The newest version of Mymovies has gone to an sql server.  With previous versions I was able to keep the database on my unraid server but now can't due to sql.  I really don't want to have to keep a xp computer on all the time just to access this database.  Does anyone know of a way I can run sql on the unraid?  Or a way to move the sql database to the unraid box?

Why are you limited to XP?  mysql, for example, runs on darn near every OS.

 

Or ... why upgrade?

 

 

Bill

You can install MySQL to unRAID ...

 

Get the package here:

 

    http://packages.slackware.it/search.php?v=current&t=1&q=mysql

 

Procedure is here:

 

  http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=871.0

 

I wrote it for 4.1, but it also works with 4.2.1

Thanks I'll have to try this but how do I then detach and attach the database to the unraid box?

You don't... the database will actually reside on the unRAID box with mySQL.

 

I looked at the website for MyMovies and it looks like a windoze-only application that is not going to work with a real client-server SQL backend except a Windoze one.  If I understand their "Multizone" configuratio" docs you must have one client/server install of their software, and that is going to be the box where the data resides.  No options.  Rather short-sighted development strategy, but it looks like it grew from a local file-based database (Access) platform, so that is a large anchor hung around its neck.

 

I looked as some MyNovies forum posts, and got a real strong impression that the admins there are quite unsympathetic (even hostile) to Linux or anything they deem a kludge or an "unsupported" configuration.

 

I'd suggest you start looking for an alternative like OpenShowCenter, Oxyl-Box, SwissCenter, etc., that serve up html using PHP that you can customize.  It is easy to install Apache on unRAID, and that's what I'm using.... so everything is on one box (unRAID) and the user interface is all done in HTML/PHP.

Thanks

 

I think I'll stick with the older version of mymovies for now until they change their minds or I find a better solution to MCE in general.

 

Erik

well, MyMovies uses sql server, not MySql and yeah the new version assumed your server is going to be windows based....with the older version it was easier b/c all you had to do was put the access database file anywhere on your server, since it was just a file and did not require anything to be run on the server itself

 

you might still be able to store the sqlserver database file on your unraid server and install all your clients as "server/client" install instead of just the client and point it to the database file stored on your server...i don't have my movies installed right now or i'd test it out for u

 

bah, i guess not, this is from mymovies administrator

Since 2.40 relies on an SQL Server, you cannot place it on a non-intelligent NAS.

 

You can install the server version on a Windows Home Server, or have one of your Media Center machines act as server.

 

This is one of the set-backs by using a proper database server instead of a file based database that JET/Access is.

 

This means that you can use the NAS to store movies, but it cannot store the database - you then have two options, install a server on all your Media Center machines, and have them run seperate databases, or configure one machine as a server, that needs to be running all the time. If you install with seperate databases on all machines, they can still monitor same storage areas, but offline titles cannot be shared.

 

This new way of having a proper database server fits much better into a situation with a Windows Home Server than a non-intelligent NAS, that is a fact.

 

http://www.mymovies.dk/forum.aspx?g=posts&t=5646

 

edit: heh, i see you've already made your way there

Wow! When I played around with MCE My Movies was critical. I'm playing with some other things now but if I ever went back to MCE I'd be sorely upset not to be able to use it.

 

I've read the thread and I'm not 100% sure I understand. Sounds like they built their own server backend for this to replace their JET based database. Why in the world would they do this rather than using MySQL?! The server can be run on Windows and Linux, moving to something that ties them to a strict specific configuration is pretty silly. Did the developer even discuss this architecture change before doing it? What a shame, I hope they come up with something better for the longterm.

 

FWIW XBMC has a pretty nice DVD catalog functionality. No reports etc. like say DVD Profiler but it does have a great library display etc. Sadly it won't run on a Windows platform but they are porting it to Linux. At this point it runs great but umm, won't play DVDs heh. It won't tune TV either though so while it's a great way to play content and music, when finished, at this point live content isn't there. I too keep searching for the perfect solution. That said, I'm watching Myth right now but it too has issues IMO.

ok so i have an idea, maybe this would work, and this will be for VISTA only

now, this would require all your HTPC's so install the client/server version, so each htpc has a sql server running and is not dependent on a windows machine to be up and running for a server.

I don't have myMovies installed, so the directory structure i'm listing will be off, so bare with me, and correct me if i'm wrong.

 

Now, i'm assuming that the database itself is stored under the sql server install folder (program files/ms sql server/mssql), probably something called mymovies.mdf or something of that nature.

 

Vista introduced a new feature called mklink which creates a symbolic or hard link btwn two files or folders.  Now the only file we're concerned about is the main mymovies.mdf database file (if mymovies uses more than 1 database, you might need to do this for all database files it uses).  We need to create a symbolic link from that file to the file located on the server.

 

For this example i'm going to assume your server is name "\\server" with a folder named "mymovies" located on "disk1" (\\server\disk1\mymovies\)

Also, it might be a good idea to stop sql server before continuing.  I believe you can use this tool to manage sql server and stop it, or you can just go to start->run->services.msc and look for SQL Server service and stop it from there.

Also make sure media center isn't running.

First off, go to the database folder (program files\ms sql server\mssql) and copy mymovies.mdf to your mymovies folder on the server (\\server\disk1\mymovies\).

Now, rename mymovies.mdf to mymovies.mdf.bak

You need to have admin privileges to do the following, so open up an elevated command prompt

start->run->cmd

navigate to mymovies.mdf folder (cd c:\program files\ms sql server\mssql)

now you want to create a link here, so type

mklink mymovies.mdf \\server\disk1\mymovies\mymovies.mdf

if you look in your mssql folder now, you should see the file mymovies.mdf as a little shortcut link.

 

now reboot just to be safe so sql server restarts (or just restart the service) and launch media center w/ my movies and see if it works

if it works, just create a link on all your htpcs and you should be set

 

hopefully this works