Doing the Plex "two step" dance

[ukbo0]

Dear Forum Members & Plex Devs

Ever since I started to use Plex, back in 2012, there has always been this problem of Plex replacing user entered data with it’s, sometimes wildly, erroneous data. And instead of fixing this long-standing bug, Plex has instead add facilities (some buggy) that most users neither want or use.

Now, I would have thought that it would be relatively easy to add a “User Fixed Update” option, to the Plex individual icon sub menu, that prevents Plex from making any further amendments to a Movie or TV series. That would cure a problem that’s been around far longer than necessary, i.e. well over a decade.

So Plex, for goodness sake, fix this problem that has existed since Plex’s first iteration (early 2000) up to and including the present day.

UK Bob

PS. No more doing the Plex two step dance.

[pshanew]

You could alway just try to follow Plex’s naming and organization guidelines.
https://support.plex.tv/articles/naming-and-organizing-your-movie-media-files/

https://support.plex.tv/articles/naming-and-organizing-your-tv-show-files/

That would likely resolve most of your issues. If not, specific examples would be required.

[ukbo0]

Hi Pshanew

Thanks for your quick reply, but I must point out that your suggestion, unfortunately, has been suggested before and I have followed them. And although the most egregious auto-updates no longer occur, this does not stop the Plex “two step” dance from reoccurring.

Here’s what I’ve found out over my 14 years of using Plex.

Plex is a good all round media database, but it does have flaws, e.g. no way to enter the main stars of a movie or TV series. However, that flaw, and some others, can be overlooked because they do not prevent the overall enjoyment of using Plex, i.e. the storage and playing of media.

However, the one bugbear that annoys me above anything else is when Plex picks a particular TV series and decides to constantly update/amend the main page to something else. And no matter how many times I correct those incorrect auto-amendments, Plex, a few days later, would change my correct amendments back to the incorrect ones, e.g. Invasion changed to Secret Invasion, Wednesday changed to My Wednesday and so on.

At this point I would like to make this clear, of the 85 plus TV series I have Plex only picks 3 or 4 of them to auto-update with incorrect data.

And you know something Pshanew, I have been through this rodeo before, just like other forum members have. And admittedly, some of the most problematic problems have been cured by adding imdb, tvdb or tmdb identification numbers to the movie or TV file names, as well as some other formatting corrections. But, unfortunately, the Plex “two step” still remains undefeated, just like gravity.

So, I sincerely believe that the only way to beat this “two step” bug is to add a user option that prevents Plex from auto-updating individual movies or TV series, either via a tick box or an added menu option.

Please let me know if there is anything in my reply that is unclear or confusing, or if you have any other questions.

UK Bob

[OttoKerner]

I still haven’t found out what “2-step” dance you’re talking about.

Please show the (actual) folder names of those series which give you grief.

[ukbo0]

Hi Otto K

At the moment, it’s 3.17 am in my neck of the woods but later on, when I’ve had some sleep, I will try and attach some screen prints to my next post.

UK Bob

[ukbo0]

Hi Otto K

I’ve got some screen prints to share, as an example of this Plex “two step” I’m plagued with, but I do not know how to link or upload them to the forum.

Some simple, Jack & Jill type, instructions would be appreciated, simple enough for a 70+ year old man can understand.

Cheers.

UK Bob

[napolij]

Look for this icon when you are creating a post . You can use it to upload images, logs, etc.

[FordGuy61]

@ukbo0

Invasion changed to Secret Invasion, Wednesday changed to My Wednesday and so on.

Please show exactly how you have the shows named and organized. A directory listing, screenshot, etc. Include the folder added to the tv show library and the file extension (mkv/mp4/etc).

You can do this easily with Plex Web. On a tv show episode page, click on the pencil icon (edit). When the edit window opens, choose Info. This shows the full path to the file. Take a screenshot and post it to the thread.

[OttoKerner]

@ukbo0

Some simple, Jack & Jill type, instructions would be appreciated, simple enough for a 70+ year old man can understand.

If you have the screenshot already as a .jpg or .png file, you can drag this file into the message editor of the forum with your mouse.

