Due to popular demand, I decided to pick up and dust off the source code of SmartGuide to get it to work on MCE 2005.

Although I am now a happy man, because MCE 2005 supports my country (Netherlands), I assume there are many people out there who still lack a proper EPG. For those people, I will invest some time to see if I can get it up and running.

What's the catch? There is only one: I am not (repeat: not) going to mess up my production system to test SmartGuide. This means you can nag and nag and nag, but you will have to try and use it, otherwise it will die silently.

Here we go:

Of course, you'll need to fix up WebGuide2 first. Download the latest build (b13) from its website and install it. Then copy the included WebGuide2.dll to the <webguide2 install>/bin/webguide2.dll. (Note: if you decide to rename the original dll, do not let it have .dll anymore. I suggest renaming it to .org or something. Otherwise, the ASP.NET runtime will still see it as a proper .NET assembly and load it, which will give errors because of duplicate types). Now you should have a browsable WebGuide again. Note that there are error messages whenever you want to record anything. I haven't figured out what causes that, so if you know the solution......you know what to do.

If you have WebGuide2 up and running again (except the recording stuff), it's time for more.....SmartGuide. 

Here's the first attempt: Copy the SmartGuide2005.exe to the Windows\eHome directory and start it. It will not do anything (    ), but you can browse the native MCE EPG (Guide Browser button). I noticed that the MCE object model is much cleaner, so that should give people hope. I only hope MS did not mark the necessary classes/methods as 'internal', because than we're screwed (unless you want to go ahead and circumvent all strong names/public keys and do some heavy hacking; all the things I needed to do in order to get Dutch support in MCE 2004 )
Need I remind you to run 'caspol -s off'? Otherwise access to MCE assemblies is denied. Be warned that this command opens the door for malicious as well (don't worry, SmartGuide will not send your creditcard data to me....mmh I'm getting ideas as I type  )

Let me know if there is interest in this. I'm doing this out of fun, but I hope there will be at least 1 user

Regards,

Reinhard

Update:

1. Query (the Q! button) also works again.

2. Found out that the xml encryption algorithm hasn't changed. It also looks like the xml structure hasn't changed either. That gives hope for the future....

3. Looks like the EPG database didn't change. More hope for the future....

4. All code compiles. If anyone would just try to click on the buttons 1 and 2 or 1 and 2b to test it??????????

5. I'm off to get EPG2WebGuide working again (now I need it :-) )

Regards,

Reinhard

I'm very intrested. I'll try it right away. I have been using Beyond TV earlier and the epg guide is the only thing that is keeping me there.

- Janne

Note for new users: You will have to download the 'old' SmartGuide version. I was too tired to type all the information about installing SmartGuide again. Please read 'the other thread' (can't miss it, it's the one with 5 stars about synchronising EPG and WebGuide).
Please read through that thread first, if you encounter errors. Current users of SmartGuide should have no problems running the 2005 version with the knowledge they have already.

Regards,

Reinhard

Hi Pietje,

I see you don't have many testers reporting back to this thread

 

I am currently awaiting a little package with my copy of the MCE2005 . When it arrives, and I get it up and running, you can be sure I will be installing Smartguide2005.

I am still succesfully and to my everyday delight running the original Smartguide on 2004 , so be sure I will want to help get it up an running on 2005.

I just hope, you don't toss out the project due to lack of interest before then

Hi Pietje,

I read through that other thread, but I didn't find answer to my problem. I get stuck in the 2. LoadGuide from XML part. It gives me object reference not set to an instance of an object problem. Could you provide the source codes to this newest version so I could try to debug what is going wrong. Only thing is that I have .Net installed in My win2000 laptop and I have to try to get the system compiled with that and then use remote debugging, but I think that I'll managed to do it.

Cheers, Janne

Janne,

Thanks for testing. I'll look into it, and mail the sourcecode in the next post.

In the meantime, here's the updated version of EPG2WebGuide. You remember: use this if you have a native MCE EPG and want to synchronise WebGuide with it. Now you can again in MCE 2005. I actually use it now, because I have a native guide now (brag, brag). Don't forget to give credits to Andy Brown for adding usefull features and a very good installer.

