# Triggering "Ad detection: for all items in this library"

**URL:** <https://forums.plex.tv/t/triggering-ad-detection-for-all-items-in-this-library/732818>\
**Category:** Plex Media Server\
**Tags:** livetv-dvr, server-windows\
**Created:** [July 30, 2021, 3:36pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/triggering-ad-detection-for-all-items-in-this-library/732818 "2021-07-30T15:36:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![solstyce9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@solstyce9](https://forums.plex.tv/u/solstyce9)\
**Post date:** [July 30, 2021, 3:36pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/triggering-ad-detection-for-all-items-in-this-library/732818/1 "2021-07-30T15:36:45Z")

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Server Version#: 1.23.5.4862 on Win10 Pro  
Player Version#: Web 4.62.1

I noticed a new (to me) setting in my Recorded TV library. In the Advanced tab of the library “edit settings” dialog I see this selector “Ad detection” at the bottom with the subtext “Generate ad markers for items in this library.”

I set it to “For all items” and tried “Scan library files” and “Analyze” and while “Scan” did do intro detection, I didn’t see any change in ads. I also left it overnight to see if it would update during my nightly maintenance window. I still have recordings in this library that have ads but “Skip Ads” button appears during playback.

I’m wondering if it’s run and was unable to detect any ads, or hasn’t run at all. Can anyone tell me how to trigger this to run manually?

Thanks!

 ![2021-07-30_08-28-50](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/d/8/d824fde82645184a438b2def935ed1fe89e6308f.png)

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**Author:** ![pshanew](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/pshanew/32/160555_2.png) [@pshanew](https://forums.plex.tv/u/pshanew)\
**Post date:** [August 1, 2021, 7:24pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/triggering-ad-detection-for-all-items-in-this-library/732818/2 "2021-08-01T19:24:36Z")

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> [@solstyce9](#):
>
> I set it to “For all items” and tried “Scan library files” and “Analyze” and while “Scan” did do intro detection, I didn’t see any change in ads.

You should be able to just “Analyze” the media to force ad detection with those settings. In my experience, it can be done at the library, show, season, or episodes levels, in a TV library. In fact, I need to do this for one of my Olympics recordings a couple of days ago (I did that one at the episode level).

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**Author:** ![solstyce9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@solstyce9](https://forums.plex.tv/u/solstyce9)\
**Post date:** [August 2, 2021, 8:29pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/triggering-ad-detection-for-all-items-in-this-library/732818/3 "2021-08-02T20:29:53Z")

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Thanks for the tip. I guess I wasn’t patient enough the last time I tried “Analyze” or perhaps I restarted my server and interrupted the process.

I just triggered an “Analyze” of the weekend’s Olympic recordings and it didn’t seem to be doing anything, at least the status indicator in the web player wasn’t spinning. But I noticed my server fan going hard, and when I checked processes and Plex [server log](https://support.plex.tv/articles/200250417-plex-media-server-log-files/) see it’s running the commercial skipper on those episodes. So hopefully once it’s done I’ll have my latest Olympics recording with “Skip Ads” enabled.

Note to Plex: when you manually run “Analyze” on a library would be great if the activity spinner showed its progress so you knew it was doing something.

Thanks for the help, @pshanew!

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**Author:** ![pshanew](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/pshanew/32/160555_2.png) [@pshanew](https://forums.plex.tv/u/pshanew)\
**Post date:** [August 2, 2021, 8:36pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/triggering-ad-detection-for-all-items-in-this-library/732818/4 "2021-08-02T20:36:04Z")

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> [@solstyce9](#):
>
> Note to Plex: when you manually run “Analyze” on a library would be great if the activity spinner showed its progress so you knew it was doing something.

Agreed, something similar to the “Detecting Intros” activity would be useful. I use a Mac, so I usually ensure `Plex Commercial Skipper` running by checking Activity Monitor (similar to Task Manager on Windows).

> [@solstyce9](#):
>
> Thanks for the help

No problem!

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/2/a/2acb9765406f63293d357b4ec509ec39aa28f2ad.png) [@system](https://forums.plex.tv/u/system)\
**Post date:** [October 31, 2021, 8:36pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/triggering-ad-detection-for-all-items-in-this-library/732818/5 "2021-10-31T20:36:24Z")

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