I add new movie files to my server folder. Click ‘Scan Library Files’ nothing new shows up. Strange, I try to delete a file, just to see if it is working. I click ‘Scan Library Files’, nothing changes the movie (which doesn’t exist on the server) is still in the library, but obviously won’t play. But the poster is this there like nothing happened.
Then I try adding the new movies but adding a new folder. This works! The new movies are added, no problem, just like it is supposed to work. So it’s not a problem with the file or the file naming. So what the hell Plex, this kinda sucks?
Then to just see what happens, I move all the movies out of the folder into a temp folder. Click ‘Scan Library Files’, nothing happens, all the movie poster are all still there in the library like nothing happened. Then I try again to play a movie, of course it doesn’t play but Plex has the poster still there in the library.
Can you double-check Settings > Library and verify if you have Empty trash automatically after every scan checked. If it’s unchecked, Plex will keep files it can no longer find in the library – this can be useful if you have automated/periodic updates configured and the files are on an external drive or in your network and Plex might loose its connection to them. In that case you’ll need to Empty Trash for that library (library context menu). https://support.plex.tv/articles/201447966-why-does-content-i-deleted-on-my-drive-still-show-up/
What do you mean with „it imported fine“… I thought it didn’t (or do you mean file names without the year part in general)?
Do you have local media assets configured for the applicable agents? If that mp4 has an embedded title, this could override the actual file name and result in the file actually being loaded but showing as an entirely different movie in your library.
No, sorry I wasn’t clear.
When I use ‘add new library’ and direct it to a folder with that file inside, the folder and file imports perfectly.
In fact, just to test it, I also added a file in there with a completely wack naming not adhering to any convention, and it also imported totally fine. No metadata but its shows up in the library no problem.
But both these files don’t show up when I just add them to an existing folder. So it seems to be something wrong with the ‘Scan Library Files’ and the auto scan of an existing library folder not seeing the new files.
I’m wondering if it could it be some weird permissions problem that happens when I add the new files to the folder on the server perhaps? I’m basically just dropping them into the folder on the server over my home network in a Finder window.
OK so I believe I have solved this, although I can’t put it down to one thing.
Here is what I did.
1/
I disconnected the server drive (I am just using a SSD USB drive that hangs off my Nighthawk Router). I plugged it straight into my Mac and and checked the permissions. I selected ‘read and write’ permissions for the top folder and then selected ‘apply to enclosed folders and files’.
2/
Then, on the drive I moved all the files into individual folders for the genres of the movies; ACTION, COMEDY, DRAMA, KIDS, etc, etc. And separated all the films into their genre.
3/
Plugged the SSD drive back into the router and launched Plex. Then in the Plex interface, I deleted the existing library. And then added a new library to import all the films again in their genre folders. They all came in to Plex perfectly fine, including the ‘Penguins of Madagascar.mp4’ file.
4/
Then this morning I tried messing with the folders on the SSD drive over the network. I add a random .mp4 file, no naming convention. Plex saw it immediately and updated the library. I then deleted a file in a different folder. Plex saw this immediately and updated the library.
SOLVED!? I think
My guess is it was a permissions problem on the SSD drive. But it took me 5 hours of time to figure it out. I searched for any post about setting permissions for Plex but nothing came up. Maybe Plex support could do a post about this so no one else needs to pull their hair out trying to figure this out.
