How do I force the Mezzmo Kodi-plugin to build itself into the Kodi DB?

[Undertaker555]

I will try waiting the 6 hours first, and if that doesn't solve it, then I will follow your recent post.
But before I try anything, I first want that thumbnail stuff fixed, because I don't want to put much time and effort in this library, if I possibly still have to delete it and begin from scratch..

[jbinkley60]

I will try waiting the 6 hours first, and if that doesn't solve it, then I will follow your recent post.
But before I try anything, I first want that thumbnail stuff fixed, because I don't want to put much time and effort in this library, if I possibly still have to delete it and begin from scratch..

By this library do you mean on the Kodi client vs. Mezzmo ? Instead of guessing to the sync state you can check it easily in either the addon context menu Logs & Stats or tail the Kodi.log file. You'll se something like this every hour:

2022-04-25 16:55:01.510 T:47848 NOTICE: Mezzmo sync beginning.
2022-04-25 16:55:04.283 T:47848 NOTICE: Mezzmo total Kodi DB record count: 16368
2022-04-25 16:55:04.310 T:47848 NOTICE: Mezzmo total Mezzmo record count: 16652
2022-04-25 16:55:04.331 T:47848 NOTICE: Mezzmo total Live Channels count: 0
2022-04-25 16:55:04.359 T:47848 NOTICE: Mezzmo total nosync videos count: 285
2022-04-25 16:55:04.405 T:47848 NOTICE: Mezzmo sync process in sync at 100.0%. Real time updates disabled.
2022-04-25 16:55:04.430 T:47848 NOTICE: Mezzmo autosync is enabled.
2022-04-25 16:55:04.453 T:47848 NOTICE: Mezzmo sync completed. 400 videos in 0m 2s checked.
2022-04-25 16:55:04.485 T:47848 NOTICE: Mezzmo sync setting is: Newest
2022-04-25 16:55:04.516 T:47848 NOTICE: Mezzmo performance logging is enabled.

If you cut/paste what you see here I can tell you what is going on with the sync process.

Jeff

[Undertaker555]

Yes, will check it. First I need to add this huge HDD to the Mezzmo server.
That will take damn long I think..

I have a question:

In the Kodi forum you said "My recommendation for metadata and artwork is to let Mezzmo scrape the metada and let it use your local artwork."
How exactly do you mean that? Do you mean I should scan them to my library by using the exported Kodi files (artwork + .nfo), and then after that let the scraper overwrite only the metadata in "Maintain Library"?

I am guessing you mean:
1. Add my media to Library
2. Let it scrape everything, by using the exported Kodi library (exported as single files jpg and nfo, placed in the same folder as the video files)
3. Go to Maintain Library and select there "Update information about media files in your Mezzmo library" > unckeck there everything except "Video files" and "Update media properties and metadata".

And what would I have to choose in the setting "Choose to update all attributes or only empty attributes"?
I am guessing it should be set to "Update all attributes", because the Kodi .nfo already added many things.


Also you said: "Mezzmo also has a lock feature where once you get the metadata / artwork how you want to you can lock it so that it won't be changed. This is a cool feature. It's at the top of the metadata editor there is a lock symbol for locked or unlocked."

But is there a bulk-locking?
Because I really can't do this with hundreds of files, each one by one..

[Undertaker555]

Just began scanning everything, then I saw that hundreds of completely unrelated files are downloading to my "backdrop" folder in appdata.

These files are thumbnails of media that is definitely not on my HDD.
Thse files begin with "cva_srch-ACTORNAME.jpg", each with the name of actors who I indeed have media from.
But why is it downloading these completely unrelated information?

And how can I disable it?

[jbinkley60]

Just began scanning everything, then I saw that hundreds of completely unrelated files are downloading to my "backdrop" folder in appdata.

These files are thumbnails of media that is definitely not on my HDD.
Thse files begin with "cva_srch-ACTORNAME.jpg", each with the name of actors who I indeed have media from.
But why is it downloading these completely unrelated information?

