Is there any way to turn off the awful feature whereby Plex tries to merge completely separate video files together??? If not there should be - frankly that's a ridiculously bold thing to do to a user's files without asking them.
How does Plex know that I don't have separate files FOR A REASON - such as, I want to store and track and manage and watch them separately? Awful ... Confusing too! ("Where did my 26 files go? Oh, figured it out ... they auto magically merged into 3 files!")
I'm trying to study for an exam, but Plex has royally screwed things up by combining separate class lectures into one.
Thanks a lot PLex,.... now it's much harder to keep track of where I am!.
I understand about a program being as smart as the instructions given to it, but as a developer myself I know there is a vast range of options that can be envisioned (as useful) by a designer and programmed into the interface (or not). The degree to which a program is in touch with the needs of real people can be measured in part by the degree to which the interface makes appropriate suggestions that a user would otherwise have to assertively search for and set, but which could otherwise be guessed from context. One of the more common ways that over-eager developers violate that rule is by doing everything that can be done, just because it seems slick and because they can. That's one thing, but not including an option to turn OFF slick things that some people inevitably won't want, is especially annoying.
Identifying that setting which would be relevant is what I was hoping to get help with by posting this topic. Let me poke around some more ....
By the way let me clarify something critical to understanding this particular post: I'm not saying that Plex has inaccurately merged files in a non-sensical way. I'm saying that I just don't want them merged at all.
For example, I have a video lecture (ironically, for a master's class in conceptual database design) which is, in its original format, split into 3 parts: Lecture6PartA, Lecture6PartB, Lecture6PartC.
I know that Plex thinks it is slick to merge them all into "Lecture6", but I'd rather it not do that and especially without asking me and even if so, give me some way to tell it "do not do that".
I have my own reasons for not wanting them merged (which shouldn't require defense), but just for kicks and giggles, those reasons are, it's easier for me to manage my studying by keeping them separate. In fact, a lot of other people in my class think so too--That's probably why the professor split them into 3 parts. :)
Surely Plex designers didn't think they could read the minds of millions of people as to why they had their video files in certain chunks ?
I understand about a program being as smart as the instructions given to it, but as a developer myself I know there is a vast range of options that can be envisioned (as useful) by a designer and programmed into the interface (or not). The degree to which a program is in touch with the needs of real people can be measured in part by the degree to which the interface makes appropriate suggestions that a user would otherwise have to assertively search for and set, but which could otherwise be guessed from context.
Identifying that setting which would be relevant is what I was hoping to get help with by posting this topic. Let me poke around some more ....
By the way let me clarify something critical to understanding this particular post: I'm not saying that Plex has inaccurately merged files in a non-sensical way. I'm saying that I just don't want them merged at all.
For example, I have a video lecture (ironically, for a master's class in conceptual database design) which is, in its original format, split into 3 parts: Lecture6PartA, Lecture6PartB, Lecture6PartC.
I know that Plex thinks it is slick to merge them all into "Lecture6", but I'd rather it not do that and especially without asking me and even if so, give me some way to tell it "do not do that".
I have my own reasons for not wanting them merged (which shouldn't require defense), but just for kicks and giggles, those reasons are, it's easier for me to manage my studying by keeping them separate. In fact, a lot of other people in my class think so too--That's probably why the professor split them into 3 parts. :)
Surely Plex designers didn't think they could read the minds of millions of people as to why they had their video files in certain chunks ?
if they are "personal media" (aka, non commercial) then they should be in a personal media library. have a read of the media prep guide on the support site. You've skipped some fundamental basics in the setup if you have personal media merging
Why read when it's easier to blame and complain. Ten minutes making a post could have been far better spent reading how to set Personal Media up. :rolleyes:
As a 'developer' the OP may be able to wrap his mind around the concept of the online documentation - particularly this part which deals with non-commercial personal media (that has already been mentioned - twice - but here's a link):
