Collection Metadata

[Nick's MCE 59]

Hi

Ok, firstly all praise to the awesomness off Emby, I am still working my way around all the new features but it is great.

 

My questions are regarding metadata for collections, at the moment it seems to random as to whether or not it finds the collection data and stores it. Some movies have data and some don't. I have checked the metadata manager on my collections and and I noticed that on some collections the options for manually entering information are different. I have attached the 2 screen shots for reference. On the 300 there is nowhere to put the collection I,D and at the top the options for identify and delete are not there. In Austin Powers all the options are there and the collection I.D is there under external I.D's. 

 

I am storing my collections old school //Boxsets/Austin Powers/the Movies.

 

Also at the moment it doesn't seem to download any new data for collections at all.

 

Any help appreciated.

 

Nick

[Deathsquirrel 741]

How are you creating these?  The names don't match what is published on TMDB.

[Happy2Play 8292]

Well these are manual boxsets they have been depreciated in Emby.  But with a little work you can trick the system.  From your example what is the name of the xml in your 300 Boxset?

 

Steps to fake the system

Open Metadata Manager and navigate to you collection/boxset folder

your example 300 Boxset and hit save this creates a folder.xml

Rename folder.xml to collection.xml and rescan library

Now you have a Identify button and external id options

 

or create a collection.xml with this info, place in boxset/collection folder and perform library scan to get those options.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" standalone="yes"?>
<Item>
</Item>

Edited April 29, 2015 by Happy2Play

[Deathsquirrel 741]

 

Well these are manual boxsets they have been depreciated in Emby.  But with a little work you can trick the system.  From your example what is the name of the xml in your 300 Boxset?

 

Steps to fake the system

Open Metadata Manager and navigate to you collection/boxset folder

your example 300 Boxset and hit save this creates a folder.xml

Rename folder.xml to collection.xml and rescan library

Now you have a Identify button and external id options

 

or create a collection.xml with this info, place in boxset/collection folder and perform library scan to get those options.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" standalone="yes"?>

<Item>

</Item>

 

Just to add to that, collections aren't a dead feature.  Creating collections as folders on your HDD is.  The current way to do it is to just keep all your movies in a supported folder structure, whether they belong in collections or not, and create the collections in the web UI.  There is even an auto boxsets plugin that will look at your movie IDs and create collections for them based on the tmdb metadata.

[MndWrp 99]

..that makes the folder structure less clear and orderly... It's not so bad when movie series have simple names like 'Iron Man 1-2-3' but some franchises have very different names per movie like say, Riddick...

[Deathsquirrel 741]

..that makes the folder structure less clear and orderly... It's not so bad when movie series have simple names like 'Iron Man 1-2-3' but some franchises have very different names per movie like say, Riddick...

 

I disagree but if so, it's not much more so.  Movies go in folders with the name of the movie.  You don't view the movies by those folder names, you view them in the UI grouped into collections.  When you need to do something file-related you just look up the movie name. You don't need to remember what the collection folder name was to find it.

 

Regardless of that, doing it the correct way will work completely and correctly with the Emby web UI and all clients.  Doing it the disc-based way will result in complications and some collection-related functions may or may not work with the web UI or various clients.

[Nick's MCE 59]

How are you creating these?  The names don't match what is published on TMDB.

Well, I created these all manually over the last few years, I started the current folder structure during MB2. I have such a large collection that the thought of changing it was too daunting.

[Nick's MCE 59]

 

Well these are manual boxsets they have been depreciated in Emby.  But with a little work you can trick the system.  From your example what is the name of the xml in your 300 Boxset?

 

Steps to fake the system

Open Metadata Manager and navigate to you collection/boxset folder

your example 300 Boxset and hit save this creates a folder.xml

Rename folder.xml to collection.xml and rescan library

Now you have a Identify button and external id options

 

or create a collection.xml with this info, place in boxset/collection folder and perform library scan to get those options.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" standalone="yes"?>
<Item>
</Item>

Thanks for this, works perfectly. 

[Nick's MCE 59]

Just to add to that, collections aren't a dead feature.  Creating collections as folders on your HDD is.  The current way to do it is to just keep all your movies in a supported folder structure, whether they belong in collections or not, and create the collections in the web UI.  There is even an auto boxsets plugin that will look at your movie IDs and create collections for them based on the tmdb metadata.

Ok, so just to add to that, I get it that the way I am doing it is possibly dead - however I have over 160 collections which not only house the movie files but are also a home for a huge amount of FANART, and photoshop files for each collection and the subsequent movies. Reason for this is that I am one of the fanart contributers "nicksmce" and have contributed nearly 8000 pieces of fanart in the last 12 months.

 

Considering the above the thought of throwing everything into one big pot would kind be a huge mess for me.