Another method would be to use the computer’s clipboard.
For instance if you are using Windows, you can open the “Snipping Tool” app.
It allows you to easily capture an area of your screen, then either save that into a file, or copy it onto the clipboard.
You can then paste this screenshot into the message editor of this forum. (the keyboard shortcut for pasting is the decades-old CTRL+V combination)

[ukbo0]

Hi Guys

I am unable to give a proper reply at the moment because I am about half-way through configuring my new modem, supplied by my new ISP. However, my new modem does not have a user manual, the ISP did not write one, so I am scrambling to assemble info/instructions that should help configure my modem to see all my wired and wireless devices.

As you can imagine, (and I can hear you asking) why did I choose such a restrictive |SP. Well, it wasn’t my direct choice but an arrangement between two partner companies, my former ISP would no longer support (the now old-fashioned) LAN line house phones, while my new ISP still supported my phone, albeit with a new digital line, i.e. no ADSL filter on the LAN line. So, I was transferred over from one company to another with very little inter-action from me.

Anyway, I now have a modem (the EE Smart Hub Plus) that I must now configure without the use of a manual.

Gonna take a bit of time

UK Bob

PS. I will make a proper “two-step” reply asap.

[ukbo0]

Hi Fellow Forum Users

I am now able to show, with screen prints, the Plex 2-Step.

As you can see, Plex changed Invasion to Secret Invasion, I have changed this Plex auto-mistake more than half-a-dozen times back to “Invasion Season Two” but Plex keeps auto-changing back to “Secret Invasion”.

As you can now see, Plex as also deleted my data and replaced it with “Secret Invasion” data.

The Tag page has also been rewritten with “Secret Invasion” data, at this point I am fed up with replacing Plex’s incorrect data with correct info only for Plex to come along a week or two later and change everything back to garbage info and pictures (which follows).

I must point out that whenever I enter TV program/season data in my database I also use IMDB, TVDB and/or TMDB reference index/reference numbers, alongside the TV program’s file name, to identify the TV item I am entering.

So, I am at a loss on how to stop Plex from auto-entering wrong data, thus erasing my correct data.

Please note, of the fifty-plus TV seasons I have this only happens to three (3) programs, that is:-

Invasion Season 2 changed to Secret Invasion

Wednesday Season 2 changed to My Wednesday (a South Korean or Japanese program [I can’t tell which]).

Rick And Morty Season 7 changed to Rick And Morty Anime.

Finally, I don’t know how or why Plex chooses to continually change the data and picture information for these three programs but it does, and I am so fed up with it.

Any suggestions will be gratefully received.

UK Bob

PS. The 1st step - Enter data with correct data and posters.

2nd step - Plex auto-replaces data with incorrect data and adds pictures and images not related to the original information.

Repeat forever.

[FordGuy61]

Please show exactly how you have the shows named and organized. A directory listing, screenshot, etc. Include the folder added to the tv show library and the file extension (mkv/mp4/etc).

You can do this easily with Plex Web. On a tv show episode page, click on the pencil icon (edit). When the edit window opens, choose Info. This shows the full path to the file. Take a screenshot and post it to the thread.

[Divideby0]

When this first came, I started to suspect that the show was disappearing and reappearing, which - if automatic trash collection is enabled - could explain the show dropping ALL information.

I think two things are happening:

1. The user has the media on an unstable drive, likely an external drive. Either it gets unmounted, or spins down long enough that Plex cannot detect the contents of the drive, and marks it for deletion. With trash collection turned on, it is removed, and all custom changes are eliminated.

and

2. The OP does not have the media labelled correctly. Likely, the folder is not called “Invasion (2021)”. When the show is scanned by Plex, it is probably matching to the more popular Marvel show “Secret Invasion”. Including the year in the folder should help, but to be absolutely sure, they can include the TMDB or TVDB or IMDB ID in the folder name to guarantee a correct match.

If I am wrong on either/both points, let me know.

EDIT: I find it interesting that the OP keeps insisting that Invasion Season 2 keeps changing to Secret Invasion Season 2. Not “invasion changes to Secret Invasion”. No mention of season 1. Is the user adding all TV Show seasons to the root of the TV Shows folder monitored by Plex? Or perhaps adding each show one-by-one to the library by editing the source and targeting the season folders?

Either way, Wednesday showing up as My Wednesday is a classic case of improper folder labeling.

