How to backup collections?

[sergium 0]

I use Emby Server on Synology NAS. I accidentally moved the movies folder to another folder. When I noticed this and returned the folder to its original place, I found that my collections were gone. To prevent this from happening in the future, I would like to know where the collection metadata files are stored in order to be able to back them up. I found folder "/var/packages/EmbyServer/target/var/metadata", but there is no folder "metadata"

[Luke 42085]

Hi there, do you keep nfo files with your movies?

[MBSki 1114]

31 minutes ago, Luke said:

Hi there, do you keep nfo files with your movies?

How would nfo's help? If nfo's are a potential solution it would be interesting to learn how that would work.

[FrostByte 5392]

All my system and manually generated collections are in this folder

/volume1/@appdata/EmbyServer/metadata/collections

 

[GrimReaper 4762]

17 minutes ago, mbarylski said:

How would nfo's help? If nfo's are a potential solution it would be interesting to learn how that would work.

All Collections info is saved in <set> node of any media item (that comprises a Collection) NFO; an item can be a part of single or multiple Collections - hence it's NFO can have single or multiple <set> nodes; Collection metadata (artwork, collection.nfo) are stored in install-dir\programdata\metadata\collections (on Win, @FrostByte just posted Synology location); upon scanning/importing media items (and with NFO reader library settings enabled), all those items will be 'tied' to a Collection (you can let those Collections being made blank and then just overwrite with backup, as long they have same names they should be populated). When I build a beta server, I do it competely offline and in such manner, NFOs+folder backup only. 

Edited November 18, 2021 by GrimReaper
Typo

[MBSki 1114]

@GrimReaper How do you get it to generate nfo's if the collections have already been created? I just tested adding nfo's to my folders and it didn't work unless I created a new collection.

[GrimReaper 4762]

1 minute ago, mbarylski said:

How do you get it to generate nfo's if the collections have already been created?

Enable NFO Metadata saver in Library settings; For new items NFOs will be created automatically, for existing items Refresh Metadata (or Edit Metadata>Save) is required. 

[MBSki 1114]

7 minutes ago, GrimReaper said:

 for existing items Refresh Metadata (or Edit Metadata>Save) is required. 

Refresh metadata and every individual movie or tv show? I tried refresh on the library and it didn't work.

[GrimReaper 4762]

5 minutes ago, mbarylski said:

Refresh metadata and every individual movie or tv show? I tried refresh on the library and it didn't work.

I would assume Refresh on Library level should do it as well - don't know if Search for missing will trigger writing (as if there's nothing new/updated, nothing is changed), though, but Replace all should cause it. 

Edit: Test it on a single item: Refresh>Search for missing, check if NFO written, Refresh>Replace all, check NFO. 

Edited November 18, 2021 by GrimReaper
Afterthought

[Luke 42085]

8 minutes ago, mbarylski said:

Refresh metadata and every individual movie or tv show? I tried refresh on the library and it didn't work.

It works just fine, but since you can't easily monitor the progress of it yet, that can sometimes lead you into thinking that it's not.

[MBSki 1114]

16 minutes ago, Luke said:

It works just fine, but since you can't easily monitor the progress of it yet, that can sometimes lead you into thinking that it's not.

Ok, I'll check it later. I only had 4 movies though. Don't know why it would take so long for just 4 movies.

[MBSki 1114]

@Luke Ok, I tried again with a tv shows library and it worked. 

Quick thought, if collections are included in the nfo which assists in getting them added back to the collections if the files are moved, could a similar entry in the nfo be added for playlists?

[GrimReaper 4762]

10 minutes ago, mbarylski said:

@Luke Ok, I tried again with a tv shows library and it worked. 

Quick thought, if collections are included in the nfo which assists in getting them added back to the collections if the files are moved, could a similar entry in the nfo be added for playlists?

Had a similar thought just last week, do read replies: