Music Artist artwork -- local files not loading
#1
Hello

 I hope someone can help, I've been battling with this for a while and I can't figure it out. The issue: I can't get local artwork files for music artists to load.

 I have mostly obscure / not so popular artists in my library, most of the times the scraper will not find any artwork for them online, thus I rely on having my own local files. I set an Artist Information folder, and created subfolders for each artist using the Export function. I put artwork files (mostly in jpeg, some tif) in the folders, but they don't get displayed in the artist information. I can manually set them, but if I refresh the artist information (for individual artist, or using the "Query information for all artists" option -- it doesn't make a difference) the images don't display.

 - Is it requiered to have a .nfo file for each artist too? I assume I can have artwork files without an .nfo file.
 - Must the artwork files have a specific name? I've tried with random filenames, but also with thumb.jpg folder.jpg fanart.jpeg and such , all to no avail.

 What's the right procedure? What am I missing?

 Thanks in advance, and apologies if this is too dumb of a question!
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#2
(2020-05-29, 20:38)tralaralara Wrote: I set an Artist Information folder, and created subfolders for each artist using the Export function.
Perfect.

(2020-05-29, 20:38)tralaralara Wrote: Is it requiered to have a .nfo file for each artist too?
No, not necessary. You can have artwork without nfo files.

(2020-05-29, 20:38)tralaralara Wrote: Must the artwork files have a specific name?
Yes. I guess you have not read the guide. See here... https://kodi.wiki/view/Music_artwork You need the code as shown in section 2 and naming as shown in section 3
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Links to : Official:Forum rules (wiki) | Official:Forum rules/Banned add-ons (wiki) | Debug Log (wiki)
Links to : HOW-TO:Create Music Library (wiki) | HOW-TO:Create_Video_Library (wiki)  ||  Artwork (wiki) | Basic controls (wiki) | Import-export library (wiki) | Movie sets (wiki) | Movie universe (wiki) | NFO files (wiki) | Quick start guide (wiki)
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#3
(2020-05-29, 21:12)Karellen Wrote:
(2020-05-29, 20:38)tralaralara Wrote: I set an Artist Information folder, and created subfolders for each artist using the Export function.
Perfect.
(2020-05-29, 20:38)tralaralara Wrote: Is it requiered to have a .nfo file for each artist too?
No, not necessary. You can have artwork without nfo files.
(2020-05-29, 20:38)tralaralara Wrote: Must the artwork files have a specific name?
Yes. I guess you have not read the guide. See here... https://kodi.wiki/view/Music_artwork You need the code as shown in section 2 and naming as shown in section 3

 I did read the guide, and according to it both fanart and folder images should work without the need for creating an advancedsettings.xml file.
 
 By exporting the Artist Library with artwork files and looking at those used I could work out which images are displayed by my skin. So I've confirmed that the only images I want to use are actually folder and fanart. It's just... they won't load!

 I've tried with "Query info for all artists" (which I believe merely reads the .nfo files)
 I've tried Artwork Options --> "Refresh (auto look up)"
 And then "Update Library"
 The images won't display. I can do it manually by going to the Artist Info and using the "Choose Art" option, that works, but sorting out hundreds of artists one by one isn't an option, shouldn't be necessary.

 So what am I doing wrong? Thanks for your help
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#4
I have always used fanart.jpg and folder.jpg for artists, at least since Eden/Frodo when .tbn files went away.  I believe only jpg and png files work.

Keep in mind that "Query info for all artists" works just like an initial scan/scrape, but only if the artist hasn't been scraped in the library yet -- nfo files are used if they exist, otherwise the designated artist scraper and scraper settings.  Same thing for "update library" -- only scrapes if new music files are found that contain a new (unscraped previously) artist.

Artwork Options --> "Refresh (auto look up)"  is a music context menu item from addon skin.helper.service.  I don't use that addon so not sure what it does.  I use the artwork beef addon myself.

update:  so I had a look around the skin helper service.  It appears to be looking for the following filenames:
Code:
for item in files:
            item = item.decode("utf-8")
            if item in ["banner.jpg", "clearart.png", "poster.png", "fanart.jpg", "landscape.jpg"]:
                key = item.split(".")[0]
                artwork[key] = folderpath + item
            elif item == "logo.png":
                artwork["clearlogo"] = folderpath + item
            elif item == "folder.jpg":
                artwork["thumb"] = folderpath + item

so only fanart.jpg and folder.jpg would be found (assuming you don't have the other local file arttypes).



scott s.
.
maintainer of skin  Aeon MQ5 mods for post-Gotham Kodi releases:
Matrix see: Aeon MQ5 Mod Matrix release thread
Nexus see: Aeon MQ5 Mod Nexus release thread
Aeon MQ 5 skin and addon repo 11.1.0
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#5
(2020-05-29, 20:38)tralaralara Wrote: Hello

 I hope someone can help, I've been battling with this for a while and I can't figure it out. The issue: I can't get local artwork files for music artists to load.

