how do you install plugins?

[norourke]

With the latest beta version of boxee, how do you install plugins. please keep it simple and specific. Not technically savvy. I'm using a brand new mac mini. I've tried reading all the threads, but they're just not doing it for me. I can't find a path = /application/boxee.app/... so I've put the plug in folders in User/Library/Application Support/Boxee/Userdata/plugins/video/

I can go to Boxee and add a source and find my way through that path and add but then what? thanks

[bessler]

http://boxeehq.com/howtos/installing-plugins/

As for the path /Applications/boxee.app

go to Applications and find the boxee app and control + Click on it from the menu pick Show Package Contents

[norourke]

Thank you. That explanation of the path help immensely. Now I've moved the plugin folders over to the right location. I've added a new source but still nothing.

When I go to settings/media sources i don't have an applications option, only local sources, network sources and manually add source. So I choose manually add source and type in the path (eg. /Applications/boxee.app/contents/resources/boxee/plugins/video/Scene Releases) and hit add.
Back one screen and it says the source is connected.

When I go to videos/browse the plugin is listed. I click on it and nothing. It either gives me another folder (eg resources) or default.tbn. Clicking on any of which gets me nothing.

Where have I gone wrong.

BTW, I greatly appreciate your help as well as evyone else on the forum that helps people with their issues. This is a great resource.

[bessler]

What plugin you trying to add. I can give it a go.

[norourke]

scene release
tv shack
videomonkey

[norourke]

so now the plugins are showing up in boxee under the app box. I try to add them but an error comes back saying it could not be added

[bessler]

Sorry took so long the damn Evul Bunnies were after me.

I looked around and with the new build the way it handles apps is different.

bstag posted about this and I checked it out however the code he shows for descriptor.xml did not work on the mac. so I installed the PBS app and stole from its descriptor file.

here is his post. http://forum.boxee.tv/showpost.php?p=42908&postcount=33

Any hoot

put the plugin folder into "yourusername"/Library/Application Support/BOXEE/UserData/apps/

You need to modify your sources.xml it is located at "yourusername"/Library/Application Support/BOXEE/UserData/profiles/"yourBoxeeUsername"
add this to the video section of the file.



<source>
<name>VideoMonkey</name>
<path>app://VideoMonkey/</path>
<thumbnail></thumbnail>
<private>false</private>
</source>
<source>
<name>SceneReleases</name>
<path>app://SceneReleases/</path>
<thumbnail></thumbnail>
<private>false</private>
</source>


I didn't do TV shack lol feeling lazy

then go back to each plugin folder and create a new file called descriptor.xml
for SceneReleases you would add



<app>
<id>SceneReleases</id>
<name>SceneReleases</name>
<version>0.2</version>
<description>SceneReleases</description>
<thumb>http://dir.somebody.com/apps/somebody.png</thumb>
<repositoryid>dir.somebody</repositoryid>
<repository>http://dir.somebody.com</repository>
<media>video</media>
<author>somebody</author>
<copyright>somebody</copyright>
<email>support@boxeehq.com</email>
<type>plugin</type>
<startWindow>14000</startWindow>
<platform>all</platform>
<minversion>0.9.7</minversion>
</app>



read bstags post he goes more into detail however his code for a descriptor file did not work on my mac. Beyond that Kudos goes to him not me.

[norourke]

thanks for your help. i know that took a lot of time. unfortunately it didn't help. I followed everything you both said but still no joy. now no plugin icons in the app box but i do see the plugins as connected in the media source section. your descriptor file was a little different than his but i suspect that does make a difference.

[bessler]

sorry that it didnt work for you. You did put a descriptor file into each folder. The thing is use the app box and install one of the apps from there and then copy and paste its descriptor file into each of your manualy added folders and then edit it for that app.

Beyond that I wish I could be more helpful

[norourke]

thanks. i'll try that. how do you know the information to fill, specifically type and version. Is the id and type the only really critical info. it seems that for some info (eg author, email, etc) you just made something up.

Assuming i get the xml part right, i assume i still add the plugin as a source through media source, right? then go to app box and add the plugin?

[bessler]

yea the ID and type are the two key factors. If you edit your sources.xml you wont have to add anything in the boxee UI. These kind of plugins will not install using the App Box the creators of the plugins would have to modify them in order to install from the App Box.

By the way I used this trick and installed the NBC Universal plugin and it works like a dream.

[norourke]

when you copied a descriptor.xml file from say pbs, what info did you change and how did you know what to use?

