Kodi 14 "Helix" - Official release - No known issues yet

[jitterjames]

Since Kodi 14 "Helix" was just officially released (December 23rd 2014), I decided to install it on a test machine to make sure everything is OK with VoxCommando.

As far as I can tell everything is working exactly as expected.

I started with a fresh install of VoxCommando version 2.1.2.8 and the default configuration for XBMC Gotham.  I followed the normal install instructions as per our Wiki: http://voxcommando.com/mediawiki/index.php?title=Installation_XBMC_Frodo

Here are a few things that I ran into that you should watch out for.

1 - If it is a new install of Kodi, then both VoxCommando AND Kodi need to have firewall exceptions created, in order for VC to connect and receive events from Kodi.

2 - ***VERY IMPORTANT*** If you are using the xSql plugin to generate XML for Kodi (which I prefer to use whenever possible) then you should pay special attention to the database paths in the xSql plugin settings.  The database is now using not only a new file name but predictably, is in a folder named Kodi, not in the XBMC folder (see image).  If you had an earlier version of XBMC installed you will still find the old database files in that XBMC folder so this might lead to some confusing results!

We will include a Kodi - Helix configuration with the next release of VoxCommando that has the correct database paths already set, but in the meantime you can fix this yourself.

[Brian]

Hi,

I just upgraded to Helix that was released on the 23rd. My VC version is 1.1.9.1.

I have noticed VC doesn't execute the commands after upgrading from Gotham. I went to the XJson plugin to test the connection and I get this:



Also, here is some info from my log:

12/27/2014 9:09:24 AM   30   [plugin] WebException:
System.Net.WebException: Unable to connect to the remote server ---> System.Net.Sockets.SocketException: No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it 127.0.0.1:11000
   at System.Net.Sockets.Socket.DoConnect(EndPoint endPointSnapshot, SocketAddress socketAddress)
   at System.Net.Sockets.Socket.InternalConnect(EndPoint remoteEP)
   at System.Net.ServicePoint.ConnectSocketInternal(Boolean connectFailure, Socket s4, Socket s6, Socket& socket, IPAddress& address, ConnectSocketState state, IAsyncResult asyncResult, Int32 timeout, Exception& exception)
   --- End of inner exception stack trace ---
   at System.Net.HttpWebRequest.GetRequestStream(TransportContext& context)
   at System.Net.HttpWebRequest.GetRequestStream()
   at vcPlugin.xJsonHttpCommunicator.testConnection()


Thanks for looking.

[nime5ter]

Hi Brian,

Can you confirm whether you have created firewall exceptions for both Kodi and VC, as per James's point 1 above?

The other thing to check is that your web server settings within Kodi match the settings in the xJson plugin in VC. (Navigate to System > Settings > Services, Webserver tab in Kodi to find these.)

Check that the port setting in Kodi matches the one in your xJson plugin settings, and the username as well. (Previously it was XBMC. It may be Kodi now.)

[jitterjames]

The error message is telling you what you need to check.

Verify the 4 points listed in the error message and it will most likely solve your problem.

You can also go through the setup instructions again to make sure it is set up correctly:
http://voxcommando.com/mediawiki/index.php?title=Installation_XBMC_Frodo

[Brian]

Hi,

Thanks for replying. I ended up changing the port from 11000 to 10999 and it worked. I was using 11000 on Gotham and VC before the upgrade to Helix. Seems like the port was still in use I guess.

[Haddood]

Is there a way to change the events triggered by Kodi to Kodi.event.something instead of XBMC.event.something

[jitterjames]

No. I don't imagine it will have any adverse effect to leave it as XBMC. Consider it an homage to simpler times.

I was going to change it when kodi came out but there was no way to maintain backwards compatibility with existing command configurations. It did not make sense to me to require everyone to have to edit their commands to get them working again.

If there is some practical reason why the event needs to be renamed I am happy to hear about it but I can't I imagine one.

I am just glad that after Eden I created the xJSON plugin.  No I'm not going to change the name to kJson. X just stands for Extra cool. 

[Haddood]

No I'm not going to change the name to kJson. X just stands for Extra cool. 

 

hmmm there is no real practical reason I think. however, is it might possible to put it as a setting in the eXtra cool Jason plugin setting? like this it will make it easy to transition to existing users and be cool for new users 

[Hiryu]

Hey Jitterjames.

Could you explain to me the "Play Trailer" command in Kodi -- looking at the LCB, I don't understand exactly how to use it.  If you say "Find [movie]" and then "Play trailer", should it be able to find the corresponding trailer automatically?  (I have the trailer option enabled in The Movie Database add-on in Kodi).

Thanks!

[jitterjames]

Normally this would be used while browsing movies.  When you have any movie selected while browsing movies you say "Play trailer".

It seems that there is a bug in Helix that prevents it from working after you use "Find Movie".  The command could no doubt be modified to get around this.

[nime5ter]

The command could no doubt be modified to get around this.

The following modified version should work if you're either browsing all movies or if you first ask to find a particular movie in your collection and then ask VC to play the trailer.

Code: [Select]

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?>
<!--VoxCommando 2.1.3.8-->
<command id="555" name="Play trailer" enabled="true" alwaysOn="False" confirm="False" requiredConfidence="0" loop="False" loopDelay="0" loopMax="0" description="">
  <action>
    <cmdType>XJson.Raw</cmdType>
    <params>
      <param>XBMC.GetInfoLabels</param>
      <param>"labels": ["ListItem.Title","Listitem.Trailer"]</param>
    </params>
    <cmdRepeat>1</cmdRepeat>
  </action>
  <action>
    <cmdType>Results.RegEx</cmdType>
    <params>
      <param>":\s"(.*)"</param>
    </params>
    <cmdRepeat>1</cmdRepeat>
  </action>
  <if ifBlockDisabled="False" ifNot="True">
    <ifType>(A)==(B)</ifType>
    <ifParams>{Match.2}&amp;&amp;{Empty}</ifParams>
    <then>
      <action>
        <cmdType>TTS.SpeakSync</cmdType>
        <params>
          <param>Loading trailer for: {Match.1}</param>
        </params>
        <cmdRepeat>1</cmdRepeat>
      </action>
      <action>
        <cmdType>XJson.Raw</cmdType>
        <params>
          <param>Player.Open</param>
          <param>"item": { "file": "{Match.2}"} , "options":{ "resume":true }</param>
        </params>
        <cmdRepeat>1</cmdRepeat>
      </action>
    </then>
    <else>
      <action>
        <cmdType>TTS.Speak</cmdType>
        <params>
          <param>No trailer for item selected.</param>
        </params>
        <cmdRepeat>1</cmdRepeat>
      </action>
    </else>
  </if>
  <phrase>Show, Play</phrase>
  <phrase optional="true">this, the</phrase>
  <phrase optional="true">movie, video, film</phrase>
  <phrase>Trailer</phrase>
</command>

[Hiryu]

Danke!

[vulcanjedi]

For those people using MySQL on Linux/Ubuntu, the databases are case sensitive.
So MyMusic48 and MyVideos90

I'm assuming this wasn't an issue before in VC if I recall.
Is it possible to update future install/plugin to TitleCase dbases ?

[jitterjames]

Yes I will, thanks.

I don't think this has anything to do with Helix.  Probably MySQL is case sensitive when run on Linux and not when run on Windows.