# METADATA: Why Can't I force a Match? **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussions\ **Created:** [December 20, 2018, 9:06pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/metadata-why-cant-i-force-a-match/350040 "2018-12-20T21:06:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![russbgrant](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/russbgrant/32/90635_2.png) [@russbgrant](https://forums.plex.tv/u/russbgrant)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 9:06pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/metadata-why-cant-i-force-a-match/350040/1 "2018-12-20T21:06:42Z")
My apologies if this is the wrong area for this, but I don’t see a “Metadata” subheader. Please move to the correct section if needed. My question is as stated above: Why can’t I force a match on my media files? I know I can search a “match” using IMDB title numbers (for example: tt0086960 should match with “Beverly Hills Cop”), but even those sometimes wont bring up a match. It’s especially problematic with adult titles, but there are other things I would like to do. FRONTLINE is a series that runs stand alone documentaries, and that information is on IMDB for the title, but plex is very hit an miss with allowing me to import that information as a MOVIE instead of a TV series. (I get that it is technically a TV series, but its MY media library, and I would like to sort these “episodes” as the stand alone documentaries they are rather than buried in seasons of a TV series.) I have created my own metadata as “Personal Library” matches, but of course, you get no ACTOR metadata and can not add it in manually. What am I missing, or what is IMDB missing that we can’t get this pulled into the files when forcing a match with the IMDB number? I’ve had some fill with no poster art, but I’m guessing something else is missing? Can missing info not be ignored so that we get as much info as possible? Is there a magic box that has to be checked on IMDB I can look for? ---
**Author:** ![FordGuy61](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/22d042/32.png) [@FordGuy61](https://forums.plex.tv/u/FordGuy61)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 9:32pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/metadata-why-cant-i-force-a-match/350040/2 "2018-12-20T21:32:47Z")
Make sure you are following Plex guidelines for naming and organization. See [Media Preparation](https://support.plex.tv/articles/categories/media-preparation/) documentation. There are sections for movies and TV shows. Plex can be picky, especially with TV shows. Best to follow the guidelines. As you’ve found out, trying to display a TV series as stand alone documentaries will be problematic. You can force the structure by using a “Other Videos” library. However, Plex does not match items in “Other Videos” libraries with the online databases. You’ll have to add metadata manually. If you do change names/organization, be sure and perform the [Plex Dance](https://forums.plex.tv/t/the-plex-dance/197064) with the media. This clears out the old, possibly incorrect, data from Plex’s database before re-scanning the renamed files… Movie example: ```auto /Movies /Avatar (2009) Avatar (2009).mkv /Batman Begins (2005) Batman Begins (2005).mp4 ``` TV Show example: ```auto /TV Shows /Grey's Anatomy /Season 01 Grey's Anatomy - s01e01.avi Grey's Anatomy - s01e02 - The First Cut is the Deepest.avi /Season 02 Grey's Anatomy - s02e01.avi Grey's Anatomy - s02e02.mkv ``` ---
**Author:** ![russbgrant](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/russbgrant/32/90635_2.png) [@russbgrant](https://forums.plex.tv/u/russbgrant)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 9:58pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/metadata-why-cant-i-force-a-match/350040/3 "2018-12-20T21:58:30Z")
I have been doing all of that. There are titles under MOVIES in both plex and IMDB that simply wont match, even when using the IMDB number to “force” it to match. Especially with adult titles, I don’t know if it’s a rating thing, or that IMDB says it’s “video” as a source (never a TV show) or what, but you can’t force it pick it. It’s a minor annoyance when it’s one title, it’s a more major one when it’s every 4 out of 6 titles your importing supposedly correctly based on the guidelines. ---
**Author:** ![FordGuy61](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/22d042/32.png) [@FordGuy61](https://forums.plex.tv/u/FordGuy61)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2018, 11:58pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/metadata-why-cant-i-force-a-match/350040/4 "2018-12-20T23:58:37Z")
Weird. And definitely annoying. You might try using a nfo file. See the post below from ChuckPA. Using Beverly Hills Cop as a example: ```auto /Beverly Hills Cop (1984) Beverly Hills Cop (1984).mkv Beverly Hills Cop (1984).nfo ``` The content of the nfo file is one line, the IMDB URL of the movie. “[Beverly Hills Cop (1984) - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086960/)” (w/o quotes) for Beverly Hills Cop. It was mentioned in another post that this only works when you have each movie in its own folder. You couldn’t have BHC 1, 2, & 3 all in the same folder and have this work. > [@"Fix Incorrect Match" not working](https://forums.plex.tv/t/fix-incorrect-match-not-working/177152/47): > > I just saw this… Apologies for being busy. The dev team has found what broke the NFO processing for the NFO importer plugin and fixed it. That’s on its way to being released (very shortly). With regard to being able to provide the IMDB info. You can always do this: [chuck@lizum Zero Days (2016).141]$ cat \*.nfo http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4425200 [chuck@lizum Zero Days (2016).142]$ In this example. It makes my movie “Zero Days” appear as if “John Wick 2”. This works because PMS search… ---
