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More => Old Versions => JRiver Media Center 28 for Windows => Topic started by: macdonjh on September 22, 2021, 10:16:04 pm

Title: Auto Import isn't doing what I expect it to do
Post by: macdonjh on September 22, 2021, 10:16:04 pm: I expect Auto Import to periodically (default is every two hours, correct?) scan folders I define for new files and add them to my library. Shouldn't those files then appear in one of my Views (I have only the "stock" Views set up: Audio:Album, Audio:Artist, Movies, etc.)?

I ask because I have dozens of files in my Video -> Files which don't appear in my Movies View (where I see the "cover art" for each of my movies. For example, I have both a short trailer video as well as the full movie file for Disney's Brother Bear. The film displays in my Movies View, but the trailer does not.

Any ideas? Is this behavior a bug I should report?
Title: Re: Auto Import isn't doing what I expect it to do
Post by: Doof on September 22, 2021, 11:40:01 pm: The trailer may need to be tagged as Media Sub Type = Movie before it will show up in that view. I'm honestly not sure as I don't have any of the stock views anymore so I can't check to confirm.
Title: Re: Auto Import isn't doing what I expect it to do
Post by: macdonjh on September 23, 2021, 02:28:26 pm: I didn't think to check the [Media sub-type] tag. The video files for the trailers do appear in my Video -> Files view (that list of files included in your Library. I'll double check the tagging and see if that's the trouble.

Thanks again.
Title: Re: Auto Import isn't doing what I expect it to do
Post by: macdonjh on October 03, 2021, 07:30:57 pm: Those movie trailers are all tagged Video -> Movie. I don't think the tags are the problem. Thanks for the troubleshooting idea.
Title: Re: Auto Import isn't doing what I expect it to do
Post by: macdonjh on October 03, 2021, 07:35:47 pm: Something new which is also strange:

I ripped two new episodes of a series I have in my media files. MC28 was taking a long time to Import the files, so I ran Import a Single Folder. Every single episode was imported, including the two new episodes. While having those new episodes is great I now have to remove all the duplicate episodes.

I've confirmed there is only one copy of the .mkv video file in the folder \NAS\Multimedia\Shows\[Series].

Any idea why the files got reimported?
Title: Re: Auto Import isn't doing what I expect it to do
Post by: macdonjh on October 03, 2021, 07:37:20 pm: I just found out it happened again: I ran Get TV and Movie Info and the two .mkv video files I got information for have been destroyed: reduced from approximately 1GB to 18B (yes, 18 bites).

It happens with Movies, too. Whenever I use Get TV and Movie Info.

Help, please.
Title: Re: Auto Import isn't doing what I expect it to do
Post by: leezer3 on October 04, 2021, 02:53:48 am: Something is fundamentally wrong, and I don't think it's MC in this case.
Title: Re: Auto Import isn't doing what I expect it to do
Post by: macdonjh on October 04, 2021, 11:02:06 am: Quote from: leezer3 on October 04, 2021, 02:53:48 am
Something is fundamentally wrong, and I don't think it's MC in this case.

I understand that something is wrong, but how could it not be MC? In this case, it's the only application running.
Title: Re: Auto Import isn't doing what I expect it to do
Post by: leezer3 on October 04, 2021, 12:23:45 pm: It smacks of a hardware / software problem.
First place I'd be looking is at failing drives & filesystem errors.
It also reminds me of ransomware like behaviour (rewriting the file with something else on modification) so I'd also try a virus scan.

There are hundreds of users on the forum running MC including the devs, beta team etc.
Nobody else has observed such a critical bug, and FWIW I've personally run get Movie & TV Info hundreds of times in the past two days.
Hence, I conclude its highly unlikely to be MC.
Title: Re: Auto Import isn't doing what I expect it to do
Post by: nathanchavez on October 04, 2021, 05:05:38 pm: It depends of what view you have set up. I have my view set up to include type, not sub-type. Maybe yours is the same? Also,
Title: Re: Auto Import isn't doing what I expect it to do
Post by: macdonjh on October 04, 2021, 10:03:18 pm: Quote from: leezer3 on October 04, 2021, 12:23:45 pm
It smacks of a hardware / software problem.
First place I'd be looking is at failing drives & filesystem errors.
It also reminds me of ransomware like behaviour (rewriting the file with something else on modification) so I'd also try a virus scan.

There are hundreds of users on the forum running MC including the devs, beta team etc.
Nobody else has observed such a critical bug, and FWIW I've personally run get Movie & TV Info hundreds of times in the past two days.
Hence, I conclude its highly unlikely to be MC.

My theory wasn't actually a bug, but a corrupted installation. I've been considering uninstalling an re-installing. That said, I haven't tried a virus scan, so off to try that...
Title: Re: Auto Import isn't doing what I expect it to do
Post by: tij on October 04, 2021, 10:08:00 pm: Would be interesting to see screenshot of your auto import settings
Title: Re: Auto Import isn't doing what I expect it to do
Post by: macdonjh on October 05, 2021, 05:07:47 am: I ran a virus scan on my server computer, where MC28 is installed, no malware was detected. I have not run a scan on my NAS.

