Random Startup Movie Hack for Arctic Zephyr Kodi Skin

addon.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
<addon id="service.autoexec" name="Autoexec Service" version="1.0.0" provider-name="evinjaff">
	<requires>
		<import addon="xbmc.python" version="3.0.0"/>
	</requires>
	<extension point="xbmc.service" library="autoexec.py">
	</extension>
	<extension point="xbmc.addon.metadata">
		<summary lang="en_GB">Automatically run python code when Kodi starts.</summary>
		<description lang="en_GB">The Autoexec Service will automatically be run on Kodi startup.</description>
		<platform>all</platform>
		<license>GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE Version 2</license>
	</extension>
</addon>

autoexec.py

# This is a super basic Python Script that extends the option to play a movie upon starting Kodi to play a random movie.
# The rough way this works is that Arctic Zephyr lets you point at a video file to play on startup (this is very
# similar to say, the Steam Deck). Since Artic Zephyr's XML language has minimal scripting, all we need to do is just
# treat that file as if its a symlink and drop in a different file each time. Since autoexec runs sometimes before/during
# loading the skin, it's better to actually replace the startup movie for the next run and let the cycle perpetuate.
# 
# Python isn't great at handling symlinks, so I just decided to use shutils and copy to overwrite the file. I did need to
# add a delay, but I might look in the future about using atomics or formalizing this as an add-on instead of just a gist.

# No external Python dependencies are needed! Should be supported on any relatively modern Python Version. To install this, 
# You need to put these files in a folder inside your .kodi folder under the addons folder. In Linux, that should look like 
# ~/.kodi/addons/service.autoexec

# ├── service.autoexec
# │   ├── addon.xml
# │   └── autoexec.py

# Fill in your dest_directory and source_directory at the bottom where source_directory should contain the set of video files 
# you want to pull from, and the dest_directory is the directory you want to hold the .mp4 file that will act as the 
# pointer/symlink for Artic Zephyr to load. Point Artic Zephyr at that file for the video intro and download some MP4s to be
# your intro!


import os
import random
import shutil
import time

# I first ran this script without any delays, but then found that sometimes there were issues where only half the video played
# and then it just cut to a green screen. If that happens, increase this number, but 3 should be ok.
OS_TIME_DELAY = 3

def get_random_mp4(directory):
    # List all files in the directory
    files = os.listdir(directory)
    # Filter out only .mp4 files
    mp4_files = [f for f in files if f.endswith('.mp4')]
    # Return a random .mp4 file
    return random.choice(mp4_files)

def copy_to_destination(src_directory, dest_directory, dest_filename="1.mp4"):
    # Get a random .mp4 file from the source directory
    random_mp4 = get_random_mp4(src_directory)

    # Construct full paths for source and destination
    src_path = os.path.join(src_directory, random_mp4)
    dest_path = os.path.join(dest_directory, dest_filename)
   
    # print("Copying from", src_path)
    # print("Copying to", dest_path)
    time.sleep(OS_TIME_DELAY)
    # Copy the file (overwriting if necessary)
    shutil.copy2(src_path, dest_path)
    # print(f"Copied {random_webm} to {dest_path}")

# Example usage
src_directory = "~/.kodi/Intros/Candidates"
dest_directory = "~/.kodi/Intros"
copy_to_destination(src_directory, dest_directory)