Apparent failure of "Use as HDD" on autofs network mounts

If a network mount is created as Mount using: AUTOFS, and Use as HDD replacement is enabled (either when the mount is created or later), the Use as HDD replacement appears to have no effect.

If the PVR is then rebooted, the Use as HDD replacement takes effect if that is possible (i.e. /media/hdd isn’t already a mountpoint).

The reason for the initial failure is that even if there’s no HDD mounted, InfoBarTimeshift.createTimeshiftFolder() is called (via InfoBarTimeshift.__serviceStarted()) when live TV starts (And on every channel change after that). That does an os.makedirs("/media/hdd/timeshift"). The existence of /media/hdd as anything other than a symbolic link prevents the symbolic link /media/hdd being created to point to the network mount.

Workaround

Reboot after creating a network mount with Use as HDD replacement, or after enabling Use as HDD replacement on an existing mount.

Replication

On a diskless PVR, create a new network mount with Use as HDD replacement enabled. Check /media/hdd: it will remain as a directory containing the single subdirectory timeshift. Reboot. /media/hdd will now be a symbolic link to the new network mount.

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