[NMJ v2] How to organize music video files in NMJ

[nah003]

I have downloaded Indian movie song videos (MKVs) belonging to various movies. What NMJ does is place all of the music video files on the WALL under VIDEOS. I would like to see the song MKVs under their respective movies. Also access them in the same manner i.e. Lets say I want to to access all the video songs under movie name A and then select which songs video I want to play and also be able to play them sequentially like a CD, be able to skip back and front between them the music video files. Is this possible to do, having all the video songs individually on the wall or on list view is really messy and cumbersome to handle. I would also like to have the movie poster displayed from which I can select the movie and then drill down in to the respective video songs.

The files are organized on HDD as follows (example):
1. Created folder on my HDD Called movie name: A
2. Put under this folder various video songs (MKVs) belonging to movie A:
Song abc.MKV
Song def.MKV
etc
1. Created folder on my HDD called movie name: B
2. Put under this folder various video songs (MKVs) belonging to movie B:
Song ghi.mkv
Sonh jkl.mkv
etc
Thanks in advance for your assistance.

[Rom]

The NMJ was not designed to do this and probably never will. However, there may be a workaround that may give you at least *some* of the functionality that you want.

Scan the library as normal.
Use my NMJToolbox2 application to open the database.
Pick one of the music entries to be the 'main movie entry'
Drag and drop the other 'movie music files' onto the 'main movie entry'.

This will group all of the files into a multiple file based movie entry. Essentially the NMJ thinks it is one 'film' with multiple media files. You will see one cover (the one on the 'main movie entry' and one set of details. The running time will be the total of ALL the files in that movie.

It may not give you all the navigation options you want but it will group them together and give you some of the functionality that you want.

Be warned, once you use an editor like NMJToolbox2 you can no longer use the NMJ scanner as it does undo all of your customisations. Anything you want to add/change from then onwards has to be done with the editing tool (but it is very quick and simple).

[nah003]

Thanks Rom,

Because I did not want to fill up the WALL with all these entries I excluded them from scanning, so these have never been scanned.
When I add the first movie entry in Toolbox it automatically creates a folder and puts the first file under it.
Then I right right clicked the folder and chose ' Add file to this movie' and one by one added the remaining files.
They all appeared under this folder. After clicking the folder I downloaded the posters / fan art though TMDB button.
Then saved the file from the Toolbox to A300 - so far no problem.
In the NMJ WALL when I click the image it takes me to the details screen which shows that there are EPISODES as this button appears.
BUT even if I choose to play any Episodes individually or from the main controls noting happens wait indicator appears and disappears.
Not sure what I am doing wrong . Do I need to first scan the 1st file in NMJ i.e. not add it manually in the Toolbox. Once this is done then add the other files in the toolbox. Not sure why NMJ is not playing these files?

Thanks for your help[/align]

[Rom]

I suspect that you either have not set up your PATHS in the Settings menu, or not set them correctly.

Can you post the path for one of your 'Music' files as shown in NMJToolbox (its in the status bar at the bottom) and also the path for one movie file in your database that does work/play.

I will also need to see the contents of your nmjtoolbox2.properties file (in the same folder as the nmjtoolbox.exe).

[nah003]

Thanks for helping me and I will send you the details - by the way where the EXE file is located there is no nmjtoolbox2.properties file but another file called NMJToolbox2.parameters. Do you need this one?

[Rom]

Yes, sorry, that is the one

[nah003]

Hi Rom,

While you review the screen shots I e-mailed. Just two quick questions:

1. Under Settings>Path WINDOWS_PATH should it be same as the one displayed at the bottom status bar when file is selected.

2. I have two external 1TB HDDs attached to A300 via USB and I am accessing them on my PC via Samba on WIFI.
In setting>Paths should the Database Location / Media Location be set to Network Share or PCH Internal Drive.

Thanks

[nah003]

Hi Rom,
Will try and experiment with the Samba Share / Paths / Domain issue and await feedback when you get the time.