[bessler]

just change the ID and the type the rest is unimportant right now unless you want to be exact and search and edit that info for each plugin.

[norourke]

do i still need to add the plugin as a video source through the media sources screen?

when it works, where do i find the video and what will i click on?

[bessler]

if you edit your sources.xml file you wont have to add them via the media sources.
they will be at video->internet.

[norourke]

Sorry took so long the damn Evul Bunnies were after me.

I looked around and with the new build the way it handles apps is different.

bstag posted about this and I checked it out however the code he shows for descriptor.xml did not work on the mac. so I installed the PBS app and stole from its descriptor file.

here is his post. http://forum.boxee.tv/showpost.php?p=42908&postcount=33

Any hoot

put the plugin folder into "yourusername"/Library/Application Support/BOXEE/UserData/apps/

You need to modify your sources.xml it is located at "yourusername"/Library/Application Support/BOXEE/UserData/profiles/"yourBoxeeUsername"
add this to the video section of the file.



<source>
<name>VideoMonkey</name>
<path>app://VideoMonkey/</path>
<thumbnail></thumbnail>
<private>false</private>
</source>
<source>
<name>SceneReleases</name>
<path>app://SceneReleases/</path>
<thumbnail></thumbnail>
<private>false</private>
</source>


I didn't do TV shack lol feeling lazy

then go back to each plugin folder and create a new file called descriptor.xml
for SceneReleases you would add



<app>
<id>SceneReleases</id>
<name>SceneReleases</name>
<version>0.2</version>
<description>SceneReleases</description>
<thumb>http://dir.somebody.com/apps/somebody.png</thumb>
<repositoryid>dir.somebody</repositoryid>
<repository>http://dir.somebody.com</repository>
<media>video</media>
<author>somebody</author>
<copyright>somebody</copyright>
<email>support@boxeehq.com</email>
<type>plugin</type>
<startWindow>14000</startWindow>
<platform>all</platform>
<minversion>0.9.7</minversion>
</app>



read bstags post he goes more into detail however his code for a descriptor file did not work on my mac. Beyond that Kudos goes to him not me.

May have made a little progress. I took a look back at the source xml and that was probably where the problem was. Re-did it. No joy. Except when I added bstags path for the thumbnail, I got the TED icon in the Videos/Internet section. YEAH

But wait, when I click on that icon i get the following error "Loading error. Failed to retrieve data"

thoughts?

any idea where to get the appropriate paths for the thumbnails for the icons?

[norourke]

HURRAY!!!!! Turns out its the type. At least for Scene Release, it's an rss, not plugin. Just trial and error i guess. Now i need to find the thumbnail paths so I don't have 4 TED icons.

Again thanks for your help

[bessler]

Very Kewl.

Was Happy to help and from a few other posts I just read around the forums this is going to be a subject of interest hehehe.

[mordaskyt]

So I have tried both descriptor.xml files, the one listed in this thread and the one posted by bstag and no go, still gives the "failed to retrieve data" error, often crashing boxee in the process. The plugin is NBC Universal.

[bessler]

My NBC descriptor.xml


<app>
<id>NBC Universal</id>
<name>NBC Universal</name>
<version>0.1</version>
<description>Shows from NBC USA and SCI FI</description>
<thumb>http://www.mediabistro.com/agencyspy/original/Large_NBC_logo.png</thumb>
<repositoryid>dir.none</repositoryid>
<repository>http://dir.none.com</repository>
<media>video</media>
<author>BlueCop</author>
<copyright>BlueCop</copyright>
<email>support@noone.com</email>
<type>plugin</type>
<startWindow>14000</startWindow>
<platform>all</platform>
<minversion>0.9.7</minversion>
</app>


I am on a iMac running 10.4.11 1.83 GHZ Intel Core 2 Duo clean install infact did it 2 days ago to ready it for the new Boxee. Hopefully this helps you.

[norourke]

Thanks. it helps partially. I copied your descriptor and added the info to the source.xml. The NBC logo is appearing in videos/internet so I assume that my source.xml is correct. But I'm still getting a loading error.