Also, brunbowler (Jesse) came up with the solution for the Unauthorized Access error in WebGuide2. Turns out it's a common thing with SP2 and ASP.NET. Here's the solution (works like a charm!):

* Service Pack 2 Users*
If you are running XP Service Pack 2 and have problems running WebGuide, please follow the following instructions:

Windows XP Service Pack 2 changes some security settings to increase security for your system. One of these increased settings interacts with the way WebGuide works in a way that it prevents a COM component from being activated.
To resolve this you need to apply the following changes:
· Open Component Services from Control Panel/Administrative Tools, drill down to My Computer, right click and select Properties.
· On the COM security tab, select Edit Default... for Launch and Activation permissions
· Give the "ASP.NET" Launch and Local Activation permissions.

CUL8R

Regards,

Reinhard

Hi Pietje,

Like Janne, I get the same error when I try to load guide from XML data (object reference not set to an instance of an object). Otherwise it all seemed to be working.

Good luck and thanks for the hard work

Max

Fantastic. I'll try it out tonight!

/Henrik

All seems to work ok for me too except the loader - get the following error

 

Event Info: Mutex acquisition failure

Process: SmartGuide.exe

Object Name: Microsoft.Ehome.Epg.Loader.EPGLoader

Event Info: Error acquiring load mutex: did client call BeginTransaction twice?

Process: SmartGuide.exe

Object Name: Media Center Guide

Event Info: Unable to begin transaction to database in LoadGuideFromFile

Process: SmartGuide.exe

Object Name: Media Center Guide

 

Kind Regards

Derry

Reinhard,

The modified Webguide.dll and the new epg to webguide works perfectly for me in 2005!!

Thanks for all the time you've put into this,

Jesse

Hi

I am new at this so I hope someone can help me.

I have installed smartguide, and edited the smartguide.exe.config with the path of my guide.mdb file.

When I start smartguide and press "channel editor" I get the following error:

 

See the end of this message for details on invoking
just-in-time (JIT) debugging instead of this dialog box.

************** Exception Text **************
System.TypeInitializationException: The type initializer for "SmartGuide.SmartGuideWorker" threw an exception. ---> System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
   at SmartGuide.SmartGuideWorker..cctor()
   --- End of inner exception stack trace ---
   at SmartGuide.ChannelEditor2..ctor()
   at SmartGuide.Form1.button4_Click(Object sender, EventArgs e)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.OnClick(EventArgs e)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Button.OnClick(EventArgs e)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Button.OnMouseUp(MouseEventArgs mevent)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WmMouseUp(Message& m, MouseButtons button, Int32 clicks)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProc(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.ButtonBase.WndProc(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Button.WndProc(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.ControlNativeWindow.OnMessage(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.ControlNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)

************** Loaded Assemblies **************
mscorlib
    Assembly Version: 1.0.5000.0
    Win32 Version: 1.1.4322.2032
    CodeBase: file:///c:/windows/microsoft.net/framework/v1.1.4322/mscorlib.dll
----------------------------------------
SmartGuide
    Assembly Version: 1.0.1758.37681
    Win32 Version: 1.0.1758.37681
    CodeBase: file:///C:/WINDOWS/ehome/SmartGuide2005.exe
----------------------------------------
System.Windows.Forms
    Assembly Version: 1.0.5000.0
    Win32 Version: 1.1.4322.2032
    CodeBase: file:///c:/windows/assembly/gac/system.windows.forms/1.0.5000.0__b77a5c561934e089/system.windows.forms.dll
----------------------------------------
System
    Assembly Version: 1.0.5000.0
    Win32 Version: 1.1.4322.2032
    CodeBase: file:///c:/windows/assembly/gac/system/1.0.5000.0__b77a5c561934e089/system.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Drawing
    Assembly Version: 1.0.5000.0
    Win32 Version: 1.1.4322.2032
    CodeBase: file:///c:/windows/assembly/gac/system.drawing/1.0.5000.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/system.drawing.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Xml
    Assembly Version: 1.0.5000.0
    Win32 Version: 1.1.4322.2032
    CodeBase: file:///c:/windows/assembly/gac/system.xml/1.0.5000.0__b77a5c561934e089/system.xml.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Data
    Assembly Version: 1.0.5000.0
    Win32 Version: 1.1.4322.2032
    CodeBase: file:///c:/windows/assembly/gac/system.data/1.0.5000.0__b77a5c561934e089/system.data.dll
----------------------------------------

