"Date Added" wrong

General Discussions
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1

Server Version#: 1.13.5.5291, 1.13.5.5332, 1.13.6.5339
Player Version#: Various,…

The Date added function is a problem.
This initially happened about a month ago. at the time I was willing ot accept the unresponsive Plex Dev folks . and the suggested idea that its “corruption” in our databases.
but this keeps happening and without any logic.
A Solution,… ? good RFE would be to allow it to be set in the settings for the server… the “Date added” function to be determined by logical factors. such as
-Date/timestamp of Folder or File
-Date/timestamp of File
-allow Plex to decide.
-Set it. manually per file
-Or get rid of it entirely

My latest encounter with this issue for some reason wants to set some of the new media to 4 days prior to when it was added.
This is after already deleting and creating all new libraries for 2 of my servers… 3k media files each.
Why is there no response from Plex…?

2

To afford you better visibiity, I have moved this to the Computers category.

I looked through the posts you’ve created and I don’t find any mention of this issue until now.
If you did post somewhere, would you be kind enough to point me to the thread so I can catch up?

PMS doesn’t go by the file or directory date. It goes by the date it was scanned and added to PMS. That’s how it was designed.

If you can show me where this is changing / being altered somehow, I will be glad to help find out what is happening and see it gets fixed.

Can you generate some DEBUG log files (not VERBOSE logging) so I may see it happening?

3

I appreciate the quick response…
I have not posted about this issue before. I rely on problems getting identified, worked out, and disseminated.
This problem for me just has not gone away and apparently gotten worse.(as stated in my post)
I have some initial screen capture if you’d like …? but other than that what specifically do you want and from where. … I also would like to keep my servers information confidential/masked…

4

First, regarding your personal (server) information, You can PM me your logfiles. All I ever ask is the referencing thread think be included in the message. A few words are nice to have but not required.

Would you mind creating a test directory somewhere (to create as a test library section) ?

In it, I’d like you to copy & paste the files or cp -rp so date/time of the files is preserved.
Next, having verified DEBUG logging (not VERBOSE) is enabled,
Create a test library section thereby recreating the issue (I hope I’m understanding correctly here).
Everything in that library, should be added as “recently added” (there are a few exceptions).

Capturing the bad behavior is what I need to see.
When the small test section is complete, Collect the logs (Settings - server- help download Logs) and attach it.

With that, I can recreate here and then write up.

5

So the problem expands…
Server1 and Server2 point to same shared file-server location
sequence of events
-initial date added discrepancy noticed on server1. But not on server2
-continued to add media and the date added discrepancy doesnt change
-at some point it stopped showing newly added media.
-Then Server2 had issues with not staying on-line (Nvidiashield)
-awaited fix for shield.
-Deleted all libraries on both servers
-created new library titles on both servers
-not sure if its completed updating all metadata on both servers
-initial look at "Date added"while it was creating the database it was reporting everything as “recently added” .
-Today after adding about 20+ media files some duplicated but different version… Extended, directors cut, etc… and they were named as such.
-Now looking at the date added shows only a few (maybe 4 media files) but as added 4 days ago and not this morning.
-The rest pf the library shows “date added” by years 4 years, 3 years, 2 years, etc and then Months 2-11…
Even though the database was just created within the last week…
-Server2 shows the same except for it starts at 4 days ago for 3 Media files, then shows 9 days ago for a bunch of media before going into its month by month and year by year display.

I explain this because trying to recreate the problem is quite complicated.

6

Here are the steps I will perform if I understand your instructions correctly…
1.) Ensure DEBUG logging (not VERBOSE) is enabled, -on both servers
2.) Creating a test directory somewhere.
3.) Then create as a test library -on both servers
4.) Copy files from, “and on” the same “Shared files server…” preserving their date /timestamps…
5.) Review what is displayed and re-download a new set of logs from both servers

7

Thanks for the log files.

I didn’t realize it is Windows, which isn’t in my area of expertise at all .

What I did find, and very likely at the root of your problems is a number of networking problems

Curl error 6 is a DNS lookup failure (convert hostname to IP address)
Curl error 7 is can’t connect (because of the 6 above it)
PMS can’t connect to plex.tv at all “Unknown error”

I have no idea what is happening here but it’s profound.
@OttoKerner Can you perhap shelp here?