**Author:** ![russbgrant](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/russbgrant/32/90635_2.png) [@russbgrant](https://forums.plex.tv/u/russbgrant)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2018, 1:40am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/metadata-why-cant-i-force-a-match/350040/5 "2018-12-21T01:40:59Z")
Thank you for the suggestion. I have no idea how to create a NFO file to try it. I picked Beverly Hills Cop as a default, it actually scans and matches fine. If you (or someone) wants to try it with a XXX adult title that won’t match (many aren’t on DVD so those metatrackers like adultDVD or Data18 wont help either and give false data with disc release dates instead of film). Here’s the info and links. (SFW) 🙂 File: Backside to The Future II (1987).avi IMDB# tt0149768 IMDB link: [Backside to the Future II (Video 1987) - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0149768/) I picked this one not just due to it’s stupid name, but the first film was able to match when I used the IMDB number. [Backside to the Future (Video 1986) - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0149767/) Which is part of the annoyance, it seems really hit and miss! I’m guessing it’s something on the IMDB site, I’d add or remove whatever it is if I could, but I don’t know what to look for. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![NewPlaza](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/newplaza/32/128634_2.png) [@NewPlaza](https://forums.plex.tv/u/NewPlaza)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2018, 7:28am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/metadata-why-cant-i-force-a-match/350040/6 "2018-12-21T07:28:07Z")
> [@russbgrant](#): > > There are titles under MOVIES in both plex and IMDB that simply wont match, even when using the IMDB number to “force” it to match Wait a minute. Plex doesn’t use IMDB to match movies. You can use it for the rating score but not the matching of the movie. And adding the IMDB number has never helped me. (I don’t think it actually works). Don’t go by IMDB. Use [TheMovieDb.org](http://TheMovieDb.org). You will be surprise at the discrepancy from the two sites. Always use the same year that TheMovieDb has for your movies. ---
**Author:** ![russbgrant](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/russbgrant/32/90635_2.png) [@russbgrant](https://forums.plex.tv/u/russbgrant)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2018, 4:23pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/metadata-why-cant-i-force-a-match/350040/7 "2018-12-21T16:23:39Z")
"wait a minute. Plex doesn’t use IMDB to match movies. " It doesn’t? I thought that the “PLEX” Metadata agent matches to movies on the IMDB, if not, what is it’s source? I do use the TMDB agent for those that PLEX wont match too, but they don’t have any adult content for adult films. I have found that the PLEX movie agent pulls in different data (data being cast, synopsis, director, production company data and poster art, not just ratings) from TMDB one, so it must be getting it from somewhere? ---
**Author:** ![SanchezHouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6f9a4e/32.png) [@SanchezHouse](https://forums.plex.tv/u/SanchezHouse)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2018, 4:30pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/metadata-why-cant-i-force-a-match/350040/8 "2018-12-21T16:30:24Z")
@FordGuy61 Could the recommendation for .nfo file work for Rotten Tomatoes Rating? ---
**Author:** ![russbgrant](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/russbgrant/32/90635_2.png) [@russbgrant](https://forums.plex.tv/u/russbgrant)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2018, 4:51pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/metadata-why-cant-i-force-a-match/350040/9 "2018-12-21T16:51:26Z")
To be clear: I actually don’t care that much about the films imdb or rotten tomato rating, I’m wondering why the copy and pasting of the IMDB number works on some films to force a match and not others. It’s the cast/crew listings I’m more concerned about. If it’s something missing on the IMDB side, it should be easy to fix with a quick edit? Or is it possible to update the PLEX movies data collector to allow forced matches regardless of file name? ---
**Author:** ![SanchezHouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6f9a4e/32.png) [@SanchezHouse](https://forums.plex.tv/u/SanchezHouse)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2018, 5:09pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/metadata-why-cant-i-force-a-match/350040/10 "2018-12-21T17:09:54Z")
I don’t think so. It’s not like the Basic Music LIbrary you could create that way and even then it uses Last.FM metadata. ---
**Author:** ![FordGuy61](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/22d042/32.png) [@FordGuy61](https://forums.plex.tv/u/FordGuy61)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2018, 5:12pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/metadata-why-cant-i-force-a-match/350040/11 "2018-12-21T17:12:31Z")
> [@russbgrant](#): > > I have no idea how to create a NFO file to try it. Think you just create a text file then rename it from .txt to .nfo. ---
**Author:** ![FordGuy61](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/22d042/32.png) [@FordGuy61](https://forums.plex.tv/u/FordGuy61)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2018, 5:18pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/metadata-why-cant-i-force-a-match/350040/12 "2018-12-21T17:18:06Z")
> [@SanchezHouse](#): > > Could the recommendation for .nfo file work for Rotten Tomatoes Rating? Not sure. I’ve never had to try using nfo files or using the IMDB ID in the file name to help things match… I saw it mentioned in other threads and thought it might help. ---
