Server Version#: Linux 1.17.0.1841-d42cfa161
Player Version#: Web Client 4.8.3
Hello, I’m very new to Plex running on Linux Lubuntu (which is also new to me) and have been learning the ropes. I would like to create my own collections without acquiring collection data from file meta or online sources. I have tried several methods to stop Plex from acquiring this info, but it still creates the collections regardless of my attempts.
Things I have tried…
Under Settings>Agents>The Movie Database>SettingsCog, I have “Use collection info from The Movie Database” unchecked.
I deleted the movie and collection completely from the server and then used “Clean Bundles” and “Optimize Database” under Settings>Troubleshooting.
I then used Mp3Tag to check the meta-data of the video files to see if something was in the “Album” field. I removed anything I found in the fields and saved the files, I moved them back to the linux server and checked them again a second time using Kid3 Meta tool and the fields were empty.
I scanned the library with Plex and had it reacquire the files; this time the collections didn’t create automatically and I was able to begin fixing and creating my own collections. After a few days passed, I slowly began seeing the old collections reappear one by one. At first there were only a couple, and then they pretty much all came back.
Any help on this would be greatly appreciated because as things currently stand, I’m beginning to believe this is bug related. Thanks.
Can you please check the settings of the individual libraries that have automatically created collections?
... > Manage Library > Edit
Advanced > Use collection info from The Movie Database
I’m having a similar setup (regular Ubuntu 18.04) and can confirm there’s no general issue with this setting/configuration. Automatic collections are disabled and I’ve never seen a single collection being created without my doing.
Embedded metadata will only be considered for mp4/m4v files – so that’s the only other culprits to keep an eye on.
I can confirm that “Use collection info from The Movie Database” is unchecked under each library. I am indeed using mp4 files, and understand that they contain meta data; this is why before, I mentioned updating the meta to remove the “album” field which had the same names as the collections, so I know its safe to say that the embedded meta is what initially created the collections.
The main issue now is, Plex wants to remember the old embedded data, even though I purged the database using “Clean Bundles” and used “Optimize Database” before adding the updated files (which have the removed meta info) back to Plex.
Darn, I did not. I thought I had it covered with “Clean Bundles” to remove old meta info.
Edit: I updated a bunch of my collections manually by removing the collections tag from the movies and then deleted the collection folder. I then emptied the trash, cleaned the bundles and optimized the database… hopefully the collections stay gone since there shouldn’t be any meta to collect from, fingers crossed.
