Mfs_Ftp: extract, archive, restore & transfer recordings

[zenob]

ty+2tmf.pl. Requires perl.

Works like a charm... darn '+' was causing all my searches to come up empty. Thanks!

[helpdeskdan]

mfs_ftp has recently developed a problem on my machine where it stalls. Downloads will go great - 1000k a second and then suddenly stall. After a few minutes, it will start up for a second and then stall again. It eventually ends up croaking and I have to kill the process. Is there a solution to this problem? I read of upload problems, but not download.

It appears to core dump. Using latest version, pasive mode. My log:

12:35:30:AM - 226 Transfer complete.
12:35:38:AM - 200 PORT command successful.
12:35:38:AM - 150 About to open data connection.
bgerror invoked with error

" child killed: write on pipe with no readers "

re-initializing mfs_ftp

close the current ftp connection and simply open another

"core dump"

info(version): 1.2.9p
info(tswv): 3.0-01-1-000
info(dbl): 0
info(ithrottle): 2
info(insert_priority): 10
info(multithreaded): 0
info(saveuntil): suggestion
info(name_detail): 5
info(bjuggle): 0
info(active): 0
info(ac_interval): 1800
info(gatewayip): 127.0.0.1
info(gatewayport): 3105


catch close lastsock val ""

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Roger Dylan]

mfs_ftp has recently developed a problem on my machine where it stalls

mfs_ftp.tcl is a venerable product. Unfortunately it is very, very old and there are problems associated with any effort, by the author or otherwise, to bring it up to date.

It is wise to look elsewhere.

[cheer]

mfs_ftp.tcl is a venerable product. Unfortunately it is very, very old and there are problems associated with any effort, by the author or otherwise, to bring it up to date.

It is wise to look elsewhere.

Unhelpful, and I'm not sure what "elsewhere" you recommend (TyTool?), but an awful lot of us are running mfs_ftp without issue. I use it daily.

helpdeskdan: What happens if you try the transfers in PASV mode versus normal PORT mode? Any difference?

[Roger Dylan]

an awful lot of us are running mfs_ftp without issue. I use it daily.

Are you able to get consistently good inserts into 6.x on a DTivo with .ty files? It has been sugggested to me recently that I should switch over to .tmf, a huge transitional problem for me, but if that's what it takes ...

[cheer]

tmf files have always, always been more reliable for inserts. That said, I just did an insertion of 28 files onto a 6.2 DTivo using .ty files without a problem.

[Jamie]

tmf files have always, always been more reliable for inserts. That said, I just did an insertion of 28 files onto a 6.2 DTivo using .ty files without a problem.

Another thread today reminded me that there is a bug in mfs_ftp.tcl that affects ty insertion. If you are having trouble with ty insertion, you might follow the link in that thread and try the change suggested there.

[Roger Dylan]

Another thread today reminded me that there is a bug in mfs_ftp.tcl that affects ty insertion. If you are having trouble with ty insertion, you might follow the link in that thread and try the change suggested there.

I picked up your reference in that other thread and have been trying it. So far, none of the "worst case" results (recording never completes, etc.). However, all files transferred so far still have the existing "best case" 6.x result: no program info and "Duration: 0:00 (Partial)" on the Now Playing/Program screen; but the transfer completes cleanly and the red record button goes off.

If I can get this result consistently, it will be a huge step forward. Thanks, Jamie.

[helpdeskdan]

I use it mainly for downloading - I don't do any inserts. I always use pasv mode - it's faster for msf-ftp.

Yesterday, I logged on and downloaded, closely monitoring ifconfig (on tivo & workstation) for interface errors which might lead to clues. However, to my surprise, everything work perfectly - I downloaded 2 1.5 hour programs.

I really can not think of any valid reason for this. When the problems occured, I tried rebooting the tivo & workstation several times. There are no programs running on the tivo that when it had problems. Sorry about this - I'm not trying to waste your time, I swear it was doing it and I couldn't fix it. Maybe a loose wire caused interface errors which caused the flakey code is mfs-ftp to crash - my cat5 crimper is horrible.

