How to use .plexignore? (Support Article not cutting it)

General Discussions
2

First, For all who visit this thread now and in future, linking to current location of article for reference.
https://support.plex.tv/articles/201375253-excluding-new-content-with-plexignore/

Second, apologies, I’m not a Dr Who fan, so, my presumption of using the word and library “TV show” below may be incorrect.
If it was a movie, replace my ‘show’ with ‘movie’

Admittedly, The plexignore feature seems complicated, but, it’s indeed a rich tip to know.

(In review of your post, I think #1 is your issue - Double click your file in explorer - if it immediately opens in Notepad, that is your issue.)

  1. Are you sure your filename isn’t “.plexignore.txt” ?
    If using Windows, it’s tricky when making files, as Windows by default hides file extensions.
    You mention it’s a .txt file, as though when you right click the file and look at properties, it states it is a filetype “.txt” literally.
    If that’s the case, you’ll need to enable(place checkmark in) “File name extensions” in the File Explorer/View/Show-Hide menu bar" area when looking at that folder. Right clicking the plexignore file, properties, should show.
    Reference my test files here, one’s named properly, one’s a .txt file. With HIdden extensions though, difficult to get renamed properly.

    zf57hglw7tvu.png799×40 2.33 KB

    Additionally, I just found out, when you have file extensions showing, Windows 10 WILL NOT just let you rename a file to .anything because it wants a filename. (I hate how Microsoft tries to make everything user proof, but leaves out techs who are indeed sure we want to do something the way we are doing it). So, for THAT work around, open your .plexignore.txt file (likely in notepad), use File/Save As, change the TYPE to All Files, then rename the file being saved to .plexignore - you can then save the file where you need it (see my other comments below), and delete the .plexignore.txt file

  2. As for where the file is put:
    If you have X:\shows as your root library path for TV, the location X:\shows\.plexignore should work, if the folder appears as X:\shows\Doctor Who (1967)

    Ignore directories called “Doctor Who (1967)”

    Doctor Who (1967)/*

Things totally change though if you have X:\Shows\DrWho\lots of DrWho folders here including one you're trying to ignore
I’d have to do more tinkering, but placing the .plexignore in root with below MIGHT work.

# Ignore directories called “Doctor Who (1967)”
DrWho/Doctor Who (1967)/*
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