Re: [Tracker] Indexing removable media for later retrieval

[Ivan Frade <ivan frade nokia com>]

Hi Nikolai

El mar, 21-10-2008 a las 15:07 +0200, ext Nikolai Weibull escribiÃ:
> OK, this is, what, the third time I bring this up, but I haven't
> really gotten any answers earlier.
>
> I want to be able to use tracker to index my removable media, like
> burned DVDs, so that I can then later on ask tracker to tell me what
> DVD to put in my DVD reader to be able to access what I'm looking for.
>  (I'm not talking about the case where the DVD is already in the
> driver and tracker searches it along with any non-removable media
> connected to my computer.)

Well, the goals of tracker are quite different, but you can achieve
something like that using the tracker code as a starting point.

> I mentioned earlier that I'd be willing to invest time in adding this
> feature, but that I'd really need some pointers as to how to go about
> doing that.  I've so far gotten responses along the lines of "oh,
> yeah, we'll probably add that feature some day".  I want that feature
> today.

 Ok! this is open source. I guess you need to change:

1) How tracker handle the add and remove of new volumes (easy)
   Now we are removing the files from the DB, you should let the
information there.

2) Improve how tracker save the different volumes information. I think
now we are using only a unique id that hal provides to identify the
volume. You need to find a way to retrieve also the "name" and save it
into the databases to show it to the user (it is not useful to say "you
have this file in DVD 123987322-3241234) (medium)

3) Write a method to query that information and all the necessary DB
stuff (medium).

> So please, can someone initiate me on what adding such a feature would
> require of me?

 At least to know what "hal" and "dbus" are, some C and SQL knowledge
and patience. The code of tracker is pretty clean and logical.

 Regards,

Ivan