[mchahn]

Is anyone using mfs_ftp with the new 6.3 OS on an HD DTV TiVo? I installed a fresh 1.2.9p (is this the latest?) and it doesn't work. At first I had a tzoffset problem so I hardwired tzoffset to 3600. Now I am getting this:

bash-2.02# ./mfs_ftp.tcl
syntax error in expression "((0x - 4) / 256) + 1": looking for close
parenthesis
while executing
"expr ((0x$charb - 4) / 256) + 1 "
(procedure "mfs_stream_size" line 8)
invoked from within
"mfs_stream_size $part"
("foreach" body line 2)
invoked from within
"foreach part $info($fsid,parts) {
if { [catch { mfs streamsize $part } p_s ] } { set psize [mfs_stream_size $pa
rt] } else { set psize [expr [lindex..."
("uplevel" body line 9)
invoked from within
"uplevel $body"
invoked from within
"transaction {uplevel $body}"
(procedure "RetryTransaction" line 5)
invoked from within
"RetryTransaction {
set rec [db $db openid $fsid]
foreach item "State Showing Part" { set info($fsid,$item) [ntrim [dbobj $rec g
et $item]] }
fore..."
(procedure "rec_info_from_db" line 5)
invoked from within
"rec_info_from_db $fsid"
(procedure "update_rec_fsids" line 17)
invoked from within
"update_rec_fsids 1"
(procedure "init_procs" line 11)
invoked from within
"init_procs"
(file "./mfs_ftp.tcl" line 1537)

[LlamaLarry]

I was able to successfully insert ~30 episodes of an SD show I extracted from a 6.2 DirecTivo onto a 6.3a HD DirecTivo. The insertions went flawlessly, guide info present, play without error, etc. However, the programs are not grouped. I posted in the TWP 1.2 thread as I was not able to use the most recent TWP distribution to try and regroup the programs. However, I am thinking that I must have done something wrong with my insert (or my extract) that caused this.

Is anyone else able to insert episodic shows onto 6.3x and retain group info? Or is there a way to fix it?

[Jamie]

I was able to successfully insert ~30 episodes of an SD show I extracted from a 6.2 DirecTivo onto a 6.3a HD DirecTivo. The insertions went flawlessly, guide info present, play without error, etc. However, the programs are not grouped. I posted in the TWP 1.2 thread as I was not able to use the most recent TWP distribution to try and regroup the programs. However, I am thinking that I must have done something wrong with my insert (or my extract) that caused this.

Is anyone else able to insert episodic shows onto 6.3x and retain group info? Or is there a way to fix it?

mfs_ftp insertion doesn't group into folders in the standard distribution. There's a thread with a patch/extension that adds this capability.

[LlamaLarry]

Okay, I think I found the one you are talking about. Dang it, just when I thought I had all the tweaks already in my mfs_ftp setup. Thanks!

I am still reading it over, but since this is a plugin during the mfs_ftp insert am I just stuck with the shows I already have on the box unless I reinsert them? The opening posts make it sound like I cannot rebuild the missing entries (safely) by myself; does this still hold true?

ETA: As expected, the post Jamie pointed me to did indeed fix my mfs_ftp install losing the series information on insertions.

[BrianS]

I was able to successfully insert ~30 episodes of an SD show I extracted from a 6.2 DirecTivo onto a 6.3a HD DirecTivo. The insertions went flawlessly, guide info present, play without error, etc. However, the programs are not grouped. I posted in the TWP 1.2 thread as I was not able to use the most recent TWP distribution to try and regroup the programs. However, I am thinking that I must have done something wrong with my insert (or my extract) that caused this.

Is anyone else able to insert episodic shows onto 6.3x and retain group info? Or is there a way to fix it?

What mfs_ftp are you using??

I am trying to set up mfs_ftp on an HR10-250 and have had no luck yet.

thanx

[xxyyzz]

What mfs_ftp are you using??

I am trying to set up mfs_ftp on an HR10-250 and have had no luck yet.

thanx

mfs_ftp from first post.
I'm using FlashFXP and it works GREAT!
Tried FileZilla and SmartFTP, extraction worked but could not insert any tmf files.