[alexxx]

hi, I hope this is the correct forum, else please tell me where I should post it...

I have a collection of movies, really a long series of .mp4 obtained by converting a large amount of family super8 VHS.

I'd like to have everything in the TV menu, as episodes under a single show icon, but I dont understand how to create the relevant NFO files.

Is it correct that I have to follow https://kodi.wiki/view/NFO_files/Templat...o_Template , create a tvshow.nfo file and also an episode template for each mp4?

Most important, there is a way to automatize everything? It is a very long list of files...

[Karellen]

s it correct that I have to follow https://kodi.wiki/view/NFO_files/Templat...o_Template , create a tvshow.nfo file and also an episode template for each mp4?

Yes, one tvshow.nfo file, then an episode nfo file for each mp4 file. Each episode is named the same as the video file, and must contain the SxxEyy numbering.

For home movies, there is no way to automate this because the information does not exist anywhere, so it cannot be scraped.

You can install a media manager and create the nfo files in a media manager. So your options are to either copy the template and fill in the blanks (don't use notepad or word), or install a media manager, get all the settings right, learn a new program and create the nfo files there. I just copy the template and fill in the blanks.

Good idea to add your home movies as a tv show.

[alexxx]

thank you!
I'll write a small python script to automatize everything - if it's considered useful I'll put it here.
Can you just tell me what is the essential part that must be present in the episode NFO files? Maybe just TITLE ?

[Karellen]

Can you just tell me what is the essential part that must be present in the episode NFO files

Title, UniqueID, Aired date.

[alexxx]

thank you for your help, I tried - and obviously failed :-(
1) in "set content" I put it to TVshows / Local information only
2) after that I let it rescan, but the only change it set was to the folder name, which now shows correctly the one I put in tvshow.nfo - but is otherwise empty

my tvshow.nfo:

Code:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes" ?>
<tvshow>
    <title>Filmini dei Magni da piccoli</title>
    <plot></plot>
    <userrating></userrating>
    <mpaa></mpaa>
    <uniqueid type="Famiglia" default="true"></uniqueid>  <!-- add a value to type="" eg imdb, tmdb, home, sport, docu, see sample below -->
    <genre>Documentary</genre>
    <premiered></premiered> <!-- yyyy-mm-dd -->
    <status></status>
    <studio></studio>
    <actor>
        <name></name>
        <role></role>
        <order></order>
    </actor>
    <namedseason number="1"></namedseason>
</tvshow>

and one random .nfo file, associated (same basename) to an .avi file:

Code:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes" ?>
<movie>
    <title>Filmini dei Magni da piccoli</title>
    <rating>10.000000</rating>
    <epbookmark>0.000000</epbookmark>
    <year>1968</year>
    <top250>0</top250>
    <votes></votes>
    <outline></outline>
    <plot>Dal 1968 in avanti...</plot>
    <tagline></tagline>
    <runtime>25</runtime>
    <mpaa></mpaa>
    <playcount>0</playcount>
    <lastplayed></lastplayed>
    <id>-1</id>
    <set></set>
    <premiered></premiered>
    <status></status>
    <code></code>
    <aired></aired>
    <trailer></trailer>
    <fileinfo>
        <streamdetails>
            <video>
                <codec>xvid</codec>
                <aspect>1.333333</aspect>
                <width>640</width>
                <height>480</height>
                <durationinseconds>1511</durationinseconds>
                <stereomode></stereomode>
            </video>
        </streamdetails>
    </fileinfo>
    <resume>
        <position>0.000000</position>
        <total>0.000000</total>
    </resume>
    <dateadded>2000-01-01 10:50:42</dateadded>
</movie>

Possibly it is failing because the episodes NFOs are those that Kodi self-generated when the files were (I forgot to mention it, sorry) in the movies folder ?

