FrontView+ [for Windows]iMon replacement, NowPlaying 2nd Screen

[jachin99 82]

I fixed the issue where FV+ would not connect to my server, and I have weather working.  When I play a file, frontview seems to display everything correctly BUT on the home screen when nothing is playing  when I select movies I get a message telling me I need to refresh my library.  I went into frontveiws settings, and did a manual sync but it still won't sync up to my emby library.  I have tried this on two separate user accounts, and I'm not on emby server beta.  Here is a log. 

FrontView+.log

[GlennNZ 83]

I fixed the issue where FV+ would not connect to my server, and I have weather working. When I play a file, frontview seems to display everything correctly BUT on the home screen when nothing is playing when I select movies I get a message telling me I need to refresh my library. I went into frontveiws settings, and did a manual sync but it still won't sync up to my emby library. I have tried this on two separate user accounts, and I'm not on emby server beta. Here is a log.

Has that Emby user ‘frontview’ access to your Tv shows/movies - as this needs to be enabled?

 

Glenn

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[jachin99 82]

As far as I can tell yes.  i have tried with two separate user accounts and those accounts can view content via the web app. I know at least one of them has full library control and access. 

[jachin99 82]

So far I have verified that my user accounts have access to my libraries, and I have created 2 new users to test with.  I tried uninstalling FV+, deleting all of its old folders in program files, and app data, and reinstalling.  I can still view now playing information on my client (Emby for Windows Media Center) but I can't get FV+ to connect to my library.  I can provide new logs etc. if you think it might help.  

[GlennNZ 83]

So far I have verified that my user accounts have access to my libraries, and I have created 2 new users to test with. I tried uninstalling FV+, deleting all of its old folders in program files, and app data, and reinstalling. I can still view now playing information on my client (Emby for Windows Media Center) but I can't get FV+ to connect to my library. I can provide new logs etc. if you think it might help.

Ok.

Sorry away for a bit - will check when back.

It is possible the recent Emby server changes has affected the library download function for which there has been increasingly limited support (doesn’t exist at all for Plex in FV+)

Glenn

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[jachin99 82]

No worries, I have 90 percent of what I'll use with the now playing info. 

[GlennNZ 83]

No worries, I have 90 percent of what I'll use with the now playing info. 

 

Ok - have checked and quite correct - some server changes have stopped the Database download.

 

Have updated Emby Plugin to version 206

 

If you can test/try

 

Copy the below Remote.Emby.dll

into the FrontView Plugins folder - replacing the dll that is there.

 

https://github.com/Ghawken/FrontView/releases/tag/1.294

 

Should enable you to run Full database refresh or just enable quick refresh for last 30 movies and 30 episodes. (updates quickly on startup)

 

Let me know how you go!

 

Glenn

Edited March 12, 2019 by GlennNZ

[jachin99 82]

I'm still getting the same behavior.  I attached a debug log and thanks for working with me. 

FrontView+.log

[GlennNZ 83]

I'm still getting the same behavior. I attached a debug log and thanks for working with me.

That’s odd - as really thought had it fixed (and added a few other items that had previously been missing)

 

Sorry need a debug and trace log (the trace is the plugin logging)

With a library refresh (as you have done here)

 

Glenn

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[jachin99 82]

