Plugin: MetaExtractor

[FrostByte 5392]

The image extraction using Emby default names seems to be working very good with the movies I've tested so far.  Nfo files also.  Thanks yocker.

[yocker 1247]

Your welcome, happy to make something people want.

 

[yocker 1247]

New version is up (1.0.4.0)
Added:

Intro Skip backup and restore functions.
Custom filename option for artwork.
Added file browser for folder selections.

Changed:
Removed save button as settings now auto save.

Download here or on Github: MetaExtractor: Extract metadata from Emby.

MetaExtractor.dll

[kikinjo 281]

yocker, will the restore introskip files work on restoring to new server with different metadata path ?

As per my knowledge emby still keeps introskip files in metadata folder and nowhere else is possible to have them.

[yocker 1247]

6 minutes ago, kikinjo said:

yocker, will the restore introskip files work on restoring to new server with different metadata path ?

As per my knowledge emby still keeps introskip files in metadata folder and nowhere else is possible to have them.

As long as the episodes have the same IDs it should work.
It uses Embys APIs to restore the intro skip markers so Emby adds it all to the internal metadata when IDs match.

Edited December 17, 2025 by yocker

[rbjtech 5283]

2 minutes ago, yocker said:

As long as the episodes have the same IDs it should work.

..and this is the fundamental problem.  On a cold restore, your id's will be different.

I can probably bring some experience into this  - as I was part of the original Introskip Plugin and worked with Cheese on the Introskip backup/restore (the original idea for it in the first place came from me ..)

The metadata for IntroStart/IntroEnd/CreditStart/CreditEnd (the hidden chapters) should imho just be stored in the NFO - unrelated to the emby id - use a 3rd party provider for the key - tmdb episode id would make sense.  The plugin just needs to read this, THEN associate to the emby id (it will have the same key as a provider), re-sort the chapter timestamps and write the new chapter info.   From memory, emby doesn't 'need' the original files created to analyse the Intro but will attempt to do so if they don't exist - so some fudging may be needed here.

As you have released the source, I may take a look and try and help if I can.

[yocker 1247]

30 minutes ago, rbjtech said:

..and this is the fundamental problem.  On a cold restore, your id's will be different.

I can probably bring some experience into this  - as I was part of the original Introskip Plugin and worked with Cheese on the Introskip backup/restore (the original idea for it in the first place came from me ..)

The metadata for IntroStart/IntroEnd/CreditStart/CreditEnd (the hidden chapters) should imho just be stored in the NFO - unrelated to the emby id - use a 3rd party provider for the key - tmdb episode id would make sense.  The plugin just needs to read this, THEN associate to the emby id (it will have the same key as a provider), re-sort the chapter timestamps and write the new chapter info.   From memory, emby doesn't 'need' the original files created to analyse the Intro but will attempt to do so if they don't exist - so some fudging may be needed here.

As you have released the source, I may take a look and try and help if I can.

I wanted to keep the NFO files as clean and compatible with Kodi as possible so kept the intro skip as separate json files.
Having it in the nfo file could of cause negate the problem of different files of the same show needing different intro skip markers.
I might look into that one day but for now it's just a simple backup for the files people already have.

I'm in no way trying to get to the scope your plugin is/did. Just a small backup for if the database gets borked or something like it.

I very much appreciate the offer though.  

[yocker 1247]

@rbjtech

Been thinking about and looking into the TVMD thing and yeah.. I should implement that (at least as an option) but i don't like putting it into the NFO files so will keep the JSON.
Would indeed make the backups more "portable" with little to no complexity added.
I'm looking into making it soon. Many thanks for mentioning it!

Also need to make a schedule task now that i think about it, just a generally good idea for backups.

[rbjtech 5283]

5 hours ago, yocker said:

@rbjtech

Been thinking about and looking into the TVMD thing and yeah.. I should implement that (at least as an option) but i don't like putting it into the NFO files so will keep the JSON.
Would indeed make the backups more "portable" with little to no complexity added.
I'm looking into making it soon. Many thanks for mentioning it!

Also need to make a schedule task now that i think about it, just a generally good idea for backups.

That would be great and effectively replace the now unsupported/broken Introskip backup/replace Plugin.

Once we have the portable data (in JSON, linked by a common provider such as tmdb episode id etc), then it can also be imported into other apps such as JF.  

Shame there is not a kodi standard for this type of metadata that all the apps can share and use..  JF appears to have done the most work towards this with their 'Media Segments' concept. Link     Emby started it but sadly never went beyond the IntroStart/IntroEnd data. 

[Neminem 1516]

Hmm just wondering if tmdb id is the right one to use.

Looking at episode level metadata I don't see tmdb id.

It might be me misunderstanding this

[yocker 1247]

2 hours ago, Neminem said:

Hmm just wondering if tmdb id is the right one to use.

Looking at episode level metadata I don't see tmdb id.

It might be me misunderstanding this

No, but the TVDB is there which is what i absolutely, 100% sure and of cause meant.

Good catch!

