[the_other_guy]

Sorry if it has been asked before, but I can't find the answer on here or via Google.....

What is the difference between a node and a parent node? Does it matter which I use? I want to create so custom nodes such as pre 2000s movies, a number of TV nodes based on path,etc and I'm not sure which I should be using.

Thanks

A parent node is like a main folder(Categories)  a node is an xml file (actors.xml)
use addons library node editor
https://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=344482

[Finchy]

I want to create so custom nodes such as pre 2000s movies, a number of TV nodes based on path

How do you intend to use the Nodes once created? Maybe consider a Smart Playlist instead? 

I want to be able ot set up options on the home screen instead of just the normal TV SHows and Movies options, I want to be able to have each home screen option to be limited to the movies/tv shows in that node, if that makes sense. 

I don't use Kodi for music so it's only video files

[Finchy]

To add, I also like to keep my movie archive, ie watched movies - I move movies to the archive location after we watch them so they're always kept separate, just in case of a need to reinstall Kodi and lose all plays - so I would like a separate home option for those too, with all associated default playlists (genes, years, directors, etc) only to include those.

At the moment I use a separate user profile for my movie archive so have to log out of the main user and into the archive user, which I'd rather not have to do.

So if I'm understanding correctly, if I created a parent node for movie archive and say a path rule for the location of my movie archive it would create a whole separate movie category for the movie archive? And would that have its own default sort categories like greenness, years, etc?

[Karellen]

Ok, I understand what you are trying to do.

I have not used Nodes (strange as that sounds) so I am not the best person to help and promote them. Personally I would go with Smart Playlists and add them as menu items. Have a read of this... Custom home items (wiki)

The whole moving items when you have watched them is a strange setup and adds more work and complexity than needed. If your only concern is losing watched status, then two ways to avoid this...
1. Export your library to Separate Files on a regular basis... Import-export library (wiki)
2. Used WatchedList add-on and set it for regular automatic saves... https://kodi.wiki/view/Add-on:WatchedList

Of course I am assuming you have built a library, and not simply using Kodi as a dumb file browser.

[PatK]

Looking at post #139 you see all parent nodes, click on 'decades' and it will produce the image in post #146 and in that is the difference between smart playlists and nodes... it's a hierarchical format of basically most smart playlists rules.

[Dumyat]

@PatK
I've been trying to create a 'Surprise Me' node for my movie library collection for a while that when selected will immediately start playback of a random movie from my collection. I would like to be able to add this node to the others in my movie categories. I can achieve this exact behaviour by creating a playlist and adding it as favourite to home menu, but if I try to create the same thing as a video node, a 2nd view window always opens with my random movie, ie the movie does not start playing automatically when the node is selected. 
More details here of what I've done:- https://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid...pid2845289

Is there any suggestions you might have to triggering automatic playback of a single random movie when the the video node is selected?

[PatK]

Your smart playlist is a sneaky way to get a random movie to watch, have to hand it to you. I tried it and it worked like a charm (although randomness in computers can be debated). I generally use the (T!) skin random function to pull up 10 choices, but having this script eliminates choices so why not.

In Nodes it looks like some of the script commands are not appreciated. Using the following script appears to pull a single movie, but it doesn't initiate play, you need to click on it, but that's how the smart playlist worked for me.

Code:

<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?>
<node type="filter">
<label>Surprise Me</label>
<content>movies</content>
<rule field="playcount" operator="is">
<value>0</value>
</rule>
<rule field="playlist" operator="is">
<value>Surprise Me</value>
</rule>
<limit>1</limit>
<order direction="ascending">random</order>
<match>all</match>
</node>

[Dumyat]

Yeah, having a reasonable movie library often means we can't actually decide what to watch. So having a feature that decides for us is great. 