At the suggestion of another Interact forum member, I've created a small "test" library, and have not configured Auto Import for that Library.

Below is a Snip of my Auto Import set-up for my Main Library. This is the Library I've been using exclusively, so if there are problems it seems like it would be here. Note that the two "check boxes" not shown are unchecked ("update for external changes" and "write file tags when analyzing audio...", also "fix broken links = no").
Title: Re: Auto Import isn't doing what I expect it to do
Post by: tij on October 05, 2021, 07:02:32 am: Quote from: macdonjh on October 03, 2021, 07:37:20 pm
I just found out it happened again: I ran Get TV and Movie Info and the two .mkv video files I got information for have been destroyed: reduced from approximately 1GB to 18B (yes, 18 bites).

It happens with Movies, too. Whenever I use Get TV and Movie Info.

Help, please.

Check your antivirus log ... possible that during get info, MC writes tags to files ... triggering AV suspicions that causes it to auto quaranteen the file ... and maybe leave some small file behind to indicate it has done so
Title: Re: Auto Import isn't doing what I expect it to do
Post by: macdonjh on October 05, 2021, 12:31:43 pm: I'll look...

I've seen posts in different threads about anti-virus not playing well with MC. I haven't followed the thread about Windows Defender yet. It may be turned off on my server computer in favor of the third-party AV package we have.
Title: Re: Auto Import isn't doing what I expect it to do
Post by: JimH on October 05, 2021, 01:41:10 pm: If you're going to use antivirus software, you must understand it. At a minimum, configure Windows Defender and uninstall any other antivirus software.
Title: Re: Auto Import isn't doing what I expect it to do
Post by: macdonjh on October 05, 2021, 05:24:53 pm: Windows Defender is turned off on my server computer. Norton (with the default firewall settings) is providing malware protection.
Title: Re: Auto Import isn't doing what I expect it to do
Post by: macdonjh on October 05, 2021, 05:27:37 pm: Quote from: JimH on October 05, 2021, 01:41:10 pm
If you're going to use antivirus software, you must understand it. At a minimum, configure Windows Defender and uninstall any other antivirus software.

I understand that now. There was no forum traffic about this being an issue with MC for Mac, so this is new to me. I'm going to work through a couple of other possibilities for my troubles first. If I don't make progress that way, I'll read the Taming Windows Defender thread and follow those recommendations (including uninstalling Norton while I'm working with Defender).
Title: Re: Auto Import isn't doing what I expect it to do
Post by: macdonjh on October 05, 2021, 06:38:48 pm: Unexpected happenings:

There are details about this in the Sidecar Files for Movies thread I also started, so here's the short version:

I haven't changed any of my anti-virus settings (still using Norton, Windows Defender is still deactivated, not uninstalled).

I created a Movies Test Library, it has five movies in it. The Library file itself is located on my server computer local hard drive, but not in the default location MC uses.

I have been having trouble with NAS Library, which is the Main Library MC creates when installed. I renamed it, but left it in the default folder where MC creates it.

I tried a few tests to "fix" problematic Movie files in Movies Test Library, they were unsuccessful. I then tried Get TV and Movie Info (which has caused problems during the past few days). Everything worked as it should. The Cover Art I chose displays properly and the Movie plays properly. When I check my folder using Windows Explorer there is an .mkv, .jpg and .xml file. All is good.

I next switched Libraries to use NAS Library. I repeated my experiment using Get TV and Movie Info. The Cover Art I chose downloaded and displayed properly, but the video file was destroyed (155 KB, wouldn't play).

I can think of two possibilities:
NAS Library is corrupted somehow.
Norton is messing with activity between my NAS and the Library folder (the default folder MC creates for the Main Library).

I guess I'll stew for a while about whether to create a new Library in the default folder and try again, or expand the Movie Test Library (which seems to be working properly) and then make that my Main Library.

Of course, I could read the Taming Windows Defender thread and see what Awesome Donkey has to say... :)
Title: Re: Auto Import isn't doing what I expect it to do
Post by: macdonjh on October 07, 2021, 06:08:05 pm: Details in the Sidecar Files for Movies thread, but I have mostly success.

I did a clean install of MC28 and restored my license. I created a new Library on my local hard drive (so I could leave the default Main Library alone). I reimported all my media files, a few singly, then en masse. Almost everything worked just like I'm used to.

I don't think I lost any media files. TV Cover Art now displays correctly. (Multiple Artist) albums display correctly in Tree -> Audio -> Albums view.

Movie Cover Art doesn't display for a few Movies, but Get TV & Movie Info seems to be working properly, so I can fix that.

Thanks, everyone, for your help with this.