Managing Multi Version Metadata

[AxeMan 25]

I have two versions of a particular movie. HD and 4K UHD.

On the HD version, I have the custom rating set to PG, to prevent it from showing up on the Kids profiles. 

Metadata manager doesn't allow me to do that on the 4K UHD version that's in the same folder. 

Emby Theater shows the 4K UHD version in the "Latest" section - and from there, you can start the movie. However, from the library and the collection itself, none of the versions for that movie appears (which is the expected behavior). 

 

I guess the question is - how do you set metadata for the entire folder, instead of by individual version? In the Metadata manager, I tried setting it at the folder, but that didn't seem to work. 

There are other movies that I'd like to do the opposite of this .. like I've set the custom rating to "Approved" on the HD version, then added a 4K UHD version and the only version that shows up is the HD version. 

Server is Windows, client is Emby Theater. 

@cayars

[Happy2Play 9782]

16 minutes ago, AxeMan said:

Emby Theater shows the 4K UHD version in the "Latest" section - and from there, you can start the movie.

I don't think it is currently possible as the UI only provides metadata for one version.

Similar topic

https://emby.media/community/index.php?/topic/80575-group-versions-and-parental-control/

Convoluted work around setting custom Rating via a Admin account

Set custom rating for first item

Set parental rating on Admin user

Navigate to item again it should only show next multi-version item and set custom rating

Now both items have a custom rating and should be filtered upon page refresh

Depending on how many versions you have will determine how many times needed to be do.

Or Split multi-version items apart and set each version custom rating, then use Multi-Select and regroup items.

[Carlo 4561]

Why do you not want the kids to see the 4K version?  Is it because they don't have a 4K TV?

Using ratings isn't an ideal way to do this and can't be done using multi-versions.

If the idea is simply to control who had and who doesn't have access to 4K media the ideal way to do this is to keep 4K desperately on disc and setup a 4K movie library. You can then grant access to each user to the 4K library itself.  This allows you to take 4K lib away from anyone who can't direct play that media.

There is a 3rd party add-in you can use that can then take this and "regroup" them back together like multi-versions but still support the access you gave at the user/library level.

[AxeMan 25]

54 minutes ago, Happy2Play said:

I don't think it is currently possible as the UI only provides metadata for one version.

Similar topic

https://emby.media/community/index.php?/topic/80575-group-versions-and-parental-control/

Convoluted work around setting custom Rating via a Admin account

Set custom rating for first item

Set parental rating on Admin user

Navigate to item again it should only show next multi-version item and set custom rating

Now both items have a custom rating and should be filtered upon page refresh

Depending on how many versions you have will determine how many times needed to be do.

Or Split multi-version items apart and set each version custom rating, then use Multi-Select and regroup items.

Thanks! I will try that. 

13 minutes ago, cayars said:

Why do you not want the kids to see the 4K version?  Is it because they don't have a 4K TV?

Using ratings isn't an ideal way to do this and can't be done using multi-versions.

If the idea is simply to control who had and who doesn't have access to 4K media the ideal way to do this is to keep 4K desperately on disc and setup a 4K movie library. You can then grant access to each user to the 4K library itself.  This allows you to take 4K lib away from anyone who can't direct play that media.

There is a 3rd party add-in you can use that can then take this and "regroup" them back together like multi-versions but still support the access you gave at the user/library level.

Actually, the opposite .... I don't care about the quality of what they see... I just want to be able to control the movie. So if I set a Custom rating on Bambi as rated PG, I want that override to persist across any versions, not just the first version of the file. What's happening now is that the first version will get the PG rating and won't show, but the next version will get fresh metadata. However, the Metadata Manager doesn't let you set metadata for multiple versions. 

[Carlo 4561]

If they are multi-version should all versions of that movie/show share the same meta-data as far as descriptions, ratings, etc?  I don't see how you can change it for the different versions.  So if they are stacked and you go into say Bambi in the web browser there would be a drop down you use to select the version to play.  Everyone of them would have the same rating.

Is that what you're talking about?

[Happy2Play 9782]

Emby would have to write to both nfo files, but it does not so the easiest route is split apart, make changes per version, then multi-select and re-group.

Edited July 12, 2020 by Happy2Play

[Carlo 4561]

Happy2Play,

Are you saying if you had:

Top Gun (1986) - 1080.mp4

Top Gun (1986) - 720.mp4

Top Gun (1986) - 4K.mp4

and they are already stacked AND you wanted to change the rating from PG to PG-17 you can't just do it as usual but would have to split apart make 3 changes then re-group?

