Problems with Sync and "allegedly" missing film files

[Wlapol 1]

Hello,
I am new to the Emby topic. Please excuse me if I ask questions now that are probably already answered in some post. I have searched and read a lot, but somehow I am still missing two important pieces of the mosaic. On the one hand, I lack a basic understanding regarding the database sync, and on the other hand, I am stuck on a technical problem. If someone can point me in the right direction so that I can find the red thread, then I'll keep looking.

Briefly about my structure:

I have installed the Emby server on a Linux computer (Ubuntu 20.04). The aim is to use Emby as a central library for several Kodi installations (1x Shield, 1x Tablet etc.). The films are to be retrieved directly so that no transcoding is necessary on the LAN.

I use Kodi 19.3. For Emby, I found the plug-in "plugin.video.emby-next-gen-7.9.4.zip" on the Internet and installed it. This is supposed to be compatible with Kodi 18 and higher. To prevent the videos from being transcoded in the LAN, I chose the Native/direct path variant.

The whole thing worked perfectly at first, but suddenly I can no longer play any films because they are allegedly no longer available. But this is not true, because Kodi has access to the network folder with the films and I can also play them normally if I do not call them up via the Emby addon but via the file manager.
Does anyone have any tips on this? I've tried pretty much all the options, reinstalled and much more, but I can't get any further. At times, no films are displayed at all. If I then switch on the item "Share sources" in the context menu of the Kodi film menu, the films are suddenly displayed again. But they are not found and cannot be played.

And my second question, which came up when the whole thing worked briefly, is:

Emby uses the existing nfo-files to read in all the metadata. If I understand correctly, there should be a possibility that when the metadata is changed, these nfo files are also updated. However, this does not happen in my case. If I set a user rating or a tag in Kodi, for example, I don't see it in the Emby app on the PC or in the NFO file.

In a manual for Emby I saw the point that you can select that the NFO files are saved in the same folder as the film. But this point does not exist in the settings. It exist the point, that you use NFO files, but the point about the storage location is missing.

Do I understand correctly that Emby should keep all metadata in sync, regardless of whether it is changed in the Emby app or in Kodi. Or if I change the NFO file via a media manager like Ember or Tiny Media Manager?

I apologise again if I ask stupid questions. But somehow I got lost on the way and am grateful for any tips.

Regards

[quickmic 1344]

5 hours ago, Wlapol said:

The whole thing worked perfectly at first, but suddenly I can no longer play any films because they are allegedly no longer available. But this is not true, because Kodi has access to the network folder with the films and I can also play them normally if I do not call them up via the Emby addon but via the file manager.
Does anyone have any tips on this? I've tried pretty much all the options, reinstalled and much more, but I can't get any further. At times, no films are displayed at all. If I then switch on the item "Share sources" in the context menu of the Kodi film menu, the films are suddenly displayed again. But they are not found and cannot be played.

 

I need a Kodi.log for review. Also, if you have no good reason for native mode, use addon mode. Much less hassle. I think you got the impression addon mode is for transcoding only. That's not true.

 

Quote

This is supposed to be compatible with Kodi 18 and higher. To prevent the videos from being transcoded in the LAN, I chose the Native/direct path variant.

No, 6.X is Kodi 18+. 7.x is kodi 19+

 

Quote

Emby uses the existing nfo-files to read in all the metadata. If I understand correctly, there should be a possibility that when the metadata is changed, these nfo files are also updated. However, this does not happen in my case. If I set a user rating or a tag in Kodi, for example, I don't see it in the Emby app on the PC or in the NFO file.

The plugin receives the info from Emby server, nfo files is matter of Emby server and/or Kodi's internals function but the plugin has nothing todo with that.

Quote

Do I understand correctly that Emby should keep all metadata in sync, regardless of whether it is changed in the Emby app or in Kodi. Or if I change the NFO file via a media manager like Ember or Tiny Media Manager?

Yes correct, Emby server is in charge for metadata, next-gen plugin is just the receiver.

e.g. Emby app sets content (watched) progress, it sends the info to Emby server, and Emby server syncs down to next-gen plugin.

