Plex media server not adding all tv show episodes

[idreesakhter_hotmail_com]

Server Version#: 4.22.2

Hi All

So I have installed Plex media server on Windows 10, I have created a library for tv shows by using the tv programme category so that it puts the tv shows into seasons. However it doesnt seem to be picking everything up. I have 7 episodes of Suits in one folder, but Plex is only picking up 2 of them. They are all named the same and are all .mp4 format. I also have another folder for SWAT but Plex doesnt pick that up at all.

I have my folders laid out like this.
Root:\TV Shows\Suits\Season 9\Suits - 9x05 - If the Shoe Fits

If i add the library using other videos, then it picks up the files fine, but it doesn’t sort anything into seasons groups etc.

Would anybody be able to help me out please? I have tried re-naming files and made sure Plex user account has modify rights. The files are stored on a external hdd connected directly to the pc and is formatted NTFS.

Thanks

[tom80H]

Your chance of success will magically increase if you follow the naming schema proposed by Plex. Also… make sure to name your shows as they are named in TheTVDb.com…

Root
  TV Shows
    Suits
      Season 09
        ...
        Suits - s09e05 - If the Show Fits.mp4
        Suits - s09e06.mp4  <- no need to include the episode name
        ...

    S.W.A.T. (2017)
      Season 01
        S.W.A.T. (2017) - s01e01 - Pilot.mp4
        S.W.A.T. (2017) - s01e02 - Cuchillo.mp4
        S.W.A.T. (2017) - s01e03.mp4  <- in the end, episode titles in your file names are not really necessary (or helping)
        ...

SWAT in particular is more tricky as there’s a number of shows with the same name. In the example above I assumed you’re talking about the 2017 show.

One more thing… be careful when you’re using mp4/m4v files and have Local Media Assets enabled as a source for the TheTVDb agent (Settings > Server > Agents > TV Shows > The TVDB). This can cause trouble if your mp4 files contain embedded metadata – in particular embedded titles.
Example: if you have configured your plex media server that way and include a title tag S.W.A.T. (2017) - s01e22 in one of your Suits episodes, this will cause Plex to recognize the file as an episode of S.W.A.T.

You can find the full write-up of the Plex naming schema in the related support article

Naming and Organizing Your TV Show Files | Plex Support

If re-naming all of the episodes appears too much of a job … there’s apps like FileBot that can help with fixing the names.

[idreesakhter_hotmail_com]

@tom80H

S.W.A.T. (2017) - s01e02 - Cuchillo.mp4

Hi Tom

Thanks for the response, But I dont think naming is the issue here. If naming was an issue it wouldn’t have picked up any episodes of Suits, I had them all named with the same naming convention, but it only picked up 2 of them.

i have tried your naming convention suggested and have re-scanned the library, however it still fails to add the episodes.

I have already tried filebot, as I originally thought it might be the way i’m naming it and had done some prior research to see if others were having the same issue, however Plex still didn’t pick it up after I had renamed it as filebot suggested.

I have checked Local Media Assets and this is enabled.

Any other help is greatly appreciated.

[Xhaka]

@idreesakhter_hotmail_com

I have checked Local Media Assets and this is enabled.

I’m pretty sure Tom was getting at the fact it should NOT be enabled. Bad metadatain in the file will give false results.

@idreesakhter_hotmail_com

But I dont think naming is the issue here. If naming was an issue it wouldn’t have picked up any episodes of Suits

Nope Plex just guessed well a couple of times.
If you have 100 badly named files and Plex successfully identifies 99 of them then the reason that one remaining file isn’t identified is because you have 100 files named incorrectly.

[JuiceWSA]

@idreesakhter_hotmail_com

I dont think naming is the issue here.

Naming is absolutely the issue.
Tom has it right - you have it wrong.

Here are the instructions - if you want Plex to behave as expected - follow them:

https://support.plex.tv/articles/categories/your-media/naming-and-organizing-tv-shows/

Local Media Assets should always be enabled so it can use nifty things like Subtitles and images and all sorts of other Local Media Assets.

Local Media Assets should be ‘DEMOTED’ to the bottom of every agent list in Shows and Movies and here’s why:

When at the top, LMA tells Plex to inspect, find and use bogus embedded metadata in the Title Field of MP4/M4V files rendering them basically useless if, as most do, contain some off-the-wall Title some internet Bozo decided to infect your file with - or your friendly encoder software developer doesn’t give you an option to remove said crap from the files you make - and if you’re making MP4/M4V files - ur screwed.

Do this:

Video File Naming

With LMA in priority, Embedded Titles within MP4/M4V files are preferred - even over a perfect file name. Local Media Assets should - AT ALL TIMES - remain enabled (unless specifically instructed to turn it off). Local Media Assets should be ‘Demoted’, to the bottom of the stack of active agents under ALL tabs in Shows and Movies, but should NOT be disabled. Local Media Assets is needed for many things - it doesn’t need to be given Tip-Top-Priority (as Plex has so hatefully placed it as it’s …

Plex will immediately STOP giving priority to Embedded Title Fields in MP4.M4V files (yes, even over a perfect file name), blowing the match and generally making your life miserable.

While you’re renaming these files in full view of Plex (watching your every move, writing/re-writing/confusing itself inside your item bundle) - so they’ll be compliant in both name and structure you may find Plex uncooperative in the area of Refreshing Metadata - as in it won’t update any metadata (even when you do it at the Show Level, where it’ll actually do something - sometimes).

