How to manage duplicates

General Discussions
1

I am merging some files across multiple collections that I have and noticing a lot of TV Episode duplicates. Is there any fast way to just delete 1 of the duplicate copies?

Thanks!

2

Have no idea what you’re talking about - unless you show us.

Most issues in TV Shows are resolved thusly:
https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/categories/200028098-Media-Preparation
Particularly:
https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/articles/200220687-Naming-Series-Season-Based-TV-Shows

Example:

g51nxo20f8j7.jpg835×591 129 KB

FileBot (link in my signature) can handle that for you automatically or manually in seconds.

What FileBot can’t do is remove possible embedded metadata in the Title Field of MP4/M4V files. Plex will read this info and prefer it over a perfect file name/structure (you don’t have any of those yet), but you can combat that situation by moving Local Media Assets to the bottom of every agent list you can find. All tabs in TV Show and Movies here:
https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/articles/200241558-Agents
Just drag LMA to the bottom of the list and drop it.
If you do have embedded metadata this will cure the issue, if you don’t it won’t matter. LMA will do what it has to from the bottom.

Renaming/restructuring is best performed OUTSIDE the library and you’ll need to write a new bundle for the show so The Plex Dance® was invented:

The Plex Dance®:

  1. remove show/movie from library
  2. update library
  3. empty trash
  4. clean bundles
    https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/articles/200392106-Library-Actions <— update library, empty trash, clean bundles
  5. bring names and structures into compliance/ or the ultimate bundle reboot operation
  6. replace corrected show/movie into library
  7. update library

All Steps. In Order. No Shortcuts.

3

@mazzydan said:
I am merging some files across multiple collections that I have and noticing a lot of TV Episode duplicates. Is there any fast way to just delete 1 of the duplicate copies?

Thanks!

If you mean that you’re combing files from different drives or folders and discover you have three identical copies of “Gotham” or something; the easiest way to get rid of extras is on your computer. Just go into the show folder and “sort by name”; when it shows Gotham s01e01 ( or whatever) three times just delete two of them and move on. Much quicker and simpler than anything else I’ve found.

4

Thanks to both of you. @flamebird hit the answer right on the head. @JuiceWSA I will keep that in mind for future changes I’m planning to make.