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[Alex B]

MC12 cannot automatically create a correct thumbnail for a video file if the linked image file is located besides the video file in the same folder. MC creates the thumbnail incorrectly from the video content.

After linking an image file the thumbnail is fine, but if the thumbnail is erased MC cannot recreate it from the image file.

This was my previous bug report:
http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=36696.msg250449#msg250449

Re: Media Center 12.0.102  « Reply #26 »

"Quote from: Matt
There must be something a little more complicated because if I specify an Image File, and then rebuild thumbs, it uses the Image File."


In the  meanwhile I tried a few things. Here's a list of my findings:

- The original library version (MC11.1 vs. MC12) is not related
- A library restore is not related
- If the image file has a complete directory path MC12 creates the thumbnails always correctly.
- If the image file is in the same folder with the video files (i.e. only the filename is linked) MC12 creates the thumbnails from the video content.

- This is rather odd:

I have a folder with 22 video files. I linked all files with an image file from the same folder. After that I erased all thumbnails. MC couldn't rebuild the thumbnails from the image file. It created them from the video content.

Then I relinked only one of the video files with a different image file from a separate folder. I didn't touch the other 21 video files. On next thumbnail rebuild attempt MC created correct thumbnails from the linked images for all 22 video files.

EDIT

Looks like the oddness happens only if the two image files have the same filename. I tried it again so that the two image files had different names. This time MC created 21 thumbnails from the video content (image in the video file folder) and only one thumbnail from the image file (image in another folder).

[Matt]

Alex,

I made a new library, and imported one video.

Then I picked "Image > Add From File" and picked a jpg file right next to the video.  This made "Image File" use a relative path.

Then I erased thumnbails.

It recreated the thumbnail using the file specified by the Image File field.

Are you seeing something other than this?  Thanks.

[Alex B]

Here's an example of how MC recreates the thumbnail from the video content instead of the linked image file.






I just tried this with a new empty library. I imported a video file and linked it with an image file from the same folder. Only these two files were in the folder. Surprisingly rebuilding thumbnails worked correctly.

It doesn't work with two other libraries that contain a lot of video files. Perhaps there's a difference if the thumbnailing program is already busy with creating other thumbnails.

[Alex B]

I imported my Babylon 5 videos to the same new library and linked the DVD cover images with the video files.

This is how the DVD covers looked:



This is after erasing and rebuilding thumbnails:

[Matt]

I think we figured it out Alex.

Look for a fix soon, and thanks for all the help.

[Jaguu]

Did some testing this morning. Some things work flawlessly now, others are still buggy.

What works:
1) Set Cover art location "Next to file" ([Artist] - [Album] format) and imported a video-mpl list into the library. This works flawlessly. The correct cover arts are being displayed.
2) Set Cover art location to specific folder and imported a video-mpl list into the library.
This works also flawlessly and correct cover arts are being displayed.
But: "Image File" tag in AW displays just the cover art file name. I think in this case it should display the whole pathname. Maybe I am wrong here.

What does definitely not work:
I tried the function "Remove Cover Art" without deleting it from disk. Surprisingly the old builtin thumbnails reappear. Tried using "Quick find in File/Cover Art directory" which according to my knowledge should search the defined cover art folder. This does not work, or better: Nothing happens!
Should this feature not reload the appropriate cover art? After this I have to delete video in all databases and re-import again to get the proper cover art.

Also: I am still of the opinion that the "Next to file" format of [Artist] - [Album] is too limiting for video files and a clearer distinction between audio / video cover art would be preferable. Too much automation is not always the best!

Also: As video cover art is highly available on the Internet, some automatic retrieval would be nice. The current "Get from Internet" does nothing and seems to work only with audio.

Also: Some movie/tv episodes database lookup to retrieve movie/tv episodes tag info would be most welcome.

[Alex B]

I think we figured it out Alex.

Look for a fix soon, and thanks for all the help.

Thanks, it works again.


Jaguu,

The automatic cover art linking system and the "Track Image Location" options work only with audio files. I guess Matt would say "this is by design".

I have suggested a couple of times that MC should have separate options for automatic linking of video cover art.

As you may have noticed, the MPL file contains values for the "Image File" field. Only this makes the correct thumbnails appear.

If the field has only a filename without a directory path then the image file is linked from the video file folder (i.e. it is located next to file).

When you do "Image > Remove Cover Art" you effectively remove the only possible tie with the linked image file.

[Jaguu]

The automatic cover art linking system and the "Track Image Location" options work only with audio files. I guess Matt would say "this is by design".

Thanks Alex,

well, even if one knows MC quite well, how should a user discover this? Just wonder how many beta users know the precise mechanism on how this works and how many ordinary users would find that out! That's why I think it is important to make a clear distinction between audio and video cover art management. The mechanics is just too complex to understand!

[Matt]

But: "Image File" tag in AW displays just the cover art file name. I think in this case it should display the whole pathname. Maybe I am wrong here.

When possible, we use relative paths for cover art so moving directories around won't cause as many issues.