[ukbo0]

Hi FordGuy61 and Divideby0

Guys, sorry for taken “a time” to reply to your replies, but as you can guess, life gets in the way.

Anyway, due to the lengths and complexity of your replies, I intend to go through Devideby0’s email first and get back to FordGuy61’s later on.

OK, Devideby0

Your first para “I started to suspect that the show was disappearing and reappearing…”
Well, that does not happen, the programs are just changed and I know this because the posters that I personally enter (main and individual programs) do not change. Therefore, my data (only) is not being automatically trashed, just changed.

Now, your two thoughts:-

1. Interesting thought but I use NAS drives to hold my entertainment databases, nothing is held on my PC, except pre-entry data, or any other external drives I may be experimenting with (not bad for a 70+ish man). And as you know, NAS drives are designed to be stable and long lasting.

2. Incorrect media labelling, as I said before, my directory/folder labels contain the shows name, the shows year and either the IMDB or TVDB index/ref number.

At this point, I must admit that before I started to use IMDB, TVDB or TMDB refs the “two-step” problem was worse, i.e. upto 20 or so percent of my TV program’s database. However, since I started to use those reference the “two-step” problem has largely been cured, as of now, there are only three hold-outs I’ve mentioned.

Your EDIT.

Yes it is interesting, season 1 of “Invasion” is not touched, only season 2. Another thing, why is season 7 of “Rick And Morty” changed to “Rick And Morty Anime” with the Japaness actors information, including pictures, added to that programs info. And where does “My Wednesday” comes from? Remember, all these programs have their IMDB and/or TVDB refs in their directory/folder names.

Just one final thing, I have been using Plex for 14 or so years now and this “two-step” problem has always been around but for the most part it is now under control (again, except for the three hold-outs).

I hope I have answered your questions and cleared up any queries you may still have, but if I have spawned any futher queries then “hit me up”. I may take a bit of time to answer but, if I can, I will eventually answer.

FordGuy61

Hi FG61, time is my enemy at the moment. I will get back to you with the screen prints you ask for as soon as I can.

Back soon.

UK Bob

[Divideby0]

Okay. Thanks for ruling out my theories. That can help rule out a bunch of possibilities. I myself have my videos mounted in my NAS, with the server pulling from that very stable source as well. What you had described was fairly typical for a USB-mounted drive, so I just wanted to bring that up as a possibility.

What I’d like next is likely what FordGuy has asked you for, but to double check let’s make sure to get a screen-grab of:

• The library “Add Folders” panel. Click the triple dot ... menu on your library, and click Manage Library > Edit. Ideally, you’d have just one folder here, but some people can have more complex cases, such as splitting a TV Show library by letters across multiple hard drives if they have multiple GB of shows. Example:
  
• FordGuy suggests you take the Media Info panel screenshot. Click triple dot on any episode in your “Invasion” series, and click “Get Info”. Example:
  
  

I have a new theory, but I will hold off on voicing it until these screens are taken.

[power]

Hey ukbo0, I had a similar issue recently where a ton of my shows started updating their metadata with newer and unrelated shows (mostly Korean trash).

I had to go into my library and add years to shows which had happily lived in my server for many many years just to stop this.

People will dance around the topic and try and blame you but imho something has changed as this was never the case and you could safely have shows living in your library but now it appears that plex will seemingly at random decide that Saturday Night Live isn’t Saturday Night Live anymore but rather it is Saturday Night Live from another timeline.

So, TLDR - add years to absolutely everything.

I see the same brigade of users gaslighting you here as what happened in my own thread but you’re not crazy, this is a plex issue imho and some behaviour has changed.

Old metadata being replaced by newer released shows

Server Version#:1.43.3.10861 Player Version#: any I’ve recently refreshed the metadata in my tv library and shows that were already matched are being over written by newer ones. When and what absolute dimwit decided this is the default behaviour now. It used to be that if you had a show and it was the original release you’d get that by default, fantastic this works and subsequent newer shows would need the year added to ensure correct matching but now it seems that if you leave these shows i…

[iscaela]

It sounds like your media was never matched to the correct show. This usually happens if the folder name is ambiguous (e.g. missing the year for a common single-word title like “Invasion”). If you have two seasons of a show they must share the same parent folder. Plex will accept either all episodes in the same folder or a child folder for each season, but the parent folder needs to be named correctly.

