Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[nathanchavez]

Is there a way to automate the import process to include other MC commands, so that they can all be run at the same time.  Mostly, I'd like to run the MC command "Fill Properties from Filename" after import.  Often when I import files the name is not names correctly; it doesn't reflect the filename.  Is there a way to do this?

[JimH]

Take a look at the wiki page on Carnac.

[nathanchavez]

I looked at that first.  But it seems, at least to me, that Carmac is too automated.  I'm worried that using it will alter my library and fill the tags with values that are not the same as other files already present.  With that in mind, I'd prefer to set further constraints within the auto-important system.  Will the below screenshot suffice for what I need?

[JimH]

Carnac won't overwrite your tags.  Read it carefully and experiment with a few files.  I think it's what you're looking for.

[nathanchavez]

Is there any way to undo, or tweak, what Carnac does to refine the process?  If so, how?

[RoderickGI]

Is there any way to undo, or tweak, what Carmac does to refine the process?  If so, how?

No.

Also, you couldn't possibly want to set the [Name] tag equal to the [Filename] tag for a TV show as per that image, particularly when tags for TV shows are available from TheTVDB, and should be used.

Provide three examples of your file names, and the tagging that you want MC to extra from them. Then we could comment further.

[nathanchavez]

No.

Also, you couldn't possibly want to set the [Name] tag equal to the [Filename] tag for a TV show as per that image, particularly when tags for TV shows are available from TheTVDB, and should be used.

That's exactly what I want though.  I run file through http://www.therenamer.com therenamer, so they already have the correct information.  But the filenames according to MC are incorrect.  For example, last night's episode of The Big Bang Theory was 1104.The Explosion Implosion; season 11 episode 4, named The Explosion Implosion.  I have everything auto-renamed to "SeasonEpisode.Name".  That is the existing filename format when I imoprt into MC.  However, after I import the MC name is always Name; in this case The Explosion Implosion, rather than 1104.The Explosion Implosion.  MC therefor does not automatically equate its name in a tag with the filename, which is what I want to know how to do.

[Hendrik]

Wouldn't it be easier to just modify the views you use to just show the filename, if thats the exact format you want to see?
Media Center is specifically designed to "split" the filename, so the episodes title goes into [Name], Season&Episode get stored appropriately, etc. Unfortunately you can't really override that.

[nathanchavez]

At this point, no.  That would mean renaming 1000s of files.  How then could I modify the above auto-import screenshot to get result I  want?

[Hendrik]

Its not something you can do.

[nathanchavez]

Its not something you can do.

That's not true.   It can be accomplished using the parameters in auto-configure seen below, which is all I really wanted.

[RoderickGI]

Okay, I can see that you have a theme going in your setup. But what you are doing isn't necessary to get the information you want.

As Hendrik said, you can easily create a View that sorts TV Shows by Series/Season#/Episode# and shows you the Episode name. In fact, that is what the default "Shows" View does, unless you have changed the sort.

So it works like this:
You import some horribly named file such as "[vd-mux-ita]The.Unit.1x01.Piromane.ITA.DVDMux.[colombo-bt.org].avi"

CARNAC reads the file name and extracts the [Series] tag "The Unit", the [Season] tag "1" (converted to "01"), the [Epsiode] tag "01".

The "Get Movie & TV Info..." function, which can be set to run at import time, looks up the Episode name from TheTVDB, finds "First Responders" and saves it to the tag [Name], along with other metadata.

The file name remains unchanged, but if you want to you can change it to anything you want, based on information now in the tags, using the Rename, Move & Copy Files function. You can name the files in the format "0101.First Responders.avi", but why? The more normal file name format would be "The Unit.1x01.First Responders.avi" or "The Unit - S01E01 - First Responders.avi".