Here is a log with trace and debug enabled.  This looked relevant to me

[21:56:29.4693] FrontView+    : Start Refresh : Movies
[21:56:29.4693] ** TRACE **   : FrontVIew+Api-EMBYAPI:
Getting Main Selection Result127.0.0.1
[21:56:29.4693] ** TRACE **   : FrontVIew+Api-EMBYAPI:
Main Selection: 127.0.0.1:8096
[21:56:29.4693] ** TRACE **   : FrontVIew+Api-EMBYAPI:
---------------- Getting Current User ID -------------------------
[21:56:29.4693] ** TRACE **   : FrontVIew+Api-EMBYAPI:
URL is http://127.0.0.1:8096/Users/Public
[21:56:29.4706] ** TRACE **   : FrontVIew+Api-EMBYAPI:
[{"Name":"Family","ServerId":"67a1ecba0b284365b27d27d0d7d1b931","Id":"cade8407f859442286081da65dd3f6fd","HasPassword":false,"HasConfiguredPassword":false,"HasConfiguredEasyPassword":false,"LastLoginDate":"2019-03-14T01:56:17.4053500+00:00","LastActivityDate":"2019-03-14T01:56:21.2616000+00:00","Configuration":{"PlayDefaultAudioTrack":true,"DisplayMissingEpisodes":false,"GroupedFolders":[],"SubtitleMode":"Default","DisplayCollectionsView":false,"EnableLocalPassword":false,"OrderedViews":[],"LatestItemsExcludes":[],"MyMediaExcludes":[],"HidePlayedInLatest":true,"RememberAudioSelections":true,"RememberSubtitleSelections":true,"EnableNextEpisodeAutoPlay":true},"Policy":{"IsAdministrator":true,"IsHidden":false,"IsDisabled":false,"BlockedTags":[],"EnableUserPreferenceAccess":true,"AccessSchedules":[],"BlockUnratedItems":[],"EnableRemoteControlOfOtherUsers":true,"EnableSharedDeviceControl":true,"EnableRemoteAccess":true,"EnableLiveTvManagement":true,"EnableLiveTvAccess":true,"EnableMediaPlayback":true,"EnableAudioPlaybackTranscoding":true,"EnableVideoPlaybackTranscoding":true,"EnablePlaybackRemuxing":true,"EnableContentDeletion":true,"EnableContentDeletionFromFolders":[],"EnableContentDownloading":true,"EnableSubtitleDownloading":true,"EnableSubtitleManagement":true,"EnableSyncTranscoding":true,"EnableMediaConversion":true,"EnabledDevices":[],"EnableAllDevices":true,"EnabledChannels":[],"EnableAllChannels":true,"EnabledFolders":[],"EnableAllFolders":true,"InvalidLoginAttemptCount":0,"EnablePublicSharing":true,"RemoteClientBitrateLimit":0,"AuthenticationProviderId":"Emby.Server.Implementations.Library.DefaultAuthenticationProvider","ExcludedSubFolders":[],"DisablePremiumFeatures":false}},{"Name":"frontview","ServerId":"67a1ecba0b284365b27d27d0d7d1b931","Id":"6b22ff1fffe8430f8d466b27637785d6","HasPassword":false,"HasConfiguredPassword":false,"HasConfiguredEasyPassword":false,"LastLoginDate":"2019-03-05T19:10:16.9853500+00:00","LastActivityDate":"2019-03-05T19:21:55.1016000+00:00","Configuration":{"PlayDefaultAudioTrack":true,"DisplayMissingEpisodes":false,"GroupedFolders":[],"SubtitleMode":"Default","DisplayCollectionsView":false,"EnableLocalPassword":false,"OrderedViews":[],"LatestItemsExcludes":[],"MyMediaExcludes":[],"HidePlayedInLatest":true,"RememberAudioSelections":true,"RememberSubtitleSelections":true,"EnableNextEpisodeAutoPlay":true},"Policy":{"IsAdministrator":true,"IsHidden":false,"IsDisabled":false,"BlockedTags":[],"EnableUserPreferenceAccess":true,"AccessSchedules":[],"BlockUnratedItems":[],"EnableRemoteControlOfOtherUsers":true,"EnableSharedDeviceControl":true,"EnableRemoteAccess":true,"EnableLiveTvManagement":true,"EnableLiveTvAccess":true,"EnableMediaPlayback":true,"EnableAudioPlaybackTranscoding":true,"EnableVideoPlaybackTranscoding":true,"EnablePlaybackRemuxing":true,"EnableContentDeletion":true,"EnableContentDeletionFromFolders":[],"EnableContentDownloading":true,"EnableSubtitleDownloading":true,"EnableSubtitleManagement":true,"EnableSyncTranscoding":true,"EnableMediaConversion":true,"EnabledDevices":[],"EnableAllDevices":true,"EnabledChannels":[],"EnableAllChannels":true,"EnabledFolders":[],"EnableAllFolders":true,"InvalidLoginAttemptCount":0,"EnablePublicSharing":true,"RemoteClientBitrateLimit":0,"AuthenticationProviderId":"Emby.Server.Implementations.Library.DefaultAuthenticationProvider","ExcludedSubFolders":[],"DisablePremiumFeatures":false}},{"Name":"fv","ServerId":"67a1ecba0b284365b27d27d0d7d1b931","Id":"64ca26dd604a464abb5bf2a0e962c5c0","HasPassword":false,"HasConfiguredPassword":false,"HasConfiguredEasyPassword":false,"LastLoginDate":"2019-03-06T14:18:02.9647500+00:00","LastActivityDate":"2019-03-06T14:18:02.9647500+00:00","Configuration":{"PlayDefaultAudioTrack":true,"DisplayMissingEpisodes":false,"GroupedFolders":[],"SubtitleMode":"Default","DisplayCollectionsView":false,"EnableLocalPassword":false,"OrderedViews":[],"LatestItemsExcludes":[],"MyMediaExcludes":[],"HidePlayedInLatest":true,"RememberAudioSelections":true,"RememberSubtitleSelections":true,"EnableNextEpisodeAutoPlay":true},"Policy":{"IsAdministrator":true,"IsHidden":false,"IsDisabled":false,"BlockedTags":[],"EnableUserPreferenceAccess":true,"AccessSchedules":[],"BlockUnratedItems":[],"EnableRemoteControlOfOtherUsers":true,"EnableSharedDeviceControl":true,"EnableRemoteAccess":true,"EnableLiveTvManagement":true,"EnableLiveTvAccess":true,"EnableMediaPlayback":true,"EnableAudioPlaybackTranscoding":true,"EnableVideoPlaybackTranscoding":true,"EnablePlaybackRemuxing":true,"EnableContentDeletion":true,"EnableContentDeletionFromFolders":[],"EnableContentDownloading":true,"EnableSubtitleDownloading":true,"EnableSubtitleManagement":true,"EnableSyncTranscoding":true,"EnableMediaConversion":true,"EnabledDevices":[],"EnableAllDevices":true,"EnabledChannels":[],"EnableAllChannels":true,"EnabledFolders":[],"EnableAllFolders":true,"InvalidLoginAttemptCount":0,"EnablePublicSharing":true,"RemoteClientBitrateLimit":0,"AuthenticationProviderId":"Emby.Server.Implementations.Library.DefaultAuthenticationProvider","ExcludedSubFolders":[],"DisablePremiumFeatures":false}}]
[21:56:29.4706] ** TRACE **   : FrontVIew+Api-EMBYAPI:
------ CurrentUSERID --  Family Server.ID: cade8407f859442286081da65dd3f6fd Current Username:family
[21:56:29.4706] ** TRACE **   : FrontVIew+Api-EMBYAPI:
------ CurrentUSERID --  frontview Server.ID: 6b22ff1fffe8430f8d466b27637785d6 Current Username:family
[21:56:29.4706] ** TRACE **   : FrontVIew+Api-EMBYAPI:
------ CurrentUSERID --  fv Server.ID: 64ca26dd604a464abb5bf2a0e962c5c0 Current Username:family
[21:56:29.4706] ** TRACE **   : FrontVIew+Api-EMBYAPI:
  ----------------------- No CurrentUSER MATCHING FOUND ------------: Current Username:family
[21:56:29.4706] ** TRACE **   : FrontVIew+Api-EMBYAPI:
--------- GetAuthString Returns:MediaBrowser Client="FrontView+", Device="Windows Application", DeviceId="9DA94EFB-EFF0-4144-9A18-46B046C450C6", Version="1.125", UserId=""
[21:56:29.4731] ** TRACE **   : FrontVIew+Api-EMBYAPI:
ERROR in Main Selection obtaining: System.Net.WebException: The remote server returned an error: (500) Internal Server Error.
   at System.Net.HttpWebRequest.GetResponse()
   at Remote.Emby.Api.XbmcVideoLibrary.GetMainSelection(String param)
[21:56:29.4731] FrontView+    : Library Refresh Error:System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
   at Remote.Emby.Api.XbmcVideoLibrary.GetMovies()
   at FrontView.Yatse2Window.RefreshMovieLibrary()
   at FrontView.Yatse2Window.RefreshLibrary()
[21:56:29.4731] FrontView+    : End Library Refresh

