[Solved} Scheduled recording fails

[jmike]

The backend is MythTV 30.0, QT version 5.9.5 on Ubuntu 18.04, the CPU Is an AMD 8350 with 16g. of RAM. the frontends are also MythTV 30.0 on Ubuntu 18.04, Intel 8365U with 8g of RAM. All units are on hardwired LAN.The listing is from Schedules Direct.

Scheduled recordings fail. The recording shows up in blue in the recordings list with a 0 length file. At the same time, a recording started while a show is in progress produces a good recording that plays properly on all frontends, even though the listing is in yellow (damaged).

Where should I be looking to get the schedule recordings to work?

[bill6502]

Hi,

Start with the backend log, /var/log/mythtv/mythbackend.log. Just a guess, but if
the above means that LiveTV works then see if its Storage Group points to a
different Storage Directory than the one for recordings (typically the Default
Storage Group.) The backend log will tell you the full pathname to the files in
play. [ Just in case they're on different file systems and one is full]

[jmike]

Thanks Bill, the storage directory in question isn't full but it is on a NAS with a permissions issue that denied access to user MythTV. The permission granted access to mythtv instead. Of course the correct user name is MythTV, the wonders of case sensitivity....

The next scheduled recording starts in about 15 minutes, I'll know then if case was the only issue.

[jmike]

No luck. I'm fairly sure the problem is with not recording to the NAS, the most recent file on either one is more than 2 weeks old.

[bill6502]

Two ideas: systemctl show --property=User mythtv-backend.service will verify the User
that the backend is started with. With unmodified *buntu, I expect to see: mythtv (lower
case.) systemctl cat mythtv-backend.service will dispaly the entire service including any
overrides (never do a simple cat of a service.)

A handy test is: sudo --set-home --login --user=mythtv then attempt to do things on the
mounted NAS directories from the Storage Group(s). Try to touch a new file, for example.
Control-D to return to yourself.

[jmike]

Ok, verified that the user the backend is started with mythtv. The file permissions are 755. A check of the ownership shows that some of the files are owned by mike (me) and are in the mike group while most are owned by pulse and are in the geoclue group. Pulse and geoclue are legitimate Ubuntu user and group names but I have no idea how they came to be associated with my MythTV recordings. User mythtv cannot manipulate any files at all.

systemctl cat mythtv-backend.service produced this:
# /lib/systemd/system/mythtv-backend.service
[Unit]
Description=MythTV Backend
Documentation=https://www.mythtv.org/wiki/Mythbackend
After=mysql.service network.target

[Service]
User=mythtv
EnvironmentFile=-/etc/mythtv/additional.args
ExecStart=/usr/bin/mythbackend --quiet --syslog local7 $ADDITIONAL_ARGS
StartLimitBurst=10
StartLimitInterval=10m
Restart=on-failure
RestartSec=1

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

I'm at a loss for where to look next.

[bill6502]

File permissions don't typically have the execute bit set. I assume you mean that
the directories in play here do (it really means searchable for a directory.)

Since this was working, it appears that something on the NAS changed. Does the NAS
have an /etc/exports file? May need to seek help on the NAS site/forum.

If user mythtv can't create new files, then the backend can't record there.

[jmike]

The permissions issue was it. The NAS were fine but mythtv didn't have write permission to the local directories that were mapped to the NAS.
Now all I need to do is learn how to mark the subject line with (SOLVED).

[Steve Goodey]

Just add [Solved] to the Subject line of the first post.

[jmike]

I may be suffering from seriously faded brain but I don't see an obvious way to edit the subject line.

[Steve Goodey]

Assuming you're logged into the forum scroll to the first post.

You should see a line of icons, hit edit post, then you should be able to modify the subject line.