Why is Plex showing background images as if they were posters?

[campkiser]

Why is Plex showing background images ('backdrop.jpg' file) as if they were posters?

When I researched this issue I found this on the Plex website...

-------------------
Incorrect file naming:
If your background images are named with "poster" keywords or don't follow the standard "fanart" naming convention, Plex might mistakenly identify them as posters.

Correct file naming:
Ensure your background images are named with clear "fanart" keywords (e.g., "movietitle_fanart.jpg").

------- AND -------

Missing dedicated fanart folder:
Plex usually expects background images to be located in a separate "fanart" folder within each movie or TV show directory. If your background images are mixed with poster images in the same folder, it can lead to confusion.

Organize your files properly:
Create separate folders named "fanart" within each movie or TV show directory and place your background images there.
--------------------

From a standard install, what changes do I need to make to Filebot to meet Plex requirements? How can I implement one or both of the fixes listed above? Do you know of a better way to skin the cat?

[rednoah]

If you're using Plex then you just need to name and organise files correctly, and then let Plex fetch artwork as necessary. I'd just not use local media assets for the sake of simplicity and leave it at that.


If you're using the Fetch artwork post-processing feature then that just does what it does. It's not specifically optimised for Plex / Kodi / Jellyfin / etc. That said, I would be somewhat surprised if there's any major issues with the current behaviour since that hasn't changed in years.


Can you link the Plex documentation that you refer to? The Local Media Assets - Movies Plex documentation that I'm seeing lists the following examples which matches what Fetch artwork generates:

Code: Select all

/Movies
   /Batman Begins (2005)
      Batman Begins (2005).mkv
      poster.jpg

Code: Select all

/Movies
   /Avatar (2009)
      Avatar (2009).mkv
      fanart.jpg

Do you get different results? Can you give us example file paths for a folder that you have issues with? What are the file paths you have? What the file paths you need?

[campkiser]

I have some pics for examples but I don't know how to attach them here...

[campkiser]

but the short version is the backdrop file, created by Filebot, is seen as a poster for the video... if I bring up the "pencil" icon and then the "poster" selection shows the "backdrop" image as well as the poster image(s)... and since the backdrop image load 1st, its the 1st default selection for the movie poster. I used Filebot to create the entire directory... The backdrop.jpg, folder.jpg, logo.png, movie, poster.jpg & tmdb shortcut.. are in the Movie folder at the same level together... I can reproduce this issue...

[campkiser]

but the short version is the backdrop file, created by Filebot, is seen as a poster for the video... if I bring up the "pencil" icon and then the "poster" selection shows the "backdrop" image as well as the poster image(s)... and since the backdrop image load 1st, its the 1st default selection for the movie poster. I used Filebot to create the entire directory... The backdrop.jpg, folder.jpg, logo.png, movie, poster.jpg & tmdb shortcut.. are in the Movie folder at the same level together... I can reproduce this issue...

here's the script command I used...

Shell: Select all

filebot -script fn:amc "B:\New Media Files\Common\Movies" --output "A:\Media" --action move -non-strict --conflict index --def minLengthMS=120000 --def unsorted=n music=y artwork=y subtitles=en clean=y deleteAfterExtract=y --filter "none{ n =~ _temp }"

[rednoah]

I have some pics for examples but I don't know how to attach them here...

[FAQ] How can I share screenshots on the internet? That said, if you are sharing file paths, please share file paths as text so that we can copy & paste them.

but the short version is the backdrop file, created by Filebot, is seen as a poster for the video... if I bring up the "pencil" icon and then the "poster" selection shows the "backdrop" image as well as the poster image(s)... and since the backdrop image load 1st, its the 1st default selection for the movie poster. I used Filebot to create the entire directory... The backdrop.jpg, folder.jpg, logo.png, movie, poster.jpg & tmdb shortcut.. are in the Movie folder at the same level together... I can reproduce this issue...

The way the amc script fetches artwork and names the files hasn't changed in a decade. I'm therefore highly reluctant to make possibly breaking changes in this regard. That said, if you could figure out the correct naming for each artwork file that works for you, and then tell us, then we could just give you a Plain File Mode command to batch rename all the artwork files as desired. Just do that after the amc script and it's done.



What are you trying to do here?

