Issues with unicode file names

[majstang]

The WebGrab+Plus developer will soon release the new version 1.1.0 which includes an IMDb postprocessor that automatically adds IMDb starrating (and other IMDb data like plot, description, original title, user comments and reviews) to the xmltv file. I suspect many people may want to have their movies starrated when using the RS and XEPG Format Editor. It sure looks alot nicer and it is also very practical.

 

However when placing the starratings in the filename (through RS filenaming scheme) several issues arises.

1. Starrated movies can no longer be streamed to iphone/ipad, cuz ffmpeg do not allow unicode symbols in the filename.

2. RS does not create thumbnails (in tooltip on recording) for starrated movies. Ffmpeg is involved here too.

3. The TSPlayer can't play the starrated movies. No support for unicode symbols in the filename.

4. Comskip can't handle unicode filenames, but that is of course not your table

 

Regarding point one if searching around there's patches which allows sending unicode filenames to the ffmpeg api. For example:

http://comments.gmane.org/gmane.comp.video.ffmpeg.devel/130752

 

Regarding point 2 if using the DVBViewer Recording Properties v.2.0 ffmpeg surprisingly manages to generate thumbnails for movies (in windows explorer) with starratings in the filename. Perhaps it is the RS vthumbs.exe that fails in this case.

 

Regarding point three luckily the DVBViewer has no problems handle the starrated movies.

 

Just my two cents

[Lars_MQ]

1. sorry ffmpeg problem, can't do anything about it.

 

2. see 1.

 

3. TSPlayer isn't unicode ready.

 

4. see 3 (most likely).

 

We do not provide our own ffmpeg compilation for several (legal) reasons. So as long as nobody else provides such a version, we are stuck with what is available...

[majstang]

Well, it's kind of funny cuz it actually works drag n drop starrated unicode filename movies onto FFplay.exe and it plays alright. I suppose it could work through commandline as well if typing in the right garbage characters for the unicode stars. Easier said than done

 

[majstang]

1. sorry ffmpeg problem, can't do anything about it.

Asked around on ffmpeg.org and they said ffmpeg CAN handle unicode filenames alright, which the ffplay.exe experiment above showed. Problem is it is hard to test cuz the unicode stars isnt part of the system charset and not possible to enter them at the console.

"Reimar Döffinger" at ffmpeg.org said "A process using them as CreateProcessW argument should work just fine

though". Im too of a novice when it comes to ffmpeg and which code RS uses when calling the ffmpeg encoder, to judge if it will work or not. Hopefully you could give me your professional opinion?

 

20120406_21-59-01_TV3_Gladiator - ★★★★★★★★★★.ts

 

regards

majstang

[Lars_MQ]

I tried it, it does not work. This might be a problem related to this special windows build or the way it is build and not a ffmpeg problem in general.

 

maybe you should go the other way. Instead of "destroying" a perfectly good ansi filename with stars, use an ANSI char. keeps it compatible with a lot other programs.

 

 

Edit:

I checked it once again. It seems i got it working, but I have to do further experiments.

[majstang]

I tried it, it does not work. This might be a problem related to this special windows build or the way it is build and not a ffmpeg problem in general.

 

Edit:

I checked it once again. It seems i got it working, but I have to do further experiments.

Excellent, I'm keeping my fingers crossed you will get it working

 

maybe you should go the other way. Instead of "destroying" a perfectly good ansi filename with stars, use an ANSI char. keeps it compatible with a lot other programs.

Well, for my scripts this issue isn't a problem cuz, i can workaround it by using short filenames. When it comes to RS iphone/ipad streaming it is harder, cuz it's the XEPG (Delphi) which are deciding to use these unicode stars. Not very much i can do here since everything is fully automated. Of course, I can write a script renaming the filenames and replace the unicode stars with ANSI chars and there is also an opportunity to inactivate having unicode stars in the filename and stick with having them in the file info instead, but what's the fun in that I rather work on urging my favorite software developers (DVBViewer, Comskip and VideoReDo) to make the best possible software out there

[Lars_MQ]

Well the whole thing was a little bit stupid.

 

We use internally a small lib which emulates a "cmd window", so we get the output of ffmpeg and can log it.

I changed all the necessary things to unicode including the unicode creatprocessW call to start ffmpeg.

And i always got an error exit code. So I believed ffmpeg might have problems with unicode.

 

But then I remembered: I use something similar for the propertyhandler. In the new delphi xe2 I use for this, strings are always unicode, all windows api calls are unicode. So ffmpeg must work with unicode und the problem was on my (code)side.

 

Well long story short, I practically had to rewrite most parts of the small lib and now it works. We'll have to see if I missed a hidden unicode -> ansi-> unicode conversion in the RS code. The tests seemed ok, but you'll never know...

[majstang]

Awesome work, Lars

You're great

Looking forward to see it in action later

 

Now the only thing missing on this very nice day is a Swedish U.S. Masters Champion

 

best regards

majstang