 I have mostly obscure / not so popular artists in my library, most of the times the scraper will not find any artwork for them online, thus I rely on having my own local files. I set an Artist Information folder, and created subfolders for each artist using the Export function. I put artwork files (mostly in jpeg, some tif) in the folders, but they don't get displayed in the artist information. I can manually set them, but if I refresh the artist information (for individual artist, or using the "Query information for all artists" option -- it doesn't make a difference) the images don't display.

 - Is it requiered to have a .nfo file for each artist too? I assume I can have artwork files without an .nfo file.
 - Must the artwork files have a specific name? I've tried with random filenames, but also with thumb.jpg folder.jpg fanart.jpeg and such , all to no avail.

 What's the right procedure? What am I missing?

 Thanks in advance, and apologies if this is too dumb of a question!


I was also in your situation and very frustrated.  After some trial and error, I've found a workaround.  There may be some other ways, but I am offering you what works for me.

To make it work, you need.
1. Set up Artist Information Folder correctly.  You need to give Kodi permission to write to that folder.
2. Use Artist Slideshow
3. Use a Skin that enables Artist Slideshow.  I've tried pkscout's Estuary Mod for Kodi 18 (Leia) and Estuary MOD V2 - KODI 18.  The first one is pretty straight forward.  The second one is kinda tricky, but both work.
4. Tag your music files correctly especially "Performer" tag.

When you play music, Kodi will create a folder of the artist name under Artist Information Folder.  Then you just add pictures into that folder using filenames fanart1.jpg, fanart2.jpg, fanart3.jpg.......
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#6
@RobinTW

Thanks for the input, but there is already a function for Kodi to automatically create all your Artist folders within the Artist Information Folder. It only takes a couple of seconds to run and I think the OP has already done this.

Item 3.4 here... https://kodi.wiki/view/Import-export_lib...lders_only
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Links to : Official:Forum rules (wiki) | Official:Forum rules/Banned add-ons (wiki) | Debug Log (wiki)
Links to : HOW-TO:Create Music Library (wiki) | HOW-TO:Create_Video_Library (wiki)  ||  Artwork (wiki) | Basic controls (wiki) | Import-export library (wiki) | Movie sets (wiki) | Movie universe (wiki) | NFO files (wiki) | Quick start guide (wiki)
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#7
Unless the OP want to see a slide show of artist fanart then use of Artist Slideshow is not necessary at all
(2020-05-31, 10:46)RobinTW Wrote: 4. Tag your music files correctly especially "Performer" tag.
That could also be misleading, the tag necessary is ARTIST/TPE1 perhaps some tagging software calls that "performer" in the UI but generally the PERFORMER/TMCL tag is an optional tag value used for musicians.

OP I don't know why your local artist art is not being picked up. I suspect that if you drop the music source, clean the music library, and then add again then this time it will pick up those images from the AIF. Or Perhaps just go to file view mode, pick scan to library on the context menu and then say yes to force rescan of unchanged items.

A common flaw would be wrongly manually named artist folders within the AIF, but since you created from export that is not the case. So failing the above provide links to your music db, and a debug log of trying "query information for all artists".
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#8
(2020-05-31, 13:59)DaveBlake Wrote: Unless the OP want to see a slide show of artist fanart then use of Artist Slideshow is not necessary at all
(2020-05-31, 10:46)RobinTW Wrote: 4. Tag your music files correctly especially "Performer" tag.
That could also be misleading, the tag necessary is ARTIST/TPE1 perhaps some tagging software calls that "performer" in the UI but generally the PERFORMER/TMCL tag is an optional tag value used for musicians.

OP I don't know why your local artist art is not being picked up. I suspect that if you drop the music source, clean the music library, and then add again then this time it will pick up those images from the AIF. Or Perhaps just go to file view mode, pick scan to library on the context menu and then say yes to force rescan of unchanged items.

A common flaw would be wrongly manually named artist folders within the AIF, but since you created from export that is not the case. So failing the above provide links to your music db, and a debug log of trying "query information for all artists".

 Thanks all for your input. I have no idea what was wrong, I just removed all my sources and reloaded -- seems to be loading fine now. It will be tricky to have things under control with a few thousand different artists, but I'll give it a go and try to fix any mistakes I spot on the go...
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#9
(2020-05-30, 15:09)tralaralara Wrote:
(2020-05-29, 21:12)Karellen Wrote:
(2020-05-29, 20:38)tralaralara Wrote:  

 
 By exporting the Artist Library with artwork files and looking at those used I could work out which images are displayed by my skin. So I've confirmed that the only images I want to use are actually folder and fanart. It's just... they won't load!

Are you changing the scraper to "Local information only"?

Context menu > Change information provider > set for all artists shown > Local information only
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