Message "This library is currently empty" when it definitely is not

Plex Media Server
1

Server Version#: 4.47.3 running on Linux
Player Version#: Chrome web browser to 192.1.68.0.31:32400

My Plex Media server runs on a local linux network server. I can access it from my iPad and iPhone, and from the Plex app on my iMac OS X Monterey to which I have recently upgraded.

Just added recorded episodes of the BBC 2 series Universe. I can see it and play it from the above sources.

But I cannot get access to any of my media library using Chrome on my iMac browsing to 192.168.0.31:32400. The browser connects, but shows only online Plex sources, and when I go to my server library in the player window, I see “This library is currently empty.”

The library itself clearly is NOT empty, since I can see it from the Plex app on the same device.

What setting is stopping the browser even seeing the library? It can see the server, I can access the server via Finder/Network/plexserver and see the folders and files in the library.

The only clue I have is that the https:// prefix is in strikethrough and the browser says ‘Not Secure’, although the server has a certificate, and the certificate is apparently valid.

However, I see it DOES work if I use the Safari browser - it sees my library and the new content.

There are some server controls that aren’t accessible via the Plex app (v 1.35.1.2632-c6783c78) which is why I generally prefer to access the server via a web browser (in this case Chrome 96.0.4664.55 (which says it is the latest version at the time of this post).

Any suggestions? for how to make the library accessible via my default browser Chrome?

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Is this a Chrome+iMac question or Linux?

On Chrome+Linux ,

  1. you can purge the cached data (which will help a great deal after it gets to the ‘unreasonable’ size point

  2. Control + F5 will force Chrome to reload the Plex/Web app and browser pages.

3

Thanks for your very prompt reply, and apologies for my delayed response.

The problem is with Chrome on iMac (OS X Monterey).

I’ll try clearing the browser cache and see if that fixes it, but it seems more like a security or permissions issue. Doesn’t work in Chrome, does work in Safari on the same computer, using the same URL and network connection.

I have tried:

  • clearing Chrome cached images and files
  • refreshing the page with Cmnd key held down, which (I think) should clear the cached page and reload it (Ctrl + Fn + F5 does nothing). Google says that Shift + Cmnd + R reloads the page ignoring any cached version, but it still shows the same message - “This library is currently empty”.
  • checked the certificate, found that it reports as valid and in date, set it explicitly to be Trusted (in Chrome), closed Chrome and reloaded the browser and the site.
  • put the same URL (https://192.168.0.31:32400) into Safari, and found no problem. The browser connects, and can see the Plex Library contents, which Chrome still reports as “This library is currently empty.”

So I’m still baffled, but using Safari instead of Chrome is an acceptable workaround.

I have one more thing to try (for other reasons as well) - cold restart of the computer. Will try that, and report back.

PS. That makes no difference. Can’t see yet whether it fixed the other problem I’m having - Skype will only share my desktop, not other windows or the whole screen.

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