Just to get me going with the Toolbox2 can you advise how to map the Path if I directly connect the HDD to the Laptop.
1. When I attach the HDD to Laptop via USB, Windows automatically assigns it a letter example: Elements E:
2. When I open the file by browsing to E:\Elements\nmj_database\media.db - the file is loaded with all files in main view.
2. The PCH_PATH is auto populated with the all the folder names example '27 Dresses (2008)' etc and WINDOWS_PATH is blank.
3. Database Field in main view is showing: E:\nmj_database\media.db
4. In Settings>Path window, Database and Media Location is showing: PCH Internal Drive
Assume this is ok compared to Network Drive - When I initially installed the Toolbox2 these were blank - if blank is to be used
I can re install the Toolbox.
5. When I select any file in the main view - the status bar at the bottom shows folder name followed by file name.
Example: 27 Dresses (2008)/27 Dresses (2008).avi
7. Based on the above, should I update WINDOWS_PATH as follows for each entry to:
a) E:\ or b) E:\nmj_database

Once again sorry to bother you so much with my ignorance but I am very eager to use Toolbox2 as it is so much more flexible than doing it in NMJ.

If above possible, for now it is a workable solution for me. Thanks a million.

[Rom]

I have received your mail but not had a chance to reply yet. However, on a quick scan of it you have one major problem with your DB and I don't know how it got that way.

The PATHS in your settings lists a load of movie titles - this is completely wrong and the NMJ will not work properly with these. Until this is corrected then there is no point trying to solve your other issues.

The only way these paths can be set is by the NMJ itself - unfortunately I think you need to delete your media.db and scan from scratch. Once we have a decent base to work from I will then be able to help you.

The PATHS column in the settings section of NMJToolbox should either:
1. be empty
2. Have one or more network paths (either smb or nfs) eg: //smb[=]/Path/Path

Another point to mention is that NMJT2 was not really designed for you to edit whilst not in the place it will be when attached to the PCH. With this I mean it may not work if you unplug the USB drive from the PCH and into your PC, edit then put back on your PCH. It may work but I have not tested it. You should be doing all of your editing over the network.

[nah003]

Thanks Rom for sharing this info - I was going crazy trying various combinations, even my wife had a go at it.
I will delete the media.db and scan again. Perhaps it happened because:

After doing basic set-up and connecting PCH to the Internet over my Router, I scanned and created the media.db without first starting Samba and setting up Network Share. I was not sure on how to properly set-up Network Share. Will go over the process again - if I have any issue will send you a message.

Thanks so very much for putting up with my ignorance.

[nah003]

Hi Rom,

I did the following and still the media.db is showing media names in the Setting>Paths Window under PCH_PATH:

1. Deleted the media.db
2. Reset the A300 to factory default.
3. Re installed via USB Firmware Ver:05-02-120711-23-POP-421-000 and NMT Apps Ver:05-02-111220-23-POP-421
4. Scanned the media.db again.

Is it possible that I call you for 5 min. You can pass me your tel no through personal message.
Don't want to impose in any way and if you are not ok with the idea I will understand.

Thanks a million.

[nah003]

Hi Rom,

Thanks for solving my problem yesterday and helping me to set-up the NMJToolbox correctly.

For the benefit of others wishing to set-up NMJToolbox V2, please do not run the scan in NMJV2 by selecting specific folders this was causing the problem for me to set path correctly in the NMJToolBox i.e. folder names were appearing under Settings>Paths>PCH_PATHS in NMJToolbox i/o drive and share location.

Thanks to Rom for all his efforts in giving the PCH community this excellent tool.

[Rom]

No problem. I'm just glad we got to the bottom of the issue and you are good to go now.

It is always difficult to work out a problem when you have one idea of how to set things up and someone else sets it up in a way you wouldn't have thought of! A little organisation goes a long way to making life easier in the long run!

Have fun playing with your database