Delete files, without removing episodes?

[Guest AllRoCol]

Hi,

I turned on missing episodes because of the lack of ability to use NextUp without it (If you delete after finishing). Now I have a new problem, though. When I am done watching and I delete, it removes the episode from the library until the next scan, then puts it back watched after the scan.

Is there a way to delete the files, from within the system, but still have it keep the episode?

Thank you.

[Carlo 4329]

Hi, Not the way it's currently setup as the missing episodes get loaded I believe only during a scan operation.

You could ask for this as a feature request.

[Guest AllRoCol]

Thanks. I wasn't sure if I was missing something. To be honest, it felt more like a bug or a glitch in the matrix. The logic just fails. Missing episodes are on, so it should never be missing episodes. It knows this, but allows the delete to happen, then replaces it immediately the next time it scans. It feels like one of those sci-fi/horror offerings where people are getting replaced and they return different not very long after with noticeable differences. It should just be a switch being flipped over to missing status.

The sad thing is that I turned on missing episodes only because Next Up is such a mess and I wanted to actually use it (I had it off and I delete episodes when I am done, so the feature didn't work at all) and then the feature suddenly becomes inconsistent because it deletes the episode fully when I delete one after I finish watching. I think I might be in a Twilight Zone episode.

[Luke 36992]

I would just turn off the missing episode feature. It's really a power user feature.

[Guest AllRoCol]

Just now, Luke said:

I would just turn off the missing episode feature. It's really a power user feature.

I wish I could, but I want to have Next Up show up and that has been coded to only work if either you keep files (Which I don't do) or if you have show missing episodes turned on.

If Next Up worked to just keep track of a show you watched and present the next episode in order, regardless of whether you deleted it or not, then I wouldn't need missing episodes. It doesn't, so I have to turn on missing episodes, which then causes this problem and the Trakt plugin problem that I posted about, at least for me.

I am a spread-fire watcher, that likes to be able to keep track of it somewhat. So I turn on missing episodes and I can see Next Up, but I can't get Trakt to sync it and it breaks temporarily here and there when I delete files. The alternative is I turn it off and Next Up stops working.

I'm trying to manage what is closing in on 3000 separate shows. I don't know what defines a power user to you, but your suggestion means giving up another feature completely.

The delete files with missing files feature activated doesn't work logically. I'm not saying it doesn't work as intended, I'm just saying it doesn't work logically. The fact that it keeps getting put back in pretty much proves my point. Delete the file, but leave the episode listing and everything that goes with it outside of thumbnails that were extracted, makes more sense. No reason to tax servers on both ends just to replace deleted information, that it always wants to be there.

For me, Next Up working for everyone would solve all my problems. That still wouldn't deal with the logic of what happens when you delete a file, but at that point it would be no longer an issue for me and it would stop my Trakt problem as well.

[Luke 36992]

Well it does currently work just fine based on it's current specifications. There is an open feature request to allow it to work with deleted content which could be a future improvement.

[Guest AllRoCol]

13 minutes ago, Luke said:

Well it does currently work just fine based on it's current specifications. There is an open feature request to allow it to work with deleted content which could be a future improvement.

To be clear, it works fine only if you take a certain approach. I have noticed that most of the higher-ups around here have the exact same approach. I have read enough posts to see that. The problem is you end up with people that take lets say alternative approaches. I don't keep my collection because I don't share it or feel like having it take up more space (Buying 14 TB harddrives gets old). There are without a doubt many like me that delete after viewing.

It works fine for you, but doesn't work fine for me or anyone else like me. Same with the deletion problem. There is no problem if you never delete, which you implied when you said just remove missing episodes. Turn my head on the problem and then I can't see it any more.

I don't think your style or my style are better than each other. Some that collect non-stop and never delete have mental health issues and some do it for family or friends. Those like me tend to like to keep moving. Both of our styles are popular, but you tend to only code Emby to your style. I see this in many other things throughout the server and the client apps. Locked into one style.

I've been in this particular game, watching things on a computer/media player and tracking them for 18 years and tens of thousands of items watched during that time. I am well aware of both styles and have tested the waters on utilizing both approaches myself. I chose the one that fit me and my situation better.

Maybe someday you will consider both (Or more for certain features that have additional types of users) sides as the future for Emby or certain features within it. All I can do is hope, but I have read so many posts on here that I really think that you will just respond with something about getting to stuff in the future or something about not having the time. I just want to hope that someday you will see additional sides to things. That is all I hope for. I expect nothing whatsoever to change, both with Emby and with my approach. You can try to take away hope, but you will fail.

Edited October 26, 2020 by AllRoCol

[Luke 36992]

Those are valid points. Thanks for the feedback.