This “should” be a simple operation but I cannot seem to make it work at all:
I have a VERY simple photo library that is all in a single directory and all have names beginning with numbers like “#### - Actual Name.ext.” I have run all the files through the Windows properties option to remove all meta data and used the rename option where I ended up with two copies of each file one original and the other named “#### - Actual Name - Copy.ext.” The copied files have no meta data in them at all.
I then copied the copies to a new directory and then created a photo library with only that directory as a member.
The problem I am having is that there does not seem to be a way to force the photos to sort in file name order.
Clearly either I or the Windows “Properties” application are not doing something correctly, I just cannot figure what could be going wrong.
I have looked a many of the files’ properties on an individual basis and they all have nothing showing in any of the meta data fields.
I just want to sort that picture directory in the order of the file names, does anyone have any ideas?
Thanks in advance!
@trumpy81 That is a good attempt but there is no EXIF data or any other embedded data in any of the files. I even looked with the tool you linked and all fields are empty.
My sorting does not end up in any order no matter what option is chosen.
The ordering shows files starting with “1700-” first then a little later I see files with the form “0400-” and at the bottom are files with “0200-” while somewhere in the middle are the files that should be fires like “0001-” and “0002-” etc. I have only about 2500 photos.
What I would really like is a “sort by file name” option or just a way to tell Plex to ignore everything but the file name.
I know Plex is all about making everything as fancy as possible and taking away user options BUT this used to work (some time ago) exactly the way I want but I guess Plex decided it was too easy so they decided to complicate matters.
BTW: I know it is a server issue because even clients that have not been updated in a VERY long time like RARflix has the problem.
BTW2: This is one of the very few places where EMBY is actually superior to Plex. In an EMBY photo library it is possible to turn off all the fancy stuff and browse your photos by filename.
@trumpy81, Yes I have the leading zeros and i really do not much understand this problem at all.
I have even gone so far as deleting the library and I emptied the trash while the library was gone. I even cleaned bundles although I do not think bundles have anything to do with photos.
I then recreated the library again and the sorting was exactly the same. One thing just occurred to me is that I “might” need to optimize the database before recreating the library. I do not think that will matter but it basically cannot hurt, I think.
BTW: I have two servers, one on a PC (using windows) and one one my Shield and the problem appears on both.
Thanks for looking at the problem! I really wish the actual Plex people (Employees or developers) would respond when there are post like this. If someone official from Plex would have said, “That is the way it works and the sorting is based on …” Then I could have either fixed the problem or moved on and not wasted the time I have trying to figure it out.
Once more I REALLY do not think there is anything much wrong with the files because EMBY works fine.
I think I may try a “Premium” library just to see if, maybe, in creating the ability to have such a library Plex screwed up the basics.
I guess since I have a Plex Pass I might as well use it.
Edit: I tried a premium library and found it worthless for me. It made no difference in the bug and did nothing for my ability to browse my photos.
@trumpy81 said:
There’s probably not much more you can do except sit back and hope it gets sorted (pun intended) soon.
The issue has been reported and the devs are aware of the issue, but as always, I have no idea if/when a fix will be issued.
Pun appreciated!
The devs are aware? But what level of awareness are we talking about? As far as when/if a fix is coming; I NEVER expect anything at all that way I am rarely disappointed. I just hope, if they fix it, they do not make it worse or break something else in the process.
They are programmers after all:
“If debugging is the process of removing bugs, then programming must be the process of putting them in.” - Edsger W. Dijkstra
