mfs_ftp insertion on D* tivo w/ 6.2

[jwthiers]

I am having problems inserting video on my D* tivo running 6.2. After about a week of running into a brick wall reading support files and posts here until my eyes were bleeding and about to fall out of my head I found a post that was EXACTLY my problem, saying that if you comment out the event calls from mfs_ftp.tcl people were having success.

OK I'm a noob and I admit it, but I figure what the heck I'll give it a try. Anyway knowing my limits after I checked it out with joe I realized I was in over my head with a command line text editor so I DL'ed mfs_ftp.tcl to my xp machine and after making a backup copy (I said I was a noob not a complete moron) I edited it with Crimson Editor so I could use the search function in a way I was comfortable with. I commented out (#) all lines starting with the word event. saved the file and ftp'd it back to my tivo. When I tried to run mfs_ftp.tcl it won't happen mo such file or folder, its right there I can see it wth ls. I use joe again and see ^mm at the end of each line how did that happen anyway quit joe run dos2unix (again I am a noob but I have read some). try to run again wrong permissions.... OK chmod +x and try again now it runs but crashes almost immeadiately.

Restored the original file so I can extract, but ty tools does that and tivo server does a good job of pulling content back on a tivo from a pc. What I want to do is set up a D* tivo with a BFHD (Big F***ing Hard Drive) to archive content on It doesn't need a monitor since I just want to put it in the corner somwhere and transfer stuff tivo-to-tivo with mfs_ftp.

:confused: :confused: :confused:

Now the questions. Am I at least on the right track on this? Is it even possible to insert with 6.2? If you cant tell me outright can I least get a nudge in the right direction? The info I got was from this thread (http://www.dealdatabase.com/forum/showthread.php?t=42325&page=3)

:confused: :confused: :confused:

[Narf54321]

I don't know about your specific editor, but that's the big problem with using Windows on these linux files... not only are the End-Of-Line markers incompatible and also often the soft-returns (sometimes called word-wrap).

Fixing a few lines in the mfs_ftp scripts will allow you to use it under 6.2. The likelihood of anybody on this forum just "doing it for you" is very low, so you should learn either joe or vi for editing right on the tivo.

vi actually isn't all that hard, you just have to keep track of the two modes (editing mode or command-mode), and not fat-fingering the wrong keystroke in command-mode. Here's a quick rundown in using vi (http://www.washington.edu/computing/unix/vi.html).

Basically vi your file:
i (insert) to drop into typing/editing mode. Put hash marks ( # ) at the beginning of the nasty event update calls, so they get ignored.
Esc (Escape key) gets you out of editing back into command mode.
x (delete) deleted the character at the cursor.

In command-mode use colon ( : ) to send a file command, llike :w to write the file to disk, :q to quit. If you forgot to make your root partition writeable, then use :q! to force quit.

[jwthiers]

I don't know about your specific editor, but that's the big problem with using Windows on these linux files... not only are the End-Of-Line markers incompatible and also often the soft-returns (sometimes called word-wrap).

Fixing a few lines in the mfs_ftp scripts will allow you to use it under 6.2. The likelihood of anybody on this forum just "doing it for you" is very low, so you should learn either joe or vi for editing right on the tivo.

vi actually isn't all that hard, you just have to keep track of the two modes (editing mode or command-mode), and not fat-fingering the wrong keystroke in command-mode. Here's a quick rundown in using vi (http://www.washington.edu/computing/unix/vi.html).

Basically vi your file:
i (insert) to drop into typing/editing mode. Put hash marks ( # ) at the beginning of the nasty event update calls, so they get ignored.
Esc (Escape key) gets you out of editing back into command mode.
x (delete) deleted the character at the cursor.

In command-mode use colon ( : ) to send a file command, llike :w to write the file to disk, :q to quit. If you forgot to make your root partition writeable, then use :q! to force quit.
Ok, Thanks for the help. As long as I am on the right track I'll keep pounding at it, I just didn't want to be wasting my time.
OK joe here here I come!!!

Not in the face! Not in the face!

[Roger Dylan]

I edited it with Crimson Editor ... When I tried to run mfs_ftp.tcl it won't happen mo such file or folderCrimson is fine, configured for Unix line endings. You have to make edited mfs_ftp.tcl executable but it seems it never got that far. On the surface would seem run command from the wrong place or edited file misnamed.

try to run again wrong permissions.... OK chmod +x and try again now it runs but crashes almost immeadiately.Executable fixed but possibly not accessing binaries, mfs_ftp.tcl may be located in wrong place, or is corrupted in some way other than line endings (or Crimson was mis-configured).

Restored the original file so I can extractAll this is absolutely certainly to the same location? If so, misconfigured Crimson is possible but doesn't explain all the symptoms.

[Tom L]

I just completed my 6.2 dtivo install yesterday with a lot of help from the folks here on DDB. It took me about a week from start to finish.

Follow the instructions in Riley's and Jamie's posts in the MFS_FTP of Series 2 units. Read and read some more.

Make sure you are installing the correct files for your unit

I am using smartftp, teraterm (for telnet) and textpad (not notepad) on my windows box for text editing (make sure you save files in Unix mode). All of these are free and can be found using google.

[jwthiers]

OK just to be clear on what I have, what I’ve done, what works and what doen’t work.