Do this:

The Plex Dance ™

The purpose of this is to remove all cached metadata and xml data for an item that Plex usually keeps. This helps when you want to “start from scratch” for particular item move all files for the media item out of the directory your Library is looking at, so Plex will not “see” it anymore scan the library library (to detect changes) empty trash clean bundles (in menu next to server name, when accessed under ‘More’) double check naming schema and move files back scan the library Support articl…

Need a new bundle?
The Plex Dance to create a new one.
Many do.
Let’s try to get all the right stuff in this new one.

The above is what - eventually - happens when you don’t follow the instructions.

This’ll help - it’ll basically do it for you:

FileBot

[Toecutter]

Folks, no one here can tell you how LMA/Plex Movie agents work. It works like a FICO score, sometimes it’s up, others times it’s down, but no one can explain why.

Some say disable, others suggest they’re required, but we’ve never been provided with a detailed explanation of how they work and why they don’t.

My suggestion would be to enable all your agents, then arrange in the logical order they’ll be used: I.e. TheTVDB agent should be on top for TV Shows, while the The Movie DB should be on top for Movies, etc.

Drag Local Media Assets to the bottom, with Plex Media Agent in the middle with any subtitles or fan art agents you might have, being sure to leave TVDB & Movie DB at the top of their respective categories.

Lastly, name your shows correctly!

Game.of.Thrones.S03E02.1080p.DTS

Putting an x in your episodic file name is sure to jack Plex up. These are just a few suggestions I offer having used Plex (and this forum) for quite a while now. It seems as if folks here have grown tired of answering the same questions over and over, even though that is the purpose of a forum?

Good luck with Plex!

[JuiceWSA]

@Toecutter

Lastly, name your shows correctly!

Game.of.Thrones.S03E02.1080p.DTS

… and not like that:

A TV Show Library/
..... Game of Thrones/
.......Season 02/
..........Game of Thrones - S03E02.mp4

with LMA at the bottom of the list…

ur good to go.

[Toecutter]

Aha, that naming convention should work, but it doesn’t?

Right before posting my original reply, I snagged Oz*rk, season 3. I have naming setup in cats on sabNZBd. Snagged it, moved to TV and nothing. I used BFU and a profile to change it to the example I provided here and still nothing, I had to do it manually thru Fix Match > Search Options.

I’ve been using Plex since it forked from XBMC (running on the first Xbox, no less!) and the media agents have NEVER worked properly. Plex hasn’t updated their support page in ages? Check the image I attached, it’s a screen cap of missing assets from the Metadata Agent support page. It’s hard to apply settings from an image that doesn’t exist! As I mentioned in my obviously snarky reply, no one here can explain how Metadata/PMA works? I don’t even know if there’s a slick new API for pulling metadata, or if it’s still done via web query? It was easier to fix when nothing worked, but there was documentation. If someone could simply tell me how it works, I’ll fix it myself.

I just realized I opened a new thread posing questions last night, but I’m answering this one, good grief! Anyway, I appreciate the help, please don’t take my frustrations the wrong way, they’re not directed toward any user, but folks shouldn’t hold out hope these things are going to suddenly start working when they’ve been broken the better part of a decade or longer. We pay for this stuff now, we deserve better support than a forum and some old support pages.

Now, if you can come up with some serious documentation on these Plex agents I’ll chat all day about that!

Thanks JuiceWSA

[JuiceWSA]

First time, fully populated, instant, natural match:

Filebot goes to TVDB, get the name they use, names my files - entire season in under a half a second.

The trouble with naming/renaming/trying/testing/re-re-renaming things while Plex is watching - it hardly ever works:

The Plex Dance ™

The purpose of this is to remove all cached metadata and xml data for an item that Plex usually keeps. This helps when you want to “start from scratch” for particular item move all files for the media item out of the directory your Library is looking at, so Plex will not “see” it anymore scan the library library (to detect changes) empty trash clean bundles (in menu next to server name, when accessed under ‘More’) double check naming schema and move files back scan the library Support articl…

That’ll work - but before that - do this:

Video File Naming

With LMA in priority, Embedded Titles within MP4/M4V files are preferred - even over a perfect file name. Local Media Assets should - AT ALL TIMES - remain enabled (unless specifically instructed to turn it off). Local Media Assets should be ‘Demoted’, to the bottom of the stack of active agents under ALL tabs in Shows and Movies, but should NOT be disabled. Local Media Assets is needed for many things - it doesn’t need to be given Tip-Top-Priority (as Plex has so hatefully placed it as it’s …

If you have any MP4/M4V files - or ever plan to - If LMA is in the top slot Plex will PREFER the bogus embedded scene name - even in favor of a perfect file name (if you have any) borking matches and taking names.

Move LMA out of priority - problem solved - now the only thing left is to name and structure your files correctly - the first time - BEFORE they go into the library.

Name
Place
Watch

Better than:

Name
Re-Name
Test
Open Threads
Read Threads
Name
Reply to Threads
Re-Name
Move to Emby…

FileBot

Name your files right the first time.
Watch your media - stop messing around with it.

[Toecutter]

Wait, wait, wait, Filebot can query TVDB? I’ve been doing this manually with BRU, this could dramatically simplify the whole deal.

I’m gonna reinstall Plex and start from scratch, again. I’ve had Plex running on an Intel Skulltrail NUC for years, probably hundreds of updates applied to this install. I didn’t realize it had been so long until I started tightening up my folder structure across several devices and seeing the age of my media in libraries.

Thanks for putting all that together. I’ll follow it to a tee when I reinstall.

Place your bets!