Aug 28, 2018 15:57:24.940 [7932] WARN - PubSubManager: Connection to 50.116.51.249 failed: Unknown error.
Aug 28, 2018 15:57:24.940 [7932] WARN - PubSubManager: Connection to 139.162.142.209 failed: Unknown error.
Aug 28, 2018 15:57:24.940 [7932] ERROR - EventSource: Retrying in 60 seconds.
Aug 28, 2018 15:57:27.442 [12980] ERROR - Error issuing curl_easy_perform(handle): 6
Aug 28, 2018 15:57:41.732 [12980] ERROR - Error issuing curl_easy_perform(handle): 6
Aug 28, 2018 15:57:55.106 [12980] ERROR - Error issuing curl_easy_perform(handle): 7
Aug 28, 2018 15:58:07.110 [12980] ERROR - Error issuing curl_easy_perform(handle): 7
Aug 28, 2018 15:58:19.126 [12980] ERROR - Error issuing curl_easy_perform(handle): 7
Aug 28, 2018 15:58:31.245 [12980] ERROR - Error issuing curl_easy_perform(handle): 7
Aug 28, 2018 15:58:43.273 [12980] ERROR - Error issuing curl_easy_perform(handle): 7
Aug 28, 2018 15:58:55.277 [12980] ERROR - Error issuing curl_easy_perform(handle): 7
Aug 28, 2018 15:58:55.440 [7932] WARN - PubSubManager: Connection to 82.94.168.54 failed: Unknown error.
Aug 28, 2018 15:58:55.440 [7932] WARN - PubSubManager: Connection to 45.79.195.99 failed: Unknown error.
Aug 28, 2018 15:58:55.440 [7932] WARN - PubSubManager: Connection to 45.79.11.43 failed: Unknown error.
Aug 28, 2018 15:58:55.440 [7932] WARN - PubSubManager: Connection to 50.116.51.249 failed: Unknown error.
Aug 28, 2018 15:58:55.440 [7932] WARN - PubSubManager: Connection to 139.162.177.42 failed: Unknown error.
Aug 28, 2018 15:58:55.440 [7932] WARN - PubSubManager: Connection to 139.162.115.125 failed: Unknown error.
Aug 28, 2018 15:58:55.440 [7932] WARN - PubSubManager: Connection to 139.162.215.242 failed: Unknown error.
Aug 28, 2018 15:58:55.440 [7932] WARN - PubSubManager: Connection to 172.104.59.31 failed: Unknown error.
Aug 28, 2018 15:58:55.441 [7932] WARN - PubSubManager: Connection to 184.105.148.98 failed: Unknown error.
Aug 28, 2018 15:58:55.441 [7932] WARN - PubSubManager: Connection to 45.33.75.206 failed: Unknown error.
Aug 28, 2018 15:58:55.441 [7932] ERROR - EventSource: Retrying in 120 seconds.
Aug 28, 2018 15:59:09.532 [12980] ERROR - Error issuing curl_easy_perform(handle): 6
Aug 28, 2018 15:59:21.541 [12980] ERROR - Error issuing curl_easy_perform(handle): 7
Aug 28, 2018 15:59:35.796 [12980] ERROR - Error issuing curl_easy_perform(handle): 6
Aug 28, 2018 15:59:47.829 [12980] ERROR - Error issuing curl_easy_perform(handle): 7
Aug 28, 2018 16:00:02.105 [12980] ERROR - Error issuing curl_easy_perform(handle): 6
Aug 28, 2018 16:00:16.364 [12980] ERROR - Error issuing curl_easy_perform(handle): 6
Aug 28, 2018 16:00:31.998 [12980] ERROR - Error issuing curl_easy_perform(handle): 6
Aug 28, 2018 16:00:46.301 [12980] ERROR - Error issuing curl_easy_perform(handle): 6
Aug 28, 2018 16:01:01.925 [12980] ERROR - Error issuing curl_easy_perform(handle): 6
Aug 28, 2018 16:01:02.493 [12980] WARN - OnConnect: No match for detailed movie version: 21269 MV000681660000
Aug 28, 2018 16:01:02.673 [12980] WARN - OnConnect: No match for detailed movie version: 8939 MV000408400000
Aug 28, 2018 16:01:22.115 [9348] ERROR - Error issuing curl_easy_perform(handle): 6
Aug 28, 2018 16:01:25.939 [7932] WARN - PubSubManager: Connection to 45.79.195.99 failed: Unknown error.
Aug 28, 2018 16:01:25.940 [7932] WARN - PubSubManager: Connection to 45.79.11.43 failed: Unknown error.
Aug 28, 2018 16:01:25.940 [7932] WARN - PubSubManager: Connection to 50.116.51.249 failed: Unknown error.
Aug 28, 2018 16:01:25.940 [7932] WARN - PubSubManager: Connection to 139.162.177.42 failed: Unknown error.
Aug 28, 2018 16:01:25.940 [7932] WARN - PubSubManager: Connection to 139.162.115.125 failed: Unknown error.
8

