PlexWatch and PlexWatchWeb installation and configuration procedure for dummies (Windows)

[sfnetwork]

I used PlexNotify for a while. It seemed promising but was always a little buggy, not very performant and felt heavy on the server...

PN dev went dark without any notification and project seems dead now so I had to look at alternative.

 

PlexWatch and PlexWatchWeb were there for a while but every time I wanted to test it, I always ended up giving up for lack of time it seemed to take to get them operational on my Windows server.

In the forum, all support issues seemed to start after PWweb was installed and operational with PW but there is no real tutorial for beginners on Windows platforms... No real help or guide on how to configure the web server, where to copy the PWWeb downloaded folder, etc...

 

I decided to fully jump in and take the time to understand, test and make this fully working to really compare it with my previous solution (PN).

The fact is that, once everything is installed, PW and PWWeb is MUCH better; lighter, more performant, more stable and better featured (web page, notifications, IP logging, etc...)

 

So I decided to create a small procedure for dummies about PlexWatch and PlexWatchWeb (for Windows) to help more users taking advantage of this really nice third party Plex application.

 

This is what worked for me so I hope this can help others...

My PMS is installed on a Windows 2008 R2 Server

 

Download all required files:

PlexWatch (Windows)

config.pl-dist-win32

PlexWatch/Web

plexwatchnotify.vbs

plexwatchrecentlyadded.vbs

 

I decided to use XAMPP so..

XAMPP

 

Install PlexWatch:

If you only care about notifications to Emails, PushOver, etc... this is only what is needed.

PlexWatch is actually the super easy one to install and configure.

 

-Create a PlexWatch folder in C: drive

 

-Copy those 4 files in it (from PW download)

 

-Rename config.pl-dist-win32 to config.pl

 

Actually, this part is well explained already so...

 

** Install Notes **

 

YOU MUST  be on 0.9.8.x or greater and have a PlexPass for this to work

 

Install

* unzip contents to c:\plexWatch\

* rename config.pl-dist-win32 to c:\plexWatch\config.pl

* Edit (with notepad++) c:\plexWatch\config.pl

* open a command prompt 

* cd c:\plexWatch

* run: plexWatch.exe   (and verify no errors -- don't expect any output yet)

 

Test the script:

* open a command prompt 

* cd c:\plexWatch

* start a show

* run: plexWatch.exe

* stop the show

* run: plexWatch.exe

 

Automatically notify/log watching/watched content:  ( You must enable this script for plexWatch to work )

* schedule a task (every minute) to execute c:\plexWatch\plexWatchNotify.vbs  ( specify the start in folder as c:\plexWatch\ ) 

 

Automatically notify on Recently Added Content:

* schedule a task (every 5 minutes or more) to execute c:\plexWatch\plexWatchRecentlyAdded.vbs  ( specify the start in folder as c:\plexWatch\ ) 

 

Here is how my scheduled tasks were configured if it can help understand:

For plexWatchNotify.vbs

 

 

 

 

For PlexWatchRecentlyAdded.vbs

Exactly the same thing except to use the PlexWatchRecentlyAdded.vbs in the action tab and to set it to 5 minutes instead of 1

 

As for the notification configuration, all done in the config.pl file:

In my configuration, I tested PushOver and Email

1: if you want to see the IP addresses in the notifications. It took some testing to figure out how to set the server log path format and this is what worked.

2: Not sure if I had to or not but I did it anyway...

3: I think it's self explanatory :)

 

4: the real username (Plex.tv or home users, doesn't matter)

5: The friendly name to see in the notifications

 

***I didn't change the notification formats, it was perfectly set already to my taste:

 

As for the notification settings, it's pretty easy to understand depending on your needs and there is nothing to explain specifically with PW...

PushOver (really love this ones personally ):

Email (I use my ISP SMTP which doesn,t require authentication, so I had it easy ;))

But again, nothing specific to PW, just regular SMTP knowledge here

 

***Before going any further, I recommend making sure PlexWatch works.

To test, simply run the scheduled task:

 

So, to test:

-start a movie from anywhere, any platform

-Run the scheduled task (PlexWatchNotify.vbs one)

You should get a "watching" notification about the playback on whatever notification platform configured.