This is also happening for tv shack, videomonkey, movielab and scene releases. Here's an example of those descriptors:

<app>
<id>VideoMonkey</id>
<name>VideoMonkey</name>
<version>1.0</version>
<description>VideoMonkey</description>
<thumb>http://dir.boxee.tv/apps/discovery/thumb.jpg</thumb>
<media>video</media>
<copyright>BOXEE</copyright>
<email>support@boxee.tv</email>
<type>plugin</type>
<platform>all</platform>
<minversion>0.9.9</minversion>
</app>

At least boxee isn't crashing after the loading error

thanks for your help

ps. running mac mini 10.5.6 and boxee .5534

[norourke]

at the risk of showing how much i don't know . . . in my NBC Universal folder all i have is the descriptor. do I need other files?

The plugin at http://xbmc-addons.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/plugins/video/NBC%20Universal/ has a bunch of other stuff. I don't know how to get those files to my computer. do i just cut and paste the code? if so, i'll need python? where do i get, etc . . ..

[bessler]

Looks like you don't have the entire code for the descriptor file try this for videomonkey. the thumbnail is a deadlink just tossed it in.



<app>
<id>VideoMonkey</id>
<name>VideoMonkey</name>
<version>1.33</version>
<description>A Collection of Tv Shows</description>
<thumb>http://dir.somewhere.com/apps/videomonkey/videomonkey.png</thumb>
<repositoryid>dir.videomonkey</repositoryid>
<repository>http://dir.videomonkey.com</repository>
<media>video</media>
<author>sfaxman</author>
<copyright>sfaxman</copyright>
<email>support@sfaxman.com</email>
<type>plugin</type>
<startWindow>14000</startWindow>
<platform>all</platform>
<minversion>0.9.7</minversion>
</app>

[DevilInPgh]

Looks like you don't have the entire code for the descriptor file try this for videomonkey. the thumbnail is a deadlink just tossed it in.



<app>
<id>VideoMonkey</id>
<name>VideoMonkey</name>
<version>1.33</version>
<description>A Collection of Tv Shows</description>
<thumb>http://dir.somewhere.com/apps/videomonkey/videomonkey.png</thumb>
<repositoryid>dir.videomonkey</repositoryid>
<repository>http://dir.videomonkey.com</repository>
<media>video</media>
<author>sfaxman</author>
<copyright>sfaxman</copyright>
<email>support@sfaxman.com</email>
<type>plugin</type>
<startWindow>14000</startWindow>
<platform>all</platform>
<minversion>0.9.7</minversion>
</app>


Still seems to be incomplete. I put this descriptor.xml file in my VideoMonkey folder. I start up Boxee, click on VideoMonkey, and it pulls up the icon with one link: "More info". No link to a directory, just that. Anyone successfully put together a descriptor.xml file for VideoMonkey?

[norourke]

going backwards. still get the loading error and boxee now crashes.

[DevilInPgh]

I'm getting sick and tired of this. I'm reverting back to 0.9.9 until someone from Boxee gets a clue and posts how to get the plugins working in 0.9.10. You have a responsibility to your users to fix the problem you created.

[mordaskyt]

I very much appreciate the help of everyone in this forum. I have moved the NBC Universal folder from the plugin folder within the boxee app itself to the the apps folder located in Users/me/library/application support/boxee it is now simply loose in there as if it were one of the apps that came with boxee. I edited my sources.xml with this entry:

<source>
<name>NBC Universal</name>
<path>app://nbc–universal/</path>
<thumbnail></thumbnail>
<private>false</private>
</source>

I added a descriptor XML :

<app>
<id>NBC Universal</id>
<name>NBC Universal</name>
<version>0.1</version>
<description>Shows from NBC USA and SCI FI</description>
<thumb>http://www.mediabistro.com/agencyspy/original/Large_NBC_logo.png</thumb>
<repositoryid>dir.none</repositoryid>
<repository>http://dir.none.com</repository>
<media>video</media>
<author>BlueCop</author>
<copyright>BlueCop</copyright>
<email>support@noone.com</email>
<type>plugin</type>
<startWindow>14000</startWindow>
<platform>all</platform>
<minversion>0.9.7</minversion>
</app>

The plug in does show up, though without an icon and when I attempt to open it it say failed to retrieve data and boxee crashes

[liquid64]

My NBC descriptor.xml
.....
I am on a iMac running 10.4.11 1.83 GHZ Intel Core 2 Duo clean install infact did it 2 days ago to ready it for the new Boxee. Hopefully this helps you.

Are you saying you are running 0.9.10, and NBC Universal works fine? If so, you have given me some hope. I just need to figure out what I am doing wrong then. The FreeMoovies and NBC are the 2 that I would really like to see back in Boxee, but after trying to get the descriptor.xml together, it all works perfectly under 0.9.9, but after upgrading to 0.9.10, it fails every time. I've looked over the developer.boxee.tv page till Im blue in the face, but I am not seeing what I am missing. Ironically, the developer page still links to the xbmc plugin development tutorials.

