[solved]mythcommflag not working

[hedgehog52]

Subject says it all. Sort of. If I run mythcommflag manually, it works just fine. But when it's kicked off by mythfrontend, the little thingy circles for a bit and then quits much too early without accomplishing anything. I do have the box checked in mythtv-setup to run mythcommflag.

So, where do I start trying to figure this out? I don't have logging enabled, because I didn't understand the instructions. So that may be an issue. OTOH, I'm pretty sure that the install for earlier versions enabled logging, so...

[white_haired_uncle]

Subject says it all. Sort of. If I run mythcommflag manually, it works just fine. But when it's kicked off by mythfrontend, the little thingy circles for a bit and then quits much too early without accomplishing anything. I do have the box checked in mythtv-setup to run mythcommflag.

So, where do I start trying to figure this out? I don't have logging enabled, because I didn't understand the instructions. So that may be an issue. OTOH, I'm pretty sure that the install for earlier versions enabled logging, so...

I'd start with getting logging set up. If you need help, that might be a thread of it's own. Either way, you'll want to explain what is it that you didn't understand.

Make sure to post your OS/version, and the mythtv version (always).

While logging is definitely the way to go, you might want to look at the job logs. Depending on your theme, that's something like Advanced>System Settings> Information Center.

What user does mythtv run as, and what user is trying to run the command manually (and how)?

There's a field in the database that tracks whether a recording has been commercial flagged (and depending on your theme, perhaps an icon like a scissors). I don't know what happens if you (and/or myth) try to run it again once it has succeeded.

[hedgehog52]

So, where do I start trying to figure this out? I don't have logging enabled, because I didn't understand the instructions.

I'd start with getting logging set up. If you need help, that might be a thread of it's own. Either way, you'll want to explain what is it that you didn't understand.

OK, after you respond to this, I'll open a new thread. Would I do that here or in the Linux section?

Make sure to post your OS/version, and the mythtv version (always).

Sorry. The OS is Linux, Debian 11 (bullseye). The mythtv version is "1:31.0+fixes20220227.git7e4ce1ba98-dmo0+deb11u1"
Also important is that I am now 70 years old, and I am autistic. I spent a long career as a computer programmer, but I'm just not able to keep track of all this the way I used to do.

While logging is definitely the way to go, you might want to look at the job logs. Depending on your theme, that's something like Advanced>System Settings> Information Center.

I think we're not speaking the same language. I have no idea where Advanced->System Settings->Information Center is. Maybe that's a Windows thing?

What user does mythtv run as, and what user is trying to run the command manually (and how)?

It runs as "mythtv". The user "bob" (me) can run mythcommflag just fine. If I su to mythtv, I can run it fine as that user, as well.

There's a field in the database that tracks whether a recording has been commercial flagged (and depending on your theme, perhaps an icon like a scissors). I don't know what happens if you (and/or myth) try to run it again once it has succeeded.

The scissors is displayed in mythfrontend if I run mythcommflag from the command line. Otherwise it is not displayed.

[white_haired_uncle]

In Mythcenter-wide, from the main screen (the one with Watch Recordings, Watch Videos, etc) Information Center is either under Advanced or System Status, depending on how you have it configured. If you use another theme it may look a little different.

I'd probably post logging questions here, unless I knew they were Linux specific (like if your issue is with setting up syslog).

[hedgehog52]

In Mythcenter-wide, from the main screen (the one with Watch Recordings, Watch Videos, etc) Information Center is either under Advanced or System Status, depending on how you have it configured. If you use another theme it may look a little different.

I'd probably post logging questions here, unless I knew they were Linux specific (like if your issue is with setting up syslog).

The only thing even close to what you're talking about is "Job Queue". I don't see anything about logging. I am using the Terra 1.4 theme.

[white_haired_uncle]

That's it. Should see a small amount of info in there.

[hedgehog52]

That's it. Should see a small amount of info in there.

There doesn't seem to be anything useful. It's just a list of programs that are either in red with an exclamation point in a red ball in front, or blue with a blue ball in front. I clicked on one of the red ones and it asked me if I wanted to requeue the job, but it didn't tell me what the job is. Is it possible that the Terra theme isn't giving me the information you're expecting?

[bill6502]

@hedgehog52 can you post the output of these two commands please?

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ls -ld /var/log/mythtv
systemctl cat mythtv-backend.service

Looking to see where the service is logging and if user mythtv can write there.

[hedgehog52]

@hedgehog52 can you post the output of these two commands please?

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ls -ld /var/log/mythtv
systemctl cat mythtv-backend.service

Looking to see where the service is logging and if user mythtv can write there.

Here you go. I gave you the contents as well. The MyScripts.log file is for debugging the iptv device I used for awhile.

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bob@musem:~$ ls -ld /var/log/mythtv
drwxrwsr-x 2 root mythtv 4096 Aug  5  2022 /var/log/mythtv
bob@musem:~$ ls -ld /var/log/mythtv/*
-rwxrwxrwx 1 root adm 29302 May  3 20:38 /var/log/mythtv/MyScripts.log
bob@musem:~$ systemctl cat mythtv-backend.service
# /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
Environment=HOME=/var/lib/mythtv
EnvironmentFile=-/etc/default/mythtv-backend
ExecStart=/usr/bin/mythbackend $EXTRA_ARGS
StartLimitBurst=10
StartLimitInterval=10m
Restart=on-failure
RestartSec=1

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Hmm, the /etc/default/mythtv-backend contains the following. Looks like logging args and it's commented out. Know anything about it?

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# Append additional arguments
#EXTRA_ARGS="verbose all --syslog local6"

[bill6502]

You're right, I'd uncomment the line. Also, there should be two dashes before the word verbose.
Then restart the backend.

I don't use --syslog local6, so I don't know if a log file will be created or it it goes to the journal.
You can look at the journal with: journalctl -b --unit=mythtv.backend

[hedgehog52]

You're right, I'd uncomment the line. Also, there should be two dashes before the word verbose.
Then restart the backend.

I don't use --syslog local6, so I don't know if a log file will be created or it it goes to the journal.
You can look at the journal with: journalctl -b --unit=mythtv.backend

Now this is interesting (And like I told you, I know nothing about logging.) there are log entries back to April 24th. So, I think it was already setup and this did nothing. At least now I know how to look at the log.

So, I looked at the log and I see that a mythcommflag failed "Failed with Exit Status 140". How do I find out what that means?

OK, there's another thread I'll have to look at: viewtopic.php?f=36&t=259

[bill6502]

Not very helpful, but it's defined here. A success exit is 0.

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libs/libmythbase/exitcodes.h: GENERIC_EXIT_KILLED=140, ///< Process killed or stopped

[hedgehog52]

Not very helpful, but it's defined here. A success exit is 0.

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libs/libmythbase/exitcodes.h: GENERIC_EXIT_KILLED=140, ///< Process killed or stopped

Could you take a look at this link and see what you think? I looked at mythtv-setup and I don't see that %FILE% is there. Am I looking at the wrong place?

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https://forum.mythtv.org/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=259

[hedgehog52]

OK, it's getting late for me. I'll see what I can figure out tomorrow. Thanks for the help bill6502.

[hedgehog52]

Still getting nowhere on this.