I’m running PMS on Windows, fully updated. I looked through the menus pretty extensively, and tried searching the forums, but I’m hoping I’m missing something. Very few of my files are series or connected in any way, but PMS will randomly decide to join a whole stack of files, randomly picking a title and poster image, forcing me to split them apart, fix the image, and then cross my fingers. Is there a way to just say “never join files?” I realize Plex wants to be automated, but this is making it significantly harder for me to find my files at times.
Also, is there a way to specifically search out joined files so that I can split them apart?
Thanks for the question. They’re random separate videos. Library type is video. By Joining I mean when the server thinks two files are the same file and puts them in a “stack.” to split them, you click on the … menu and click “Split Apart.” Maybe Merged is a better word? https://support.plex.tv/articles/201018248-merge-or-split-items/
The files are completely different–different time stamps, different file names, different metadata, different codecs. I’d even consider it a win if I could understand WHY they joined, if the logs listed some reason that I could use. As different as Moana and Predator and the King’s Speech are from each other.
I am using Plex Video Files Scanner and the Personal Media agent on all applicable libraries, yes. I haven’t done the Plex Dance but I’m worried about that doing more harm than good–joining videos that I’ve de-joined and not realizing they’ve been joined, losing manual tags, etc.
super fast response! MP4 files. No duplicates among them. they’re different files with different lengths from different sources, with all different metadata.
Run a test with one of the files Plex has combined. Remove the metadata from one of the files, then put it back in the library. See if Plex still combines them.
In the Video library with the combined files, move your mouse over the poster/cover art for one of the combined files. Click on the pencil in the lower left corner. This brings up the edit window for the file(s).
Choose Info on the left side. You should see the list of combined files, including path to their location.
Move one of the files outside of the library, where it cannot be seen by Plex scanners.
Perform Steps 2 - 4 of the Plex Dance: Scan the library; empty trash; clean bundles.
Make a backup copy of the file you removed from the library.
Remove all embedded metadata from the MP4 file. Right click on the file, choose Properties -> Details tab. Choose “Remove Properties…” In the “Remove Properties” window, choose “Remove the following…”, click Select All, then OK. When it returns to the Details tab, the Title, Descriptions, etc fields should all be empty.
Move the file back to the Library. Perform a manual scan if the system does not auto-scan.
Did Plex combine the file like before or keep it separate?
