No descriptions for TV Shows I have as mkv files

[Dilbert 2]

I have some TV shows recorded as MKV files that I am trying to use in Emby.  In the file properties, the Comments field has the description of the show:

 

In Emby I have created a new library for TV Shows that scans these files, but then only shows the file names and does not read the Comment and put it into the Overview field:

 

Am I doing something wrong, or can Emby read the Comment field in the file and make it the description you see in the Overview?  I also have MediaMonkey installed on this computer, and it can also read the Comment field in the mkv file.

Edited September 19, 2025 by Dilbert
Fixed grammar.

[Luke 42077]

Hi, we don't use the comment field for that, not for videos at least.

The server is checking the synopsis, description and desc fields though.

[Dilbert 2]

Thanks for the information, since it is in the file properties I guess I can do them manually if I really need them updated.

[Luke 42077]

Hi, please keep us posted and let us know how things go. Thanks.

[DarkStar1977 119]

@Dilbertaccording to ChatGPT you can automate copyying the content in comments into description field in windows by doing the following:

You can use PowerShell on Windows to loop through all your MKV files and copy the value of comment into the description field.

Here’s a complete script:

# Save this as Copy-Comment-To-Description.ps1
# Run it from the folder where your MKVs are located

Get-ChildItem *.mkv | ForEach-Object {
    $file = $_.FullName

    # Extract metadata
    $meta = & mkvpropedit $file --edit info --list

    # Look for the "comment" field
    $commentLine = $meta | Select-String -Pattern "comment="
    if ($commentLine) {
        $comment = $commentLine.ToString().Split("=")[1].Trim()

        if ($comment) {
            Write-Host "Processing: $file"
            Write-Host "   Copying Comment -> Description: $comment"

            # Write into the description field
            & mkvpropedit $file --edit info --set "description=$comment"
        }
    }
}
 

• Make sure you have MKVToolNix installed and that mkvpropedit.exe is in your PATH (or update the script with the full path to the executable).

• Save the script as Copy-Comment-To-Description.ps1.

• Open PowerShell in the folder with your MKVs.

• Run:

  .\Copy-Comment-To-Description.ps1

• The script will process all .mkv files in the folder, copying the content of comment into description

 

Hope this helps

---

[Dilbert 2]

Thanks for the script, however I have not been able to get it to work.  I have mkvtoolnix installed and I have a folder with eight mkv files I am trying to test the Powershell script with.  The script does not display any errors or messages so I don't think it is going into the script where it has:
Write-Host "Processing: $file"

I started tinkering with mkpropedit.exe from a command prompt with only one file (test.mkv).  I found that this command works:
"C:\Program Files\MKVToolNix\mkvpropedit" test.mkv --edit info --set title="test"

But changing the field from Title to Description does not work:
"C:\Program Files\MKVToolNix\mkvpropedit" test.mkv --edit info --set description="test"
Error: The name 'description' is not a valid property name for the current edit specification in '--set description=test'.

I also tried with the comment field:
"C:\Program Files\MKVToolNix\mkvpropedit" test.mkv --edit info --set comment="test"
Error: The name 'comment' is not a valid property name for the current edit specification in '--set comment=test'.

E:\Season 15>"C:\Program Files\MKVToolNix\mkvpropedit" test.mkv --edit info --set Comments="test"
Error: The name 'Comments' is not a valid property name for the current edit specification in '--set Comments=test'.

Are you able to set the Comment or Description fields with mkvpropedit?  I have tried mkvpropedit -l and it will list many elements it can use and I see Title but not Comments or Description.  Thanks.

[DarkStar1977 119]

Unfortunately no, I'm on a mac evironement and with an old Mkvtoolnix version for compatibility.

That's why I tried to get the script from Chatgpt on powershell for you.

Sorry it didn't work.

[Dilbert 2]

Thanks for finding the script, it would be handy to use for the fields it does work with even though it won't work on the Comments or Description fields.

[brothom 177]

@DarkStar1977@Dilbertfrom what I can see, the script is trying to copy the comments field of the mkv, into a description field of the mkv which isn't going to work as Luke stated; meta fields aren't used to populate the description field. 

To prevent any further confusion; this script sets a meta value of the MKV, not within Emby.

As a sidenote; please don't just copy-paste AI slop-code and suggest people run it.
Considering Powershell has great authority of the system and is a very powerful tool, if the script is janky enough, it might delete or override your files. Which might make your OS unusable or maybe even destroy your video files.

Edited September 22, 2025 by brothom

[Luke 42077]

@Dilberthas this helped?

[Dilbert 2]

@LukeThanks, the information does help.  When I was trying to use mkvpropedit from a command prompt I knew that I was trying to change the properties on the file itself, and had eliminated Emby from the issue while doing that.  I was also trying to use the Powershell script on a separate drive from where my recordings are kept so I would not wipe anything out, since I have only done limited stuff with Powershell at work.

I could change the properties manually to set the descriptions to be correct, but it is too many files and I am not going to worry about it.

 

Edited September 26, 2025 by Dilbert