SRT Lost after movies have been moved to new directory

Plex Media Server NAS & Devices
1

Server Version#: 1.18.9.2571
Player Version#: 4.29.2

Hello,
Movies to be seen are on a NAS, in a directory where they wait to be seen. SRT files are added and recognized in PLEX as external subtitle. All great.
After they are seen, I move the files in a subdirectory, which is called “SEEN MOVIES”.
Here is the problem: if PLEX manage to find the new path for the movie, external SRT files are lost.
To find them again, I need to refresh metadata.

I tried to select PARTIAL SCAN of the library.
It does not loose the SRT files, but a very annoying problem appear: the movie will go up into the list, as if it had just been added to the library. This is absolutely not something I want !

I wondered if it would be possible to force a METADATA refresh for the whole library, for example once a day.

Kind regards

Alexandre

2

Plex keeps track of what is watched / unwatched. There is no need to relocate the movies.

However, if you want to do so…

A structure with sub-directories might work, but does not strictly align with Plex naming standards. Also, it will most likely fail if you try it with TV Shows. See Naming & Organizing Your Media support article.

Instead of:

/movies
../movie 1 (year)/movie 1 (year).ext
../movie 2 (year)/movie 2 (year).ext
../seen movies/movie 3 (year)/movie 3 (year).ext
../seen movies/movie 4 (year)/movie 4 (year).ext

Consider:

/movies
../movie 1 (year)/movie 1 (year).ext
../movie 2 (year)/movie 2 (year).ext
/seen movies
../movie 3 (year)/movie 3 (year).ext
../movie 4 (year)/movie 4 (year).ext

The Movie library points to both locations, /movies and /seen movies.

When moving a movie or movies to a new location:

  1. Copy the movie to the new location. You will have two copies of the same file(s).
  2. Refresh metadata. Plex will show you have duplicate copies.
  3. Delete the movie from the original location.
  4. Refresh metadata. Plex will show you have one copy, in new location.
  5. After moves are finished, empty trash, clean bundles, optimize database (clears out old information from database).

This keeps your metadata, played/unplayed history, etc information in place. The movies will not show up as new additions to your library.

See “Move Media…” support article below.

You can schedule a scan of the library on a periodic schedule in Settings → Library. If the scan picks up new movies/tv shows, it will pull metadata for them. See “Library” support article linked below.

You can schedule a metadata refresh in Settings → Scheduled Tasks. See “Schedule Tasks” support article linked below.

https://support.plex.tv/articles/201154537-move-media-content-to-a-new-location/

https://support.plex.tv/articles/200289526-library/

https://support.plex.tv/articles/201553286-scheduled-tasks/

https://support.plex.tv/articles/categories/your-media/

3

Hello
I much thank you for your answer.
I move the files because I m used to classify them that way…
Just as you suggested, I have two separate folders (not a sub directory) and the library points to both paths.
When I move a movie to the « seen folder » it just works: PLEX recognize the new path.
The only problem is that it looses the external SRT, unless I manually requests to refresh the METADATA for the considered movie.
So, what I wish, is an automated way, so that it tracks the SRT files…

I thought I should maybe separate both libraries in plex.
Each library pointing towards one exclusive path.
Maybe, it would allow external SRT not to be lost.

Thank you for your help

Regards

Alex

5

Hello
Thank you for your answer.
Actually, I never use Plex to fetch SRT.
I download them separately from Flixtools, then add them in the folder along the movie.
However, when I move the whole folder (movie + subtitle) , plex looses the trace of my SRT… unless I refresh metadata of the movie manually.
Regards
Alex

7

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