[mythtv-users] Sparse programme names (feature suggestion)

[Mark Crutch]

Whenever the code has to check the name of a programme against the database (e.g. to determine whether or not to record it), I presume that there has to be an exact match. I'd like to see a configuration option to use "sparse" names - by which I mean the name with all punctuation removed, and all upper- or lower-case. Let me give you an example:-

I have MythTV configured to record "T4: Stargate SG-1" any time on the channel. The "T4:" part just refers to a particular grouping of Channel 4's programmes, and is added by the channel, not by me. Anyway, this week it failed to schedule the programme for recording. When I looked more closely, it was listed as "T4:Stargate SG-1" (no space after the "T4:").

Using "sparse" programme names would have considered both cases to be "T4STARGATESG1", and would have matched either of them.

A possible alternative might be to use the soundex of the name, or some other such system, but the general idea is to make it a little more tolerant of minor discrepancies in the programme names.

Mark