And how can I disable it?

You need these. They are your actor images when you you display information in a video and then view the cast. Remember Mezzmo stores the artwork. The Kodi clients don't go to the Internet for this stuff. This is the power of Mezzmo. Don't get hung up on he Poster folder. Mezzmo will add / remove stuff thee as needed. It is database driven with dynamic capabilities. We have to unlearn some of our Kodi ways of thinking around managing artwork. I have an entire other utility to help manage actor artwork. This is a future topic.


Jeff

[Undertaker555]

Yes, I understood that the "cva_srch-ACTORNAMES" are supposed to be actor images.
But all the actor images are usually in the Poster folder, and contain pictures of the actor's faces.

But in that Backdrop folder, are only backdrops - and Thumbnails of some really strange Russian and Korean stuff with names like "cva_srch-

cva_srch-andy-serkis.jpg

This comes from AppData\Local\Conceiva\Mezzmo\Artwork\Backdrop
Filename is "cva_srch-andy-serkis.jpg"
I mean, what actually is that? Some kind of Korean King Kong, lol?
And why is it in my backdrop folder, and not even in the Poster folder, where all other actor thumbnails are supposed to be, if I am not wrong.

[Undertaker555]

It is literally downloading hundreds of these "actor" photos of things that I don't even have and there is no stop.
It keeps downloading and I am already close to 1GB, while it is not even close to being finished scanning.

Even if this is other stuff of actors I have media of, how would I prevent Mezzmo to download many gigabyte of these completely unrelated images?
I just want the actor pictures, and nothing else..

In the Poster folder all seems normal, though.
Only Thumbnails of the right media and actor pictures.


Where are these strange "actor pictures" supposed to be showen in the client? I don't even find them in Mezzmo, not in Kodi and not even in the Server.
It is just files that unnecessarily bloat my drive and waste space..
Can I simply disable that section, and prevent Mezzmo from downloading it, and instead just download the Actor pictures (portrait)?

Sorry if I am ignorant, and if that is some kind of useful stuff, but I certainly don't need it if I am honest..

[jbinkley60]

Yes, will check it. First I need to add this huge HDD to the Mezzmo server.
That will take damn long I think..

I have a question:

In the Kodi forum you said "My recommendation for metadata and artwork is to let Mezzmo scrape the metada and let it use your local artwork."
How exactly do you mean that? Do you mean I should scan them to my library by using the exported Kodi files (artwork + .nfo), and then after that let the scraper overwrite only the metadata in "Maintain Library"?

I am guessing you mean:
1. Add my media to Library
2. Let it scrape everything, by using the exported Kodi library (exported as single files jpg and nfo, placed in the same folder as the video files)
3. Go to Maintain Library and select there "Update information about media files in your Mezzmo library" > unckeck there everything except "Video files" and "Update media properties and metadata".

And what would I have to choose in the setting "Choose to update all attributes or only empty attributes"?
I am guessing it should be set to "Update all attributes", because the Kodi .nfo already added many things.


Also you said: "Mezzmo also has a lock feature where once you get the metadata / artwork how you want to you can lock it so that it won't be changed. This is a cool feature. It's at the top of the metadata editor there is a lock symbol for locked or unlocked."

But is there a bulk-locking?
Because I really can't do this with hundreds of files, each one by one..

Yes to your question on what I was referring to with scraping artwork except you need to check video files and update artwork. Also in the metadata retrieval settings settings uncheck Get Text and Metadata from Internet sites.

For bulk locking / unlocking you can do a multi-select in the Mezzmo GUI. Click on one video, hold the shift key down and then select the last video you want. That will highlight all of them and allow bulk updating. This again where Smart Playlists can help where you create one for a bunch of files you want to edit and then use multi-selecting to edit them. You an also do it in your folders, depending upon how many you created. Lastly, you can also use an SQLite database tool but for most the multi-select is fine.

BTW, you are going about this the exact right way. Play with a playlist or set of files till you are comfortable in how you want to set it up and then do the rest.



Jeff