Move subtitle files from metadata to media folder

[marriedman 85]

It appears as though I still have some permission issues on my server. When auto downloading subtitles, emby cannot write to the media folder and it is saving the subtitles in the metadata folder. I looked, but I cannot find an option nor plugin to move these back to the media folder.

Am I missing an obvious option or does this not exist?

[GrimReaper 4740]

1 minute ago, marriedman said:

or does this not exist

It doesn't. Same goes for artwork, can't "extract"/move either of those from server's metadata folder to media folders. 

[marriedman 85]

Hmm, that's strange. I would have thought since there has to be an entry telling emby what each piece of artwork and/or subtitle goes with a media file, it would be a somewhat trivial bit of script for the developers to include. 

Is there a way to delete the saved subtitles in the metadata folder so that emby will re-download and place them in the correct location?

[GrimReaper 4740]

1 minute ago, marriedman said:

Is there a way to delete the saved subtitles in the metadata folder so that emby will re-download and place them in the correct location?

Not that I know of, save doing it on OS level (search "*.srt" for example>Select all>Delete), run Scan metadata folder scheduled task. 

[marriedman 85]

I thought it would be in the " /var/lib/emby/ " path, but there aren't any SRT files there. Does emby store them as an obfuscated file?

[GrimReaper 4740]

They'll be in your server programdata\metadata\library folder; whatever your platform is, Dashboard>three-dot menu next to server name>"Shov server info" will show you Programdata and Metadata folders location/paths. 

Edited June 23, 2025 by GrimReaper

[Neminem 1518]

Are you sure they are downloaded subs, and not embedded subs ?

[marriedman 85]

15 minutes ago, GrimReaper said:

"Shov server info" will show you Programdata and Metadata folders location/paths. 

yep, that is where I got the paths. I went ahead and did a search for any SRT file outside of my library and came back with bupkis. Obviously it has to be somewhere, but maybe the file extension is obscured. 

7 minutes ago, Neminem said:

Are you sure they are downloaded subs, and not embedded subs ?

yep, that's kinda how I discovered they weren't in the media folder. I opened up a file on SMplayer and there were no subs in the show I was watching. However I know I had subs when I was in the living room. That led me on this head scratching adventure.

[Neminem 1518]

Are there any *.srt files in you library ?

You want to verify where they are, if not found in programdata\metadata\library folder

If they are not shown with SMplayer.

Never used that player.

I would use a file browser to look.

Edited June 23, 2025 by Neminem

[marriedman 85]

oh I have thousands of SRT and SSA files in my library. I generally manage my media on my personal computer - artwork, NFO files, and subs - then move them over to my library. On the occasion that I do not have subs for an entire TV show, I will go ahead and move them to my library and let OpenSubtitles do it's thing.  

[Neminem 1518]

Guess we will have to look at a specific example.

[GrimReaper 4740]

59 minutes ago, marriedman said:

I went ahead and did a search for any SRT file outside of my library and came back with bupkis. Obviously it has to be somewhere, but maybe the file extension is obscured. 

It's not; for any external subtitle, item Edit Subtitles dialog will show full path for particular subs, wherever they're saved, either with media or in server's metadata folder, you can check it for whatever item you tried to play there with SMplayer.

[marriedman 85]

3 minutes ago, GrimReaper said:

for any external subtitle, item Edit Subtitles dialog will show full path for particular subs

That solved it. And it's not too bad of a situation, only 419 subtitle files. That obviously means I had a permission issue for a while, but it's not so many that I won't be able to manually move them to where they belong. I still think this should be something as simple as telling emby to move all subs to the media folder. 

In keeping with the permission idiom, reason I couldn't find them earlier is that they are in a root owned directory, therefore you have to have rights to even look in there. Duh.

As always Grim, you are a big help and I appreciate it.