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[markf2748]

I connect a MC client to a MC server (over WiFi w DLNA) by loading the server's library onto the client, in the usual way.  Everything works wrt to seeing the music and playing it on the client.  Tag Dump for flac files on the client reveals the full Vorbis Comment Block, which contains custom fields.  However, those custom fields do not get defined or loaded onto the client.

As an experiment, I created a custom field on the client, with the server library loaded, to match a custom field in the Vorbis block.  The field now shows up on the client, but it is empty.  It remains empty if I unload / reload the server's library.

Is it possible to load custom fields, which have been defined and populated on the server, onto a client?  The fields of interest are saved into the flac files.  Am I missing something simple here?

Side Note:  The custom fields have also been defined for the client's Main Library.  They work fine when the client reads local copies of the music files, using the client's Main Library.  They get auto-populated from the file tags.  But they don't appear at all in the client/server mode described here.

[markf2748]

The clients see three libraries associated with my primary server "Server" over the Wi-Fi network.  RMB on these libraries under the client's Playing Now > Playing from... shows their respective tooltips:

1) "Server" is a client of the Library Server with the accesskey "xyz".
2) "Server (Generic DLNA)" is a DLNA Library from a device on the network.
3) "Server (Original Format)" is a DLNA Library from a device on the network.

2) and 3) are both set up on the Server in Options > Media Network > Add or configure DLNA servers...

After loading Library 1) onto the PC MC client, all library fields are populated and everything looks good.
After loading Library 2) or 3) onto the PC MC client, then the issue raised in the OP is encountered.

Is this normal - loading the Server Library "directly" gives the client access to all fields, while loading the server's DLNA Libraries populates only a limited subset of the fields?

In addition, for Library 1) All my custom views display correctly on the client.  While for Libraries 2) and 3) I get generic views (different from what I defined on the server), only some of which display correctly.

[tzr916]

The clients see three libraries associated with my primary server "Server" over the Wi-Fi network.  RMB on these libraries under the client's Playing Now > Playing from... shows their respective tooltips:

1) "Server" is a client of the Library Server with the accesskey "xyz".
2) "Server (Generic DLNA)" is a DLNA Library from a device on the network.
3) "Server (Original Format)" is a DLNA Library from a device on the network.

2) and 3) are both set up on the Server in Options > Media Network > Add or configure DLNA servers...

After loading Library 1) onto the PC MC client, all library fields are populated and everything looks good.
After loading Library 2) or 3) onto the PC MC client, then the issue raised in the OP is encountered.

Is this normal - loading the Server Library "directly" gives the client access to all fields, while loading the server's DLNA Libraries populates only a limited subset of the fields?

In addition, for Library 1) All my custom views display correctly on the client.  While for Libraries 2) and 3) I get generic views (different from what I defined on the server), only some of which display correctly.

This all seems like normal behavior... You don't need to enable DLNA on Clients in order to connect to the Server using access key method. You can turn off DLNA on Clients, unless you really need it ON for something else (like DMS TV Tuners).

[zybex]

Don't you need to an "Update Library (from tags)" to populate those fields from the Vorbis tags? Just creating a field won't populate it.

[tzr916]

There are many things you just can't do from a client, like changing/saving cover art and creating tag fields. Of course, if the tag field already exists on the Server it can be changed/saved from a Client... But I've only used access key with authentication method connecting from Clients to the Server.

[markf2748]

This all seems like normal behavior... You don't need to enable DLNA on Clients in order to connect to the Server using access key method. You can turn off DLNA on Clients, unless you really need it ON for something else (like DMS TV Tuners).

I agree that DLNA is not needed on the Client to connect to the Server.  Without DLNA I can connect using either the Server's Access Key or IPAddress:52199.  Note the URL must include the server's Library Server Port (usually 52199) when the library is first added to the client under Playing Now.  This piece is not obvious from MC's Add Library dialog box (see attachment) or its error message.

Don't you need to an "Update Library (from tags)" to populate those fields from the Vorbis tags? Just creating a field won't populate it.

That option is grayed out on my client when connected to Server via DLNA.  Also, the Vorbis tags do not include the Server's Expression Fields, which the Server cannot save to tags.  If I re-add the Expression Fields on the DLNA Client, they don't get populated.  As previously stated, I find the fields available on the DLNA client are a very limited subset of those on the Server (unlike non-DLNA connection).

There are many things you just can't do from a client, like changing/saving cover art and creating tag fields. Of course, if the tag field already exists on the Server it can be changed/saved from a Client... But I've only used access key with authentication method connecting from Clients to the Server.

I also find the tagging operations to be very limited on the DLNA client, and are completely absent for Expression Fields.  Guessing this may be by design, since non-MC DLNA clients may not be able to handle arbitrary fields defined by MC?  I also find the Library Views available on my PC DLNA Clients are very limited, generic, and do not always sort properly, even though I configured Custom Views in the Server's DLNA setup. If I try to load a Custom View from file on the DLNA client it does not change anything.  Is this intentional because non-MC DLNA renderers cannot handle arbitrary MC Library Views?  The identical Custom Views setup for JRemote,Gizmo,and Panel function nicely and sort properly from Android player apps.

Personally none of this holds me back since the only "DLNA" renderers I have are actually old Chromecast audio dongles spliced into MC through a BubbleUPnP Server (presumably looks like DLNA to MC), which works just fine.  But it helps to understand the differences.