Updated code using best practices, added setInfo for list items

addon.xml

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
 <addon id="plugin.video.example"
-version="1.0.0"
+version="1.1.0"
 name="Example Kodi Video Plugin"
 provider-name="Roman_V_M">
 <requires>

main.py

@@ -20,33 +20,42 @@ __handle__ = int(sys.argv[1])
 # from some web-site or online service.
 VIDEOS = {'Animals': [{'name': 'Crab',
                        'thumb': 'http://www.vidsplay.com/vids/crab.jpg',
-                       'video': 'http://www.vidsplay.com/vids/crab.mp4'},
+                       'video': 'http://www.vidsplay.com/vids/crab.mp4',
+                       'genre': 'Animals'},
                       {'name': 'Alligator',
                        'thumb': 'http://www.vidsplay.com/vids/alligator.jpg',
-                       'video': 'http://www.vidsplay.com/vids/alligator.mp4'},
+                       'video': 'http://www.vidsplay.com/vids/alligator.mp4',
+                       'genre': 'Animals'},
                       {'name': 'Turtle',
                        'thumb': 'http://www.vidsplay.com/vids/turtle.jpg',
-                       'video': 'http://www.vidsplay.com/vids/turtle.mp4'}
+                       'video': 'http://www.vidsplay.com/vids/turtle.mp4',
+                       'genre': 'Animals'}
                       ],
             'Cars': [{'name': 'Postal Truck',
                       'thumb': 'http://www.vidsplay.com/vids/us_postal.jpg',
-                      'video': 'http://www.vidsplay.com/vids/us_postal.mp4'},
+                      'video': 'http://www.vidsplay.com/vids/us_postal.mp4',
+                      'genre': 'Cars'},
                      {'name': 'Traffic',
                       'thumb': 'http://www.vidsplay.com/vids/traffic1.jpg',
-                      'video': 'http://www.vidsplay.com/vids/traffic1.avi'},
+                      'video': 'http://www.vidsplay.com/vids/traffic1.avi',
+                      'genre': 'Cars'},
                      {'name': 'Traffic Arrows',
                       'thumb': 'http://www.vidsplay.com/vids/traffic_arrows.jpg',
-                      'video': 'http://www.vidsplay.com/vids/traffic_arrows.mp4'}
+                      'video': 'http://www.vidsplay.com/vids/traffic_arrows.mp4',
+                      'genre': 'Cars'}
                      ],
             'Food': [{'name': 'Chicken',
                       'thumb': 'http://www.vidsplay.com/vids/chicken.jpg',
-                      'video': 'http://www.vidsplay.com/vids/bbqchicken.mp4'},
+                      'video': 'http://www.vidsplay.com/vids/bbqchicken.mp4',
+                      'genre': 'Food'},
                      {'name': 'Hamburger',
                       'thumb': 'http://www.vidsplay.com/vids/hamburger.jpg',
-                      'video': 'http://www.vidsplay.com/vids/hamburger.mp4'},
+                      'video': 'http://www.vidsplay.com/vids/hamburger.mp4',
+                      'genre': 'Food'},
                      {'name': 'Pizza',
                       'thumb': 'http://www.vidsplay.com/vids/pizza.jpg',
-                      'video': 'http://www.vidsplay.com/vids/pizza.mp4'}
+                      'video': 'http://www.vidsplay.com/vids/pizza.mp4',
+                      'genre': 'Food'}
                      ]}
 
 
@@ -79,6 +88,8 @@ def list_categories():
     """
     # Get video categories
     categories = get_categories()
+    # Create a list for our items.
+    listing = []
     # Iterate through categories
     for category in categories:
         # Create a list item with a text label and a thumbnail image.
@@ -86,12 +97,23 @@ def list_categories():
         # Set a fanart image for the list item.
         # Here we use the same image as the thumbnail for simplicity's sake.
         list_item.setProperty('fanart_image', VIDEOS[category][0]['thumb'])
+        # Set additional info for the list item.
+        # Here we use a category name for both properties for for simplicity's sake.
+        # setInfo allows to set various information for an item.
+        # For available properties see the following link:
+        # http://mirrors.xbmc.org/docs/python-docs/15.x-isengard/xbmcgui.html#ListItem-setInfo
+        list_item.setInfo('video', {'title': category, 'genre': category})
         # Create a URL for the plugin recursive callback.
         # Example: plugin://plugin.video.example/?action=listing&category=Animals
         url = '{0}?action=listing&category={1}'.format(__url__, category)
-        # Add the list item to a virtual Kodi folder.
+        # is_folder = True means that this item opens a sub-list of lower level items.
-        # isFolder=True means that this item opens a sub-list of lower level items.
+        is_folder = True
-        xbmcplugin.addDirectoryItem(__handle__, url, list_item, isFolder=True)
+        # Add our item to the listing as a 3-element tuple.
+        listing.append((url, list_item, is_folder))
+    # Add our listing to Kodi.
+    # Large lists and/or slower systems benefit from adding all items at once via addDirectoryItems
+    # instead of adding one by ove via addDirectoryItem.
+    xbmcplugin.addDirectoryItems(__handle__, listing, len(listing))
     # Add a sort method for the virtual folder items (alphabetically, ignore articles)
     xbmcplugin.addSortMethod(__handle__, xbmcplugin.SORT_METHOD_LABEL_IGNORE_THE)
     # Finish creating a virtual folder.
@@ -106,6 +128,8 @@ def list_videos(category):
     """
     # Get the list of videos in the category.
     videos = get_videos(category)
+    # Create a list for our items.
+    listing = []
     # Iterate through videos.
     for video in videos:
         # Create a list item with a text label and a thumbnail image.
@@ -113,6 +137,8 @@ def list_videos(category):
         # Set a fanart image for the list item.
         # Here we use the same image as the thumbnail for simplicity's sake.
         list_item.setProperty('fanart_image', video['thumb'])
+        # Set additional info for the list item.
+        list_item.setInfo('video', {'title': video['name'], 'genre': video['genre']})
         # Set 'IsPlayable' property to 'true'.
         # This is mandatory for playable items!
         list_item.setProperty('IsPlayable', 'true')
@@ -120,8 +146,16 @@ def list_videos(category):
         # Example: plugin://plugin.video.example/?action=play&video=http://www.vidsplay.com/vids/crab.mp4
         url = '{0}?action=play&video={1}'.format(__url__, video['video'])
         # Add the list item to a virtual Kodi folder.
-        # isFolder=False means that this item won't open any sub-list.
+        # is_folder = False means that this item won't open any sub-list.
-        xbmcplugin.addDirectoryItem(__handle__, url, list_item, isFolder=False)
+        is_folder = False
+        # Add our item to the listing as a 3-element tuple.
+        listing.append((url, list_item, is_folder))
+    # Add our listing to Kodi.
+    # Large lists and/or slower systems benefit from adding all items at once via addDirectoryItems
+    # instead of adding one by ove via addDirectoryItem.
+    xbmcplugin.addDirectoryItems(__handle__, listing, len(listing))
+    # Add a sort method for the virtual folder items (alphabetically, ignore articles)
+    xbmcplugin.addSortMethod(__handle__, xbmcplugin.SORT_METHOD_LABEL_IGNORE_THE)
     # Finish creating a virtual folder.
     xbmcplugin.endOfDirectory(__handle__)