FrontView+.log

[GlennNZ 83]

Here is a log with trace and debug enabled. This looked relevant to me

[21:56:29.4693] FrontView+    : Start Refresh : Movies
[21:56:29.4693] ** TRACE **   : FrontVIew+Api-EMBYAPI:
Getting Main Selection Result127.0.0.1

Thanks. Will update and look at code as soon as can.

 

But at first look it seems you have a username of ‘family’ when should be ‘Family’.

Case is important.

 

G

 

 

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[jachin99 82]

I knew it was something dumb!!! I had actually tried fixing that before your update and it didnt work.  After changing to the proper case everything worked!!

[GlennNZ 83]

I knew it was something dumb!!! I had actually tried fixing that before your update and it didnt work. After changing to the proper case everything worked!!

[emoji1303]

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[jachin99 82]

This works well with Emby but I mostly use Windows Media Center.  Would you consider creating a frontview plugin for WMC?  There are already a few different projects that handle controlling WMC, and it seems like all you would really need to do is hook into one of these for the remote portion.  For displaying cover art, etc. obviously you might have to build something from scratch but at the very least you wouldn't have to do much to maintain it so once its built it will probably be done forever. 

[GlennNZ 83]

This works well with Emby but I mostly use Windows Media Center. Would you consider creating a frontview plugin for WMC? There are already a few different projects that handle controlling WMC, and it seems like all you would really need to do is hook into one of these for the remote portion. For displaying cover art, etc. obviously you might have to build something from scratch but at the very least you wouldn't have to do much to maintain it so once its built it will probably be done forever.

No such luck I’m afraid. I did look into it some time ago and really wasn’t possible to support WMC.

 

WMC - obviously remains decades old and unsupported. Also has no mechanism to get currently playing information artwork, etc out of it.

 

Glenn

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[jachin99 82]

No such luck I’m afraid. I did look into it some time ago and really wasn’t possible to support WMC.

 

WMC - obviously remains decades old and unsupported. Also has no mechanism to get currently playing information artwork, etc out of it.

 

Glenn

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I looked into this also, and I was able to get currently playing track information via a MSAS, which was deprecated with win 7 but still works.  Here is the reference for the MSAS https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ms816512.aspx .  I was actually able to use this, and a program called VMC controller https://archive.codeplex.com/?p=vmccontroller to get the currently playing track, etc.  The issue I always ran into was that with the MSAS running, the remote would stop responding after some time so I looked into it a little further.  I found a post on the old green button forums from microsoft via the web archive where someone had a similar situation.  Another user brought up that most of the functionality of MSAS was replaced by the windows media center object model.  I was able to find a few classes like this one https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/bb189336.aspx that handled metadata but that was as far as I got because I don't know much C#.  Because many users still use YAMMM to download movie info and cover art, and the mediametadata class gives you a URI I have always wondered if one could use these two to get cover art, etc. for something like frontview+.  I'm not sure if that changes how you feel about supporting WMC but I figured I could only help.  Do you remember exactly what you were getting hung up on?

[GlennNZ 83]

I looked into this also, and I was able to get currently playing track information via a MSAS, which was deprecated with win 7 but still works. Here is the reference for the MSAS https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ms816512.aspx . I was actually able to use this, and a program called VMC controller https://archive.codeplex.com/?p=vmccontroller to get the currently playing track, etc. The issue I always ran into was that with the MSAS running, the remote would stop responding after some time so I looked into it a little further. I found a post on the old green button forums from microsoft via the web archive where someone had a similar situation. Another user brought up that most of the functionality of MSAS was replaced by the windows media center object model. I was able to find a few classes like this one https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/bb189336.aspx that handled metadata but that was as far as I got because I don't know much C#. Because many users still use YAMMM to download movie info and cover art, and the mediametadata class gives you a URI I have always wondered if one could use these two to get cover art, etc. for something like frontview+. I'm not sure if that changes how you feel about supporting WMC but I figured I could only help. Do you remember exactly what you were getting hung up on?