[alexxx]

Forgot to add:
example episode movie and nfo filenames: "VHS 1x5 1971-1973 5.avi", "VHS 1x5 1971-1973 5.nfo"

[Karellen]

after that I let it rescan, but the only change it set was to the folder name, which now shows correctly the one I put in tvshow.nfo - but is otherwise empty

Its empty apart from the title because your nfo file is empty of values, except for title.
You haven't added any information except for Title and Genre. If you want Kodi to display more information, then you need to add it in your nfo file before scanning into the library. Once it is scanned into the library, any changes you make to the nfo file need to be scanned again.
Also you haven't added a value for uniqueID. I see you added a type, but there is no value. No date either.

and one random .nfo file, associated (same basename) to an .avi file:

Have a look at the second and last line. You can see it is movie.
Again no uniqueID or date, which I previously said you must add. And you have not used the template, so some of your tags are wrong. You say that the episode nfo file is from Kodi? It must be a very old version of Kodi you have installed.

Please use the templates.
The more information you add, the more information is displayed. You must add as a minimum the title, the UniqueID and the <premiered> date for tv show and <aired> date for episodes.

The way you have named the episode file and nfo file can be improved. Try the following
VHS S01E05 1971-1973 5.avi
VHS S01E05 1971-1973 5.nfo
Do you need the 5 at the end of the filename? It seems to match the episode number, so there is no need to have it twice, so best to remove it.

[alexxx]

Victory! Thanks to your help of course...

There are still problems to iron out (like thumbnails, or renaming more correctly as you suggested) but all my VHS are now shown!

Strangely, it worked even if I didnt put a value to uniqueid - I was still testing the script and it wasnt implemented yet, but since it works...
If somebody has the same problem, put this script in your home:

Code:


#!/usr/bin/python
import os,sys

for x in sys.argv[1:]:
    filename, file_extension = os.path.splitext(x)
    nfn=filename+".nfo"
    print("%s\n"% nfn)
    with open(nfn,'w') as F:
        F.write("""<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes" ?>
<episodedetails>
    <title>%s</title>
    <uniqueid type="" default="true"></uniqueid> 
    <aired>1968-01-01</aired>      
</episodedetails>
    """ % filename)


name it createnfos.py, make it executable with

Code:

chmod +x createnfos.py

then go into the episodes directory, and call it as 

Code:

createnfos.py *.avi

[Karellen]

Strangely, it worked even if I didnt put a value to uniqueid

Yes, it will work, but then you will end up with a corrupted database because critical information is missing. It will work and continue to work then one day you will scan in another tv show like you have done many times before, and suddenly all your episodes have mixed into other tv shows and you will need to rebuild your library making sure the uniqueid's have been added.
So add it like this... <uniqueid type="Famiglia" default="true">tv0003</uniqueid> and make sure the id keeps changing (tv0004, tv0005 etc or whatever numbering you want to use)

There are still problems to iron out (like thumbnails, or renaming more correctly as you suggested) but all my VHS are now shown!

The artwork is pretty easy. See the naming in the images here for episode artwork. Looks like you are using single episode files... https://kodi.wiki/view/Artwork/Episode
For tv shows, click on the appropriate link in the right menu.

Great that it is working now!!

[alexxx]

 

Yes, it will work, but then you will end up with a corrupted database because critical information is missing. It will work and continue to work then one day you will scan in another tv show like you have done many times before, and suddenly all your episodes have mixed into other tv shows and you will need to rebuild your library making sure the uniqueid's have been added.
So add it like this... <uniqueid type="Famiglia" default="true">tv0003</uniqueid> and make sure the id keeps changing (tv0004, tv0005 etc or whatever numbering you want to use)

 

That's finally clear! In the wiki  it was not clear at all and I wanted to add to it, but I found out that I have to register to edit it...

Here's the updated script, with uniqueID added:

Code:

#!/usr/bin/python
import os,sys

typ="Famiglia"
i=0

for x in sys.argv[1:]:
    filename, file_extension = os.path.splitext(x)
    nfn=filename+".nfo"
    print("%s\n"% nfn)
    with open(nfn,'w') as F:
        F.write("""<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes" ?>
<episodedetails>
    <title>%s</title>
    <uniqueid type="%s" default="true">%s</uniqueid> 
    <aired>1968-01-01</aired>      
</episodedetails>
    """ % (filename,typ,typ+str(i).rjust(6,"0")))
    i+=1    

[Skeauxsha]

This is so helpful, I was having the same issues.
Thank you Karellen !!!
Always the best!!