Keep in mind, you need the use the same (user) logins for all devices. Progress etc is unique to user accounts on Emby server.

Edited November 3, 2022 by quickmic

[Wlapol 1]

Hi quickmic,

many thanks for your answer and your effort to help me.
I followed the FAQ's regarding how to report a problem, but i can't find the switch to enable debug for the Emby add-on. I enabled the expert-screen in the settings of the add-on, but under advanced tab (and also all other tabs) there is no item "Log level"!?

In the meanwhile I deinstalled and reinstalled the add-on and chose the addon mode. But that has not changed anything. After the reinstallation, no more films are found. (the firewall of my Linux-Server is disabled).

Can you please give me a hint, where to enable the debug?

Addendum: just now I wanted to log in to the server again in the add-on and now my login data is no longer accepted. I can log in normally on the PC.

Regards

Edited November 3, 2022 by Wlapol

[quickmic 1344]

40 minutes ago, Wlapol said:

Hi quickmic,

many thanks for your answer and your effort to help me.
I followed the FAQ's regarding how to report a problem, but i can't find the switch to enable debug for the Emby add-on. I enabled the expert-screen in the settings of the add-on, but under advanced tab (and also all other tabs) there is no item "Log level"!?

In the meanwhile I deinstalled and reinstalled the add-on and chose the addon mode. But that has not changed anything. After the reinstallation, no more films are found. (the firewall of my Linux-Server is disabled).

Can you please give me a hint, where to enable the debug?

Addendum: just now I wanted to log in to the server again in the add-on and now my login data is no longer accepted. I can log in normally on the PC.

Regards

You don't need the debug mode, actually you should NOT use it.

However, the debug mode could be enabled in Kodi settings (not in plugin settings), as mentioned. Don't use it unless I ask for.

Edited November 3, 2022 by quickmic

[Wlapol 1]

Hi,
I have installed and reinstalled the add-on again and now the films are suddenly displayed and are also played. I don't know what the reason was. In the meantime, I also clicked on the Repair database button in the add-on and maybe that did something.

But what doesn't seem to work is the sync of the metadata to Emby. For example, when I set a tag, add a rating or a genre in Kodi, these changes are not synced to Emby.

I have attached the Kodi.log.

Since in my case Emby reads existing nfo files but then doesn't write changes you make in Emby directly (not Kodi, but directly in the Emby app) back to the nfo file, I was wondering if you knew of a metadata manager that connects directly to Emby? I would like to use Emby not only for films but also for self-recorded videos. And that's where setting tags etc. is very useful. I know that Emby has implemented a metadata manager, but in terms of possibilities Ember and TMM offer much more (simultaneous tagging/editing of multiple files etc.).

Emby and TinyMediaManager work with nfo files. But then that only works in one direction. Changes made directly in Emby are no longer visible in Ember or TinyMediaManager, because the information from Emby is not written back into the nfo files.

In addition, other questions have now arisen. For example, that 4K content is not played on the PC (Emby page via Firefox). On Ipad and Shield 4k-content is played. But there are certainly answers to these topics in the forum and I will research first so that I don't take up your time with questions that have already been answered (probably several times).

kodi.log

[quickmic 1344]

43 minutes ago, Wlapol said:

But what doesn't seem to work is the sync of the metadata to Emby. For example, when I set a tag, add a rating or a genre in Kodi, these changes are not synced to Emby.

The plugin does NOT upsync metadata changes. Next-gen plugin is a player and not a metadata editor. Metadata is one way, from Emby server to next-gen plugin (Kodi).

 

[quickmic 1344]

Quote

Emby and TinyMediaManager work with nfo files. But then that only works in one direction. Changes made directly in Emby are no longer visible in Ember or TinyMediaManager, because the information from Emby is not written back into the nfo files.

As mentioned, the plugin does not care about metadata (changes), nfo files or whatever. Embyserver is in charge for metadata, the plugin receives the data that's it.

[Wlapol 1]

Many thanks for your answers! So my picture is clearer again now.
Regards