Thanks - it’s not so much as getting hung up on - more so not wanting to go down a 15 year old (2002 WMC!) depreciated, unsupported rabbit warren that is WMC & it’s SDK. As you mentioned unsupported on windows 7 (let alone windows 10) introducing this sort of potential instability I don’t think is fair, let alone a long list of other reasons.

 

Personally why I did use WMC some years ago, there are better alternatives now both from the front end and the high end driver support (windows 10 needed) that is needed for playback solutions like madVR. I really don’t think the future involves WMC.

 

Glenn

 

 

 

 

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[jachin99 82]

Although WMC itself is deprecated using the object model to get track info should be supported in the last few versions. But your right about it having no future. I almost grabbed another case with a screen for a steam server but I decided against it for the time being. I suppose my last question would be how you felt about steam integration.

[GlennNZ 83]

Although WMC itself is deprecated using the object model to get track info should be supported in the last few versions. But your right about it having no future. I almost grabbed another case with a screen for a steam server but I decided against it for the time being. I suppose my last question would be how you felt about steam integration.

I did have a look a steam a while ago as well - mainly for gaming integration - but didn’t really progress with it.

 

Taking a step back - what are you doing on WMC?

 

Glenn

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[jachin99 82]

There are a few reasons people still use wmc. For starters and probably the biggest reason is that it handles live TV really well and the UI is simple. It is also one of the few platforms that has both an Amazon and Netflix plugin. There are also plenty of others that have all of their channels flagged as copyonce and don't have any other choice. If you go over to their insurance.tv and look at the epg123 forums you will get a better idea about how many WMC users are still out there.

[jachin99 82]

You can also look at launchbox instead of steam for gamers as launchbox handles both steam games and emulators

[jachin99 82]

I think I'll try to integrate WMC into frontview on my own.  I have no idea what I'm doing really but I have some very basic C# and python knowledge.  I looked around at old versions of FrontView, and I think I will build from YATZE because it is written with .net 3.5, which is the same .net version as WMC.  My first question is do you think it would be better to build an assembly for yatze that gets playback status, cover art, etc. from WMC, or would it be better to build an addin for WMC that sends that kind of thing to yatze?  I'm thinking I MAY be able to build a background addin for yatze, and register (Bascially install) it in WMC.  

 

That whole question probably illustrates how new I am to this, but I wanted to ask for some advice before starting.  Thanks.  

[jachin99 82]

I'm going to ping you one more time because I have found something new in regards to integrating WMC into FrontView.  In this blog post https://damian.fyi/2008/05/20/creating-msas-sinks-in-c/ the author describes what sounds like everything you would need to hook WMC.  I could be reading this incorrectly but it doesn't look like a lot of code, and I could write that on my own but I still wouldn't be too sure about how to make frontview hook the newly created assembly. 

[GlennNZ 83]

I'm going to ping you one more time because I have found something new in regards to integrating WMC into FrontView. In this blog post https://damian.fyi/2008/05/20/creating-msas-sinks-in-c/ the author describes what sounds like everything you would need to hook WMC. I could be reading this incorrectly but it doesn't look like a lot of code, and I could write that on my own but I still wouldn't be too sure about how to make frontview hook the newly created assembly.

Hi

I have had a good look at this - and the same issues apply, the post is 10 years old with the last comment suggesting it doesn’t work. Also signing assemblies, registry entries etc.etc. would all be fairly problematic.

 

Having said that if you can get a cmdline/terminal app written in c# showing what WMC is playing, images needed etc; I’ll be happy to include in a dll to add to front view.

 

Glenn

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[jachin99 82]

Hi

I have had a good look at this - and the same issues apply, the post is 10 years old with the last comment suggesting it doesn’t work. Also signing assemblies, registry entries etc.etc. would all be fairly problematic.

 

Having said that if you can get a cmdline/terminal app written in c# showing what WMC is playing, images needed etc; I’ll be happy to include in a dll to add to front view.

 

Glenn

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I really appreciate your cooperation on this.  I have some things in mind but I'm too busy to sit down and take a good look.  I'll get back to you when I have some time to get everything together.  I want to say on more time how thrilled I am that this might even be a possibility!!!!