Force folder types in mixed content libraries?

[Protected 86]

I tried installing Emby server for the first time, and it made some very strange decisions about the folders inside my library. For example, a folder named Movies, which contains only subfolders, is being correctly treated as a folder. But a folder named Cartoons was apparently assumed to be a show titled "Looney Tunes Cartoons" and all the subfolder names except for one were replaced with Season (number). All the preview pictures show Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, etc. The thing is, there isn't a single Looney Tunes show episode or movie anywhere in that directory tree. It's not even a very big directory tree.

I tried discarding all the metadata, remaking the library and using no metadata sources except for "Episodes". Once I did that, the incorrect thumbnails were gone (correct ones are now displayed), but the Cartoons folder is still being treated as a show and the subfolders are still being treated as seasons. How can I manually tell Emby to stop doing that and just treat Cartoons (or any other folder I choose) as a generic folder?

As an aside, after recreating the library, it didn't show up in my user view until I changed my account's permission to view every library into a permission to view that specific library.

[Happy2Play 9780]

There is no magic setting anymore and is dependent on server detection.  It is possible but the hard part is figuring out what is breaking the detection system.

But will have to go over specific folder structure and naming scheme.

As for permissions it is hard to say but if you already have access restrictions applied and create new library you have to add the access per user.

[Protected 86]

Thanks for the offer to help! The permission error isn't important, more of a FYI since I got it to work. There were no access restrictions on the user (that I could see) at the time the library wasn't visible - the checkbox to allow all libraries was ticked.

It seems like a huge oversight that I can't turn a media item into a folder on the metadata. Why deny the user that control? It would be easier than forcing people to come here and especially to have to conform to whatever specific structure and naming scheme. This server has multiple users, and I can't possibly force the others to conform to anything - the point of installing Emby is to make people's lives easier, not harder.

This folder (it's not the only folder with this issue) is simply named `Cartoons`. It contains only eight subfolders. Some of those subfolders have numbers in their names. I see three of those subfolders have  `S02` in their names. All of the subfolders contain video files. A single one of them contains a sub-subfolder with more video files. That innermost folder isn't listed as a "season" or accessible at all - Emby ignores it.

The contents of a subfolder with no numbers in its name are being listed twice, once under the name of the subfolder (but still in the list of seasons), and again under Season 1, mixed together with the contents of the only subfolder with "Season 1" in its name.

There are only six seasons listed in total, including the duplicate. The Season 2 entry on Emby contains most of the files from one of the S02 folders, a couple from another, and nothing at all from the third.

[Protected 86]

Some of the breakage seems consistently the result of how, because Emby incorrectly deemed "Cartoons" to be one single show/media item, it won't list files marked with the same season and episode number twice (except for that one that's duplicated). So episodes from one show are preventing others from being listed. Still doesn't tell me why it's doing this in the first place, though!

[Happy2Play 9780]

8 minutes ago, Protected said:

It seems like a huge oversight that I can't turn a media item into a folder on the metadata. Why deny the user that control? It would be easier than forcing people to come here and especially to have to conform to whatever specific structure and naming scheme.

Use to have it (years ago) and to many users would break their systems with it and blame Emby so now we are dependent of its detection so really any deviation from the KB can break detection especially for Mixed constent.  If it were me it wouldn't exist.

It is content within a folder that will deem it a series and nothing to do with the folder name. 

As my example has the Looney Tune (E:\Media\TV Shows\Cartoons\Looney Tunes) and Cartoons is just a folder.

 

Edited July 26, 2024 by Happy2Play

[Happy2Play 9780]

4 minutes ago, Protected said:

Still doesn't tell me why it's doing this in the first place, though!

Would have to break down structure and naming scheme of the library as all we can do is guess.

[Protected 86]

If you don't think there's any chance control will be returned to the user in this instance, I should probably give up on Emby and keep looking rather than wasting your time. I'm here *specifically* because it was conveyed to me that Emby allowed users more control over the directory structure than its alternatives.

[Happy2Play 9780]

Just now, Protected said:

If you don't think there's any chance control will be returned to the user in this instance, I should probably give up on Emby and keep looking rather than wasting your time. I'm here *specifically* because it was conveyed to me that Emby allowed users more control over the directory structure than its alternatives.

Well I know no software the works with everyone's structure/naming.  Without information and logs all anyone can do is guess.  I can say it is possible but will require specific naming usually Name (year) folder for every movie/series and usually season folders but not always required along with specific naming schemes for episodes.

https://emby.media/support/articles/Movie-Naming.html

https://emby.media/support/articles/TV-Naming.html

 

[Luke 42077]

Hi there, how are your files named and organized?

[Protected 86]

Hi Luke, that's the problem. The files are not consistently named or organized. By forcing server auto-detection for everything in this way, you're constraining users to the "permanent NAS library" use case. That is not my use case. These files are temporary. I don't want to commit to having to spend my time futzing around with file and folder names (pointlessly because they will be deleted later) for the next few years. I want something that lets me reach every file and folder inside the library and play any song or video in there.

Currently it seems Emby just can't do that, as per my previous posts - some files and folders are skipped or made difficult to access due to Emby making incorrect assumptions. It's unfortunate, because Emby is otherwise (excluding this and the "Size" field limitation) perfect for my needs.

If it was open source, I'd fix this for myself in less than a day. Since it isn't, it makes more sense for me to invest a finite amount of my time fixing a different software so it works the way I need, and then reap the net gain in free time by never having to spend time messing around with filenames. But if you're planning to make my use case viable in the near future, please let me know here, since I'm well impressed with Emby and would rather use it.

Edited July 26, 2024 by Protected

[Luke 42077]

Quote

That is not my use case. These files are temporary.

What about the home videos content type? 

For TV libraries, I think Emby is very flexible but some minimum structure will be required.

[Protected 86]

The home videos content type is certainly closer to what I'm looking for. It's unfortunate to forcefully lose many of the metadata-related features for movies and shows, but at least it shows everything, and videos can be manually correlated (still takes time!) using collections.