Shell: Select all

--filter "none{ n =~ _temp }"

At a glance, this code means to filter movies and episodes where the movie name / series name does not contain _temp which is all of them since no movie / series is named _temp so this code would be expected to do nothing. But in actuality, this code does nothing for another reason. You forgot the "..." quotes so the n =~ _temp bit always fails. Thus this command-line option does exactly nothing. See --filter and fine-tuning for the usage examples.

[campkiser]

Why is the “backdrop” jpg used as the Poster for the movie…?

Example (generated by FileBot)…

3 Days in Malay (2023) {tmdb-1152624} --folder contains–

3 Days in Malay (2023).eng
3 Days in Malay (2023).mp4
3 Days in Malay (2023) [system info]
backdrop.jpg
folder.jpg
logo.jpg
movie [system info]
poster.jpg
tmdb [shortcut]

Now when displayed in Plex the backdrop file is the poster displayed in plex… if you look at the pencil/poster sections it has the backdrop, then it has the other posters… The backdrop is selected as the default… Under the pencil/poster section I find the backdrop plus 11 other posters (movie title in pic)…

Why is backdrop.jpg being used as the (default) movie poster and not the poster.jpg? I assume that Plex added the extra poster entries…

[campkiser]

I'm not up to speed on posting pics here... but if you instructed me or gave me another place to send them too... I would be happy to share...

[rednoah]

Why is backdrop.jpg being used as the (default) movie poster and not the poster.jpg?

That seems to be a question best asked in the Plex forums where the people that wrote the code can give you a definite answer: https://forums.plex.tv/



How would you like these artwork files be named instead?

Code: Select all

backdrop.jpg ➔ ???
folder.jpg ➔ ???
logo.jpg ➔ ???
poster.jpg ➔ ???

How can I share screenshots on the internet? explains how to share screenshots step by step. If something is hard to understand, please let me know what specifically, and I'll see about making the instructions more easy to understand.

[campkiser]

Yes, I have also thrown it over the wall to them... When I get an answer I will share it with all.. Your insights on this issue will speed along the solution... I hope you can see the catch-22 because each of you can show reasons why it's the other, but that gets us no where... And I freely admit that it could just be my lack of knowledge... So, please, please educate me if it's necessary...

Thanks, Duane

[rednoah]

I mean to say I have no preference one way or another. FileBot can name files any way you want. If you want A, we can give you A. If you want B, we can give you B. And so on. If you want what Plex wants, then my first step would be to independently run trial & error tests with A and B to figure out what Plex wants.


You could then use Plain File Mode to automatically rename the artwork files to whatever works best for you:

Console Output: Select all

$ filebot -script fn:amc …
…
$ filebot -rename -r /path/to/input --db file --file-filter "fn ==~ /poster|backdrop/" --format "{ folder }/artwork/{ fn.replace('poster':'abc', 'backdrop':'xyz') }"
Rename files using [Plain File]
[MOVE] from [backdrop.jpg] to [artwork/xyz.jpg]
[MOVE] from [poster.jpg] to [artwork/abc.jpg]

[campkiser]

The naming of the files and the naming and contents of the folder are entirely set by FileBot... I am using their default "format movie for Plex" setting using the GUI and script using "amc" which is the command line version of the above... The "_temp" is there because VidiCable which delivers MP4 & MKV copies of movies for services I have purchased (ie.. HBO, YouTubeTV, etc...)...

These files once completed are the target of the command line "amc" above. Whether I use the GUI or Command line the output (folder & contents) is via FileBot... I ask FileBot to supply all optional output (ie... poster.jpg, backdrop.jpg, etc.)... Since I selected the Plex option, the finished directory & contents are move to Media folder containing the Plex libraries (per FileBot)... This is also default for Filebot and would requiring default script changes to alter.

When plex gets ahold of the directory and post it, under the pencil/Poster selection the image matching the backdrop.jpg is in the 1st position. An image matching the poster.jpg is in the 2nd position. Then I have 11 poster.jpg of various designs in position 3-12... I assume item 3-12 came from Plex when I had it rescan the Media Directory. Since the backdrop image is in the 1st position unless I manually choose otherwise, it is used for the movie poster under Plex..

So, FileBot tells me that the default Plex selections produce a default product that can be used by Plex without alteration... That's the goal I'm aiming for...

[rednoah]

I ran a test for myself. Here's what I get. Looks good to me. Plex picks up poster.jpg as poster and backdrop.jpg as background. Works as-is by default, as far as I can tell.