BLSA mpg csv file

[linuxman]

Does anyone know of any way to get a Channel Master file converted into a csv format file that the BLSA understands?

I have scanned the entire arc from 30W to 148W and have that file in a Pansat 3500 format, and a cmproj format.

I have tried exporting out of Channel Master using the template into a csv, but very little goes into the file, and it isn't in a format that the BLSA can read.

I have exported the same file into a satcodx file and imported that into DVBViewer which will export to csv, but it appears that it isn't a format the BLSA likes either.

Is there an easy way to do this, or does it all have to be done by hand?

 

[linuxman]

After doing some extensive research, it may be possible to get the information from the cmproj file since it is an xml file.

I have found one xml to csv converter that is an add-on for excel. I will give the trial version a shot tomorrow, and if it works, I'll pay the $15.00 for the registered version to get the whole thing into a usable format.

Unless someone knows of a free xml to csv converter?

 

[photoman76]

I'm not familiar with the Channel Master format, but if you could post a sample, I'll see if I can figure it out.

 

[vfrjim]

Hey Photoman,

I uploaded the Pansat and the cmproj files.

Thanks, I appreciate your taking the time.

Edit:

I uploaded the files in a zip archive, but then got to thinking about them and deleted them for certain reasons.

PM on it's way.

Thanks

Your file is still attached BTW

 

[linuxman]

Your file is still attached BTW

Thanks Jim,

I thought I had it deleted.

I can't seem to remove it now.

If one of the mods can remove it, please do so.

Thanks!

 

[linuxman]

I deleted the post to get rid of the attachment.

Thanks!

 

[guapoharry]

Thinking out loud...

The BLSA mpg.CSV is a flatfile.

The cmproj XML is listed by satellite, grouped by transponder, and then channels. Not a flatfile exactly. Guess one who writes scripts or code could do something to post process that.

Exporting a CSV template from ChannelMaster is no good because it doesn't contain the PIDS.

For fun, I tried exporting files for various receivers from ChannelMaster. The Mvidea export was a fixed width text file but it contains two tables. The first is satellite headings with lists of transponders. The other table is channels: relational

Perhaps that could be parsed into a relational database and then a CSV report made for use by BLSA.

 

[linuxman]

Just wanted to post an update on how to get a Channel Master file into a usable file for the BLSA. I had lots of help from a couple of kind members here who shall remain nameless simply because I don't want them to receive a ton of PMs on my account.

The only reason for going to all this trouble is that having known transponders and signals on the various satellites helps when using the BLSA for finding "new" signals. If a signal pops up that is not identified already, it makes it a lot faster than just blind searching.

So I asked for help here, and solicited help from a couple of members here who use the BLSA and they were both more than willing to help out. But, first I had to do some home work.

I have played with Channel Master files quite a bit, and have exported to various formats in the past for various receivers. What I didn't realize is that the best way to get all the information out of my file for the BLSA was to simply save it as a Channel Master Project file.

That file is basically an XML file.

The next step was to figure a way to get the XML file into a comma separated value file.

For that, I found an inexpensive program called XMLtoXLS by Forgram software. It is an add-on for Excel. The demo version works fine, but puts a lot of DEMO only *** *** rows in the file. There are ways around that if you are too cheap to buy the software like I am.

So after getting the file into an Excel format, I saved it as a csv file which I sent off to my two guys for help in getting it into a usable format for the BLSA.

While they were working on ideas, and one sent a file back which I couldn't get to work for me, and I couldn't understand why until later when receiving information from the other person.

I worked all day off and on trying to build a mpg.csv file out of what I had. I was about to give up when the other helper sent me a re-constructed mpg.csv and a sats.csv file out of the file I had sent him. He also sent instructions and information which helped me to figure out why the file sent by the first guy didn't work for me.

So here is the procedure for getting your own scanned files from your STB into a usable file for the BLSA.

1. Save your scanned file as a Channel Master Project (cmproj) file.
2. Open the file in Notepad++ and take out the favorites at the top of the file.
3. Rename the file with an xml extension.
4. Convert the file into an Excel or Openoffice Calc spread-sheet. I use OO Calc except for the importing part using the XMLtoXLS or some other software for converting XML files.
5. Save the file as a Comma Separated Value (csv) file.
With the new csv file in Calc or Excel,
Instructions from helper two.

6. Delete Columns A & B
7. Delete Row 1
8. Rename some of the column headings to match csv column headings from the BLSA orignal mpg.csv file
9. Replace LNB Frequency "11250" with "Ku"
10. Replace LNB Frequency "10750" with "Ku"
11. Replace LNB Frequency "5150" with "C"
12. Replace Polarity "0" with "V"
13. Replace Polarity "1" with "H"

The other information I received to make it work in the BLSA.

It's very important that the satellite names are exactly the same in all the csv files.

You'll have to make sure that the satellite names in your dc2.csv file match the names in sat.csv and mpg.csv files.

All of the above is a little tricky and requires some knowledge of using Calc or Excel. As always, make copies of files before editing. It may help in longevity of computer equipment. :yikes:

A big thank you to the fellows for helping me get this accomplished. :

 

[linuxman]

One final post on this subject. Maybe....

First of all don't be a cheap-skate like I was.

By using the demo version of XMLtoXLS which created all the lines of DEMO only ***,***,*** etc., I created a problem for myself that I didn't realize until today.

Those lines were actually substituted over lines of my data.

So I paid the $15.00 to get the whole data converted.

Thankfully I had the instructions from above, and the file to go from to re-create the whole thing.

That was fairly easy.

I still had the sats.csv which was already done.

I updated my dc.csv file to make sure the names were all the same.

Dropped them into the BLSA folder and they wouldn't work.

That was the second problem. For some reason when you edit the file in Openoffice Calc, it puts in a bunch of " marks. I figured that out by comparing files in Notepad++.

After I cleaned out the quotation marks using Notepad++, all is well and I have my full set of data files.

Everything looks beautiful, and works beautifully.

Thanks again for your help guys!! :