View Full Version : Safe Mode
using xbmc as dash:
if the xboxmediacenter.xml is broken in some way, the dashboard does not start. well, it should pheraps be *strongly* broken, but it's quite boring when it happens.
so can it be possible to create a default.xbe who runs a minimal dash (ftp server) if does not finds xboxmediacenter.xml nor others files, folders or settings?
it can make usage and experimenting with xbmc as a dashboard safer.
thanx
Gamester17
2004-03-11, 16:26
good idea, maybe simply a holding down a button combination during boot/start-up to enable the ftp-server + web-server and be the 'safe mode'?
i'll look into it, but it will need the skin/font files
for it 2 show anything
frodo
it's not necessary to show something :)
just a built-in line "xbmc safe mode" to know that something's alive.
Gamester17
2004-03-11, 19:08
it's not necessary to show something :)
exacly, as long as one can get acces via ftp so one can manualy edit the files, there's no need to show anything on the tv/display
need a font file to render text (unless we embed a graphic for "safe mode" in the xbe.)
will be that difficult to implement, or increasing the xbe size by.. too much?
depends on the res of the text. we could fit some hard-coded 8 pixel high text in a few bytes though (could be scaled up when rendered).
jmarshall
2004-03-11, 23:07
i agree that this should be done.
as soon as we hit 1.0, i forsee many "help it doesn't load!", "xbmc doesn't work - what a crap piece of software" etc. etc.
i suggest we imbed a font in the xbe with "xbmc is starting in safe mode due to <insert fault here>" and the ftp server should be auto-started.
that way the user knows it's their fault, and they have a hint at what to fix. we know why it is crapping out, so we should be able to at least hint at what is wrong.
another thing is to move all unnecessary stuff out of xboxmediacenter.xml and into the gui - it's a drag to code, but the goal has to be to assume the user is stupid. :)
depends on the res of the text. we could fit some hard-coded 8 pixel high text in a few bytes though (could be scaled up when rendered).
it can be the ugliest and smaller i can imagine. :)
it's only need is to communicate something more than a black screen. :)
zilvershadow
2004-03-11, 23:55
would it also be an idea to autoreplace xboxmediacenter.xml with a default version or load hardcoded values when errors occur? then send a message to the screen? i'm sorry if i'm suggesting something realy stupid here.
safe mode would also be realy great!
zilvershadow
Gamester17
2004-03-12, 15:21
if a font going to be included in the xbe anyway then there might be a good idea to output the xbmc logfile (if available) to the tv?
depends on the res of the text. we could fit some hard-coded 8 pixel high text in a few bytes though (could be scaled up when rendered).
it can be the ugliest and smaller i can imagine. :)
it's only need is to communicate something more than a black screen. :)
much less 8 pixels and you can't read it. ;)
ok, i did some tests with todays cvs version (12-3):
no settings.xml or no calibration.xml:
xbmc starts fine. missing files are created
ftp server will start if the user has choosen for it in the setup
no xboxmediacenter.xml:
xbmc runs and starts the ftp server automaticly
dashboardmode:
it will try to load the mediacenter skin from the same directory as the .xbe is in.
this will most likely fail as skins are placed in another drive/directory. so this will result in a black screen
ftp server gets started. the ip adres/netmask of the xbox are not set by xbmc. meaning we dont know which ip adres the xbox has now
no-dashboardmode:
it will try to load the mediacenter skin from the same directory as the .xbe is in,so this will probably work unless the user removed the default mediacenter skin
ftp server gets started. the ip adres/netmask of the xbox are not set by xbmc, meaning it will use the existing values set by avalaunch, evox or whatever dashboard you use
things to improve:
1. use default ip adres/netmask (192.168.0.1 / 255.255.255.0) if xboxmediacenter.xml is missing
2. avoid black screen by embedding a small font in the .xbe
that way we can display whats wrong , and show the ipadres/netmask
frodo
frodo: you can call xfont_opendefaultfont for a default font (saves the bother of setting one up and embedding it ourselves).
also, why dont' nest all xbmc files in a single default dir?
i.e.
e:\apps\xbmc
-- default.xbe
-- files
-- language
-- script
-- media
... and so on
in this way it can be much cleaner and in someway safer to put everything in c: :
default.xbe
and the "files" dir with everything in it.
fredoFromBelgium
2004-03-15, 23:16
hi all,
could you please select an other ip since 192.168.0.1 is the ip of my router.
thanks
Gamester17
2004-03-16, 12:57
could you please select an other ip since 192.168.0.1 is the ip of my router.mine too, maybe *192.168.0.30 / 255.255.255.0 be better as default? or maybe dhcp would be best? or configurable in "safe mode"?, most home/small-office routers have ip 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1 so otherwise we can't satisfy all as those are on different subnets :(
Mental Block
2004-03-16, 13:24
safe mode is a great idea, how many times have i had to use an evox disc!!
my thoughts on ip assignment:
i think safe mode should try dhcp first (if this is possible)
then if that fails the ip address should be set to a 192.168.x.x (fixed to what ever frodo decides http://www.xboxmediaplayer.de/forums/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif ) with a subnet mask of 255.255.0.0
this way your computer can have any 192.168.x.x address and as long as your local subnet is 255.255.0.0 then you can get to another 192.168.x.x address.
this would mean people would have to change their ip around less.
i 100% agree with mental block, but also discarding the option "dhcp" can be fine, keeping the code smaller and cleaner. after all, it's just a rescue mode, isn't it?
