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[cochinada]

Hello Support and community,

My movies reside on shared folders in different HDD's on my Windows PC that I have shared on the Network and mounted on my Debian HTPC where I have JRiver MC.

For instance, on my drive E: I have this structure:
E://movies/Action/Extraction (2020)/Extraction.mkv

And the shared folder is 'E://movies' with the name "moviese"

So in /etc/fstab on my HTPC I've added a line as this in order to mount this folder permanently:

//192.168.1.66/moviese /media/MoviesE cifs credentials=/home/joaquim/.smbcred,iocharset=utf8,gid=1000,uid=1000,file_mode=0777,dir_mode=0777 0 0


Now for my main query, I've read several threads already on this forum about MKV tagging and whatnot. Some were quite disturbing like this one:
"We don't support writing tags to video files in general, so while you can change them in the MC database, it won't be reflected in the actual file tags."
or this:
"MC will read the tags in MKVs but not write them. You can make sure sidecar files are up to date by using 'update tags from library'. I think MC typically updates sidecars automatically, but there are times when it fails."

Basically I just want to know how can I properly tag my MKV files and which tags are key so that at the very least I'm able to see the correct movie name and date of release in MC afterwards?

For instance, I noticed there is a TAG under the Advanced group called 'IMDb ID'. Perhaps naively I thought that populating this tag should be enough for MC to fetch the correct information about the MKV file that I'm importing so, after searching I found out how to get this value from IMDb.
However, I've tried to add a custom tag called exactly 'IMDb ID' on Mp3tag but after importing the file into my MC Library, that tag remains empty, so obviously MC is not mapping its own tag with the one I've added to the MKV file via Mp3tag with the same name. Why is that?

Ultimately, I'm seeing many obstacles for proper tagging movies and perhaps MC is not the best option for a movie library after all if there is no simple way to tag it.

I also use MKVToolNix now and then but this seems even more limited than Mp3tag as I could only found a place to write the Title tag.

[mattkhan]

Is there a reason why you don't use MC to get the movie info?

[cochinada]

No reason at all. How is MC able to get the movie info in the 1st place? That's what I'm asking when I asked how should I tag or name my MKV files.

For sure there must be something either with the name of the file or some tag that will allow MC to identify the movie. If I call my MKV file something like xpto.mkv and have no tags, MC will never guess what this is, so what do I have to do in preparation first?

[mattkhan]

If I call my MKV file something like xpto.mkv and have no tags, MC will never guess what this is, so what do I have to do in preparation first?

you don't *have* to do anything, you can just enter the name in the Get Movie & TV Info box and pick the entry you want

[cochinada]

It's the 1st time I'm doing this so that Info Box was new to me.
Do I have to do this manually on each movie I've imported or is there a way to?
For the first movie I opened that Box, I got more then a dozen results but the 1st one from TMDb seems the correct one.
Also the "Search" filed was already populated with the name of the movie. Where does this come from?

[mattkhan]

It can be run on import also

https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=69316.0

I don't recall exactly how it parses filename info into tags, it's probably on the wiki somewhere

[cochinada]

I can't find my way within the Wiki. It's too cluttered for my taste which makes it very difficult to find what one is looking for but I don't mind changing each file name if I have to and importing all again.
As for the thumbnail/cover art, some of my movies show a very small horizontal picture in the middle of the vertical rectangle and others don't show anything at all.
Is there any way to present the thumbnail as it should, I mean like the cover of a bluray disc?

[mattkhan]

Process is

Import files
Use get movie info to populate tags (either manually or on import)
Use https://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Rename,_Move,_and_Copy_Files to  move things around into a consistent naming structure (if that's what you want to do, no requirement to do that as MC doesn't care)

As part of getting info, it should get art as well and then you will.have nice thimbnails

[cochinada]

OK but this is what I see even after chosing this one:

[mattkhan]

Is this a client server setup or there is just MC instance which you are tagging in?

[cochinada]

There is just this MC instance and my shared folders on the other Windows PC.

[mattkhan]

seems to be behaving as if there's no cover art, these are all mkv?
if you look at the tag window for something you should have grabbed info for, what does it show? see attached for an example
what do you have set in Options > File Location > Cover Art ?

[cochinada]

Yes, all files are mkv.
Please check this picture:

[cochinada]

I have also these settings that I don't understand quite well.
Should I change something here since my video shared folders reside in the Windows PC and not this one?

