[larrycook99]

I am new to Kodi and Amber, so if there is a place that this is documented or answered, please point me there.

I have used a WD-TVLiveHub to play ISO files for 10 years or so and because it hasn't been supported for 5 or so, I have decided to switch to Kodi (Matrix on an RPi4) and am using the Amber skin. I just got this put together and working on Thursday (9/2/21).

In Amber I access my ISOs via the Videos->Files tab and have found how to set up images to be shown (using thumb.jpg files) as I progress through my folders to get to my ISO files. However when I get to the actual ISO file, the screen shows a generic file icon, text that says "No information available" and a file list showing the ISO file that I can play and the ".." to get me back to the previous folder.

I have two questions:
1. Is it possible to change the generic file icon on that screen like on all of the previous directories? if so, how?
2. Can the text "No information available" be changed by the user with custom text? If so, how?

[larrycook99]

I am new to Kodi and Amber, so if there is a place that this is documented or answered, please point me there.

I have used a WD-TVLiveHub to play ISO files for 10 years or so and because it hasn't been supported for 5 or so, I have decided to switch to Kodi (Matrix on an RPi4) and am using the Amber skin. I just got this put together and working on Thursday (9/2/21).

In Amber I access my ISOs via the Videos->Files tab and have found how to set up images to be shown (using thumb.jpg files) as I progress through my folders to get to my ISO files. However when I get to the actual ISO file, the screen shows a generic file icon, text that says "No information available" and a file list showing the ISO file that I can play and the ".." to get me back to the previous folder.

I have two questions:
1. Is it possible to change the generic file icon on that screen like on all of the previous directories? if so, how?
2. Can the text "No information available" be changed by the user with custom text? If so, how?

I have found "a solution" to Question #1 but I don't know if it is "the solution". Since it works, does it really matter?

If I have the following directory structure:

Babylon 5.iso (folder)
    thumb.jpg
    Season 1.iso (folder)
        thumb.jpg
        Disk 1.iso (folder)
             Disk 1.iso
             thumb.jpg
             Disk 1-poster.jpg

Then when I walk through the folders in the Videos->Files tab:

1) I see Babylon 5.iso/thumb.jpg when I hover over the Babylon 5.iso folder entry.
2) I see Season 1.iso/thumb.jpg when I hover over the Season 1.iso folder entry.
3) I see Disk 1.iso/thumb.jpg when I hover over the Disk 1.iso folder entry.
4) I see Disk 1.iso/Disk 1-poster.jpg when I hover over the Disk 1.iso file entry.

Before someone questions the folder and file names, this is the naming scheme for the WDTVLiveHub interface.

[Karellen]

thumb.jpg

I wouldn't be using thumb. jpg for anything but episode artwork.

Thumb is a generic artwork type and is used differently by different skins, with results being that your image may end up being stretched, squashed or cropped depending on the skin and view in use.

Stick with the proper artwork names as shown here... https://kodi.wiki/view/Artwork_types then browse the other linked pages to see how it all fits together.

Why don't you scrape your media into the library?

See My Signature for guides.

[DarrenHill]

And for the info question, look into NFO (wiki) files.

[larrycook99]

thumb.jpg

I wouldn't be using thumb. jpg for anything but episode artwork.

Thumb is a generic artwork type and is used differently by different skins, with results being that your image may end up being stretched, squashed or cropped depending on the skin and view in use.

Stick with the proper artwork names as shown here... https://kodi.wiki/view/Artwork_types then browse the other linked pages to see how it all fits together.

Why don't you scrape your media into the library?

See My Signature for guides.

Thanks for the reply. As I said, I wasn't convinced thumb.jpg was the correct/right way but it worked. I will dig into the better, correct naming.

As for scraping the files, the naming scheme used by the WDTV is nothing like I believe it needs to be to scrape it correctly.