[Nick's MCE 59]

I disagree but if so, it's not much more so.  Movies go in folders with the name of the movie.  You don't view the movies by those folder names, you view them in the UI grouped into collections.  When you need to do something file-related you just look up the movie name. You don't need to remember what the collection folder name was to find it.

 

Regardless of that, doing it the correct way will work completely and correctly with the Emby web UI and all clients.  Doing it the disc-based way will result in complications and some collection-related functions may or may not work with the web UI or various clients.

Ok so if it is done like this with all the movies in one folder then where do I put all the collection art posters, folder, backdrops, cleararts not to mention all the photoshop files which are used to create the collection art.

[Happy2Play 8292]

They would go here (C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\MediaBrowser-Server\data\collections

 

example from auto boxset plugin

C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\MediaBrowser-Server\data\collections\Alex Cross Collection [MB Auto Set] [boxset]

collection.xml

folder.jpg

banner.jpg

backdrop.jpg

and so on.

 

I still use MCM so I still do it the old fashion way.

 

Edit

collection made in web client ui

C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\MediaBrowser-Server\data\collections\Big [boxset]

Edited April 29, 2015 by Happy2Play

[Deathsquirrel 741]

Ok so if it is done like this with all the movies in one folder then where do I put all the collection art posters, folder, backdrops, cleararts not to mention all the photoshop files which are used to create the collection art.

 

If you are using the web UI to create collections it has the option to retrieve the metadata and images from the internet.  You can also manually enter those items in the metadata editor just like you would for any individual movie.  Or, as Happy2Play said, you can create the collections and then manually copy those files into the boxset folder the server will create under appdata.  I use the metadata editor.

[MndWrp 99]

Im in the same boat as Nick here.. the folders hold fanart among other various things. Having them in a different location (or duplicated) is not so intuitive.. i understand that from a code point of view there is probably a gain in the new method but that is probably the only 'legacy' feature i wish was fixed.

[MndWrp 99]

I have yet to try the 'trick emby' solution mentioned earlier in here. I guess if that works I'll shut up about it... [emoji14]

[One2Go 98]

Just to add to that, collections aren't a dead feature.  Creating collections as folders on your HDD is.  The current way to do it is to just keep all your movies in a supported folder structure, whether they belong in collections or not, and create the collections in the web UI.  There is even an auto boxsets plugin that will look at your movie IDs and create collections for them based on the tmdb metadata.

That is insane for users like myself and others that commented here. I also have many collections that have in the top folder Logo.png & ClearArt.png files, many created by me others obtained from Fanart.tv and often the Logo.png file has the word collection in it. To just pronounce that folder structure as dead is really not encouraging. I have kept a close watch on the EMBY development because I want to migrate to EMBY but this does not speak in its favor having to do loads of extra work. I have shares on media servers that are organized according to the previous recommendations for MB2 and I thought an easy migration path would be put in place.

Edited April 30, 2015 by One2Go

[FrostByte 5051]

The old style folder format of "300 Collection [boxset]" still works in MB3 for getting metadata and images and is recognized as a collection.  One of the things it doesn't do anymore is combine movies into a collection in the movies list like it once did.  I don't believe MB2 ever did that.

Edited April 30, 2015 by FrostByte

[MndWrp 99]

Still works... the combining is a big part of what a collection is...

[One2Go 98]

The old style folder format of "300 Collection [boxset]" still works in MB3 for getting metadata and images and is recognized as a collection.  One of the things it doesn't do anymore is combine movies into a collection in the movies list like it once did.  I don't believe MB2 ever did that.

The folder structure for Collections that worked in MB2 was as follows:

 

Top Folder

\\Movies\Movie Collection Folder\

which contained the following files - folder.xml, Backdrop.jpg, folder.jpg, logo.png & clearart.png

 

Individual movies of the collection where placed in the following sub folders:

\\Movies\Movie Collection Folder\Movie 1 of collection\

.......

\\Movies\Movie Collection Folder\Movie N of collection\

 

Each of the individual movies of the collection had its own movie.xml, Backdrop.jpg, folder.jpg, logo.png & clearart.png files many of which were individually created in PS.

 

In MB2 the collection folder.jpg displayed in the video wall and navigating down displayed the individual folders of the collection with its related meta data.

 

This was especially helpful for documentaries which are ideal for collections because their names are often not related to each other.

[ebr 14917]

The folder structure for Collections that worked in MB2 was as follows:

 

Top Folder

\\Movies\Movie Collection Folder\

which contained the following files - folder.xml, Backdrop.jpg, folder.jpg, logo.png & clearart.png

 

Individual movies of the collection where placed in the following sub folders:

\\Movies\Movie Collection Folder\Movie 1 of collection\

.......

\\Movies\Movie Collection Folder\Movie N of collection\

 

Each of the individual movies of the collection had its own movie.xml, Backdrop.jpg, folder.jpg, logo.png & clearart.png files many of which were individually created in PS.