Indeed, getting this node to initiate auto-play once it has been selected does not seem possible. I searched high and low to see if I was missing something. I'm guessing, something would probably need to be changed in Kodi core to enable this kind of functionality, maybe even a brand new 'Surprise Me' node with auto playback being made available to users? I'm not sure where the best place to make such a suggestion would be?
I could most likely achieve what I want by doing away with the default movie categories and creating my own custom categories to also include a new 'Surprise Me' button option using the Playmedia action for that particular button, but would require a fair amount of effort. I'll continue to badger away anyway for any easier solutions I might discover......
Cheers

[PatK]

something would probably need to be changed in Kodi core to enable this kind of functionality,

Using 'favourites' linked to the smart playlist, settings in the skin will ask ' do you want to Play the playlist instead of entering', if this is set, the movie plays directly as a property of the skin, I suggest a node could have this capability should someone want to put the effort in.

[Finchy]

Ok, I understand what you are trying to do.

I have not used Nodes (strange as that sounds) so I am not the best person to help and promote them. Personally I would go with Smart Playlists and add them as menu items. Have a read of this... Custom home items (wiki)

The whole moving items when you have watched them is a strange setup and adds more work and complexity than needed. If your only concern is losing watched status, then two ways to avoid this...
1. Export your library to Separate Files on a regular basis... Import-export library (wiki)
2. Used WatchedList add-on and set it for regular automatic saves... https://kodi.wiki/view/Add-on:WatchedList

Of course I am assuming you have built a library, and not simply using Kodi as a dumb file browser.

Thanks for the reply, apologies for the late response (first chance I've had!) 

I keep watched movies seperate from unwatched movies for a few reasons. Space on my main NAS is one, and also because I use Kodi, Emby and Plex on different devices (I'd love to have just Kodi on all but because it's client only and I haven't had the time to play with setting up an SQL sync it's not been an option) so if any of those has problems I don't have to fanny around trying to set them all up with watched and unwatched status. It works for me. We rarely geek/obsessive/collector in me wants to keep them all for that odd occasion I can persuase my wife to watch one again! 

I have been using smart playlists for nodes, along with widgets (I prefer Titan skin in vertical layout) but if I make changed to any playlist they often lose the shortcut links, plus all the default search categories display items from all across the movie collection, which is why I was trying to work out if nodes might help me build four or five more limited movies collections, such as the archive, pre-00s, maybe foreign language.

[Finchy]

Looking at post #139 you see all parent nodes, click on 'decades' and it will produce the image in post #146 and in that is the difference between smart playlists and nodes... it's a hierarchical format of basically most smart playlists rules.

Thanks for that, I think I understand. I will have a play with some on my laptop to see if they do what I think. Thankfully have a few hours at the weekend free....!

[Nicodeme]

Hello !

(Sorry for my bad english)

I want to create a menu named "Marvel" and this menu will show the MCU movie but ordred by full release date (i.e 2010/01/01, not only 2010). Why ? Because Marvel released several movie in the same year and Kodi order by date (year) then by alphabetical order...

Can AeonMQ and / or Kodi can do this please with library nodes ? Or at last, how can I introduce a hierarchical notion ton order movie like I want ?

Thanks in advance !

[Finchy]

Sorry, another question from me please.....!

Is it possible for me to restrict the movies that are shown under the main Movie node to those from 2000 onwards? When I try to add a rule to the main Movie node to limit to movies greater than 1999 only it still displays all of them. Is that because the main Movie and Music nodes are locked? Would I just have to create a new Parent node with movies and that rule and use that instead, and disable the main one from the home screen?

[the_other_guy]

DEMO USING library node editor abd youtube plugin

[MB1968]

Sorry, another question from me please.....!

Is it possible for me to restrict the movies that are shown under the main Movie node to those from 2000 onwards? When I try to add a rule to the main Movie node to limit to movies greater than 1999 only it still displays all of them. Is that because the main Movie and Music nodes are locked? Would I just have to create a new Parent node with movies and that rule and use that instead, and disable the main one from the home screen?

I'm curious in this too.