Gamester17
2004-03-16, 13:59
then if that fails the ip address should be set to a 192.168.x.x (fixed to what ever frodo decides http://www.xboxmediaplayer.de/forums/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif ) with a subnet mask of 255.255.0.0
this way your computer can have any 192.168.x.x address and as long as your local subnet is 255.255.0.0 then you can get to another 192.168.x.x address.
this would mean people would have to change their ip around less.depends on what you mean by "less"(? *???), all home/small-office routers i know of have 255.255.255.0 as default subnet mask
edit: in any case the current ip address and subnet mask could hopefully be displayed on the screen along with the error message/log
yep but i use 192.168.1.* family address, as an example.
could maybe make it so it boots up as 192.168.0.x by default and you can press a button to switch to 192.168.1.x
Gamester17
2004-03-16, 17:25
could maybe make it so it boots up as 192.168.0.x by default and you can press a button to switch to 192.168.1.x
k, that would be a smart solution, first try dhcp, if no dhcp server found within x seconds use 192.168.0.20, then press * button to use 192.168.1.20
k, that would be a smart solution, first try dhcp, if no dhcp server found within x seconds use 192.168.0.20
great idea. unrelated xbox/xbmc i set up a number of webcam computers in remote locations around the us, and this is exactly what i do if invalid network settings are specified. it works great. plus, even if you don't us a 192 block in your home network, anyone can always re-configure their network settings in the case that they need to 'save' the xbox.
--jaga
i'd guess most home networks use 192.168.x.x as the only other safe subnet to use is 10.x.x.x and most people don't need that many ips. :p
Mental Block
2004-03-17, 12:05
well i use 192.168.55.x *http://www.xboxmediaplayer.de/forums/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif
it is very easy to set your ip to use a subnet of 255.255.0.0 and it not effect your network. *otherwise i would have to change my ip and then change it back. *not a big deal, but it would be so easy to set xbmc to use 255.255.0.0 and therefore please everybody, without any draw backs. *:)
Mental Block
2004-04-29, 15:05
sorry to drag this up again *http://www.xboxmediaplayer.de/forums/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif
i see this has now been added to the cvs which is great, but i also see the subnet mask is set to 255.255.255.0.
any chance you could change this to 255.255.0.0. *or at least give me a reason why not. *would mean i wouldn't have to change my computer ip to ftp to it.
brilliant feature though *http://www.xboxmediaplayer.de/forums/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif
Gamester17
2004-04-29, 15:26
any chance you could change this to 255.255.0.0. *or at least give me a reason why not. *would mean i wouldn't have to change my computer ip to ftp to it.
there was/is a thread that have a full discission about that which explains why, only i can't seem to find that thread right now :(
run dhcp and you can do what you like with your ip, dhcp is checked before it tries a static ip.
it would be nice if i could hold down some specified buttons on the controller on boot and have xbmc ignore the config xml file and just boot a default set of settings that are known to work in most cases. i think i messed up my config and i have xbmc set as the dash. i can't seem to do anything.
i just keep my evox bootdisk handy if that ever happens. anyway you should at least be able to ftp even if you really messed up the config file?
try make an evox bootdisk (not sure where the tutorial is) and then just pop it in your drive when you hit a snag! then you can ftp a saved copy of a working config.xml to your box.
cheers
i do have an evox boot disk, but the xbox does not seem to try to boot off it before it goes to the hard drive. as for ftping, the config file is messed up, more specificially the network settings, so ftping in is not an option either.
do games autoboot for you, or does your xbox always go to the dash regardless? *
typically d:/default.xbe is first in the boot list. *if games dont autoboot for you, then its because probably running a bios with a modified boot list.
(oh yeah, that reminds me, make sure ur evox boot disk has default.xbe not evoxdash.xbe.)
edit... there is a "safe mode" but it only protects u when ur config is totally screwed. in ur case, ur config is just wrong.
well, games load when the mod is on, and the dash on the disk is default.xbe. i've used this disk in the past and it has worked, i've even re-burned it to be sure. is there any way to force the "safe mode" or force it to ignore network settings and just boot?