**Author:** ![russbgrant](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/russbgrant/32/90635_2.png) [@russbgrant](https://forums.plex.tv/u/russbgrant)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2018, 5:23pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/metadata-why-cant-i-force-a-match/350040/13 "2018-12-21T17:23:42Z")
Thanks FordGuy, I’ll try creating an NFO file tonight when I’m back home and see if it works, if no one beats me to it with my example up in the thread. I haven’t started importing my massive music collection into plex, and frankly I’m not looking forward to it. ---
**Author:** ![FordGuy61](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/22d042/32.png) [@FordGuy61](https://forums.plex.tv/u/FordGuy61)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2018, 6:47pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/metadata-why-cant-i-force-a-match/350040/14 "2018-12-21T18:47:35Z")
I ran a quick test. Took two existing movies, removed all metadata, renamed the files to match your examples, and loaded them into Plex. It pulled in cover art and cast members w/ pics for Back… I. It did not for Back… II. Tried the NFO thing and it did not help. ---
**Author:** ![russbgrant](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/russbgrant/32/90635_2.png) [@russbgrant](https://forums.plex.tv/u/russbgrant)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2018, 7:00pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/metadata-why-cant-i-force-a-match/350040/15 "2018-12-21T19:00:29Z")
Thanks for taking the time! I had the same results when I first imported them. the mystery is why one works and the other doesn’t. Hoping someone from PLEX will get their eyeballs on this. ---
**Author:** ![NewPlaza](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/newplaza/32/128634_2.png) [@NewPlaza](https://forums.plex.tv/u/NewPlaza)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2018, 7:32pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/metadata-why-cant-i-force-a-match/350040/16 "2018-12-21T19:32:31Z")
> [@FordGuy61](#): > > Tried the NFO thing and it did not help. The last time I checked you have to have and use the nfo exporting agent for for that. > [@Custom Independent config files for movies/shows](https://forums.plex.tv/t/custom-independent-config-files-for-movies-shows/192273): > > Hello all, First off, I was not able to find any request for this. A lot of custom stuff was requested but no config file of such. What I would like to see is config files (XML maybe) that Plex can extract custom data for each movie or tv based series that will supersede any or mostly all online content pertaining to the movie/series. This will also include music, photos, and home movie libraries. The config file could include a plethora(yeah, I used it) of information such as series ordering… ---
**Author:** ![Skitzobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Skitzobunny](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Skitzobunny)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2019, 7:21am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/metadata-why-cant-i-force-a-match/350040/17 "2019-01-13T07:21:10Z")
Agreed. All very frustrating. I have Blu-Ray of Firefly and Sherlock, neither of which grab metadata correctly. What’s ever more frustrating is that I downloaded a ‘portable’ version of E-m-b-y and I can get everything to display correctly!!! But I haven’t paid $129 to E-m-b-y so it was for testing purposes only because I can’t play it except fro the machine it’s installed on. With E-m-b-y I can choose four different data websites to pull metadata from. ---
**Author:** ![Skitzobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Skitzobunny](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Skitzobunny)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2019, 7:30am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/metadata-why-cant-i-force-a-match/350040/18 "2019-01-13T07:30:08Z")
.nfo file didn’t work for me either. Nor did putting each season of Sherlock in their own folder. Star Trek (original series) doesn’t work either. After a couple hours with a competing software package, I got every single one of my TV shows to display the correct metadata. It took some minor massaging, but it worked. If Plex can’t fix this, I’m gonna have to scrape up more cash for that other solution. ---
**Author:** ![cayars](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/cayars/32/6296_2.png) [@cayars](https://forums.plex.tv/u/cayars)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2019, 12:52pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/metadata-why-cant-i-force-a-match/350040/19 "2019-01-13T12:52:35Z")
I’ve got all of those series and Plex finds them fine. You have to name them correctly. Can you post a screen dump of these folders so we can see how you have them named? ---
**Author:** ![Skitzobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Skitzobunny](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Skitzobunny)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2019, 8:49pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/metadata-why-cant-i-force-a-match/350040/20 "2019-01-13T20:49:56Z")
Sure. Anything for someone willing to help! ![tempsnip](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/d/c/dc101dbc326ef313d738d02e68f527874c77d266.png) [Next page](https://forums.plex.tv/t/metadata-why-cant-i-force-a-match/350040.md?page=2)