In the last few Plex Media Server versions I noticed something weird.
Whenever a new video file gets added to my Media folder Plex picks up the video file just fine. However when I later add a subtitle file to the video the metadata does not automatically refresh.
Instead when you enter the video pre-play screen a metadata refresh gets triggered. It did observe that new local metadata was added but did not do a refresh. This refresh takes several seconds to complete and frequently causes a timeout on the Plex Player on my 2014 Samsung TV. I have to exit and re-enter the pre-play screen several times and then the subtitle gets picked up.
I believe this behaviour is recently changed (do not know exactly when). Why can the refresh not be triggered when a new subtitle file is added. Then it will show up immediately when the pre-play screen is accessed.
@trumpy81 followed your suggestions but this does not make a difference.
The fact that a new subtitle file is there is picked up and even shows in the logs as an entry like:
[0x47a7c450] INFO - Library section 4 (TV Series) will be updated because of a change in '"/volume1/Media/TV Series/The 100/Season 7"/The.100.S07E09.HDTV.x264-SVA[rarbg].en.srt
However, the actual refresh of the metadata only happens when you enter the pre-play screen. Why does this not happen immediately?
Apparently this message only sets some “dirty bit” which causes a metadata refresh when you enter the pre-play screen.
I have done the test and added the following subtitle:
/volume1/Media/TV Series/Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D/Season 7"/Marvels.Agents.of.S.H.I.E.L.D.S07E08.WEB.H264-ALiGN.en.srt
Of course, whilst doing this test all works as it should and it automatically updated. I have attached the logs anyway. Maybe there is something to see.
I will keep monitoring the situation and upload the logs when I found one situation when it did not update.
I have another occurance. I have added the subtitle file: Condor.S02E07.WEB.x264-PIXELMASH[TGx].en.srt
After 6 minutes I looked opened the pre-play screen. No subtitle was shown and a refresh was started that took about 1 minute to complete and only then the subtitle showed.
That is strange because the video file does show up in the dashboard. If the video would not have been found it would not show up there. Furthermore, it is normal that the video file comes first and after several hours or a day the subtitle file gets added. So when it does an analysis of the video file the first time, there will not be a subtitle file yet.
Why does it work so differently on Windows, with local drives?
I drop in a subtitle file 8 years after the movie (did that yesterday) - and Plex finds it in moments automatically - and even turns it on to obey my settings.
What’s so different?
I ask because one of these days I may have to use Network Attached Storage - but not if I have to fight Plex tooth and nail.
Well - one thing we won’t be troubleshooting when that time comes - you and I - will be running my server on a “Not A Server”. I’m only interested in it’s capacity as “Network Attached Storage”, but not if when I drop a subtitle file in 8 years after the video - it’s not found immediately.
I guess you are missing the point. The file WAS picked up by Plex. It showed up in the Plex start screen after all. If the file was not detected as you say, it would not have shown up there.
The problem may have been log file rotation. I will try to find another situation closer together in time so you can see both events in the log.
I do not see how low power CPU has anything to do with it. It does it eventually, the activities could just be better scheduled in my opinion for a smoother experience.