Editing the description and poster will not fix this. Once you confirm the folder structure is correct, you need to select your show, click “Manage”, click “Fix Match” and select the correct show from the list.

Also consider renaming the folder so it is less ambiguous. Renaming an existing folder will not update the match, so you still need to do that.

[ukbo0]

Hi Power

You are indeed experiencing, what I call, “the Plex 2-Step” and I find it incredible that some users are saying that my Plex databases are filled with incomplete or imprecise data, bearing in mind that I have been using plex for over 14 years.

And as you have found, Plex will auto-pick Korean data to overwrite your own personally entered data with non-English (foreign scripted) data, how is this even possible?

At this point I must describe how I enter data into my Plex databases.

1. I take data directly from IMDB, TVDB and TMDB and sometimes from a combination of all three, e.g. episode summaries, episode pictures, broadcast dates, episode index numbers, etc.

2. All this information is collated, by main titled program and subsequent episodes, upto the end of the season, and written into MS Notepad.

3. Each show/program season, and it’s following episodes, occupies it’s own notepad page. So no data from different shows can be accidently intermixed.

4. Only then, when I am satisfied that my data is correct, is the point I transfer data to my Plex databases, nothing is directly typed in only copied and pasted from my completed notepad data.

So saying my data could be wrong in some way is disturbing.

Anyway, I am unable to reply to the other contributors to this thread at the moment, i.e. life gets in the way, but I’ll get back as soon as possible.

Cheers

UK Bob

[power]

I would recommend trying to get the shows to match automatically and pull their data correctly.

To fix mine 99% of it was adding years to all shows based off either TMDB or TVDB, ignore IMDB I don’t find it very useful at all.

Set your library up under manage libraries first, so edit the library to use the Plex TV Series scanner and Plex Series Agent. This is an important step.

If you find that a show does not match as you would expect look at it in TMDB and see what might be causing it there, there are known shows that misbehave first ones I can think of off the top of my head are Futurama and Mythbusters due to shenanigans from streaming platforms vs metadata nazis at TVDB and TMDB.

There is only one show I needed to do manually and it is Futurama as I cannot scrape the web sorting order.

If the TVDB order is your preference over the default order which closely matches TMDB then you can set the show to use TVDB at the show level. This should not be necessary most of the time but go into the show and then edit, advanced and change episode ordering from Library Default to the TVDB (Aired).

As always make sure your files are correctly named and folders are in order. It can take some work but you should be able to wrangle the beast.

I’m still annoyed at whatever bug caused my shows to all start matching to the wrong ones but my library is in a pretty good place now and settled. Just for a bit of fun I added Sonarr, Radarr and Bazarr to help with library management (I don’t use it for automated downloading, just mgmt) and it gave me a bunch of insights as well as adding subs for a couple of my remote users.

[ukbo0]

Dear Forum Members (especially those members in this thread)

I’ve had to leave the Plex “two step” dance on my TV program database for a bit because I’ve come across another problem, i.e. the Plex “two step” on my digital music albums (didn’t think such a thing exsited).

Recently, I found out that I had to copy my music albums (well over 1,000+) from my older Netgear RNDuoV2 NAS to my much newer Netgear RN102. No real problem, I thought, as the copying process was done in managable chunks and took me four a five days. On inspection, after the copying was completed, I found that four of my albums, with the artist name of “Jay”, have been changed. Three (3) of those albums artist name has been changed to “Jim” and the other one was changed to “Joe”. What is even worse, when I edit the name of each of the albums back to “Jay” Plex immediately, and while I’m watching, re-edits the artist name back to “Jim” and “Joe”, 3 x Jim and 1 x Joe (the four albums where the artist name is “Jay”). When I tried to use the Fix Match/Match facilty Plex reported that the artist “Jay” does not exist, despite the fact that "Jay has existed on my RNDuoV2 NAS since 2024.

Please note, as with my movies and TV programs, I do not enter data directly into my Plex database, when entering my albums I use the utility “ID3 TAG Editor” as my basis.

Well forum members, this post is more of reporting of a new (2-step) problem Plex has decided to inflict.

Until next time.

UK Bob