Difference between Add Folder and Scan Folder

[hartlenb]

I want to make sure I understand the difference between Adding or Scanning a folder. Mezzmo help doesm't appear to make much of a distinction between them and describes them as follows:

The Add Folder dialog is used to add a folder and its sub folders into your Mezzmo library. Mezzmo reads all the files from the folder.
The Scan Drive/Folder For Files dialog is used to scan drives and folders on your computer or on your network. All media files that match your criteria will be added into your Mezzmo library.

But from reading the forum, I get the sense that scanning is a one-time deal. New files added to the scanned folder will not appear even after playlist maintenance. Adding a folder to the library appears to be dynamic and will allow new files to show up in all other smart and active playlists. Do I have this correct?

[Paul]

Basically the "Add Folder" command will preserve your folder structure as it is on disk and it'll be shown in the same way in Mezzmo and on your device. Yes, if you use the "Add Folder", then those folders are updated automatically once you go in them. The "Scan Folder" only imports the files once and doesn't keep the structure (although there's a flag to turn that on). So, yes, you're correct.

[hartlenb]

What about other smart or active playlists?

If I only scan a folder will existing smart or active playlists be updated to include files from within the scanned folder?
If I only scan a folder and then add files to the folder after the scan, will existing smart or active playlists be updated to include files from within the scanned folder?

[Paul]

If I only scan a folder will existing smart or active playlists be updated to include files from within the scanned folder?
Yes.

If I only scan a folder and then add files to the folder after the scan, will existing smart or active playlists be updated to include files from within the scanned folder?
No, not until you re-scan the folder.

[hartlenb]

So here's what I did in trying to run a test case for another support issue...

- I added a on my NAS to my mezzmo library; "Media (on DNS-321)" in the picture. This added the folder "TV Shows\Kids" that had 5 .wtv files in it.
- I then created the active playlist "File Type" under the video library. I checked the various folders that this created and specifically the wtv folder and confirmed all 5 TV shows with the .wtv extension were listed.
- I then copied a new wtv file into the "TV Shows\Kids" folder on the NAS.
- Checked the "File Type" active playlist and the wtv folder and the new file wasn't listed
- Tried to update/maintain the playlists (Right click on Video library --> "Maintain Playlist" & then right click on Library --> "Maintain Playlist"). Neither worked. Still no sign of the added file.
- I then tried shutting down and restarting Mezzmo. No change. Restarted the PC. No change.
- Let it sit overnight, as I have Library maintenance scheduled to run every night. Looked at the playlists again in the morning. No change.
- I then opened the "Media\TV Shows\Kids" folder directly. It showed 6 files (ie the new one was there). After doing this the new file also showed up in the File Type playlist and the wtv folder

So my question is... what do I need to do to have Mezzmo update the playlists automatically?

http://static-digitalvault.cox.net/static/bhartlen1/storage/6130f6d82d37d83cbbc987a7ad663f93/4d9352e9/88719955/ZsLV0g.JPG/mezzmo%20library%20list%20v2.JPG?save

[Paul]

The playlist's files are updated when you go to it directly (either using Mezzmo GUI or the server on your device) and they should also have been updated during Maintenance. Can you please tell me what options you have ticked/unticket in Maintenance dialog?

[hartlenb]

Here's the nightly maintenance settings
http://members.cox.net/no-spam-hartlen/video%20lib1.JPG

Here's the settings when you right click->Maintain playlist
http://members.cox.net/no-spam-hartlen/video%20lib.JPG

** reposted the images from a different host **

[Paul]

Thank you for the screenshots. We'll do more testing here to make sure folders that were added using the "Add Folder" command are processed during maintenance properly.

[hartlenb]

Just wondering why the screenshots were deleted? Would you prefer that we don't post images?

[Paul]

We didn't delete the screenshots - looks like the URLs you've posted are now invalid.

[hartlenb]

Dennis, I'm adding to this thread as I think I have encountered another issue with maintaining libraries.

I'm not sure but I think my library was originally created by scanning the PC that hosts Mezzmo. At some point in time I must have added *some* of the PC's folders under the top level Music, Videa and Photo playlists. Recently, I copied all the media files on the mezzmo PC to my NAS and added the NAS folder to the Library root. I then deleted any folder references for the mezzmo PC. Finally I ran both playlist and library maintenance. Unforatunately mezzmo still has all mezzmo PC files listed in its playlists. I had to go into top level playlists and manually delete all references to the mezzmo PC files.

Is this what's supposed to happen?
Is there an easy way to remove files that are added to the library through a scan?

Thanks

[Paul]

In Maintenance did you choose the option to "Remove files that cannot be accessed"? That should've removed all files from the Library that cannot be accessed (e.g. have been moved or deleted).

[hartlenb]

I did have that checked (see the images earlier in the thread) but the files weren't deleted. Had to delete them manually.

[Paul]

Do the files still exist in their original locations? If you click on a file, do you see properties in Mezzmo? Did you just copy or move files to your NAS?

[hartlenb]

Do the files still exist in their original locations? If you click on a file, do you see properties in Mezzmo? Did you just copy or move files to your NAS?

Files were copied to NAS. Files still exist in original locations.

[Paul]

Ok, so that would be the reason why they still appear in playlists. When you remove a folder from within Mezzmo, but keep the files in their original location, they won't be removed from the database and will appear in playlists. The logic there is if you re-add those existing folders, we won't need to process the files as they're already in the database. Our reasoning was that more often files are moved around, not copied and if they're moved, then they won't be in the original location and thus will be removed from the database.

Sounds like we'll need to add an option to scan the database and remove all files not appearing in any of the folders or normal playlists.

[hartlenb]

Sounds like we'll need to add an option to scan the database and remove all files not appearing in any of the folders or normal playlists.Options are always good! Think you might want to think about explaining scanning vs folders a bit better also... To be honest, I don't know why anyone would want to just scan once. Scanning seems to be contrary to whole idea of Mezzmo's ability to dynamically maintain the library.

[alfredborges]

Thanks for this post - This is exactly the problem I had been having with DLNA on my Blue Ray Player - the folder structure wasnt intact and it made search and browsing almost useable.

Have had Mezzmo running on my Windows Home Server and its been Great.

a special treat is that I upgraded to a Direct TV HD DVD with supports local streaming. almost unusable without Mezzmo. ( very limited codec support)

works flawlessly with Mezzmo

You guys should contact the home server crowd - Mezzmo is a perfect addition to Windows Home Server 2011
the built in WHS 2011 DLNA client is pathetic. Yours rocks