Overview

My Films provides a unique tool, the Grabber Scripts Editor, which allows you to easily customize and test many grabber script features, as well as create new grabber scripts for your preferred websites.

Introduction

You should already understand the differennce between Grabber Override options and Grabber options as described on Grabber Scripts.

My Films provides a separate application, called the Grabber Scripts Editor, (or Interface) to modify Grabber Options - i.e. options for a specific grabber script. These options will apply any time you use the grabber, in AMCU, or updates within MyFilms, as well as in any Configs you create that use the script. The application:

MyFilms_Grabber_Interface.exe

is stored in the MediaPortal program files folder. 

You can access the Grabber Scripts Editor from:

• My Films Grabber Script Editor desktop shortcut if you installed Desktop Shortcuts with MyFilms.
• Grabber Options button in:
  • MyFilms Setup > Update Tab > MyFilms Internal Internet Grabbing section
  • AMC Updater > Import Movies Tab
  • AMC Updater > Update Movies Tab (when Operation=Update Record)) 

Grabber Interface

When you first open the Grabber Interface window, it opens to the main User Options tab (see section below), which is all you will normally need.  As of v 6.0.0 the default is Expert Mode which provides access to all features of the Grabber Engine.

Configuration Options

At the top of the Grabber Interface window are options for the main configuration:

1. Browse - opens the My FIlms grabber scripts folder (e.g. \ProgramData\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\scripts\MyFilms) to select a grabber to modify or use as a basis for your custom grabber or even a new grabber. Once you select a grabber, (which is done automatically when you open the Grabber Interface via My Films setup) the following fields are entered for you:
   1. Configuration File - displays the grabber script path and file name
   2. Name - 'friendly' name of My Films grabber (the one used as a basis for custom grabbers)
   3. URL_prefix - the site URL used by the grabber
   4. Language - the language of the site/grabber which is used when you select Grabber Filter Options in Update Setup
   5. Type - as of v 6.0.0 My Films categorizes grabber scripts by type: internet details, cover, or multi (multiple covers) to display only the grabber scripts that support the updates you wish to perform. (example, only grabbers that support covers or multiple covers display when using the Cover Manager)
   6. Version - the version number of the grabber script (especially useful for online updates of grabber scripts as of v 6.0.0)
   7. Encoding -  e.g. UTF-8, as of v 6.0.0, you may use different encodings for sub-pages, which allows you to use another encoding for a "foreign" sub-page, when required
   8. File Based Reader - e.g. NFO grabber script which reads data from nfo files instead of grabbing data from an internet website.

1. *Save -* saves any changes made to current grabber
2. Save as - saves changes to new name so you can 'retain' custom grabber scripts and use different grabber options in different cases.
3. New - to create a new grabber from scratch
4. MyFilms Wiki - link to this Wiki page
5. Simple mode - disables options for Name, URL, Language and Version as well as all options on Search and Details tabs. Use Simple mode if you only wish to change User Options on the main tab and not accidentally alter any other grabber settings.

User Options

The User Options tab is the main tab you normal use for customizing options for a specific grabber, or saving it as a custom mod. You can select:

• Detail Grabber Options - for grabbing persons data, secondary titles and certifications
• Mapping options - to customize which data is grabbed for a field

Detail Grabber Options

These options are very similar to the Grabber override options you select in MyFilms Setup > Update Tab, except they apply only to this grabber, wherever it is used in any config or feature that uses this grabber.Grabber override options apply to all grabbers but only for the selected configuration. Thus by combining the two types of options you can achieve a great deal of control and customization of how MyFilms grabs data.

Grabber override options always take precedence over grabber options!

Note: If an option is 'grayed out' it means it is not supported in the currently loaded grabber. You may contact the grabber script author, if the script can be improved - but the possibility also depends on the internet site providing the data.
  Tip Grab Secondary titles for just the USA, to get only alternate English titles.     Then grab Certifications for your specific country or even state/province. 

Detail Grabber Options have an added advantage over Grabber Override options - you may select different person limits for Actors, Producers, Directors or Writers as well as different country/language options for Secondary Titles vs Certifications.   

Field Mapping

In the Grabber Output Field Mapping section you have total control to map data however you wish.  This is important for AMC3 catalogs which support only a limited number of fields.

For example, you can map Certification to the start of Comments field (particularly if you do not grab Comments) or Taglines to the start of the Description field.

1. Source - the field you wish to map (i.e. 'from' field)
2. Destination - from the drop down list, select the field you wish to map the data to (i.e. 'to' field)
3. Replace - check the box if you wish to replace the entire contents of the field, for example if you wish to map Writer to Producer field
4. Add to Start - add the data to the start of the field, e.g. add Tagline to start of Description
5. Add to End - add the data to the end of the field, e.g. add Tagline to end of Description
6. Merge (prefer source) - replaces the destination field with the source data ONLY if source data exists - i.e. it will not replace it with empty values.
7. Merge (prefer destination) - replaces the destination field with the source data ONLY if the destination field is empty. 

What's Next

OK so you have customized the above options and would like to test the results before applying them to your data.  Proceed to Test Custom Grabbers.

Related

Tutorials

• Test a Grabber (Intermediate)
• Create a Grabber (Advanced)