So, I recently had to go through an exercise where my multi-thousand title database got corrupted. The backups didn’t help. I had to start over. I had my entire library coded via collections and sharing tags to create collections based on audio type, who I shared titles with etc. I am having to start completely over.
No feature addition can tell me what tiotles I want to share with my 11 year old of course, but one of the things I did was added a collection for “Atmos”, “DTS-HD MA” and other things. Some of them technical and some of them defined by me. For the things that are technical and I know Plex CAN do this, I’d love to see an option for auto-collection creation based on certain file criteria. Atmos could be an example.
Plex is capable of discerning these files. Why couldn’t there be a way to automatically generate an “Atmos” collection tag on the title in my library?
The details of what options or how it works would be a conversation, but the idea seems plausible. Could this happen? That is my feature suggestion.
It seems peripherally related to this other feature suggestion:
Another idea would be to somehow “import” the metadata from my old DB which I have and can open the tables manually, but have no idea how it could possibly be selectively imported to restore all my file metadata.
Let me summarize in order to see I understand your suggestion…
You want technical details like what type of audio (e.g. Atos, DTS-HD MA…) to be made available as an advanced filter so you can create a smart collection based on those?
If so… it appears this is already covered by another suggestion
Smart Tags… based on name, category/type, audio, resolution, etc… would be fantastic. Also… relatively easy to implement (being a developer). Just needs to save the tags you create and assign to videos or music.
I am not sure that’s what I’m talking about. I’m not familiar with “filters” in this context.
What I’m suggesting is that since Plex knows what type of audio, video etc a file has and does this automatically, can there be an option to create COLLECTIONS based on selected criteria. In other words, if I manually create a COLLECTION called “Atmos” and Plex already knows what media I have that contains Atmos audio, can it create a COLLECTION that automatically adds the media with Atmos to it?
Obviously the specific needs that users may have with regarding to the criteria they might want to do this with will very so I don’t know what the implementation might look like.
Sure, but those are related to the ENTIRE database. I used such procedures originally to try to save my installation, but it was corrupt. I have another thread in the forums for that already outlining what I had to do to get it working again.
What I would need is a way of importing the specific data for my collections that would include the path to the file, what collections it was in, sharing tags etc. I have no idea how that could be gotten and selectively imported to my new installation. The only thing I have instructions for is importing the entire DB wholesale and that would hose my installation. I tried it already.
Well… that’s how you create smart collections.
You use the Advanced Filter options and save the result as a collection. For your particular use case this requires Plex to “expose” the parameters you’re looking for within that filter (e.g. the option to filter by Atmos audio).
You currently cannot do that – that’s why a suggestion like the 1st one I had linked above exist. However… with that suggestion implemented, you will also be able to create the automatic collections (=smart collections) you have in mind.
If you create those collections/tags based on criteria, there’s no need to actually export/re-import the collection – you’ll just need to re-specify it (or restore it from an existing setup).
I can appreciate that. I was thinking more along the lines of if I add a new movie and it has Atmos it just gets added to the “Atmos” collection.
I have never used “Advanced Filter” and like you said it doesn’t actually exist. However, if I look at any piece of media in my collection whether it’s a movie, TV etc it will give me the media tech data on that screen.
What I am suggesting is that there be a setting that says “If this characteristic is known add it to the collection called “Atmos””
Perhaps the advanced filter thing would be helpful for something that I may not be trying to do or there could be something I’m not considering here, but I’m only looking (at this point) to get this basic functionality.
That’s what smart collections / playlists do.
You tell it the criteria for that collection and whenever a new item is added to your library that matches the criteria, it’ll automatically be added to that collection.
Those smart collections / playlists can already be created from the advanced filter option for single criteria or a combination of different criteria (e.g. genre=Comedy and decade=2010 and title begins with "A" and …). As for technical aspects of a movie, only some of the criteria is currently available – e.g. resolution, HDR, audio and subtitle languages.
So for an option to cover what you’re looking for, Plex will need to expose e.g. the audio type / codec / … as an additional criteria for those filters. This is what the other feature suggestion linked above is asking for.
I get your point – however as it’s so closely linked to this other suggestion, I recommend you comment/vote in that thread in order to avoid distracting/dispersing votes (helping us to avoid duplicates – here: same feature, different viewing points)
OK, for the first time I went in to create a “Smart Collection” because I had never used that feature before. Somewhat cool!
I do see that the stuff I’m asking about like Atmos is not a listed filter option and how that other feature suggestion could make mine come true, albeit with additional steps, but should only have to take those steps when initially creating the collection.
I voted for that other one. Hopefully it’s close to being done!