Is this happening on both Servers…?
And are the IP’s listed above valid IP’s I should allow to or from my servers…? Is there a list you can provide…? maybe with port numbers. if needed…?
Also why would it cause a wrong date… if it cannot resolve a host… wouldn’t it just fail…?
Also what is “curl_easy_perform”…?

Looking at the timestamp this may have been at a time when my router was down…
SO its important to know if this was on both servers ,… and at same time… I have had power issues here and have the fileservers and media devices on UPS’s… but the router does go down… but I can still use plex while routers is off… media is on separate network… Also why would it cause a wrong date… if it cannot resolve a host… wouldn’t it just fail…?

** The shield server and file-server are NOT Windows…

9

Your logs tell me otherwise.

Aug 27, 2018 19:51:23.087 [3452] INFO - Plex Media Server v1.13.5.5332-21ab172de - Microsoft PC x64 - build: windows-i386 english - GMT -04:00
Aug 27, 2018 19:51:23.087 [3452] INFO - Windows version: 6.1 (Build 7601), language en-US
Aug 27, 2018 19:51:23.087 [3452] INFO - 12 2666 MHz processor(s): Architecture=0, Level=6, Revision=11266 Processor Identifier=Intel64 Family 6 Model 44 Stepping 2, GenuineIntel
Aug 27, 2018 19:51:25.588 [6880] WARN - Crash: Crash reporting disabled
Aug 27, 2018 19:51:25.696 [6096] INFO - SQLITE3:0xd3684a6d, 283, recovered 263 frames from WAL file E:\SYSTEM\WIN7_LIBRARIES\Users\bjones\AppData\Local\Plex Media Server\Plug-in Support\Databases\com.plexapp.plugins.library.db-wal
Aug 27, 2018 19:51:29.702 [6096] INFO - OCSP: Successfully retrieved response from cache.

Curl is a runtime library for Code URL. It allows us to make web (http) queries from within PMS. Linux has this tool natively on the command line too.

The IP addresses it’s reaching to are hard coded in PMS.

10

1.) Yes one server is windows.
2) The other server is a Nvidia Shield and the shared file-server is NOT windows.
3.) Logs were from windows server and shield server (Android)
4.) I already explained the network issues and suggested that you compare for correlation or or to determine which one cannot “resolve” a particular host.
These devices have allowed access out to the PMS servers
Still have not explained why it would provide an incorrect date if it cannot connect to plex.tv and not just fail…

11

For visibility sake,… would it be better to remove this from the Computers category…?

12

Well, what type is the file server?

I agree with @ChuckPa 's analysis that you have some network issues. Whether they have to do with the date remains to be seen though.

‘Date added’ is normally determined by the date and time when a file is added the first time to the server.
The date and time which the server thinks is current, that is.

  1. make sure your server has the correct time and date set.
    With Windows computers this is usually the case. With embedded systems, like NASs or the Shield it may not always be true. These devices may need to reach a ‘NTP server’ to fetch the current time. If the network/internet is unavailable at the time of server startup, the server may run with an incorrect time for quite a while.