Notes:
TheRenamer does seem to use different sources for metadata than MC, but MC just a fine job of finding TV Show and Movie metadata using the sources it has, such as TMDB, Rotten Tomatoes, theTVDB, and Wikipedia. When you use MC, TheRenamer is an unnecessary step, unless it finds some shows that MC doesn't find using its sources.
CARNAC doesn't always get it right. It doesn't get the example I used above correct, retaining the [vd-mux-ita] at the beginning of the Series name. Which then means that the "Get Movie & TV Info..." function then doesn't find the metadata. But CARNAC does get most files I have imported right. If TheRenamer does a better job there could be reason to use it, but it would make more sense to output in a format like "The Unit - S01E01 - First Responders.avi" which CARNAC would happily read correctly during import into MC.

At this point, no.  That would mean renaming 1000s of files.  How then could I modify the above auto-import screenshot to get result I  want?

Renaming 1000s of files is easy using the Rename, Move & Copy Files function. Normally a user would set up and test a rename template using a few files, and then rename the remainder in smaller chunks just to be safe, since it is a lot of renaming. Perhaps a Series at a time. But MC is quite capable of renaming 1000s of files all at once if you wanted to.

But again, why would you need to rename the files that are in the format "0101.First Responders.avi"? It isn't necessary with MC as long as the metadata is stored correctly in the MC library, and preferably in the Sidecar file tags.


So please explain: Why do you want to structure the files in the format you have told us? What benefit do you get from doing that? Because it is not necessary when using MC.

[nathanchavez]

I guess I prefer the method I'm currently using using for two reason; the first is that I like the fact that I can edit the way therenamer renames files, and the second being that Carmac doesn't have the ability to use multiple sources.  TVDB, at least in my opinion is not as reliable as others, namely IMDB.

This way is definitely more work than letting Carmac do everything for me, but I like the fact that I can set constraints up to have everything exactly the way I want.  That make it easier when using Emby or Plex.  (I prefer Emby.)  Using Better Call Saul as an example, Carmac identifies S03E06 as "Off Brand" and gives the file the name "Off Brand".  Correct.  However, using Emby to watch things remotely, the episode title off brand is not as helpful as 306.Off Brand; the former being what Carmac renamed it and the latter what therenamer calls it (because of its ability to be configured with more detailed parameters.)

Also, the 'Get Movies & TV info" option (which is Carmac, yes?) is only available in the auto-run main menu, and not inside the sub-categories.  Meaning that I would need to enable it for everything, TV, Movies, Audio, Pictures, etc., and cannot just use it for TV.

Does that make sense?

[BillT]

Using Better Call Saul as an example, Carmac identifies S03E06 as "Off Brand" and gives the file the name "Off Brand".  Correct.  However, using Emby to watch things remotely, the episode title off brand is not as helpful as 306.Off Brand

+1.

I've never bothered tagging videos as I only watch them once. JRiver auto tagging scheme has always seemed totally random to me, but not worth the effort of trying to understand. However, I've been buying lots of boxed sets recently and it's becoming a bit tedious to find the next episode by file location, so I'm trying to use video tagging, and getting rather frustrated by its auto-renaming.

For instance, Game of Thrones. I want to watch them in order, so I want to easily see which episode number is which, but JRiver replaces the name that I've given (including season and episode number) with the episode name, completely removing any clue to sequence. Yes, the season and episode fields are filled in automatically, but they aren't readily visible without creating a custom view to display them.

My solution will be to disable as much of the automation as possible and do it manually. That way I'll have a chance of understanding and controlling what's going on.

[nathanchavez]

+1.

I've never bothered tagging videos as I only watch them once. JRiver auto tagging scheme has always seemed totally random to me, but not worth the effort of trying to understand. However, I've been buying lots of boxed sets recently and it's becoming a bit tedious to find the next episode by file location, so I'm trying to use video tagging, and getting rather frustrated by its auto-renaming.

For instance, Game of Thrones. I want to watch them in order, so I want to easily see which episode number is which, but JRiver replaces the name that I've given (including season and episode number) with the episode name, completely removing any clue to sequence. Yes, the season and episode fields are filled in automatically, but they aren't readily visible without creating a custom view to display them.

