DB Support for Multi-PC, Client-Server Configuration

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Hi,

In working out how you want the collection manager and metadata DB 
(oml.dat) to function, consider an important mid/large scale configuration 
where there are multiple Media Center client PC's accessing a central file 
server containing all media. This is what would be installed in high-end 
large sq/ft residence.

On Vista there is a technique involving symlinks (MKLnk cmd) that can be 
used to point the local oml.dat file on each client to a single oml.dat 
file on central file server. This allows one master oml.dat file on the 
server to be used (read) by multiple Media Center clients.

BTW, this same technique is used to centralize the DvdInfoCache directory 
that contains the metadata for WMC's built in DVD Gallery.

Any changes made to the symlinked oml.dat by one client are instantly seen 
by all the other clients. This effectivly eliminates the need to have 
every client go through a process to update its own local oml.dat file.

However, if each client were to perform automatic scanning and updating of 
its own local oml.dat file (it would be the single server-based oml.dat 
file in the symlink config), there would be duplicative processing by each 
client, and errors could arise if two or more clients were to attempt to 
update oml.dat at the same time.

In your discussions for how to keep local oml.dat updated and current on 
each client, please take a look at the symbolic link method of 
centralizing the file on a server. Perhaps all that is needed to 
accomodate this is an option in the collection manager that would allow 
automatic scanning/updating to be disabled. 

Then, in a large installation, the admin could decide which client would 
be master for manual or auto-updates.

Regards,
-argb

Original issue reported on code.google.com by argb...@gmail.com on 2 Oct 2008 at 2:37

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Would it be possible to migrate the data over to a SQL database like myTV and 
myMovies use?  I use myTV on multiple computers pointed to a single SQL 
Database 
hosted on a Windows Home Server.

Original comment by btall...@gmail.com on 5 Oct 2008 at 8:04

[GoogleCodeExporter]

I think keeping the model simple by using flat file .dat database is OK. 
Integrators 
and enthusiasts can easily use Symlinks to reliably centralize this file on a 
server 
so it can be read simultaneously by multiple PC's.

One thing OML Team could look at is simply adding an option to the DBEditor 
that 
allows the user to specify the location of the database (oml.dat). Symlinks 
would 
not even be needed if that option were present. 

Also, in my experience the I-O pattern for residential media databases is 
almost 
100% multi-user read, with occasional single-user write including bulk loading 
of 
new media and updates to existing media. A simple, server based flat file 
database 
is ideal for this type of I-O pattern.

-argb 

Original comment by argb...@gmail.com on 6 Oct 2008 at 3:19

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Another point to make, if OML supported remote db editing and did this is a way 
that 
allowed the db editor to see the world through the remote machines eyes then 
you 
could setup new titles with the correct paths from the primary VMC's point of 
view.  
I think this would be a huge step forward from what other db editor style apps 
allow.  True remote management shouldn't leave you trying to figure out 
what/where 
to point paths to get to your media.

Original comment by DJShultz@gmail.com on 6 Oct 2008 at 5:19

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Some confusion on my part regarding DJShultz comment. My posts are not about 
the 
paths to media, but the path to the media database file oml.dat that DB Editor 
and 
OML use. 

As I have observed, the paths to the media files are determined when adding 
media 
through the DB Editor. These paths and associated metadata are then stored in 
oml.dat (correct?).

So using either Symlinks or a possible future option in DB Editor to specify 
path to 
oml.dat, one can easily point all VMC clients to a single, server-based oml.dat.

I'm still a little confused over the concept of remote DB Editor. Would moving 
oml.dat to server somehow break remote DB editing?

-argb 

Original comment by argb...@gmail.com on 6 Oct 2008 at 5:54

[GoogleCodeExporter]

This functionality would complete OML as far as I'm concerened. 

Original comment by anthony.emg@gmail.com on 23 Oct 2008 at 3:56

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Original comment by DJShultz@gmail.com on 27 Aug 2009 at 7:32

• Changed state: WontFix