For the WDTV a directory structure looks like:

Babylon 5.iso (folder)
Babylon 5.jpg
Babylon 5.xml
Season 1.iso (folder)
Season 1.jpg
Season 1.xml
Disk 1.iso (folder)
Disk 1.iso
Disk 1.jpg
Disk 1.xml

These are the actual files and their names in my directory for Babylon 5, Season 1, Disk 1. The view I use on the WDTV is similar to the view in Videos->Files in Amber. In the WDTV, at each folder level the jpg image is shown along with info from the xml file. Since I have somewhere in the neighborhood of 1000 dvds ( or more) all ripped as ISOs and named in this manner, I am looking for the quickest way to get to the same level of functionality with Kodi that I have with the WDTV. Then after I have the system functional so that my Autistic son can navigate things, I will look at making it more "Kodi-like".

Additionally, I have no desire to turn all of my ISO files into something else. Kodi's ability to handle ISOs is why I am here.

[Karellen]

Disk 1.iso

Assuming disc 1 contains the first 4 episodes of season 1 rename the file to Babylon 5 S01E01E02E03E04.iso
Of course Kodi cannot take you straight to whichever episode you select as it has no idea what is in the file, instead you will just get the disc menu, but at least it is added to the library.

You need to be aware that WDTV was quite simple (former WDTV user here) and if you allow yourself to make the changes Kodi needs to work correctly, you will wonder how you were able to be satisfied with WDTV all these years

[bsoriano]

thumb.jpg

I wouldn't be using thumb. jpg for anything but episode artwork.

Thumb is a generic artwork type and is used differently by different skins, with results being that your image may end up being stretched, squashed or cropped depending on the skin and view in use.

Stick with the proper artwork names as shown here... https://kodi.wiki/view/Artwork_types then browse the other linked pages to see how it all fits together.

Why don't you scrape your media into the library?

See My Signature for guides.

Thanks for the reply. As I said, I wasn't convinced thumb.jpg was the correct/right way but it worked. I will dig into the better, correct naming.

As for scraping the files, the naming scheme used by the WDTV is nothing like I believe it needs to be to scrape it correctly.

For the WDTV a directory structure looks like:

Babylon 5.iso (folder)
Babylon 5.jpg
Babylon 5.xml
Season 1.iso (folder)
Season 1.jpg
Season 1.xml
Disk 1.iso (folder)
Disk 1.iso
Disk 1.jpg
Disk 1.xml

These are the actual files and their names in my directory for Babylon 5, Season 1, Disk 1. The view I use on the WDTV is similar to the view in Videos->Files in Amber. In the WDTV, at each folder level the jpg image is shown along with info from the xml file. Since I have somewhere in the neighborhood of 1000 dvds ( or more) all ripped as ISOs and named in this manner, I am looking for the quickest way to get to the same level of functionality with Kodi that I have with the WDTV. Then after I have the system functional so that my Autistic son can navigate things, I will look at making it more "Kodi-like".

Additionally, I have no desire to turn all of my ISO files into something else. Kodi's ability to handle ISOs is why I am here.

@larrycook99 , as far as I know, Kodi will not recognize your "*.xml" files which have the information for your media, but you should try scraping your media, to get the information showing in the library views.  You can always use an external media manager like tinymediamanager or similar to create NFO files for your media (which would be similar to the .xml files you have now) and use the "local information only" scraper in Kodi, which will read the NFO files.  Those media managers will also download the artwork for you and name it as per Kodi standards.

In any case, getting the information you want displayed, just going from your .xml files, is not a skin issue that I can do something about.

Regards,

Bart

[larrycook99]

Disk 1.iso

Assuming disc 1 contains the first 4 episodes of season 1 rename the file to Babylon 5 S01E01E02E03E04.iso
Of course Kodi cannot take you straight to whichever episode you select as it has no idea what is in the file, instead you will just get the disc menu, but at least it is added to the library.

You need to be aware that WDTV was quite simple (former WDTV user here) and if you allow yourself to make the changes Kodi needs to work correctly, you will wonder how you were able to be satisfied with WDTV all these years

The way WDTV worked was perfect for us. Yes it was simple but it worked for our needs. Now I am looking at moving a huge amount of media and do not desire a huge amount of work doing it. (Though a fair amount of work is unavoidable regardless.)