 

-Stop movie

-Run it again

You should get a "watched" notification

 

If you only want notifications, you're done  :)

That all you need and it's super light to run on the PMS server (or wherever this runs from)

 

***Make sure this is working before going further to install and configure PlexWatch/Web

For any issue, post in their thread, they are really helpful and fast on responses

https://forums.plex.tv/topic/79616-plexwatch-windows-branch/

 

 

PlexWatch/Web for Windows full procedure for dummies a few posts below...

[sfnetwork]

Here are example of notifications:

PushOver (iOS):

    

    

Email:

[sfnetwork]

***

[sfnetwork]

PlexWatch/Web installation (Windows)

PlexWatch/Web is great, stable and provide easily accessible information about your PMS server but its installation and configuration isn't as simple as PN at all.

Also, I never really found beginner guide/tutorial from a to z for Windows platform so it makes it hard for any user without basic knowledge in Web server, PHP, etc... to jump in and try it. Also, often (like in my case), Plex users don't have the time to put in to set it up...

I finally jumped in, and after some time testing different configurations during installation/configuration, I got it to work perfectly.

The fact is that once it's installed and functional, it's rock solid, I can forget about it and it always works when I need it.

So here is my procedure to install and configure PlexWatch/Web (after PlexWatch is installed, configured and fully working)

***There might be other/better ways but this is how I set it up and got it fully working for me :)

First, you need to install XAMPP (run as administrator "xampp-win32-5.5.19-0-VC11-installer.exe")

These are the options I chose based on what I thought I needed (of course, you can add filezilla FTP server if you want it, etc... but not needed for PlexWatch/Web)

I left the default installation folder (c:\xampp)

When installation is completed, make sure you leave checked the option"Do you want to start the Control Panel now?"

When in XAMPP control panel, start those services:

Should see this:

***You can change ports but for now, the goal is to have it working ;)

Then, extract the downloaded PlexWatchWeb file.

Rename the folder inside "plexwatchweb-master" to "PlexWatchWeb" and move it in the XAMPP structure as per screenshot:

In you favorite browser (I would say Chrome :ph34r: ), go to "localhost/plexwatchweb"

Now you feel better already seeing this... I know I did...

Configure you settings:

If you see this after saving

Based on this WIKI (https://github.com/ecleese/plexWatchWeb/wiki/XAMPP-Users)

Grab the file  and place it in "C:\PlexWatch"

Then edit (if possible with Notepad++) php.ini from here

And add this at the end

From the XAMPP control panel, stop and start again the "Apache" module.

Refresh the web page and save again, the error should go away.

At this point, you should be up and running...

[sfnetwork]

PlexWatch/Web - optimizations...

Timezone:

I think the official Wiki explains it pretty well already:

https://github.com/ecleese/plexWatchWeb/wiki/XAMPP-Users

Changing port from 80:

Edit this file

Change to preferred port those two entries:

Not sure if this was needed but I also changed in in the XAMPP control panel:

[drzoidberg33]

Thank you for writing this detailed guide. I hardly ever work in Windows so I'm never really able to provide any help to people trying to run PW on the platform. Will point everyone to your thread now :)

[sfnetwork]

My pleasure, really wanted to help because even if on first look, it can look complicated to setup, it's really not once you do it once successfully.

And once it's done, it's done. Never had issues during all my tests.

It's worth it, great addition to any multi users environment IMO

And all this from web page makes it easy and fast to use for quick looks.

[MikeG6.5]

The information plexWatch and Web provides is a part of what I expected Plex Media Server to already have included in the interface.  I was shocked to not see this data already available on the server.

I don't use PMS on a Windows box, but these instructions are clear enough for almost any one to follow.  Thanks for stepping up to take this on sfnetwork

[foebik]

Awesome work!  :wub:

[sfnetwork]

Updated first post; forgot the vbs files... That will help   :rolleyes:

[foebik]

So I have gone through the config.pl file with a fine tooth comb. But when I run the exe in a cmd prompt I still get errors of "config file missing data". I'm scrubbing through the other threads to see if any one else is having this problem. But so far it seems to be just me.