Edited December 18, 2025 by yocker

[rbjtech 5283]

5 hours ago, Neminem said:

Hmm just wondering if tmdb id is the right one to use.

Looking at episode level metadata I don't see tmdb id.

It might be me misunderstanding this

Yep sorry you are right - tvdb or imdb have episode id's, tmdb doesn't have episode level.

[sh0rty 714]

@yockerAs always: Very handy and useful plugin!

 

Exported my whole library to another folder sucessfully, but it seems the does not backup my collections.

There is no hint inside Emby logs and the Export log is always empty, even after I exported the whole library. Using 1.0.4.0 with Emby 4.9.1.90 on Windows 11.

[yocker 1247]

24 minutes ago, sh0rty said:

@yockerAs always: Very handy and useful plugin!

 

Exported my whole library to another folder sucessfully, but it seems the does not backup my collections.

There is no hint inside Emby logs and the Export log is always empty, even after I exported the whole library. Using 1.0.4.0 with Emby 4.9.1.90 on Windows 11.

Collections are not a real libraries as it's Emby that have made collections from the files already there.
So in effect the NFO files should correctly be there for the collections already after a backup.

Unless of cause i have misunderstood you.

Never the less i can try and look into maybe making some kind of collection backup if you want.
Edit: And i should maybe remove the collections library from the list also.

Edited December 18, 2025 by yocker

[sh0rty 714]

1 minute ago, yocker said:

Collections are not a real libraries as it's Emby that have made collections from the files already there.
So in effect the NFO files should correctly be there for the collections already after a backup.

Unless of cause i have misunderstood you.

Never the less i can try and look into maybe making some kind of collection backup if you want.

For me the plugin does backup nothing from the collection, not even NFOs. TV and Movies work perfectly though. If I backup collections to folder, nothing is exported. If the plugin could backup collections images also in the future, that would be really nice, but no rush on that one....

[yocker 1247]

Just now, sh0rty said:

For me the plugin does backup nothing from the collection, not even NFOs. TV and Movies work perfectly though. If I backup collections to folder, nothing is exported. If the plugin could backup collections images also in the future, that would be really nice, but no rush on that one....

Really sorry if i'm thick and misunderstand you.
The reason is that there are no physical files in the collections library for the plugin to work with, collections are a "made up" library made by Emby to make boxsets.
The option to choose the collections library is an oversight on my part and should really be removed.

I could make it so that the plugin scans collections and checks the physical location of the files but it would just overwrite what is already there.
It's a bit redundant though.

If you have any suggestions for collections please share them so we can get something worked out!  

[Neminem 1516]

Hmm wondering if it's this path @sh0rtyis looking at.

[sh0rty 714]

16 minutes ago, yocker said:

Really sorry if i'm thick and misunderstand you.
The reason is that there are no physical files in the collections library for the plugin to work with, collections are a "made up" library made by Emby to make boxsets.
The option to choose the collections library is an oversight on my part and should really be removed.

I could make it so that the plugin scans collections and checks the physical location of the files but it would just overwrite what is already there.
It's a bit redundant though.

If you have any suggestions for collections please share them so we can get something worked out!  

Ah ok, now I understand.   I did use the plugin to extract the files to a custom folder solely. It would be nice if the plugin could export the collection folders from /metadata/collections to the custom folder as a backup for the collection poster.jpg and collection.nfo, but just for collections still in Emby because it seems old collections not present in Emby anymore are still in that folder. That's what I mean. Is this possible at all?

Also, a scheduled task would be nice to backup everything to an external export folder regularly for the cases when e.g. the Arrs upgrade an item and delete the artwork (sic!) or if Emby loses a collection image, which is not uncommon atm...

@NeminemYes Sir! I hope this is the actual one that's used by Emby 

Edited December 18, 2025 by sh0rty

[yocker 1247]

I see what you guys mean now. I was thick!  Very sorry about that. 

Yeah collections do save some artwork but i made the plugin to save for the physical files only.
I can look into making it save the artwork for collections also.

[yocker 1247]

@sh0rty @rbjtech
Added TVDB and collections artwork.
Consider it a beta please.

MetaExtractor.dll

[sh0rty 714]

Merry Christmas! 

Latest dll still does not export collections artwork (at least on  my side). 

[yocker 1247]

3 hours ago, sh0rty said:

Merry Christmas! 

Latest dll still does not export collections artwork (at least on  my side). 

Hmm that's strange.. Wonder if i used windows path again by mistake.

Looking into it.

[yocker 1247]

@sh0rty Should work now.

MetaExtractor.dll

[sh0rty 714]

@yockerYes exporting individual items works, did not try that. 

But the "Export entire libraries" option seems not to work with collections, is this a technical limitation?

[yocker 1247]

1 hour ago, sh0rty said:

@yockerYes exporting individual items works, did not try that. 

But the "Export entire libraries" option seems not to work with collections, is this a technical limitation?

Will be honest i never thought of actually testing that as i was just focused on the collections plus i have been busy, sorry about that.
Looking into it now with top priority!