https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/categories/200028098-Media-Preparation
https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/articles/200381023-Naming-Movie-files
and most importantly:
https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/articles/200220687-Naming-Series-Season-Based-TV-Shows
If you want unpredictable/unreliable behavior - neglect to follow the naming/structuring guide for TV Shows and you’ll have it.
@“tunetrackersystems@gmail.com” said:
I am having a heck of a time getting Plex to find all my TV shows. I have tried all the renaming techniques I’ve read about in the forums, bought and used FileBot, etc.
You need to ‘Edit Format’ once in FileBot - and change to Plex Standard TV Show Format - described below…:
Examples:
A Movie Library/
…A Movie (YEAR).xxx
or
…A Movie (YEAR)/
…A Movie (YEAR).xxx
A TV Show Library/
…A TV Show (YEAR)/
…Season 01/
…A TV Show (YEAR) - S01E01 - Episode Name Optional.xxx
…A TV Show (YEAR) - S01E02.xxx
…etc…
FileBot (link in my signature) can handle that naming and structuring for you automatically or manually in seconds.
What FileBot can’t do is remove possible embedded metadata in the Title Field of MP4/M4V files. Plex will read this info and prefer it over a perfect file name/structure (like the real A-Hole that it is), but you can combat that situation by moving Local Media Assets to the bottom of every agent list you can find (which should be the default location for LMA, but sadly, isn’t). All tabs in TV Show and Movies here:
https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/articles/200241558-Agents
Just drag LMA to the bottom of the list and drop it. If you do have embedded metadata this will cure the issue, if you don’t it won’t matter. LMA will do what it has to from the bottom. If you don’t use MP4/M4V files, or never will (you’re just like Plex Developers - apparently), you can disregard this paragraph.
Renaming/restructuring is best performed OUTSIDE the library and you’ll need to write a new bundle for the show so The Plex Dance® was invented:
The Plex Dance®:
- remove show/movie from library
- rescan library files
- empty trash
- clean bundles
https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/articles/200392106-Library-Actions <— scan library files, empty trash, clean bundles - bring names and structures into compliance/Move LMA/etc
- replace corrected show/movie into library
- rescan library files
All Steps. In Order. No Shortcuts.
Regarding FileBot - you can even get super-cool, change the naming string thusly and remove all Plex Induced Nightmares that are created when TV Shows with ‘Versions’ don’t work because Plex doesn’t use the name TVDB does any more… requiring the addition of the (YEAR) field - as shown above:
Problem permanently solved.