I have a series 2 (Philips DSR708) with 6.2.
I DL’ed the the current version of:
mfs_ftp.tar.zip
mfs-utils_bin.mips-20050604.tar.bz2 (series 2 mips binaries)

ftp’d both to tivo into /var. unzipped and untared mfs_ftp.tar.zip, which created /var/mfs_ftp and expanded the files into that. Next I untared mfs-utils_bin.mips-20050604.tar.bz2 useing tar –xj –f ….bz2 which created /var/mfs_utils and expanded files and directories into it. Then I cd into /var/mfs-utils/bin.mips (I think that is the directory, I’m not at home so not sure) and did “mv * /var/mfs_ftp”. Next I entered “touch tzoffset.txt” to fix the “child process exited abnormally” problem. :eek:

At this point I can run /var/mfs_ftp/mfs_ftp.tcl and run smartftp I can extract tmf’s from tivo, can NOT insert tmf’s. :D

Using directions from this thread http://www.dealdatabase.com/forum/showthread.php?t=42325&page=3 I used joe to edit the mfs_ftp.tcl file by remarking out (#) all lines that start with “event” and I still can’t insert (hmm I don’t think I have tried to extract at this point I put that on my todo list). :(

I have read mfs threads until my head feels like it will explode.

Anyway, I have 2 questions :confused: :confused:

1. Should I comment out (#) the line that starts “fileevent $sock readable” also?
2. What else am I missing?

[cheer]

The only thing I've ever commented out is the "event send $TmkEvent" lines.

[jwthiers]

The only thing I've ever commented out is the "event send $TmkEvent" lines.
Thanks I give that a try. I knew it had to be something simple. The thread I was looking at said "I've had no problems with mfs_ftp insertions. You just need to comment all the event commands on mfs_ftp.tcl" and I never saw anything after that contradicting it. I might have missed it, between bleeding eyes and head about to explode I have put in a lot of time trying to read carefully enough to catch any clues to point me in the direction I need to go and fast enough not to take a year doing it. A lot of late night work because wife won't let me work on the tivo while she is watching it.

Thanks again, I am getting real good at installing and unistalling this.

[Roger Dylan]

What else am I missing?You didn't mention it in your last post, so you may have done this and just didn't mention it: mfs_ftp calls "mfs_ stdinsert" and the process as you described it would leave a ppc version in the mfs_ ftp subdirectory. You would want to delete that, then get those calls to "mfs_import". There are a few different ways of doing that, probably best to creat a symlink.

Again, you probably already did that since you've been through it so many times but I thought I'd suggest it just in case.

As far as I know, there is really only one line in mfs_ftp.tcl that has to be commented out (one or two others alreay have been in ver 1.2.9p) and that is line 90 or therabouts.

As far as tzoffset.txt, I construct a valid file rather than a blank.

Otherwise, with a quick look, what you did seems OK. Though I must add I still get abysmal insert speed on 6.2 and though my inserts always complete and view nicely, they almost always get listed as "partial", they frequently get stuck at the end, listing as still recording, forever, and playing an inserted file sometimes reboots my DTivo. So obviously I'm not a good source of guidance on mfs_ftp.tcl. Mostly I use tivoserver to insert.

[jwthiers]

You didn't mention it in your last post, so you may have done this and just didn't mention it: mfs_ftp calls "mfs_ stdinsert" and the process as you described it would leave a ppc version in the mfs_ ftp subdirectory. You would want to delete that, then get those calls to "mfs_import". There are a few different ways of doing that, probably best to creat a symlink.

Again, you probably already did that since you've been through it so many times but I thought I'd suggest it just in case.

This is what I am missing. I remember some mentions of this but didn't make the connection (doh!). I'll gp back and research how to do that, if I can't figure it out I'll be back

As far as I know, there is really only one line in mfs_ftp.tcl that has to be commented out (one or two others alreay have been in ver 1.2.9p) and that is line 90 or therabouts.
I think I found 5 or 6 event calls (give or take) I'll look around that line and try just that one.

As far as tzoffset.txt, I construct a valid file rather than a blank.
The blank file is the only info I found for fixing this, where can I fiind more info on what goes into it? I presume it is Time Zone Offset?

Otherwise, with a quick look, what you did seems OK. Though I must add I still get abysmal insert speed on 6.2 and though my inserts always complete and view nicely, they almost always get listed as "partial", they frequently get stuck at the end, listing as still recording, forever, and playing an inserted file sometimes reboots my DTivo. So obviously I'm not a good source of guidance on mfs_ftp.tcl. Mostly I use tivoserver to insert.
I want use mine for tivo to tivo transfers to a unit that will only be used as a server and long term storage.

Thanks again, sometimes you miss one series of posts and it honks up the whole thing.

[jwthiers]

Just an update, I got the upload working, YES :) :) :D :) .

Thanks for all the help. Next phase repeat on other tivo and get tivo to tivo working.

[jwthiers]

by the way I highly recommend read all the instructions while you are awake not half asleep like I was. Boy I feel dumb

[jjsmd]

HI:

I am going through the exact same process and getting nowhere.

Do you mind giving me an exact rundownon how you got it all working?


Thanks

Joe

[jwthiers]

HI:

I am going through the exact same process and getting nowhere.

Do you mind giving me an exact rundownon how you got it all working?


Thanks

Joe
Its been a while, but the things that I had problems with were:
1. A child process exitng abnormally, this is fixed by typing "touch tzoffset.txt" at a bash prompt inthe mfs directory.
2. The one that had me really stumpped is if you read the install directions carefully making a symlink with this command "ln -sf mfs_import mfs_stdinsert" I really needed to read more carefully.

At this point I could extract video but not insert this was fixed (for me anyway) by commenting out all the lines in the "mfs_ftp.tcl" that start with "event send $TmkEvent" ( have a backup copy just in case, put a # at the start of each line that doesn't have it already, there are several).

Hope this helps.