Collections issue

[paddy75 16]

I facing a similar problem.
A friend a I managing our library with tinymediamanager.
If I create a collection with tiny "James Bond Collection" for example, a folder in the metadata is created but emby does not load the images. Also no luck if i add the pictures manually and scan the metadata directory.
If I create the same collection with emby, then I get the collection name followed by the tmdbid.
think something curious happens here since the update and it produces a lot of mess in the collections metadata folder and it looks not nice.

Edited November 15, 2025 by GrimReaper
Topic title modified

[Luke 42077]

@paddy75

HI there, can you please provide a specific example?

How to Report a Problem

Thanks !

 

[paddy75 16]

hi luke,

1. created a collection for "back to the future"
    tinymediamanager created a folder "back to the future collection" in the metadata folder. Artwork is included here
2. after the library scan, emby created a second folder "back to the future collection-tmdb-264" (see attachment 1.jpg)

3. the first created folder with the artwork will not be scaned correctly by emby, because the artwork is not shown (see attachment 2.jpg + 3.jpg)

4. moved all artwork to the new folder "back to the future collection-tmdb-264" and scan the metadata folder, the artwork is shown.

so why this behavior has changed in emby? It never created the collection folder follwoed by the tmdb-id. this would give also problems if you want to create your own collection which has no tmdb-id, because they will never be scaned.

 

[GrimReaper 4739]

1 hour ago, paddy75 said:

so why this behavior has changed in emby? It never created the collection folder follwoed by the tmdb-id.

That's the new manner of saving collection folders, related threads:

 

[paddy75 16]

but what does it mean now exactly? always delete the old folder after the artwork is moved to the newly created folder? 

[GrimReaper 4739]

I would assume you can safely do so. 

[paddy75 16]

i think this is not a good solution. generally you're doing a good job with programming, but you have to give the users more options to enable or disable features. when i create a custom collection it will not have a tmdb-id and then the content will not displayed with the artwork.

[GrimReaper 4739]

1 hour ago, paddy75 said:

when i create a custom collection it will not have a tmdb-id and then the content will not displayed with the artwork.

It actually should, if you've read linked topics:

As custom collections have no ProviderIDs, plain folder name will be used. 

Did you run Scan metadata folder task once custom artwork added?

Edit: I've just tested replacing artwork (poster.jpg) for custom collection (no -tmdbid in folder name), displayed properly after "Scan metadata folder" scheduled task is run (not "Scan media library"), according task helper text.

@Lukewhile artwork change was correctly reflected, changes to collection.nfo were not, quite the contrary, they were actually rewritten with original/db metadata - while we're at it, NFO Saver is disabled (NFO Reader enabled) - and I've toggled it on/off during tests in case it didn't latch - in Collections library settings, why was the NFO written in the first place/at all, with toggle off - and why it continues to be (re)written? Thanks. 

Quote

2025-11-16 07:49:25.554 Debug App: CollectionNfoProvider reports change to 1963 - Test 2
2025-11-16 07:49:25.554 Debug App: Running CollectionNfoProvider for Test 2
2025-11-16 07:49:25.557 Debug App: Saving nfo metadata for Test 2 to xxxx\programdata\metadata\collections\Test 2\collection.nfo.

embyserver.txt

Edited November 16, 2025 by GrimReaper
Test

[paddy75 16]

i scaned the metadata folder. see my first post from yesterday.

[GrimReaper 4739]

29 minutes ago, paddy75 said:

i scaned the metadata folder. see my first post from yesterday

You are still missing the point.

I'll try again:

3 hours ago, GrimReaper said:

As custom collections have no ProviderIDs, plain folder name will be used.

You scanned:

On 10/26/2025 at 10:53 PM, paddy75 said:

"James Bond Collection"

which is TMDB collection (and same is written in movie metadata, as that's where auto-collections derive from; collection metadata can either be obtained from online provider or read from NFO) and has an ID, hence it'll be using folder "James Bond-tmdb-xxxxx".

Quote

if no externalID - plain name, if externalID present - folder name appended

 

Edited November 16, 2025 by GrimReaper

[Luke 42077]

Quote

so why this behavior has changed in emby?

To handle the case of more than one collection with the same name.

[Luke 42077]

10 hours ago, paddy75 said:

i think this is not a good solution. generally you're doing a good job with programming, but you have to give the users more options to enable or disable features. when i create a custom collection it will not have a tmdb-id and then the content will not displayed with the artwork.

Not having an external id will not prevent you from getting images. It only impacts the location in which images are saved.

can you please provide a specific example?

How to Report a Problem

Thanks !

 

[paddy75 16]

will this really happen have two times the same collection?
I have a separation here depends on maybe who has played in it (actor) or the year.
 

[Luke 42077]

7 minutes ago, paddy75 said:

will this really happen have two times the same collection?
I have a separation here depends on maybe who has played in it (actor) or the year.
 

Hi, I don't quite understand what you're asking?

[paddy75 16]

On 11/16/2025 at 5:57 PM, Luke said:

To handle the case of more than one collection with the same name.

can this really happen i meant

[Luke 42077]

3 hours ago, paddy75 said:

can this really happen i meant

Yes.

[Luke 42077]

On 11/16/2025 at 1:22 AM, GrimReaper said:

in Collections library settings, why was the NFO written in the first place/at all, with toggle off - and why it continues to be (re)written? Thanks. 

embyserver.txt 1.6 kB · 1 download

It might be hardcoded to be enabled somewhere, and there might be a reason for doing that.

The collections folder is part of the server data folder. There really is no reason to show that option because this is not like a media folder where you might want to disable it to keep the folder tidy.

Therefore, I wouldn't worry about it.

[GrimReaper 4739]

4 minutes ago, Luke said:

It might be hardcoded to be enabled somewhere, and there might be a reason for doing that.

The collections folder is part of the server data folder. There really is no reason to show that option because this is not like a media folder where you might want to disable it to keep the folder tidy.

Fair enough, but you've responded yourself there: it shouldn't be exposed in the UI. As I wasn't worrying but curious why does server behave directly opposite to what I've told it to. 

What does worry me, though, is junk folders being left behind. That really should be handled more gracefully. 

[Brendon 119]

@paddy75If like me you manually curate your collections, you can remove the tmdb id number in the metadata and then lock it to prevent future changes.

It is frustrating as all hell to have to do but i am doing it, if the migration moved the images properly or even just renamed the existing folder i would probably let it be but it doesn't so you just end up with 2 folders and 2 nfo's for every collection and one image that stays in the original folder.12,000 movies 800 Collections and not had one with the same name yet so like you i really don't get this change either.

Also still slow as a snail for me when using collections since this change.