Emby Roku Client crashes when trying to load detail page of specific episodes

[marktaff 12]

This has been going on for weeks, I've just been putting off digging into this.

The client crashes on certain episodes of a specific series. I've attached the relevant bit of the log.  From the 'Next Up' row on the home screen, choosing the episode, the cursor becomes a spinning circle, then the client crashes.  Every time. Same if I get to it from 'TV Shows'--> 'Latest'-->'Next Up'-->[select episode]--> crashes.  In these cases, it isn't even trying to play the file, just show the episode-specific detail screen.  It does also crash if you try to play it from 'TV Shows'--> 'Latest'-->'Play'-->crash.

It happens for two specific episodes. I haven't noticed it on any other episodes or any other series, or any films.

The files play in VLC and the emby web client, and the detail pages also come up in the web client OK.

Thanks for your help!

emby.roku.crash.txt

Edited July 16, 2020 by marktaff
Clarify cursor behavior at crash

[ebr 14959]

Hi.  What is different about these episodes from others?  Something about them that ISN'T there maybe?

Look at one in the web app detail page and compare to one that doesn't have this problem.

Thanks.

[marktaff 12]

Nothing seems off to me in the video/audio details.  Everything is on the details page as expected, except for the two 'bad' episodes don't have a Director listed. Attached screenshots of the bad episodes a/v data and the good episodes that bracket them. 

[ebr 14959]

Hi.  Look at the actual metadata for each item...

[marktaff 12]

I'm not sure what you mean, but I'll try; clarify if needed.

I looked at the file metadata in VLC, it reports the same as the screenshots, more or less. I don't notice any differences between the good files and the bad.

I also looked at it in the web client via '...'-> 'Edit Metadata'.  Again, no differences. The files are properly identified with season, episode, title, synopsis, and externalIds. Episode artwork is there, as are all the chapter images and chapter info.  The only thing that seems off is the 'Director:' with the director's name missing.

[Carlo 4331]

In web app click the 3 dot menu and then select Edit Metadata.

or use this

https://support.emby.media/support/solutions/articles/44001848783-metadata-manager

Look over every field and make sure there isn't any garbage in the fields.

[Happy2Play 8356]

I tested exact steps on Emby Roku v4.0.7 app and can not reproduce.  But as everyone is suggesting, this Next up crash normally only happens with metadata issue.

If you Refreshed Metadata on said episodes does it make a difference?

[marktaff 12]

1 hour ago, Happy2Play said:

I tested exact steps on Emby Roku v4.0.7 app and can not reproduce.  But as everyone is suggesting, this Next up crash normally only happens with metadata issue.

If you Refreshed Metadata on said episodes does it make a difference?

Thanks.   Refreshing the metadata fixed it. There was no garbage in the metadata, though.  As I mentioned, the only odd thing was on the episode detail screen, the blank 'Director" label. And in the emby metadata screen, the 'Director' (People) text box was empty.  My guess is the empty/null value for Director/People was crashing it, or there were some non-printable characters in that field that were crashing it.

[ebr 14959]

3 hours ago, marktaff said:

The only thing that seems off is the 'Director:' with the director's name missing.

Exactly where was that?

[marktaff 12]

1 hour ago, ebr said:

Exactly where was that?

On the episode detail screen. Where it now says "Director: Tim Scanlan", it previously just said "Director:"  Edit to clarify: While I only posted one image, both the episodes at issue had the same problem with the 'Director:' being blank.

Edited July 16, 2020 by marktaff

[Happy2Play 8356]

To me that would suggest broken metadata as Director is present or it is not, there should not be a blank.

[speechles 1929]

The application should not crash in the absence of metadata. It should just be empty. We have identified the likely cause of the issue. It was related to the director being empty/null. Thank you for bringing this to our attention.

[marktaff 12]

1 hour ago, speechles said:

The application should not crash in the absence of metadata. It should just be empty. We have identified the likely cause of the issue. It was related to the director being empty/null. Thank you for bringing this to our attention.

Woot! Woot!

Nicely done, folks.

[ebr 14959]

Was any "Cast" showing for those items?

[marktaff 12]

53 minutes ago, ebr said:

Was any "Cast" showing for those items?

No, there was no Cast & Crew section before for those episodes.  Now there is, after the metadata update, with just the director.