************** JIT Debugging **************
To enable just in time (JIT) debugging, the config file for this
application or machine (machine.config) must have the
jitDebugging value set in the system.windows.forms section.
The application must also be compiled with debugging
enabled.

For example:

<configuration>
    <system.windows.forms jitDebugging="true" />
</configuration>

When JIT debugging is enabled, any unhandled exception
will be sent to the JIT debugger registered on the machine
rather than being handled by this dialog.

 

 

I hope you can help me.

 

regards

John

---

regards

John

Ill confirm smartguide 2005 works here in sweden

I get the right info when pressing more info on my remote control so the guide is there. If i press my "my guide" button it says its not configured how do I enable guide without configuring it in mce?.

Nice to hear that it seems to work. Means I don't have to do anything anymore

Did you use the EPG_TOSAgreed.reg? It's in the last SmartGuide2004 release (please look in the other thread). This is what it does in the registry:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Media Center\Service\EPG]
"TOSAgreed"=dword:00000001

(Note: I don't know if this is the same location in MCE2005. I assume yes, but you will find it. The only thing different should be the value: 0)

Regards,

Reinhard

 

My steps..

Downloaded your file here and the newest file from the other thread extracted to eHome.

Ran smartguide and then Channel Editor didnt put any fequencies in the db and saved.

Ran the frequencies.reg that got created.

First button didnt work at first but i clicked on Channel Editor and resorted them dont know if this made it work or not.

1. Webguide2MCE!
First time
2. LoadGuide from XML
I am sorry something went wrong:
Must initialize guide before use
3. Guide Browser
4. Initialize
5. Webguide2MCE!
6. LoadGuide from XML
I am sorry something went wrong:
Object reference not set to an instance of an object

But it seems like the info is in there..

Yes I have tried to reg that file it doesnt seem to help though.

Can you compare my reg to yours? Dont know if the reg entry TOSAgreed was there before as i just ran your reg file before checking my registry.

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Media Center\Service\EPG]
"atsc"=dword:00000001
"discSvc"="https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=23207&clcid=0x409"
"clientVersion"="2.0"
"prefsVersion"="2.0"
"currentEpg"="C:\\Documents and Settings\\All Users\\Application Data\\Microsoft\\eHome\\EPG\\a88d42596ef84e15b09d22a912ae9305.sdf"
"xnType"=dword:00000003
"xnName"="LAN connection"
"regionTuningCode"="SE"
"hnt"=dword:00000003
"TOSAgreed"=dword:00000001
"tosl"="1.0"
"tosla"="1.0"
"dl"=dword:00000000
"origGeoId"="457 93"
"geoId"="125 01"
"country"="se"
"languageId"="sv"
"lastError"=dword:0000001e
"dlRegTime"=hex(b):c5,00,5c,0e,bf,b5,c4,01
"dlPeriod"=dword:00000001
"dlCycles"=dword:00000001
"dlLastTime"=hex:a8,4b,e5,20,e5,b4,c4,01
"clientid"="995f314c07244b3ea5cf63a0b817862e"

 

Update:

TOSAgreed must be set to 1 otherwise the channels wont show up in mce under "Edit Channels"

I still cant get to the guide though

 

UPDATE2: How to enable guide in unsupported countries!!!

Fire upp regedit and locate:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Media Center\Settings\ProgramGuide

Change theese entries to "1"

"***reeTOS"=dword:00000001
"***reeEPGPrivacy"=dword:00000001
"fGetEpgData"=dword:00000001
"fEpgDataAvailable"=dword:00000001

DONE!!