 

In MB2 the collection folder.jpg displayed in the video wall and navigating down displayed the individual folders of the collection with its related meta data.

 

This was especially helpful for documentaries which are ideal for collections because their names are often not related to each other.

 

Those are just folders, not collections and Emby supports those as well.

[Deathsquirrel 741]

The folder structure for Collections that worked in MB2 was as follows:

 

Top Folder

\\Movies\Movie Collection Folder\

which contained the following files - folder.xml, Backdrop.jpg, folder.jpg, logo.png & clearart.png

 

Individual movies of the collection where placed in the following sub folders:

\\Movies\Movie Collection Folder\Movie 1 of collection\

.......

\\Movies\Movie Collection Folder\Movie N of collection\

 

Each of the individual movies of the collection had its own movie.xml, Backdrop.jpg, folder.jpg, logo.png & clearart.png files many of which were individually created in PS.

 

In MB2 the collection folder.jpg displayed in the video wall and navigating down displayed the individual folders of the collection with its related meta data.

 

This was especially helpful for documentaries which are ideal for collections because their names are often not related to each other.

 

I'm not involved in the design of the app so take this for what it's worth, but things have changed since MB2   As far as I'm aware the structure you describe was never supported for collections in MB3.

 

The folder-based structure for collections in MB3 looked like this:

 

\\Movies\HD\The Harry Potter Collection [boxset]\Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (<some year>)

\\Movies\HD\The Harry Potter Collection [boxset]\Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (<some other year>)

 

On scan those would be grouped into a collection and the collection metadata could be edited through the UI.  All that still works at a very basic level but I understand there are a number of functions that are associated with collections which will not work if you create them this way.

 

People can use the old method if they like.  It won't work perfectly but should group the movies as I understand it.  Or they can go through the process of updating their movie structure to remove the excess folders, let the auto box set plugin run, and then update art as needed to match their old collections.

 

I rebuilt around 110 collections when the last stable build came out.  Someting in the upgrade ate my existing collection metadata.  It took me less than an hour using the plugin, updating the internet metadata and images to match my preferences, and then creating about a dozen collections that don't exist on TMDB by hand.  It was work, but it wasn't hard.  That plugin is fantastic for creating a baseline set of collections.

Edited April 30, 2015 by Deathsquirrel

[MndWrp 99]

I never really got what was the gain in the new way of building collections... other than the fact that the ui is convenient. Is there a technical issue I'm not aware of or is it just the ease of it?

[One2Go 98]

On scan those would be grouped into a collection and the collection metadata could be edited through the UI.  All that still works at a very basic level but I understand there are a number of functions that are associated with collections which will not work if you create them this way.

 

People can use the old method if they like.  It won't work perfectly but should group the movies as I understand it.  Or they can go through the process of updating their movie structure to remove the excess folders, let the auto box set plugin run, and then update art as needed to match their old collections.

 

I rebuilt around 110 collections when the last stable build came out.  Someting in the upgrade ate my existing collection metadata.  It took me less than an hour using the plugin, updating the internet metadata and images to match my preferences, and then creating about a dozen collections that don't exist on TMDB by hand.  It was work, but it wasn't hard.  That plugin is fantastic for creating a baseline set of collections.

 You are not specifying what you gain by using your preferred method. What will not work perfectly, at present I have no problem navigating or displaying it in a home theater environment. My collection meta data is custom made and no scanning is required as much of it can't be found by any of the available scanners. It is not very clear what advantage there is to not using the folder structure. A Web UI for organizing or administring a collection is of no interest as the meta data has been created already. As a matter of fact I have turned off any meta data collection because of some of the unique content.

 

@@ebr

What properties are exposed to the themes from the collection.xml file? From the folder.xml file only a very limited number of <tags> are being used in MB2.

[Happy2Play 8292]

 You are not specifying what you gain by using your preferred method. What will not work perfectly, at present I have no problem navigating or displaying it in a home theater environment. My collection meta data is custom made and no scanning is required as much of it can't be found by any of the available scanners. It is not very clear what advantage there is to not using the folder structure. A Web UI for organizing or administring a collection is of no interest as the meta data has been created already. As a matter of fact I have turned off any meta data collection because of some of the unique content.

The only disadvantage is collections don't get grouped in movies view (movies.html).

[Deathsquirrel 741]

The only disadvantage is collections don't get grouped in movies view (movies.html).

 

And, so far as I know, it would likely get absolutely no testing moving forward as it's effectively an end of life function.  They aren't removing it but they aren't generally working on it.  Any functions added in the future around collections likely won't work with it.

 

What do you get doing things the supported way?  Support   If nothing else, it works.

[ebr 14917]

What properties are exposed to the themes from the collection.xml file? From the folder.xml file only a very limited number of are being used in MB2.

 

Collections have all the same potential attributes as an individual movie.