[Happy2Play 9782]

7 minutes ago, cayars said:

Happy2Play,

Are you saying if you had:

Top Gun (1986) - 1080.mp4

Top Gun (1986) - 720.mp4

Top Gun (1986) - 4K.mp4

and they are already stacked AND you wanted to change the rating from PG to PG-17 you can't just do it as usual but would have to split apart make 3 changes then re-group?

Correct as the UI only applies to one version, I believe the first one listed in Media Info. 

Hmm order does not matter as I had 2160p shown first and 1080p nfo was updated.

Edited July 12, 2020 by Happy2Play

[Carlo 4561]

Makes sense but I never thought about it as when I change something it just shows up since it's using the first version.

So based on this if I were to add tag NOSHOW and apply it to the grouped Top Gun and then added that NOSHOW as a negative filter for a user. The user would still see Top Gun but now would only see 2 movies instead of 3?

Hmm, might have to rethink use with tags and 4K media.

[Happy2Play 9782]

Another note is I am currently testing with items that have written nfo files.  I have not tested database only metadata to see if there was a difference, in theory there shouldn't be.

 

So a third option if writing nfo files would editing the nfo files directly

1 minute ago, cayars said:

Makes sense but I never thought about it as when I change something it just shows up since it's using the first version.

So based on this if I were to add tag NOSHOW and apply it to the grouped Top Gun and then added that NOSHOW as a negative filter for a user. The user would still see Top Gun but now would only see 2 movies instead of 3?

Hmm, might have to rethink use with tags and 4K media.

Correct as the tag is not being applied to each versions metadata.

[Happy2Play 9782]

So the question here should be, should Emby write updates to all grouped media, or should the rule be split apart edit, then manually re-group?

I can sort of see the conflict when you have grouped Cuts vs Versions as shown in the link in post 2.  Unrated and Rated versions of media.

[AxeMan 25]

9 minutes ago, Happy2Play said:

Correct as the tag is not being applied to each versions metadata.

 

12 minutes ago, cayars said:

Hmm, might have to rethink use with tags and 4K media.

Thank you both! 

 

BTW @Happy2Play  -  a little OT, if your sig is up-to-date and you are still on 2011, and thinking about upgrading to 2019, lmk - I found a great walk-through. 

[Carlo 4561]

Just tested and it's exactly how you said of course, but that a bit strange not applying meta-edit changes to all linked files or allowing edit of the individual files.

I think I need to add this info as a note to the knowledge base on multi-version files.

[Carlo 4561]

5 minutes ago, Happy2Play said:

I can sort of see the conflict when you have grouped Cuts vs Versions as shown in the link in post 2.  Unrated and Rated versions of media.

Yea versions with different ratings grouped together without someway to easily edit those versions is a bit troubling. Especially if you following the guidelines here:

https://support.emby.media/support/solutions/articles/44001159102-movie-naming

You can't edit them at present without splitting them, doing the edit and re-grouping manually.

[crusher11 1101]

Tabs in the metadata editor for each version strike me as the best way, personally.

[Carlo 4561]

@Luke Can you take a look at making this easier to do on the Server?

Right now as Happy2Play pointed out there is no easy way to edit multi-version files as all meta changes only apply to the first file.

This can be problematic trying to set ratings or similar for different versions of the same file ie rated and unrated versions.

Could we get a file picker when clicking on a menu choice such as edit metadata so we pick the file we wish to make the change to?  This would be much simpler than having to split, edit and regroup which isn't an ideal way or straight forward.

[AxeMan 25]

What about when you edit metadata,  where it shows the file name, you have drop down to select which version to apply to, with an option to "apply to all". ?

 

 

 

[JohnnyM 40]

Or go back to the way it was before the update that changes Metadata manager. You pick the version that you want to change and change it directly.

Personally, I do like Axeman's suggestion to have a drop down with an optional to "Apply to All"

 

[Carlo 4561]

So do I.

[AxeMan 25]

@cayars, @Luke

I know you guys have a lot in the pipeline - wanted to see if this has been given any further thought? 

I'm upgrading my media to 4K while keeping my 1080p versions, and would like to manage the metadata appropriately. 

Thanks!

[Luke 42080]

Hi, this is on our list for review. Thanks for the feedback.