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Date Added gets destroyed by server upgrade.


aziz

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Sorry guys... I posted this under Emby Classic mistakenly... it is a server issue... opps


 


Hello..


 


I have recently upgrade to the latest server against my better judgement.  The upgrade went fine without major drama... however, it created a miss afterwards, and I believe it can be avoided with better planning.


 


So, i have my movies sorted by Date Added using Created Date.  this worked fine for many years.


 


After the last upgrade... all my movies carry the date i upgraded (20 of Feb) as the date that all my over 7000 movies added... (basically, leaves date added completely useless).


 


I remember i had similar issue years ago, and the server changes the behavior of Date Added from Date Created, into Something else the guy who writes the code chooses.


 


So, I went to the library setting, and changed that behavior. (if you are upgrading, keep that in mind.. i don't know how to flip this before you start the server??)


 


Nothing changed yet on the metadata of all the movies even after a scan... 


 


Question... Can I fix this, or do I have to re-install my Disk Image from last month???


 


p.s.  This would not be an issue if the upgrade process looked up the Date Added preference on the old setup, and maintained it instead of changing it... otherwise, let us not call it an upgrade, and call it a fresh install...


 


 

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Hi Luke,

 

Thanks for quick response...   I really don't remember, but I know it stopped supporting android client as of last month...   can i find out from my backups??

 

 

I just looked up the System.old subfolder, and the old server was installed on 14 August 2018... does this date help to understand the version of previous server ??

Edited by aziz
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So you were probably on 3.4 or 3.5.

 

In all honesty I'm guessing you were resisting updating because you felt like everything was working fine, but you would have had a better upgrade experience by updating along the way rather than taking this big jump.

 

Over time things change, and we have to create update procedures to handle upgrading from older server versions. But the older you're upgrading from, the more complicated it will be, and also the less time we will have spent testing it.

 

For example, most of my upgrade testing to 4.3 was based on updating from 4.0, 4.1, 4.2. I really only did a few quick tests coming from 3.5 because most users by now have already updated to 4.0.

 

Do you have local metadata files such as nfo or xml?

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Hi Luke, and thanks for coming back to me quickly... it is been 10 days and Emby is down.. my users are giving me hell  :) (mainly the wife)

 

I really did not mean to rain on your parade, and you guys are doing the best job you can with the resources you have, and Emby is great product and I supported it from day one, and will continue to support it.. But to be honest with you, I avoid upgrading Emby because every upgrade I did with Emby was painful.  It always breaks something.  out of all my Emby upgrades, i may be had 10% pain free.  and i agree, if i upgrade more often, there will be less painful upgrades, but it will still be painful, and as normal human... i avoid pain.  I have the same mentality when it comes to Microsoft.  That said, I am always upgrading my Android products, as I have not had one painful upgrade yet.  I even stopped backing up before upgrade since they are so reliable.  So, bottom line is... your users are not keeping to your upgrade because it is painful.. remove the pain, and they will upgrade on time.  sermon over.  -_-

 

So, I am not sure if I am using NFO or XML.. but most likely XML, as I understand that one better.

 

So... is there a way to fix all of this... for example, delete the old index and make the server build it again, WITHOUT losing all my watched states??

 

I have tried rebuilding the Metadata, and that does not fix the problem.  I also checked the sub-folders and file creation dates, and they are all correct.

 

How do I fix this.. and if it is not fixable, then I will restore my back up.. I really don't need the android support.. I mainly use the WMC...   Also... as a forward move.. will KODI be a natural move forward for me from my microsoft WMC??

 

Luke.. Thanks for all the effort you are putting in, and I understand it is a tough job you are doing with the limited resources that you have..  Once again, thanks buddy.

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If you have xml files then you might be able to do bulk edits and then run a library scan. @@Happy2Play may have some tips on that.

 

You could also restore your backup and then do the sequence of updates, starting with 4.0.3, then 4.1.0, then 4.2.1, 4.3.1. Or even just 4.0.3 to 4.3.1 would probably be fine, but going all the way from 3.4/3.5 to 4.3, there may be some issues.

