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[JoeFlip]

I'm running Media Server 29 on a Mac (client) and an Id with version 28 (server). My files are on a Synology NAS; they are ordered in: 'performer name'/'album name'/'flac file'. I have auto sync set. It seems as if new 'flac file' entries on the client are ignored upon sync with the server if a special (unprintable) character is in 'album name' filename. When I repair the filename on the client, the info correctly syncs with the server. I'm not aware of any log files on the server reporting the condition, so I find the missing entries by visually comparing the client with the server.

Media Server reports the sync to be successful when I know it's not. Is there some way (besides visually checking) to compare the client with the server to report any missing entries on the server?

[markf2748]

I don't know how to compare two libraries entirely within MC, but you can do it using external spreadsheets.  Open the Audio -- All smartlist, and then:
https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=87388.0

Here is a method that should detect the problem, most of the time, before you sync (I also encounter "invisible" characters occasionally):
Define a custom calculated field [FolderName], =filefolder() .  On the client, create an audio-only smartlist that does a case-insensitive string compare between [album] and [FolderName] with the Custom Rule:

Code: [Select]

[=IsEqual([album],[FolderName],1)]=0
The following also works without defining a custom field:

Code: [Select]

[=IsEqual([album],filefolder(),1)]=0
The smartlist lists audio files whose album name and parent folder name are not the same, for example an "invisible" character in folder name only.  Test by adding or removing a character in the parent folder name.  Correct those folder names on the client and see if the album gets imported by the server, as you report.

(For extra "peace of mind", change 1 --> 0 in the rule to do a case sensitive string comparison.  It took me a while to fix all those.)

[markf2748]

Here is another precaution which may help keep libraries "clean":

https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,133295.msg923438.html#msg923438
https://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Clean_File_Properties
Tools (or RMB on selected files) > Library Tools > Clean File Properties... > [ x] Remove newlines (for selected fields)

I just found that setting was unchecked (probably the default), so I enabled it and modified other selections per my workflow.  According to wiki, the tool only operates on library fields for selected files, so I eventually selected all albums.

Best practice: back up files, library, and have a good file comparison utility on hand before using this tool!

[JoeFlip]

thanks. i'll try the CSV file compare when i have some free time.

[JoeFlip]

This isn't so easy! I don't know how to put an unprintable character in a filename on a Mac, so I can't test the smartlist solution you proposed. My bad filenames come from an external source.

But it appears the smartlist solution displays all filenames with special characters in them. That's not my problem. Media Server Library Server ignores files with unprintable characters in them.

I'd be happy to run the 'diff' utility on two .CSV or .XML files on my Mac. But I tried both 'Export Playlist' and 'Library/Export to XML' from Media Server on both the Main Library and the Library Server and neither produces two files that are in the same order, so 'diff' is not an option.

Any more suggestions?

[HaWi]

I don't know how to put an unprintable character in a filename on a Mac, so I can't test the smartlist solution you proposed.

I use the PopChar app which allows me to copy paste any character into any document.

[markf2748]

I'd be happy to run the 'diff' utility on two .CSV or .XML files on my Mac. But I tried both 'Export Playlist' and 'Library/Export to XML' from Media Server on both the Main Library and the Library Server and neither produces two files that are in the same order, so 'diff' is not an option.

For 'Export Playlist' to CSV file:  Set up the Smartlists' displayed columns to only include fields of interest, such as Name, Artist, Album, Track #, filename, etc. This keeps the CSV file at a reasonable size.

To sort on multiple fields in the Smartlist, see the Wiki
https://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Sort_the_Content_Pane
You can also use RMB on column heading > Sorting > ....  Sort the same way on both server and client before exporting.  I suggest starting with Artist > Album > Track #.

Open the exported CSV in Excel.  I would be surprised if the exported ordering does not follow that of the smartlists.  But if you want to sort here, use Excel's Data > Sort capability to specify multiple column sort criteria.  This works very nicely for me on Windows, even using Excel 2013 on an old laptop running Win10.