Topic: MyMovies

[Touti]

Lately I've talking highly about MyMovies.  Today my post will not be as praising as the other ones.  Although I really like the programs, I have to say that I'm extremely disappointed with the poor support that people are getting in installing it.

There's many cases of people being unable to install MM because something in their Windows prevents SQL Server Express from installing.  They ask for help int MM's forum and frankly, the support on these issues sucks.

The most recent one is this guy which I have been trying to help for days and I won't give up until we make it work because I never let a stubborn piece of software win.  The thread is two pages long now and there hasn't been one single reply from anyone at MyMovies.  That is really really bad.

Here's another one that I helped in December.  The user tries to install MM, SQL Server which is installed automatically with MM doesn't get through its setup, the user asks for help and posts the error number is getting.  Check the replies from Binnerup (owner of MyMovies).  His first reply basically says "Your trouble is with SQL Server...........sorry but not my fucking problem" and his other replies are 2 negative posts saying "I don't think you'll find a solution".  I don't mean to brag here but it took me less than 10 minutes to find it.

And there was also this one which was magically resolved before we found what the problem was but check the 2nd post, this error message has not been seen before.................that's it ?  Sorry buddy no one has ever seen this, you're on your own ?

This is highly disappointing, very very bad support.

[Achim]

So you are saying that their support is the same as at Invelos but Ken's attitude is better?

[Alien Redrum]

Okay, so I installed MYMovies Collection Management because I'm pretty sure Ken is never going to come out with a Droid version of DVDP (at least not this decade) and I want something on my phone and I wanted to try this out. I'm having a problem, though.

I've created an .xml file of my collection and exported it to my desktop.

I opened My Movies, File --> Import --> DVD Profiler XML (3.x)

I choose the .XML file I created.

For the DB path, I navigated to --> C:\Users\USERNAME\Documents\DVD Profiler\Databases\Default

I choose yes when asked if I'd like to convert my titles blah blah.

And each and every time it says "The XML file is not valid."

Is there something special I should be doing?

Thanks for any help.

[EdwinK]

So, you can use this on a Droid phone? Cool.

[DJ Doena]

And each and every time it says "The XML file is not valid."

Is there something special I should be doing?

Thanks for any help.

It might be possible that MyMovies still works with the 3.5.x version of Ken's export XML file.

Try to use this tool http://doena-soft.de/dvdprofiler/3.6.0/Convert360XMLTo351XML.zip to convert the 3.6.x XML to a 3.5.x version and then try again with your MyMovies app.

[Alien Redrum]

And each and every time it says "The XML file is not valid."

Is there something special I should be doing?

Thanks for any help.

It might be possible that MyMovies still works with the 3.5.x version of Ken's export XML file.

Try to use this tool http://doena-soft.de/dvdprofiler/3.6.0/Convert360XMLTo351XML.zip to convert the 3.6.x XML to a 3.5.x version and then try again with your MyMovies app.

Firstly, thanks!

I could be doing it wrong, but I put my "Collection.xml" file in the same folder as the .exe and ran it. After a moment, it said: "There is an error in XML document (677691, 507)."

[Alien Redrum]

Oh, I don't know if it helps, but I'm using Win 7.

[Touti]

Have you asked on the MyMovies forum ?

[Tom]

I am guessing that there is an invalid character exported to the XML file. If you send me your collection.xml (zipped), I could take a look if I find anything amiss.

[Alien Redrum]

Have you asked on the MyMovies forum ?

Ironically, I was going to, but I read your post at the top of this page and I decided to ask here first. 

I am guessing that there is an invalid character exported to the XML file. If you send me your collection.xml (zipped), I could take a look if I find anything amiss.

Hey, thanks!

What I'll do first is screw around with it this weekend and see if it's not me (I'll try it on my vista machine, too). If I can't work it, I'll bug you.

Thanks again everyone. 

[Najemikon]

Hey Eric,

How are things going with MyMovies? Have they developed it at all since you were last talking about it?

I was interested as soon as you said SQL, because that implies a little more flexibility than Profiler, but I was concious that it wasn't a manager as such. But I'll tell you where I am at: I update Profiler, but I also update a spreadsheet now because it's easier to keep track of costs.

Is it at all practical to think that Excel could connect to MyMovies SQL as a data source? Allowing me to expand on the data as I have been doing, but without entering it twice.

The other thing I've been wondering is if I could utilise my NAS box (Netgear ReadyNas) to run the database and present the PHP...

[Touti]

Jon,

Was it at all possible, I would be the first one to get rid of DVDP and let the world know about it  .  Unfortunately, as a collection management tool, MyMovies isn't there and I don't think it will ever be.  My understanding is that this just isn't the product they want to offer.

MyMovies is all about ripping your movies and play them back on different devices whether it'd be a HTPC, a Dune system or a simple Media Extender.  The "Collection Management" tools is only there to support the "true" product which is MyMovies for Media Center.

To answer your direct question, no they haven't developed it at all.  They released a mobile version for iPhone and then one for Android but except for bug fixes, there hasn't been anything done to the collection management program.

My *huge* (cough cough) collection is now under 200 titles and I still wouldn't try to manage it with MyMovies.  Why ? 

Well first, there isn't any personalization field there, not a single one so you can forget keeping track of where you bought, when and how much you paid.

Second, you can't customize the interface.  It is what it is and you have to live with it.

Third, you can only sort your database by title or collection numbers and there's real search except for a filter field on the title.  This actually is more advanced in the Media Center interface.

Bottom line is.  If you want something to manage an collection of purchased or home movies stored online and be able to watch any of it from different devices.........MyMovies is the way to go.  If you want to manage a collection of movies that you watch on a regular player, MyMovies isn't the route to go.

Time to talk about SQL now.  The important thing to know is that MyMovies uses it's own instance of SQL Server Express 2005 and the server/instance names can't be configured anywhere.  You only get to specify the server name and it will automatically go to server/MyMovies.

The database has its own users with passwords.  The passwords have been posted a few times on their forum so it's easy to connect to the database but if you ever want to migrate it to a full fledge SQL Server you'll have to recreated the users, the permissions and the passwords.

I see no reason why you wouldn't be able to connect with Excel.  I've installed SQL Server Management Studio on my HTPC and I often play around with SQL commands to change sets of records instead of going manually with the collection management interface.

Best of all.........it's all free for lower features so you can install it and test as much as you want before contributing to earn points or purchase them.

I hope that answers your questions.

[Najemikon]

Thanks, Eric. I might have a play around with it... 

[Alien Redrum]

Got it running!

With all of the prior XML files I had created, I had let all of the optional stuff checked (notes, reviews, whatever). I decided to try it with no options checked, so it just pulled UPCs and that did the trick. I'm sure that is probably in the instructions somewhere. 

It's going through now, and once that is complete, I'm going to see what's what with the droid version.

Thanks again for all the help and offers of help. Rock.

[addicted2dvd]

I tried this program a couple different times... it is just not for me.