The general rule that the ‘date added’ is determined by the current time and date has some exceptions:

  • if you create a fresh library and in the course of this library creation you add a folder full of media files, Plex will read the datetime stamp of the media files and use this instead as ‘date added’. This makes sense, because you usually create a library and then add a lot of media at the same time, which otherwise would get all the same ‘date added’ information.
  • When you add a new file which gets mismatched by Plex and gets added to an already existing item in your library as a ‘version’ of it, it will inherit the meta data of the existing, older item. Even after you ‘split’ the item, they will still share many of their metadata. If you have a library with mostly un-matchable items, you must make sure it uses the Personal Media agents as its primary metadata source. Otherwise this will happen again and again.
  1. Plex server determines whether a file has changed or not by the datetime stamp of its containing folder. This time stamp depends on the proper time and date of the file server, where the media are stored. If your media are not stored on the same device where your server is running, you must make sure that this file server has always a correct time and date.

Which brings us to the initial point:
For both 1) and 2) it is crucial that your local network and your internet connection don’t have issues. Otherwise your different file and media servers cannot fetch the proper time from NTP servers.
If they don’t have proper time, they may not be able to reach each other or the plex.tv cloud, because encrypted data packets are signed with the current UTC date/time stamp. If this differs too much from the real UTC time, the receiving end may simply drop the packets.
Which leads to a multitude of issues.

13

Hello Otter,

I believe I understand what you are saying.

The File-server is a qnap Nas… connected to a UPS… it has the correct time. And has not been turned off since recreating the libraries. And it sits on a separate network hardware segment than my gateway router. The router has been rebooted frequently in last week or so.The router also has extensive firewall rules and configuration. The library recreation was only in plex Web interface… the folder structure and file contents never changed… except to add versions in last few days. The network errors you reported I believe were Temporary while router was down.
Would it be possible to answer my question of whether or not plex will fail to write a “date added” when it cannot connect or resolve the plex.TV environment or will it make up its own… it’s now clear that it uses the exisying folder timestamp rather than the file timestamp. When dealing with existing containers. So it’s also normal when dealing with large libraries that in initial build it will report “recently added” then change to the folder date/timestamp once it completed a cycle thru the library.??? I must add that recreating the change is hard since it was introduced by plex about a month or so ago. When when myself and othets furst saw the change in various ways… like new media not showing up or with a different date added stamp. Telling us our databases are corrupt s quite aggravating since we all see the problem happen sound the same time… going to backup is useless recovery efforts and distraction… stopping my rant… ugh my I ask why my RFE is not going to be considered. ? Considering the various time stamps you said plex is picking from because of different senarios…? It would give us better manageability and expectations of our libraries…

I am still pushing forward on finding out why my problem happened. Since the network issue on my router hasn’t altered or changed the timestamps on my files and folders… and was temporary…
Another question is… won’t plex “fix” itself once it can connect to the plex.TV servers…?..

14

I’m not sure what you are saying here. There was no software change in Plex server regarding the ‘date added’.

I highly doubt an intermittently missing network connection would cause a wrong date.
Only when starting up the plex server and/or the file servers, a missing internet connection may cause the time/date to get set wrong.

15

Then it must be a coincidence…

16

My assertion as well…

17

Latest update…
Shield appears to be finished optimizing… Windows Server completed too…
Windows server is now showing the newly added versions!! but 9hrs ago…? even though some are stamped with yesterday morning 8am…
Shield has no change since I sent initial screenshot.
The bulk of all existing media dates are wrong… some say 2 mos but it was added over a year ago…
(and I only recreated the library a week ago)
Now I am confused as to where it is getting the dates.

18

With media files on external storage or on file shares: never, ever activate
Settings - Server - Library - ‘Empty trash automatically after every scan’
Otherwise you will get such issues frequently.

19

Are you or I waiting for next steps.
Hoping we moved passed network issues unless you can show that its happening and how its affecting the Date added when there is no network issue. My last update exemplifies my issue as it is corroborated with the screenshot I sent last night… I am also willing ot fix any naming or directory structure as long as I have concise details on what to change. I want me and my library to work “WITH” Plex not do my own thing.

20

OK,… Done,… I unchecked that box for both servers…