Any file with this filename will not be added to the library

[gu5gus 0]

I just discovered that any file with a particular filename will not be added to the library (of a movie type library). The filename originally was "Ex Machina (2015) 1080p x265", and after experiments I found that "Ex Machina" and even "Ex" were not being added. Perhaps there is some string sanitation in the code that rejects "Ex"?

After scans, the file is also not present in the Metadata Manager. I have around 5000 movies in this library and this is the only file that has this problem. This file used to be in the library, but I'm not sure how long ago the problem started. I can say with certainty that 4.9.3.0 and 4.9.1.90 are affected. I think I was last aware of the file being present in the library around 2 years ago, unfortunately between then and now I don't have any further data. 

I'm happy to supply logs of a library scan or anything else if someone can please let me know how to get such a log.

Edited Sunday at 03:20 AM by gu5gus
clarification

[Luke 42090]

Hi, what makes you think it’s not added to the library?

[gu5gus 0]

1. It's not showing as a top entry in the library when sorted by Date Added

2. It does not turn up in search results

3. It is not listed in the Metadata Manager

4. It is not alphabetically where it should be in the library when sorted by Title

Edited Sunday at 03:40 AM by gu5gus
added 4

[GrimReaper 4764]

It was likely merged/multi-versioned with some other item in your library. What are your library enabled meta-downloaders and in what order? If you don't have many multi-version movies, you can filter for duplicates and find the one that doesn't belong/should not have multiple versions.

[gu5gus 0]

16 hours ago, GrimReaper said:

What are your library enabled meta-downloaders and in what order? 

1. TheTVDB
2. TheMovieDb
(these were the default settings at the time of creating of this Movie-type library)

Quote

If you don't have many multi-version movies, you can filter for duplicates and find the one that doesn't belong/should not have multiple versions.

I discovered the area where I can filter for duplicates. About half of the duplicates are correctly grouped, the other half having grouped two or more unrelated movies together. How do I ungroup them? Regarding the movie in question (Ex Machina), it is not in any of the duplicates. 

[GrimReaper 4764]

10 hours ago, gu5gus said:

1. TheTVDB
2. TheMovieDb

Move TMDb on top (or disable TVDB altogether), rename your movie folder to "Ex Machina (2015) [tmdbid=264660]", run Scan media library task.

10 hours ago, gu5gus said:

How do I ungroup them?

In each item details there's a "Split Versions Apart" button lower down, split items, re-Identify incorrectly identified ones.

[gu5gus 0]

6 hours ago, GrimReaper said:

In each item details there's a "Split Versions Apart" button lower down, split items, re-Identify incorrectly identified ones.

There's actually not the usual Split Versions Apart option for any of the duplicates in this library. Instead I have these options (not showing is Add To Collection because I scrolled down)

Edit: Add a second screenshot with a clearer view
 

Edited Monday at 07:59 PM by gu5gus

[GrimReaper 4764]

1 hour ago, gu5gus said:

There's actually not the usual Split Versions Apart option for any of the duplicates

 

8 hours ago, GrimReaper said:

In each item details there's a "Split Versions Apart" button lower down,

Not in the three-dot menu, just scroll down on that screen, you'll see the button and both item details/paths. 

[gu5gus 0]

On 2/23/2026 at 1:52 PM, GrimReaper said:

 

Not in the three-dot menu, just scroll down on that screen, you'll see the button and both item details/paths. 

Found it! It should really be present in the three dot menu....feedback for the devs!

Back to the original issue that I posted for, after having made the changes indicated above the filename "Ex Machina (2015) 1080p x265" is still not being added to the library. I again checked all 4 ways as I mentioned above. "Ex" works (identifies as something else", "Ex Machine" works (identifies as something else), but "Ex Machina" and "Ex Machina (2015) 1080p x265" are not added to the library.

I found the debug logging mode switch. I turned it on, scanned the library, and then downloaded the logs, they are attached.

embyserver.txt embyserver-63907488000.txt

Edited 19 hours ago by gu5gus
added logs

[darkassassin07 657]

On 2/23/2026 at 5:31 AM, GrimReaper said:

rename your movie folder to "Ex Machina (2015) [tmdbid=264660]", run Scan media library task.

@gu5gus

 

The section '[tmdbid=264660]' is the important bit for troublesome files. It tells emby to ignore the rest of the name and just match the file directly to the database ID provided.

I include TMDBIDs in every video filename for good measure. Never EVER have a problem since switching to that scheme.

If you use Radarr/Sonarr, these IDs can be added automatically by modifying the file/folder naming formats in settings.

Edited 18 hours ago by darkassassin07

[gu5gus 0]

16 hours ago, darkassassin07 said:

@gu5gus

 

The section '[tmdbid=264660]' is the important bit for troublesome files. ... I include TMDBIDs in every video filename for good measure. 

Adding tmdbid to the filename worked! Thanks! Didn't know about this trick before.

[GrimReaper 4764]

Just now, gu5gus said:

Adding tmdbid to the filename worked! Thanks! Didn't know about this trick before.

Weren't you advised about that two days ago?

On 2/23/2026 at 2:31 PM, GrimReaper said:

Move TMDb on top (or disable TVDB altogether), rename your movie folder to "Ex Machina (2015) [tmdbid=264660]", run Scan media library task.

 

[Neminem 1532]

@GrimReaperI don't listen to the Grim Reaper, I try to avoid the entity