My solution will be to disable as much of the automation as possible and do it manually. That way I'll have a chance of understanding and controlling what's going on.

This is what I'm doing.  It sounds like your needs are the same as mine, given that you stated that having the season and episode number in the filename is important to you.  For now, I suggest you use the same method as me.  That seems to work well.

Perhaps JRiver can introduce Carmac settings granularity in upcoming versions???

[RoderickGI]

I can see having specific file naming format for use with other applications makes sense.

Note that CARNAC doesn't rename files, and nor does the MC import process. So when you see "Off Brand" as the name in MC, it is the [Name] tag, and not the filename. Hence our confusion I think. Use a View that shows you the filename, or hover your mouse over an imported file, and the popup will show you the filename.

All CARNAC does is read the file name and set tags in MC. In this case, the [Name] tag is set to the Episode name. That is a universal way to tag TV Shows, I believe. I haven't seen any applications that set the [Name] tag (or the equivalent they use, such as [Title]) to the filename, or any applications that need the [Name]/[Title] tag to be the filename. After all, the filename is there to read already.

I can understand that TheRenamer might do a better job than CARNAC, and hence it makes sense to use it initially. The author claims to use fuzzy logic, Google searches etc., while as I understand it CARNAC uses templates based on usual filename structuring. A quick read shows that TheRenamer can automate the lookup, rename, and file move process so that it basically happens in the background. Seems a good idea, and would work well as a preliminary step prior to the file being imported into MC.

But I also understand that Plex uses the filename and not the [Name] tag to find and understand what files are. So it would make way more sense to me to include all the critical data in the new filename that TheRenamer creates. i.e. Include the [Series], [Season], [Episode], and [Name] tags in the name. Which means to me using a format like "The Unit.1x01.First Responders.avi" or my preferred format "The Unit - S01E01 - First Responders.avi", and not  "0101.First Responders.avi".

In fact, if you are having trouble with Plex or Emby recognising files unless you put the filename into the [Name] tag, I suspect it could be because you are not putting the [Series] name into the filename. The filename "0101.First Responders.avi" provides very little information for Plex or Emby to identify the program. It is a VERY non-standard way of naming TV Show files.


So I don't see why you want to put the filename in the [Name] tag, and I assume that it is because of a misunderstanding about the difference between the [Name] tag and the filename.

I also suspect that if you named your files as suggested above, the reason for wanting to put the filename into the [Name] tag would disappear.


PS: BillT, I have imported all the Game of Thrones videos, and the standard Theatre View, and Standard View, views list the programs in the correct order. Again, MC does not rename files on import. It just sets the tags. Boxed DVD or Blu-ray sets may be a bit more confusing if you are ripping them and then playing, or even if you are playing them directly in MC. But that is a completely different issue.

[nathanchavez]

I can see having specific file naming format for use with other applications makes sense.

Note that CARNAC doesn't rename files, and nor does the MC import process.

First, my apologies for saying Carman and not Carnac.  Understand though that I am using more than just MC23.  I know that is irrelevant to you, but to me both MC and emby need to be considered.  If Carnac doesn't rename the files then, although that can satisfy MC with the use of different view schemes, it does not satisfy my other requirement.  I would never use a feature that I can not fully control, regardless of the ability to rig it with view schemes to make it look like what I want it to look like.  Why not just have it actually be what I want.  Yes, that means filenames, which was the point of my initial question.  I hope that changes in the future; where users can control Carnac more precisely.

Going back to the line of my original questions; is there a way within MC to auto-rename a file on import so that it does not show the extension.  For example, auto-importing adding the tag field "name" with the value of "[Filename (name)]" results in the filename within MC having the extension of that filename displayed within MC.  Is there a way so that extension does not show within MC?

[RD James]

Am I missing something here? Why do you care what the [Name] field contains when [Filename (name)] has what you want?
Just change your views to use that tag instead.