[mattkhan]

You need to have a single item selected in the view to avoid it showing "varies" and instead shows exactly where the artwork for that one item is

Media server client options are irrelevant as you are not running a client

[cochinada]

You need to have a single item selected in the view to avoid it showing "varies" and instead shows exactly where the artwork for that one item is

Media server client options are irrelevant as you are not running a client

Not sure I understood what you mean but this is what I have below.
I had a thought now...
Does MC copy the thumbnail picture to my shared folder where the mkv is after I use that option "Get Movie & TV Info"?
Because if that is the case then I thing I know what the problem is: I gave only read access to those shared folders.
And if that is not the case, then ªI certainly don't have any picture inside this folder. I have only my mkv file.

EDIT: I've added Read/Write permissions but nothing changed.

[cochinada]

How to fix this?

[mattkhan]

No idea tbh, your options said cover art would be in your home but the tag says it's alongside the mkv so maybe the preceding option about audio files also applies here? Regardless I would do the following

Enable logging
Repeat the get movie info action
Share the log here

Maybe it gives a clue as to what is happening

[zybex]

Try doing again "get tv&movie info" after you gave it Write permissions, and check if MC creates the jpg poster file next to the movie file.
If there's a poster file there but the thumbnail still doesn't show up, try Right-Click on the movie and select "Covert Art -> Rebuild Thumbnails".

You can also select multiple files and then do Get Movie&TV info for all of them in one go.
Finally, you can enter the tt123456 movie ID manually in the [IMDB Id] field before doing the Get Movie Info, and MC will use it. This is only needed for cases where MC can't automatically find the right info.

PS: This page is extra-slow because you're posting some huge screenshots using that slow ibb.co hosting site. Please resize your photos, some of them are over 10 MB. Or use a proper screenshot tool instead of photos.

[cochinada]

I apologize for my error. I have now scaled down the pictures and I hope this sorts the slowness.

How can I enable the logging?
The folder where the mkv resides does not have anything else indeed.
I gave already read/write permissions to all my shared folders.
Get Movie & TV Info is able to find it though.
In fact the IMDb ID is already there with lots of other stuff. The only thing missing seems to be the cover.
Rebuild thumbnail option does not change anything.

[zybex]

Help ->Logging menu.
What about in ~/.jriver/Media Center 30/Cover Art ? Can MC write there?
It still looks like MC can't write to the movie folder, the poster file should show up there.
Tenta com um filme sem caracteres especiais no path ("acção"), pode ser um problema de conversão UTF.

[cochinada]

Help ->Logging menu.
What about in ~/.jriver/Media Center 30/Cover Art ? Can MC write there?
It still looks like MC can't write to the movie folder, the poster file should show up there.
Tenta com um filme sem caracteres especiais no path ("acção"), pode ser um problema de conversão UTF.

Interesting because I was about to ask what was this?



P.S sorry for the out of focus!

I did not create these folders but there are a few jpg inside subfolder "Series" which not even I can open. They are all grey...

[zybex]

Those are TV Series posters - normal if you have episodes for those series, or perhaps you have some movies wrongly tagged with [Media Sub Type] = "TVShow" instead of "Movie".
It seems there are permissions issues still. If MC is running as a different user account then the files it creates won't be readable by you, unless you change the file/folder permissions too. Same for network NAS access. Try enabling MC's Logging and then GetMovie&TV Info, then share the log.

Shouldn't there be a "rw" or "noperm" option on your mount command?

[cochinada]

Those are TV Series posters - normal if you have episodes for those series, or perhaps you have some movies wrongly tagged with [Media Sub Type] = "TVShow" instead of "Movie".
It seems there are permissions issues still. If MC is running as a different user account then the files it creates won't be readable by you, unless you change the file/folder permissions too. Same for network NAS access. Try enabling MC's Logging and then GetMovie&TV Info, then share the log.

I did not tag anything except Title but it is possible that some files do have that value without me knowing indeed.
Explanation:
In order to access my shared folders, I have mounted those in my HTPC using a dedicated user/password.
This is a different user from the one I have for this HTPC for sure.
Maybe that's the issue?
If so, what should I do?
I don't know how to enable logging, sorry...

"Shouldn't there be a "rw" option on your mount command?"
Very good question. I have no idea. I have to google it...

