How do I import old XML collections

[DUG 3]

Hi,

I been using Emby before the dawn of time,  for better compatibility with EMBY and simplicity I recently decided to rebuild my little JBOD server from 2k12r to the latest release WIN10 PRO.

I have a few collections that I maintain myself, because lets face it, the ones online are just a mess, but also because I have my own personal collections of my own personal content.

These have all been working fine, even with the most recent versions of EMBY, I did need to do some tweaking / backups and re-coping into the collections folder.

but now, after the rebuild, I'm lost!
my old collections are simply not being read, even when placed into the new collections folder, all the new collections created by the auto group feature in the library settings are using NFO files and they seem to contain no entries, even after adding items into said collections. so im guessing that the information is being stored in the DB as opposed to a file. 

  I am a Premium member and used backup to restore the system onto the new build. after doing this, I had two collection folders, one with my personalised background (which was empty) and the new one created during the scan (I have disabled this option now) 

when I add a movie into a collection, it ignores my old collection library folder and does not list the collection names i created previously.  

the added item appears into the new collections fine, and if i create a new collection it appears in the new collections library and local folder OK, but there is no new information in the NFO file, and obviously no XML file.

the media is stored in the same locations, I have done multiple scans and metadata refreshes  

 

So, what is the procedure to migrate the old XML collections into the new?

        Out of interest, I would like to understand why these worked on the old server build with the same EMBY version, and if they existed in the old DB, why is that not migrated over with the backup?

 

 

[Carlo 4561]

Hi, The way collections work was changed in 4.6.4.
What version of the Server did you have on the old system?

Also what version do you have on the new system?

Do you still have the old system running?

Once we know the answers to those questions it will be easier to help you.

Edited November 17, 2021 by cayars

[DUG 3]

Hi,

Thanks for the response.

The new build has 4.6.4.0

I cant recall what version the old build had, but I know it said it was up to date and that was only last week.

no I don't have it anymore. I do however have the automated server backups, surely there is a reference to version in there somewhere?

Versions aside, there must be a way of migrating the old xml collections into the new database, how was it done for everyone when you first changed it?

As mentioned I did have to do some tweaking in a previous version, but it still read the xml right up to last week, either that or the component of the database that records collections is not being migrated  / imported but the server backup plugin. 

 

[Carlo 4561]

The way this works now is that xml is no longer used at all for this.  Collections are built only from the GUI or from meta-data providers.
If you select to read the NFO files in then that's considered a meta-data provider as well.

Anyone doing a normal upgrade would have had that info in the database and would not hit the snag you did.
It's possible to fix this but I don't know if the fix is worth it.

How many collection are we talking about? If it's 50 or less you are likely better off creating them by hand.

If it's in the hundreds maybe this is better.
Basically what you would need to do is install the older version of Emby back on the system. Make sure to turn on NFO writing to media folder.
Scan back in your libraries with the same exact paths they had which will match the XML collections.

Now each and every NFO file should have the collection info in it.  At this point you can just upgrade the version of the the Emby Server since it's already installed or remove it and start fresh again.  But this time the collections will import from the NFO files.

 

[pünktchen 1409]

On 11/17/2021 at 4:11 AM, DUG said:

Versions aside, there must be a way of migrating the old xml collections into the new database

You can use my plugin for this: 

 

[shadetree 6]

Hi DUG,  Did you figure out a way to deal with the xml files?

I lost all 35 Movie Collections including newly created ones going from emby 4.6.6 to 4.6.7.

Strangly they are existing in Movie view with Collections included.

Thanks

[Luke 42086]

8 minutes ago, shadetree said:

Hi DUG,  Did you figure out a way to deal with the xml files?

I lost all 35 Movie Collections including newly created ones going from emby 4.6.6 to 4.6.7.

Strangly they are existing in Movie view with Collections included.

Thanks

Hi, try running a library scan as well as creating one new collection manually in the web interface and see if that helps. Thanks.

[shadetree 6]

I deleted "The Amazing Spider-Man Collection" rescaned and created a new "The Amazing Spider-Man Collection" from the two single movies in the Movies library.  Rescaned and the single movies were gone from the Movies library as expected, now in the newly created collection showing under the Movies collection, but still not showing up under the "Collections" library as before the update.

I attached the curent view of each library after performing the above.

Thanks 

Edited November 24, 2021 by shadetree

[Happy2Play 9785]

@shadetreeAnd what filter do you have applied that is hiding items?  As if it shows in Library it will show in Collections.

Edited November 24, 2021 by Happy2Play

[shadetree 6]

Thanks for the hint Happy2Play, I feel dum messing with thius for two days..lol.

The filter was always set on G previsoly, now showing the 9 listed after update.  Changing to PG shows 31 of the 35 I have, so guessing need to cange the ratings on the missing collections to PG to populate completely.

Thanks Again