[norourke]

bessler - are you using boxee 0.9.10.5534?

[norourke]

I'm getting sick and tired of this. I'm reverting back to 0.9.9 until someone from Boxee gets a clue and posts how to get the plugins working in 0.9.10. You have a responsibility to your users to fix the problem you created.

DUDE! This is freeware in its alpha stage. I know nothing about xbmc and I'm damn grateful that they've accomplished what they have. It's not they fault that we're not skilled enough to add a f#%&ing plugin. Try making a productive comment next time. For now the rest of will just assume you had a bad day and needed to vent. Glad we could be here for you.

Guys at Boxee - Thanks!

[DevilInPgh]

Norouke, you just installed Boxee, so you weren't around when XBMC plugins had near-100% compatibility with Boxee (which was just a short two weeks ago). So what I'm getting at is the devs broke something that was working and have not offered a fix for something they knew wasn't working, just a lame-brained "drift away from XBMC" ex post facto. THAT'S why I'm upset.

[norourke]

I understand. Trust me, I'm frustrated as hell too. But remember, it's an alpha version. Most companies would even let you know they're working a product at this stage let alone give you access to it. So from my stand point, getting the awesome functionality we do have is better than them keeping it to themselves until it's ready for general release or even a beta release.

[DevilInPgh]

Oh great, now looks like they're force-installing 0.9.10. Developers better come up with a quick fix so that I don't keep using a broken "upgrade".

[DPK]

Oh great, now looks like they're force-installing 0.9.10. Developers better come up with a quick fix so that I don't keep using a broken "upgrade".

It's not really broken. You need to realize that as boxee continues to mature they are going to move further away from xbmc. That's generally what happens when you fork an open source project. You can't expect backwards compatibility all the time.

It will most likely eventually come to a point where all xbmc plugins will have to be custom ported to boxee. Boxee is not xbmc, so requiring it to use xbmc plugins doesn't make sense in the long run.

[DevilInPgh]

It's not really broken. You need to realize that as boxee continues to mature they are going to move further away from xbmc. That's generally what happens when you fork an open source project. You can't expect backwards compatibility all the time.

It will most likely eventually come to a point where all xbmc plugins will have to be custom ported to boxee. Boxee is not xbmc, so requiring it to use xbmc plugins doesn't make sense in the long run.

Well, the net effect is you made Boxee less functional. Now I have to find the developers of all the plugins and ask them to port to Boxee, because I know not the first thing about coding, let alone Python script.

[DPK]

You can't have it both ways. Else what would the point of boxee be.

[jrmosier]

WooHoo!

NBC Universal on AppleTV 2.3.1 / Boxee 0.9.11.5591 Success!

Get the latest NBC Universal from the xbmc svn repository.

Then installed in boxee via:

1) Copy files to:
/mnt/Scratch/Users/frontrow/Library/Application Support/BOXEE/UserData/apps/NBC Universal

2) Update the sources files at:
/mnt/Scratch/Users/frontrow/Library/Application Support/BOXEE/UserData/profiles/<boxee_username> and add the following


<source>
<name>NBC Universal</name>
<path>app://NBC Universal/</path>
<thumbnail>http://www.nbcuniversalstore.com/img/product/cat07/00006181-047154.jpg</thumbnail>
<private>false</private>
</source>

3) Create the descriptor.xml file in
/mnt/Scratch/Users/frontrow/Library/Application Support/BOXEE/UserData/apps/NBC Universal


<app>
<id>NBC Universal</id>
<name>NBC Universal</name>
<version>0.1</version>
<description>Shows from NBC USA and SCI FI</description>
<thumb>http://www.mediabistro.com/agencyspy/original/Large_NBC_logo.png</thumb>
<repositoryid></repositoryid>
<repository></repository>
<media>video</media>
<author>BlueCop</author>
<copyright>BlueCop</copyright>
<email></email>
<type>plugin</type>
<startWindow>14000</startWindow>
<platform>all</platform>
<minversion>0.9.7</minversion>
</app>

--
AppleTV 2.3.1

[billwill976]

Is there any chance that this still works?

I'm new to both xbmc & boxee. I'm trying to figure out where the directories you listed are and how I obtain the files. I have found the directory on the repository site but am not sure how to easily download them.

Any help?