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Newsflash! there is now a more PC quick start guide on the wiki, feel free to read it also.
http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=XBM...tart_Guide

Please note that this guide assume that you have already configured a network share for you media on your computer (or use a NAS storage device) and that you have added that network share as a media source to XBMC, that is unless you are using locally stored files in which case you only need to add a directory as a media source to XBMC.

Now first off, read the documentation:
- Video Library
- Set Contents
- TV Show documentation
- Movie documentation

If you still have problems, then read it again:
- Video Library
- Set Contents
- TV Show documentation
- Movie documentation

Is your Library still empty even if you have scanned you media into it?:
Check the watched status (on the left pane of the default PMIII skin).

If you still have problems, post a link to a XBMC Log with debug logging enabled while you are scanning
(The above would be salmon pink and blinking if I knew how to do it, yes it's that important)

Some common misconceptions.
1. No, you do not need a season/year folder for TV shows. The only criteria is a separate folder for each TV show.
2. "Folder contains a single Video / TV Show" in scraper options means that the selected source only contains ONE Video / TV Show
3. You only need "Scan Recursively" when your media is more than one folder beneath the point where you set contents, TV shows always use recursive scanning.
4. Movies do not have to be in their own folder, but it doesn't hurt either.

PS! You can always also browse and search the XBMC Online Manual and FAQ for more information, see:
http://wiki.xbmc.org/?title=XBMC_Online_Manual
and
http://wiki.xbmc.org/?title=Frequently_Asked_Questions

Now enjoy XBMC Big Grin
I tried to find solution for my issue, but not succeded, so I hope these are not too dumb questions.

My videos are sorted in a following way:
Source1: DVD movies
There are separate folders for every movie
Source2: HD movies
There are separate folders for every movie

Question1: The media's are scanned fine into the library, except, if any reason, the movie consist of more files. In this case, all these files appearing in the library, resulting in multiple occurance of the same movie. The "set content" is set on source level, so I cannot set "folder contains single video flag", becuase than none of the folders in that source are scanned. Is there any way to handle this differently? I mean, I would like to have those movies scanned into the libraries with only one occurence.

Question2:
As all the sources scanned into the libraries, I am not able to see any more, that from what source the movie originated. As a result of this, I am not able to check it is DVD or HD movie. IS there any chance to have a sign for this?

Thank you for your help in advance!
Q1: Your filenames probably do not match the XBMC stacking rules:
http://wiki.xbmc.org/?title=Stacking

Q2: A lot of things have been discussed (Search the forum for overlay suggestions), but you can see the path from the media info window.
http://wiki.xbmc.org/?title=Video_Librar...ion_Screen
(The manual has outdated screenshots, but it's there in all recent builds).
sho Wrote:2. You only need "Scan Recursively" when your media is more than one folder beneath the point where you set contents, TV shows always use recursive scanning.

I'm still brand new to XBMC (from MythTV), and trying to get my media collections imported into it (so far, I'm very impressed!).

I'm just using the default theme (PM3-HD), and I'm not sure where the "Scan Recursively" option is. I added my "TV Shows" folder, specified the "TV Show" type, told it to scan it (I don't remember exactly what the option was), but none of my shows that are >1 folder deep were scanned.

For example, I have TV\ Shows/Futurama/Season\ 1/01\ Something.avi. It did not detect this at all. I haven't looked at the logs yet, but I assumed that it just didn't do recursive scans. However....when I read your post, it got me interested again. Should I check the logs, or is it something wrong on my end?

As a (kind of) side note: what's the preferred way to keep your media organized? Is there a particular folder structure/naming scheme (ex: Show Name/s00e00 Name.ext) that works best with XBMC? I'm kind of an organization nut for my computer...

EDIT: Sorry.....I'm a bad interweb user....*hangs head in shame* I read the docs on naming standards for TV shows, so ignore that question. I'm still curious about the "automatic recursive scanning" that didn't work for me.
As I tried to explain above, "TV shows always use recursive scanning."
That means you don't get that option for TV shows. Only for other media such as movies.
So by simply renaming your files to something XBMC will pick up you should be able to solve that issue.
sho Wrote:Q1: Your filenames probably do not match the XBMC stacking rules:
http://wiki.xbmc.org/?title=Stacking

Thank you! Sorry for missing that. Most probably that would be the solution. I have check it in the evening!

sho Wrote:Q2: A lot of things have been discussed (Search the forum for overlay suggestions), but you can see the path from the media info window.
http://wiki.xbmc.org/?title=Video_Librar...ion_Screen
(The manual has outdated screenshots, but it's there in all recent builds).

Well, true, I remember that one. If this is the only way today, I can live with that. Thank you!

But based on your suggestion to search for overlay, I found the ultimate solution: http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid...ht=overlay

It would be really overkill to implement something like this to XBMC itself.
(Sorry, I know it is a bit offtopic and a feature request, just wanted to feedback to you)
As a non dev, I cannot answer that, I suggest you take it here:
http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=30419
sho Wrote:As a non dev, I cannot answer that, I suggest you take it here:
http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=30419

Yes, in the meantime I found this and read trough as well. Unfortunatelly I cannot decide if it is promising, or not Smile

But anyway, thanks!
sho Wrote:Q1: Your filenames probably do not match the XBMC stacking rules:
http://wiki.xbmc.org/?title=Stacking

sho, I have just checked this.
After some testing I realized, that this is not working in case of all media types. I would assume it is applicable to those files, which xbmc can play "together" after each other. What I have tested quickly:
- It is working with AVIs
- Not working in case of ISOs

Might be worth to update the documentation with the file types, which stacking includes and excludes.

So is that means, that there is no solution for ISOs?
Thank you again, for your support!
The problem with image files is that all of them may contain menus. Thus a decision has been made (not by me) not to stack them. I think they are the sole exceptions.
But yes I guess the Wiki should contain that info.

See more here:
http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=36700
So, I read all the instructions twice and searched the forums, I still can't get it to work the way I want it to.

I ripped my dvds of tv shows. Now I have the following folder structure

TV shows/Battlestar Galactica (2003)/Battlestar Galactica (2003).s01e01
TV shows/Battlestar Galactica (2003)/Battlestar Galactica (2003).s01e01

and so on. Inside the folders there's the whole dvd structure: Video_TS.IFO and the vobs.

I set contents to tv shows on the folder "TV shows". When I try to scan these into the library, the library recognizes the show correctly. However it does not recognize the folders so that no episodes are scanned into the library. What am I doing wrong? The wiki mainly points to avi files. However I'd like to keep the subtitles and audio tracks of the dvd and making it an iso file so far seems like extra work to me.
A quick question about file naming:

Most of my tv-shows are named like this:
1x01 - Pilot
1x02 - The Aftermath
and so on.

However, I have started using THIS method:
101 - Pilot
102 - The Aftermath
(I know it doesn't matter when we use the library, it just bugs me)

But XBMC will not add any of those with 101.. 1x01 goes fine.

Is there any way I can change this?
Guys, please respect that this thread is not meant for asking questions, but to post hints and tips.

If you have questions and need help please post in the normal platform forums for meant support.


Kinetic- Wrote:I have started using THIS method:
101 - Pilot
102 - The Aftermath
(I know it doesn't matter when we use the library, it just bugs me)

But XBMC will not add any of those with 101.. 1x01 goes fine.

Is there any way I can change this?
You can change this via RegEx by creating a advancedsettings.xml file, however I believe that VDRfan just a couple of days ago added support for this kind of naming standard to the SVN, which means that it should work by default if you get a brand new build of XBMC.


scamster Wrote:I cannot set the contents and select library view on my apple tv! I've read all the documentations, help files, faq's and no help!

Why, because double clicking to bring up the context menu doesn't work!
Do not double-click (that is not support), instead hold the button down for about two seconds.

The Apple Remote supports short and long presses, doubling the amount of button functions.

Is this not documented ion the wiki? => http://wiki.xbmc.org/?title=XBMC_Online_Manual Huh
I've found a simple solution to a problem I've been dealing with lately. Unfortunately, this forum was zero help in resolving this issue so I'm writing this post in an effort to help anyone else who might have the same problem and search the same key words that failed me.

If your scraper (tvdb.com in my case) seems to lag, crawl, or otherwise fail to load thumbnails, pictures, and or fan art; open port 8080 on your outgoing firewall. I'm assuming this applies to both hardware and software firewalls w/ an outbound filter.

port 8080 is apparently sometimes used as a web services port. (By the TVDB.com scraper at least.) I'm assuming you'll need to open TCP protocol.

I haven't proven that though. I opened both TCP / UDP and it works so I'm moving on.

xbmc is crazy good.

Thanks you devs and community.

-studying to contribute. Nerd
This is suppose to be a serious and useful guide on HOW-TO add and scan media files into Video Library (database), something that is not so hard to do you just follow these simple instructions.
You have probably been pointed to this guide because without first reading the XBMC Online Manual you asked in the XBMC Community Forum how you can use the video library in XBMC or you asked to be able to use a feature that requires that you have setup the video library.

Please Read properly and go through it.

Now first off, please read through this documentation:
Video Library
Set Contents
TV Show documentation
IMDb (Movie) documentation
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