EDIT:

Found one user that had the same problem... but he was making a sub folder within C:\plexWatch\ and putting his config in there. Unfortunately, this is not the case with me.

EDIT 2:

OK, I found the issue. The link that was provided above for the config file, I right clicked and did a 'save as'. Apparently Chrome (or any browser) changes the format somehow. When I download the file from getHub and pasted it's contents, over writing all my original contents, it works perfectly. So now I'm manually updating the settings again and testing along the way. So far so good.

EDIT 3:

Got it working. Your instructions were spot on. Thank you.

[cybera]

Excellent!   Got it working in no time!

[SambaDrome]

Excellent!   Got it working in no time!

Same here. It's a quiet night at work so I RPD'd my server and set it up and I gotta say PlexWatchWeb looks amazing. 

Unfortunately I haven't managed to configure notifications yet as Im stuck on WP and I think Pushalot may be my only option, so I will have a look at the master thread and see if there is any info to incorporate Pushalot. 

Eitherway thank you sfnetwork, brilliant stuff. :)

[sfnetwork]

Same here. It's a quiet night at work so I RPD'd my server and set it up and I gotta say PlexWatchWeb looks amazing. 

Unfortunately I haven't managed to configure notifications yet as Im stuck on WP and I think Pushalot may be my only option, so I will have a look at the master thread and see if there is any info to incorporate Pushalot. 

Eitherway thank you sfnetwork, brilliant stuff. :)

My pleasure, just happy it helps :)

Good point about Pushalot, I don't have a WP but I used to use it from my main PC (Win 8) when testing PN and I enjoyed receiving the notifications directly there.

I'll ask in thread (if no one already requested). From my understanding, not a big deal to implement...

[SambaDrome]

My pleasure, just happy it helps :)

Good point about Pushalot, I don,t have a WP but I used to use it for main PC (Win 8) when testing PN and I enjoyed receiving the notifications directly there.

I'll ask in thread (if no one already requested). From my understanding, not a big deal to implement...

Haha, I have just been googling... I just a few minutes ago saw this on ljunkies's github page..Someone seems to achieved this by modifying Pushover.

https://github.com/ljunkie/plexWatch/pull/61

Would you think that this simply involves editing the info in elfurbes commits, into the relevant places of my install? 

[sfnetwork]

Haha, I have just been googling... I just a few minutes ago saw this on ljunkies's github page..Someone seems to achieved this by modifying Pushover.

https://github.com/ljunkie/plexWatch/pull/61

Would you think that this simply involves editing the info in elfurbes commits, into the relevant places of my install? 

I'm asking in main thread, ljunkie should be able to confirm what's going on with it.

Thanks :)

[coolhandluuk]

I am stuck at the "localhost/plexwatchweb" step.  I have followed everything verbatim and I just get a blank page.  Anyone else have this same issue, or know what I could be doing wrong?  Thanks for any help.

BTW - This guide is awesome.  Thanks sfnetwork!

[coolhandluuk]

NVM.  I found my issue.  Seems my conf file in XAMPP was previously modified by another install process I had started a few days ago.  Everything is up and running now.  Thanks again sfnetwork!

[jdbrookes]

Ok I followed all the steps and I am now the happy user of PlexWatchWeb for my server! Thanks sfnetwork!

Until (hopefully) we get pushalot support in plexwatch windows branch then I am going to still run PlexNotify for my regular notifications, and PlexWatch just for PlexWatchWeb (with no notifications).

And because I want to access PlexWatchWeb from outside my home I followed the "Password Protect" instructions on this page and then forwarded port 80 in my router to my server. I'm not sure it would be a good idea to have open access to my Plex server stats ;-)

[leelynds]

Thanks a million sfnetwork !  Been putting this off for about 3 months since PlexNotify began to crash continuously and became unusable. I always thought I'd be able to get it working, but was reluctant (actually, just too lazy) to read the necessary documentation and configuration steps. Your "PlexWatch on Windows for Dummies" made it a breeze.