 

Regarding the way forward after that, I would also suggest checking out our Emby Theater app:

https://emby.media/emby-theater.html

It is designed to completely replace WMC.

 

I'm going to pull in @@cayars. He can jump on a TeamViewer session with you and help get you updated.

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Big Thanks Luke,

 

OK.. This will show how long i have been far from IT things...

 

I don't know if my Emby server uses XML or NFO.. worst still, I don't know how to find out....

 

I even tried to look into the meta data path, and possibly delete all the XML or NFO files on the hope that the server will regenerate with the new option.. but could not find any... Were are these files located??

 

an option would be to kill this server and reinstall from fresh.  But I am not sure if the Server Configuration Backup from the previous server will bring all the users and the Watched State for all the movies??  any idea's

 

Since restoring disk image usually takes few days.. I don't mind experimenting with this just in case it works.. it also teaches me few things.. any help is appreciated.. thanks guys 

 

p..s  so after google search.. I now know nfo are stored in the database, and that would explain why i will not find them.  I assume xml will also be stored in the database..

 

How do I find out if i am xml or nfo??

 

Once i get this sorted out.. I will install Emby theatre on my laptop and see if it will work for me and my boss (the wife)

Edited by aziz
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IMPORTANT...

 

For any user who might be upgrading from server ver 3 to ver 4... beware as not all settings are kept..  (you guys should have a sticky with this message for others to be aware of... )

 

For example, I just discovered that my Server Configuration Backup plugin has changed frequency of backup from Weekly trigger to Daily Trigger, and therefore just wiped out ten weeks worth of backup  (it has been 10 days since my server upgrade..).  I have just disabled it...

 

I guess.. this basically confirms what Luke suggest above... Don't upgrade from 3 directly to 4.. you must go through all the different servers that came before the current version..  I am learning this the hard way :wacko:

 

Luke... were can I find all the different versions of servers that came before the current to download them and install them?  thanks

Edited by aziz
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Hello Luke,

 

I have just noticed the server has just done an NFO update.. two days ago, it did something else update and asked me for restart... The funny thing is, I have automatic update disabled... is it suppose to do this, or will the new version update regardless of what the user will chose?

 

thanks.

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You can disable server updates but not plugin updates. It doesn't make sense to disable plugin updates as the vast majority of them are compatibility updates for new server versions.

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OK.. That makes sense... so my auto server update is still honored.... thanks for that...

 

 

Can you please help with answer the other questions...  they are below in short format... 

 

Q1: an option would be to kill this server and reinstall from fresh.  But I am not sure if the Server Configuration Backup from the previous server will bring all the users and the Watched State for all the movies??  any idea's?

 

Q2:  were can I find all the different versions of servers that came before the current to download them and install them?  

 

thanks buddy

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Happy2Play

How do I find out if i am xml or nfo??

 

This question only applies to where you save your metadata per library "Metadata Saver" option.  So with media or database only no files.

 

The issue with database only is situations like this where your library is basically being rebuilt.  All database only information could/would be lost depending on what the new release needs to do.

 

 

Q1: an option would be to kill this server and reinstall from fresh.  But I am not sure if the Server Configuration Backup from the previous server will bring all the users and the Watched State for all the movies??  any idea's?

Well since you are upgrading from such a OLD version ie before required Local users, you will lose your Connect only accounts.  All Local users and users data can be restore via the plugin.

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I've reached out with a PM to arrange one on one help if needed.

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IMPORTANT:

 

OK.. So, i have decided to go back to my backups an forget upgrading...  but here information that everyone should be aware of.

 

Sort by Date Added does NOT mean the date created on the movie file..  instead, it is using the date created on the movie folder.

 

This is wrong for the following reasons.

 

Every time you restore, windows will create new folders with the date of the restore as created date... however, the files will keep the original date that they created.