I understand the naming that you show and it makes perfect sense. But the amount of work to change is daunting at best. I assume that the naming convention allows certain functions related to TV Shows to work and that's well and good if I was starting from scratch. What I have wondered is how does Kodi handle DVDs that are not public? For instance, I have DVDs of my son's high school soccer games. How would those ISOs best be added to the library system?

[larrycook99]

 

@larrycook99 , as far as I know, Kodi will not recognize your "*.xml" files which have the information for your media, but you should try scraping your media, to get the information showing in the library views.  You can always use an external media manager like tinymediamanager or similar to create NFO files for your media (which would be similar to the .xml files you have now) and use the "local information only" scraper in Kodi, which will read the NFO files.  Those media managers will also download the artwork for you and name it as per Kodi standards.

In any case, getting the information you want displayed, just going from your .xml files, is not a skin issue that I can do something about.

Regards,

Bart

Yes, I realized fairly quickly that the XML files were not recognized but Kodi used NFO files instead. Now I need to understand better how the NFOs are used. I assume it is from the NFOs that information is extracted (scraped by Kodi?) and displayed in various views/screens.

I downloaded tinymediamanager last night and started playing with it.

You mention the "local information only" scraper and that made me question my understanding of what a "scraper" is. I think I am not yet comfortable with the "lingo". I thought that is what created the NFO files but I am now uncertain. Your reply implies that Kodi scrapes the NFOs to get information.

[Karellen]

what a "scraper" is. I think I am not yet comfortable with the "lingo".

Intro here... https://kodi.wiki/view/HOW-TO:Create_Video_Library
You should read through that setup guide

For instance, I have DVDs of my son's high school soccer games. How would those ISOs best be added to the library system?

Try here... https://kodi.wiki/view/NFO_files
There are also templates and samples in linked pages.
Sure you can use TMM, but now you have two programs to learn and understand...

The way WDTV worked was perfect for us.

I understand, but you need to also acknowledge that you simply "got used to it", and now the change can be disconcerting. But I can see, (as I have seen numerous times before on this forum), that although you say you just want something simple to playback videos, you will be on here asking for "this", and "that" and how can I do "this" because WDTV did it so easily. So consider you had yourself set up for WDTV, but you are no longer using WDTV and moved onto Kodi, which is a much more feature rich and comprehensive media centre. At some stage you will need to make major changes to your file structure. You will be wanting to use Library features but you don't have a library set up, you are using Kodi as just a "dumb" file browser. Just a heads up for you

Do you add new content regularly? If yes, then I suggest from this point you should do it the "Kodi" way. There is no use continuing to adding content the WDTV way, when you no longer use WDTV. Then in future, when you have a stronger understanding of Kodi, you might consider slowly updating the older media to Kodi standards. Personally, I think you should forget about ISO's and convert over to single file mkv especially for private videos, where the DVD menu system is most likely rudimentary.

Anyway, I seem to have dragged you off your original two questions, both of which require skinning changes, so probably not something bsoriano will want to do and not easily done.

[blancherama]

Hi,

I too was a WDTV user and then when WD decide to drop it like a hooker's drawers, I moved to Kodi.

I had some problems with the naming of some ISOs, so I bit hte bullets and purchased some software that would rip the episodes out.

It wasn't that much of a pain nad I did have a LOT of videos, to give you an idea, my 50TB NAS is amost full...

I don't konw where you got the WD idea that thumb.jpg was a thing I have always thought that it should be folder.jpg

The only thing which has been suggested is that you read the Kodi documentation.

I have an SQL database running on my NAS so Ican deploy any number of Kodi boxes on my LAN so each one does not have to index the media, I can also watch something upstairs on my PC and then go down to the TV and resume where I left it off upstairs. This is all worth the effort.

Good Luck!!

[izprtxqkft]

why is a device that was last manufactured at the end of 2015 (7+ years ago) being compared to a kodi which has had 27 official releases since then and is now in development for the 28th release