[nathanchavez]

Am I missing something here? Why do you care what the [Name] field contains when [Filename (name)] has what you want?
Just change your views to use that tag instead.

It's not too big of a deal, it'a just for continuity.  Is there a reason they shouldn't be the same when they can be?  Also, if you've been reading this thread, I use Emby as well.  So this whole "view scheme" argument for me is moot since I use more than just MC, and because there's no view scheme available that will accomplish not showing the file extension.

[RD James]

It's not too big of a deal, it'a just for continuity.  Is there a reason they shouldn't be the same when they can be?  Also, if you've been reading this thread, I use Emby as well.  So this whole "view scheme" argument for me is moot since I use more than just MC, and because there's no view scheme available that will accomplish not showing the file extension.

Sorry, I'm not understanding the issue.
Inside Media Center, it automatically parses filenames and splits them out into Series, Season, Episode, Name, and Date tags based on the filename.
Most people consider that to be a useful feature, since you can construct views to display that information however you like.
 
Media Center doesn't touch the file itself, those are the tags which are contained in its own library.
If you want to see that information inside Media Center you can either create or edit a view which displays all those tags, or simply display [Filename (name)] if you want the filename presented as-is.
 
Emby or Plex do their own thing, completely separate from anything contained within Media Center's library.
Media Center parsing the filename and splitting it out into separate fields has nothing to do with what Emby or Plex do with those same files.

[RoderickGI]

First, my apologies for saying Carman and not Carnac.

I don't care what you call it, as long as we communicate. I only capitalise CARNAC because I think of it as an acronym rather than a name. I also understand that you use Emby and Plex, and need to take their requirements into account.


I believe that MC will do everything that you want it to do. Without compromise.
I believe that MC will work with Emby exactly the way you want it to. Without compromise.
I also have no problem with you using TheRenamer to rename your files before letting MC import them. With at least the example on their web page, it does a better job than CARNAC in reading a file name to extract metadata.

MC, as an application, gives you enormous control over what it does. Sure, CARNAC is an automatic process to make a "best guess" at what a file it when it is imported, and you don't control the inner workings of that. Consider that a "first cut" at getting tags correct. But then you can use "Fill Properties from Filename" in automatic mode or with templates to update tags in MC, and/or use the "Rename, Move & Copy Files..." function to rename files to anything you want based on tags and text you tell MC to use.

What is even better is that if you use TheRenamer to name files with ALL the good information it collects, in the format "The Unit - S01E01 - First Responders.avi" for example, CARNAC will get its guess right the first time, every time.

But you seem to have a misunderstanding about what MC is and how it works. Which is a surprise since you have been using it since 2003 at least. I hope that RD James' post helps you understand MC a bit better.

I also believe that your idea of file naming sucks really, really badly. The format you are using, which is [Season][Episode].[Name] where [Name] is the episode name, and an example of it is "0101.First Responders.avi" lacks the information you need to know what the file is. You must have the Series name in addition to that to know what you are about to play. Which leads me to believe that you are using both Plex and Emby by drilling down through directories and subdirectories to find the files you want to play. That just isn't necessary with MC. But you can do it that way using MC so that Plex and Emby are supported. So I assume you have subdirectories similar to;
\TV Shows\The Unit\0101.First Responders.avi

Which then makes sense as you drill down through the hierarchy you have created, you can easily see and select which Series you are going to watch.

But MC doesn't care about the file name, which subdirectory it is in, or even where it is stored. It only cares that it can find the file to play, and about the data in its library. So there is no need to force MC to display the file name without extension in the [Name] tag, as you can just get MC to display the tags;
[Series] [Season] [Episode] [Name]
in columns in a View and it will display for you;
The Unit 01 01 First Responders

Which is what is necessary to know what program the library record is pointing to, so you can decide to play it or not.

So, if you open your mind to the idea of not putting the filename without extension into the [Name] tag, I think we can work out how to do what you want. Otherwise, good luck. But don't give up on MC just because you don't understand it.