 

SO, if you restore, or cut and paste your files or anything like that, your Sort by Added date becomes useless list.

 

I think you guys should consider this and fix it, as in it's current format.. sort by date added is broken.

 

I will keep experimenting and put anything unexpected and interesting here..

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Hi @@cayars,

 

Thanks for reaching out, and I appreciate it.

 

I have been experimenting with the current server and client before i go back to my backup.  and it appears the problem is unfixable.   I will give you few examples:

 

1- The Beta client of Emby Classic is broken.. it has limitation on how many movies you have.  I have over 7000, and that just kills it and also kills the server.  So, this is no go if i want to use the new server.   How i found out is.. I deleted the over 7000 movies, and only kept 20 movies and that seems to work, without changing anything on the client side.    before i did this, I even created a new user to see if that is a problem as Chief suggested.. but it changed nothing.   Keep in mind, using the None-Beta client of Emby Classic worked fine with the same number of over 7000 movies... the issue here is the beta.. I guess that's why they call them beta... because they are not fully baked.

 

2- The sort by Date Added function is broken.  it uses the folder created date and not file created date.. therefore, if you restore or move your files around... you folder created date will always be todays date, and not the actual date you created the file, as that stays put even after move or restore or copy and paste whole folders.

 

So... it appears, if you are using Windows Media Center (WMC), which I am, there is no place for me on the new server or any other platform apart from WMC.  I use WMC as a main entertainment for movies, games, youtube, so moving into something else is not an option for now.

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Sort by Date Added does NOT mean the date created on the movie file..  instead, it is using the date created on the movie folder.

No, it is date created on the. But you said you have xml files earlier, so those probably contain a date added value which will trump everything.

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Hi Luke,

 

OK.. I finally got to the bottom of things.. I have put my findings after testing on the Emby client forum side..

 

and i also discovered few things...

 

1- I don't have XML files.  (in fact no files at all, not even .nfo  everything is in the database.

 

2- I deleted the database and started a new server with the date created selected, and it used the folder date created and not the actual movie file date created.  That's confirmed 100%

 

3- server 4.3.1.0 springs a memory leak when used with Emby Classic beta version.  Server 3.5.3.0 DOES NOT spring a memory leak when used in the same fashion.

 

it appears, server 4.3.1.0 and Emby Classic beta or otherwise had very little testing (most likely because no user offered any help in testing.)

 

Oh... Also, I can't test Emby Theatre, as it tells me server 3.5.3.0 is not supported... so, i don't even know if it will do what i need it to or not....

Edited by aziz
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Oh... Also, I can't test Emby Theatre, as it tells me server 3.5.3.0 is not supported... so, i don't even know if it will do what i need it to or not....

 

Hi.  I thought you upgraded to 4.3.1...

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#1 & #2 are settings that you would set if you want Emby to use those files.

 

@@Luke

I can confirm #3 is not working correctly.  The advanced option "Date added behavior for new content:" doesn't seem to be working in 4.4.0.19 build.  I have it set to use file creation date.  Tried it with a file dated 1/19/20 with a folder creation date of 3/1/20 and modification date of 3/2/20 but when Emby scanned and added the new file still used today's date of 3/3/20.

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Happy2Play

@@Happy2Play can you reproduce?

No, I changed the file date attributes and added to library and that file date was used.  Tested in 4.3.1.0 and 4.4.0.19

4.4

5e5ea549d3e05_Untitled.jpg

 

4.3

5e5ea70f7e416_date.jpg

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What date value is that in windows explorer? How do you know it's created vs modified? you can right click the column headers to customize the columns to show.

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Happy2Play

What date value is that in windows explorer? How do you know it's created vs modified? you can right click the column headers to customize the columns to show.

file date created  They are the same as I set the attribute.

 

5e5eb880c6b77_filefolder.jpg

Edited by Happy2Play
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OK just making sure. We do see this a fair amount where users think we're getting the wrong date, but then when we dig deeper we find out they're comparing to date modified in windows, not date created. @@cayars.

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