Overhead or Underwater FileBot Help

Any questions? Need some help?
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themusj
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Overhead or Underwater FileBot Help

Post by themusj »

I am working on adding my recorded TV Shows to Kodi and found some of the old ones are not listing properly. Such as The Californians. Kodi doesn't see it right at all. So after hours, I stumbled upon it might be a syntax problem and then came across FileBot. Before I purchased it, I wanted to try it and it worked on a few series, but still not The Californians. I've managed to see the series on the TVDB and FileBot does pull up the episodes and renamed named, like: The Californians - 2x09 - Dangerous Journey

But Kodi still doesn't see the series and I don't know if the problem is in the naming by FileBot or Kodi. If I understand it right, if the syntax is right, Kodi should pull up the correct series via the Internet connection to TVDB. Again, the series in listed in the TVDB.

Any help would be appreciated. Frankly, I want to purchase FileBot, but need more reassurance it will work as needed. I've tried it on two series before The Californians {where Kodi didn't recognize them} and it did the trick. It appears to be money well spent if it does the trick consistently.
devster
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Re: Overhead or Underwater FileBot Help

Post by devster »

Kodi relies on correct naming and from the single example you've given it seems that FileBot is renaming them correctly.
Based on your description I would say that the issue is with the Kodi scraper. You might want to try using the AMC script to create the NFO file for the show and see if Kodi picks it up correctly.

It's also possible there just aren't enough information on the show and Kodi scraped everything available, I looked on TheTVDB and there's no fanart, banner, poster or anything similar on The Californians, but there also doesn't seem to be an episode 2x09.
I only work in black and sometimes very, very dark grey. (Batman)
themusj
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Re: Overhead or Underwater FileBot Help

Post by themusj »

Thanks for your help! Episode 2x09 would be for example Dangerous Journey, Season number: 2, Episode number: 9, Air date: November 25, 1958 according to the TV Guide. I agree there is not much there on the way of posters, etc. FileBot pulled the information I gave as an example from TVMaze fetch data.

I understand a person can create a NFO. New area for me too. Once created when I cross that bridge, how do I get Kodi on my Android TV to utilize it? It will read a NFO file alongside the TVDB? Not mutually exclusive I trust.

Sorry to be so green on this. But I am working hard to get up to speed.
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rednoah
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Re: Overhead or Underwater FileBot Help

Post by rednoah »

Keep in mind that FileBot (by design) can't process files that aren't in the database, and neither can Kodi.

If you use TheTVDB, and if the episode really is 2x09, then FileBot can't process it correctly, because there is no correct answer:
https://www.thetvdb.com/?tab=seasonall&id=77412&lid=7

There is also no episode called "Dangerous Journey". Neither is there an episode that aired on 1958-11-25. FileBot won't be able to process these files. But more importantly, Kodi also couldn't possibly work in the first place if the files don't make sense and don't match what's in the database.

This case is less about naming, and more about having files that make sense. Not sure what's going on here though. Maybe the episode you have has a different name, episode number and airdate on TheTVDB? Maybe it's simply a case of missing data because the show isn't very popular so nobody has ever entered the correct data.
:idea: Please read the FAQ and How to Request Help.
themusj
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Re: Overhead or Underwater FileBot Help

Post by themusj »

Very interesting. In the case above, I used TVMaze as the Fetch login for FileBot. And going to the TVMaze site, it not only lists that episode, but all of them.

https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/26277/the- ... s/episodes

Of course, if Kodi doesn't have access to that database, it won't pull them up. I see that now. So the solution for unique situations like this is to create that nfo file it looks like. I understand there are programs to help do that like Media Companion. Where to put the nfo file on an Android TV is another question.

I'll be trying FileBot on a few more "current and viable shows :-)" and if works on those I'll be buying!
kim
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Re: Overhead or Underwater FileBot Help

Post by kim »

no, the best solution is to create an account on thetvdb and add the missing info/data/episodes.

then Filebot and KODI will work correct (filebot, you way need to clear cache after you added the episodes)


http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050002/episodes
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rednoah
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Re: Overhead or Underwater FileBot Help

Post by rednoah »

Yes, adding the missing information, and fixing the incorrect data, would be much appreciated by the next guy, cause then it'll just work for everyone in the future. ;)
:idea: Please read the FAQ and How to Request Help.
themusj
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Re: Overhead or Underwater FileBot Help

Post by themusj »

I signed up on TVDB so I can contribute. Being honest, not sure what I am doing in that regard. I see I can enter information. To that end, I'll watch the episodes and come up with my own summary. Posters are just jpegs I believe.

