Microsoft EPG XML file format

[VMCUser]

Hi all,
I'm developping my own epg grabber application without using the xmltv file format but directly the microsoft one.... and i'm trying to understand the format of the official xml downloaded from microsoft, but i failed to understand all the attributes of <p> and <se> elements.... i also don't understand the relation between a program and attributes like cathegories.....
So if someone has already do the same job or if someone has the quickguide source code, it woulb be nice to help me

Thanks in advance for your help....

[mikehayton]

Note: in the next version of Media Center, this format is changing. (still xml, just a different schema)

Microsoft doesnt have any plans going through the cost of making this new format a standard. Loading you own data into Media Center is not a supported scenario.

However, having said all that, we are not explicitly trying to block this scenario. We value the community and will endeavor to make sure you're not blocked.

The current thinking (though this plan may change) is to publish a KB article detailing some samples of the new xml format and describe what each bit is.

Also it should be simpler to load in the file, there's a command line tool to load in the file instead of having to fake a web server.

Cheers

Mike

[pclare]

Originally Posted by mikehayton

Note: in the next version of Media Center, this format is changing. (still xml, just a different schema)

Microsoft doesnt have any plans going through the cost of making this new format a standard. Loading you own data into Media Center is not a supported scenario.

However, having said all that, we are not explicitly trying to block this scenario. We value the community and will endeavor to make sure you're not blocked.

The current thinking (though this plan may change) is to publish a KB article detailing some samples of the new xml format and describe what each bit is.

Also it should be simpler to load in the file, there's a command line tool to load in the file instead of having to fake a web server.

That's really interesting, Mike.

It's been a frustration to me (and others too, I guess) that Microsoft haven't documented or given examples of the current XML schema or the guide loading process. Figuring out the XML hasn't been hard but some documentation would certainly have helped.

I've actually just written a command line tool to load the EPG data into current VMC (and MCE2005 too). Like your utility, I don't fake a web server but load the guide data directly. It's taken me a while to figure out how to do this though.

I look forward to your KB article and XML samples. I'll be more than happy to have my utility superseded by an official one. Although for users of MCE2005 (and that still includes me on my main living room Media Center PC) my utility will still find some use.

Pete

[pclare]

Originally Posted by VMCUser

Hi all,
I'm developping my own epg grabber application without using the xmltv file format but directly the microsoft one.... and i'm trying to understand the format of the official xml downloaded from microsoft, but i failed to understand all the attributes of <p> and <se> elements.... i also don't understand the relation between a program and attributes like cathegories...

It's pretty easy to figure out if you look at guide data from one of the official guide server sources.

The programme attribute value is made up of bits set corresponding to the attributes listed in the <programAttributes> section near the start of the data file. The first attribute listed there corresponds to bit 0, the next attribute bit 1, etc. These bits are simply ORed together to produce the attribute value (in decimal). So, for example, if the programme is a movie and MSEPGA_MOVIE is the first attribute listed then set bit 0 of the attribute number. If it's not a movie then the bit must be clear.

The schedule entry attributes work in exactly the same way, but with the (different) list of attributes given in the <scheduleEntryAttributes> section of the data file.

In either case, if the attribute value is 0 (i.e. no bits set at all) then it is not necessary to include the attribute setting in the file. You might choose to omit this to keep the file as short as possible (although here in the UK, the BDS guide data doesn't bother with this optimisation).

Pete

[VMCUser]

Thank you so much for your replies i would never have deduce this by looking at the xml structure. Now I have a fully complete EPG :-)