[zybex]

Help -> Logging menu in MC.

[cochinada]

sudo mount -t cifs //<WINDOWS_PC_IP>/<SHARE_PATH> /mnt/windows-share -o username=<USERNAME>,password=<PASSWORD>,uid=$(id -u),gid=$(id -g),file_mode=0777,dir_mode=0777

file_mode=0777 and dir_mode=0777 give full read/write permissions to the files and directories.

This was done already so I'll activate the logging and will post it here in a while.

[cochinada]

I was about to copy the Log into my shared folder for uploading here and found the issue:



It is indeed because those folders were mounted with a different user. I just don't know what's the best way to fix this now.

Maybe I'll try to mount those folders with the same user that MC uses. Which one is that BTW? "joaquim" as appears in my prompt or a special one?

EDIT: Great News!!!
I don't know how this happened but my MoviesE shared folder on Windows side had still only Read permissions so I've set it to Read/Write (again) and now it works!
I can finally see very nice thumbnails!
Thank you so much for all your help! It seems for now I have only to select all my movies and use that nice option "Get Movie..." again

[zybex]

On the Windows side, did you check if the folder has RW permissions for "Everyone"? You need to set it both on the folder permissions and on the share permissions.

[cochinada]

On the Windows share, did you check if the folder has RW permissions for "Everyone"? You need to set it both on the folder permissions and on the share permissions.

That was indeed the issue! this folder has eluded me for some weird reason... 

I now see these strange files inside each folder:
Coriolanus (2011)_mkv_JRSidecar.xml

[zybex]

Great

https://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Sidecar_Files

You can disable Sidecar files in MC Options.

[cochinada]

Great

https://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Sidecar_Files

You can disable Sidecar files in MC Options.

Thanks! They don't bother me as they are incredibly small and who knows they might be needed in the future. 
As for that Media Sub-type that you mentioned, is it best that I set my automatic importing with a rule to fill that Tag depending on the folder where the mkv resides? I have "movies" folders but I have also "Concert" and I was thinking of a way to separate those in a clear manner on my Theater View...

[zybex]

Yes, Import rules are the way to go.

[cochinada]

Yes, Import rules are the way to go.

Ok, I've set those on the Import configuration already so I'm covered for future imports but what about the current ones? What is the quickest way to force Media Sub Type = Movies on all the files I've imported already?

[zybex]

Go to Video->Files
select all files
open the Tag Editor panel (ALT+Enter)
find the Media Sub Type tag
set it to Movie

[cochinada]

Thanks. I've done that already and am slowly getting things organized.
I was even able to import my concerts as well for which I used Media Sub Type = Concerts.

However I found an issue when I was going to import my Series as there is no pre-defined type "Series". I saw only these 3: Movie, Concert and TV Show.
So, I decided to use a Custom one and wrote "Series" but when I was about to design my new Library View for "Series" I found it was not possible to define in rules for File Display such value of Media Sub Type = Series.
Even if I force it manually, I can't catch any file.
A bit frustrated I opted to write an exclusion rule: Media Sub Type is not Movie AND Media Sub Type is not Concert.
As cumbersome as this is it works but then I get to another obstacle when I'm trying to use Get Movie and TV Info! It says this option cannot be used bla bla bla.
So, the question I have is: How should I import my Series?

The structure I currently have on my shared folders is the following:

Series/Westworld/S01/S01E01.mkv
Series/Westworld/S01/S01E02.mkv
Series/Westworld/S01/S01E03.mkv
...
Series/Westworld/S01/S01E10.mkv

Series/Westworld/S02/S01E01.mkv
etc

[zybex]

Use "TV Show" for series. MC can grab the series and episode numbers from the filename, and then get all metadata and covers.
If it doesn't pick up the name/series/episode automatically, you can right click the files and select "fill properties from filename" to define a template.

[cochinada]

Wow! This is powerful but is full of tricks
In the process I discovered that one needs to populate the tag "Series" with the name of the Series where I was still using tag "Title". 

[cochinada]

New question please!!!

On my Theater View, how can I get rid of "all Expression" that I see in my "Concert" and "Series" view?

EDIT: I was able to get rid of this but due to what I believe is a bug in Theater View, it was not easy to find the answer. When the item is not Nested, the option to display ALL is not available.