore or the devs of those addons aren't interested in porting them to MB3. So it is possible that if an addon or the asthetics of WMC due to a users customization is more important to a user than all the benefits of MB3 then yes  

 

I can't believe that, once you try it out, this one item would be enough for you to give up all the other advantages of MB3

 

it could be enough, for now, to negate all the advantages of MB3 and stop someone using it.

 

Finally, not everyone wants to ditch WMC, dare I say it, not everyone will like MB3 but they want to use and like the functionality entry points in MB offered. What if someone doesn't want to use Media Browser Theater then MB3 doesn't fit their needs anymore but entry points would still mean they could use this functionality and YES there are more than <1% of users or potential users that fall into this category.

Edited October 31, 2013 by berrick

[ebr 15549]

One of the issues is the fact that we now have user profiles.

 

That means that a new configuration interface would have to be created and supported to set this up.

 

Another issue is this feature also requires 3rd-party hacking software for the WMC environment itself.  Much of that software is no longer being developed or supported as well because WMC is a dead-end that no developer (other than me) is spending any time on right now.

 

All of that makes this a hard item to support that over-complicates the experience for the majority of users who won't care about this.

 

But, the final nail in the coffin for this feature is the fact that it breaks with every new update of MBC.  That means it has to be manually re-set up with each update and we push updates every 2-4 weeks.  I don't care what you guys say about "well, we understand that and we are wiling to do it" that is a completely un-acceptable solution to try and support because most people will not agree to that.  They'll say "this feature sucks! it breaks every couple of weeks".

 

And, those of you who would actually be willing to accept that will simply stop updating the product to avoid having to go through this and that cripples our delivery model and creates more support problems.

 

I'm sorry but all of that together makes this an extremely high-cost, low benefit feature.

[Tester 45]

ebr, good enough, no need to apologize..  Thx for all your work

[berrick 30]

WMC is a dead-end that no developer (other than me) is spending any time on right now

 

And we all love ya for it 

Edited October 31, 2013 by berrick

[dmrc 0]

 

One of the issues is the fact that we now have user profiles.

 

Is there a possibillity to create an entry point for each user profile?

 

 

That means that a new configuration interface would have to be created and supported to set this up.

 

No configuration interface needed if we go for the above option.

 

 

Another issue is this feature also requires 3rd-party hacking software for the WMC environment itself.  Much of that software is no longer being developed or supported as well because WMC is a dead-end that no developer (other than me) is spending any time on right now.

 

MCE Reset Toolbox (http://www.acs-digital-media.com/mce-rtb.html) is stil very much alive ( bought this only to manage MB's entry points).

 

 

I hope you guys will give the entry point issue a second thought cause would make the mb classic experience a lot better...

[ebr 15549]

Is there a possibillity to create an entry point for each user profile?

 

 

No configuration interface needed if we go for the above option.

 

 

MCE Reset Toolbox (http://www.acs-digital-media.com/mce-rtb.html) is stil very much alive ( bought this only to manage MB's entry points).

 

 

I hope you guys will give the entry point issue a second thought cause would make the mb classic experience a lot better...

 

This poor horse has really been beat to death but I don't see how you think your first statement justifies your second one.  The fact you have to create different entry points for different profiles is exactly why there needs to be a configuration interface.

 

In any case, as I said, the benefit of this is nowhere near the cost.  Sorry.

[swhitmore 781]

[johnso 0]

There is no work-around but I can't believe that, once you try it out, this one item would be enough for you to give up all the other advantages of MB3.

 

This was the sole reason I reverted back to MB2. Without the entry points, using MB3 in WMC became one step too difficult.

[swhitmore 781]

This was the sole reason I reverted back to MB2. Without the entry points, using MB3 in WMC became one step too difficult.

 

Seriously?

[Logos302 86]

Am I missing something I've never used Entry points.  Why is everyone screaming for them.  What am I missing that is so earth shattering that one needs them??

[swhitmore 781]

Am I missing something I've never used Entry points.  Why is everyone screaming for them.  What am I missing that is so earth shattering that one needs them??

 

Honestly, not much. It just let you jump to a collection directly from the WMC start menu. i.e. no need for an EHS.

 

The EHS is a crap load better though, it allows for recent added/watched etc.

[Redshirt 1487]

I don't get why people are complaining about entry points either. There's still a navigation cost ie: you have to push buttons. To get to your custom entry point. So you either navigate the EHS or you navigate the WMC menu.