What at this point is confusing me a bit is the following example. Green Acres pulled in Kodi properly with "Green Acres S4E16" and {I know it is lame, but I like its place in TV history}, My Mother the Car didn't. Not until it went from "My Mother the Car E10" to "My Mother the Car - 1x10 - My Son, the Ventriloquist"

This is important for me to understand if what I enter on the TVDB affects the end user like what it did above. Does the TVDB take a variety of naming schemes per a show?

I tried to follow this from Kodi Wiki prior to using FileBot and Kodi didn't see the series. In the case of My Mother the Car, I opted for Without Season opton since it was only one, ie., anything_ep02.ext or "My Mother the Car E10".

With season
The most common scenario.
anything_s01e02.ext
anything_s1e2.ext

Without season
In cases where you only have one season (or are using absolute order in the TVDB scraper), you may want to forego the inclusion of the season number. anything_ep02.ext
anything_ep_02.ext
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rednoah
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Re: Overhead or Underwater FileBot Help

Post by rednoah »

If you have questions about adding data the right way, then it's probably best to go to the TheTVDB forums and see what the preferences there are.
:idea: Please read the FAQ and How to Request Help.
themusj
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Re: Overhead or Underwater FileBot Help

Post by themusj »

I took KIm's and your advice and added the missing episodes for The Californians as well as corrected several wrongly labeled episodes in Season 2.

I am not sure how I clear the cache on FileBot, but apparently the TVDB isn't updated spontaneously, as the names FileBot comes up with from the TVDB are not matching the correct names in my left column. I have reloaded it twice.

Episode seven for example is the Prince of Thieves, Filebot comes up with An Act of Faith

Not sure what the green arrow means in FileBot, but episode eight Hangtown is the same

Then the rest in FileBot are in Red.

I do want to be a good community member and support this application. I just like to drive a car before I buy it. My desire it to go back online and fill out the rest of the information needed on The Californians in the TVDB. I was hoping to see some immediate fruit in my labor, however, and see Kodi pick up the episodes.
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rednoah
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Re: Overhead or Underwater FileBot Help

Post by rednoah »

After entering the data online, it might take 1-2 days before that data will become available via the API.

On top of that, FileBot has it's own caching, but that at least you can clear manually yourself:
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1996

You can see what FileBot sees by using the Episodes panel and searching for the episode data there. That way you can check what episode data FileBot is working with.



:idea: The green icon means that the original filename is the same as the proposed filename already, so nothing needs to be done.

:idea: Red background color indicates that the matches don't make sense to FileBot. Maybe it's ok. Maybe it's completely wrong. Red background means that you better double check things and only click Rename if you're happy with the proposed names.
:idea: Please read the FAQ and How to Request Help.
themusj
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Re: Overhead or Underwater FileBot Help

Post by themusj »

You should get an email, your donation is on its way! Thanks for you help. The great news is I ran FileBot again, and bingo, the names I entered on the TVDB showed up as perfect matches. Then brought up Kodi and bingo again, all the episodes show up perfectly!

I do have one nagging question at this point.

TV series with just one season show up in Kodi with a numbering scheme like 1x02 next to each episode while TV series with more than one season show up in a folder for each series and an clear bullet next to each episode. The Californians is actually two seasons, but I only have a partial of two at this time.

Does Kodi create a folder structure if it sees more than one season is a TV series folder?

For example

The Californians currently displays O 2x08.Hangman {O being the clear bullet item.}

Green Acres currently displays O 17. Law Partners {O being the clear bullet item.}

I appreciate all the excellent help. I'll be updating The Californians with descriptions and artwork.
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rednoah
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Re: Overhead or Underwater FileBot Help

Post by rednoah »

Thank you for adding the missing data. All users and programs using TheTVDB may now benefit from your work.

Unfortunately, I can't render much help on Kodi, but you will find experts on that in the Kodi forums:
https://forum.kodi.tv/
:idea: Please read the FAQ and How to Request Help.
kim
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Re: Overhead or Underwater FileBot Help

Post by kim »

KODI do not make any folders*, it's a "settings" (in KODI) thing ;)

*only when exporting the database
themusj
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Re: Overhead or Underwater FileBot Help

Post by themusj »

Thanks. Here is the solution within Kodi.

You set Flatten TV show seasons to "Never" under Settings / Media / Videos
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