[Shane1]

So, I am new to XBMC having come over from a WD TV Live Plus which is primitave in comparison!
With the WD, I had to create my own genre folders where I had the folders: Action, Adventure, 80's Comedy, Comedy, Drama, Family, etc... and in each of these folders, I would have the seperate movie folders with each MKV file in them.

My understanding of creating the XBMC library is to import all the movies into them and then let XBMC sort it out from there.

Question: Is there any way to keep my genre setup and import, for example, all my Drama movies into a Drama folder within XBMC ? - so within the XBMC library, I can view each genre and it matches how it is organized on my NAS drive

or, should I just import everything and let XBMC sort it all out? I have about 1400 movies that are organized on my NAS, so I wanted to keep some control of it...

my fear is to import everything and then have movies lost by not being captured in a genre folder created by XBMC...

[Shane1]

The only way to create and sort the library is to import everything into XBMC and then sort it using the XBMC filters that are built into the program ? It sorts with the metadata that is collected when scraping?

[Ned Scott]

You can scan everything into the library, then use File view (Videos -> Files) to navigate your library. The file view now displays all the library metadata (cover art, summaries, etc) basically making File view the same as Library view (TV Shows/Movies), but organized as folders.

XBMC can also filter by genre data it downloads from the TV scraper.

[Shane1]

I understand...

I guess my fear is that I import 1400 movies, and then set up some genre folders, but some of my movies dont populate into into some of the folders and are lost in the library.
Its totally impractical to view the entire library from A-Z to see everything, so that is why I have to rely on the Genre folders to do the job...

One more question though... When I populate the library and I use a scraper, if I am unhappy with the metadata is it easy to erase it and use a different scraper add-on to ?? Where does the metadata (fan art, thumbnails, etc...) live ?

- I know - total NOOB questions!

[Ned Scott]

It is possible to change scrapers on a per-folder basis. You can also easily edit the library database using the (very awesome) web interface Add-on:XWMM (wiki).

[Shane1]

Where is the metadata stored? Does XBMC put it in each movie folder where the movie MKV file is?

[PatK]

XBMC stores it's scraped and used metadata internally, so in your case you could try the set-up... decide the configuration wasn't for you, delete it, and there would be no sign XBMC was ever run. XBMC stores it's meta data in the userdata directory http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=Userdata_folder. To secure your metadata, you would export the library to separate files, at which time a copy of the .nfo and artwork would be stored in each movie folder..... a re-scrape would offer you the option of using this data or going to an online database. I know clear as mud..

Follow the quick start wiki's and things will move along.

[Shane1]

I think I got it...

I just finished building my dedicated HTPC and am putting 12TB of storage in it. I have a NAS drive, but want to make another copy of my data internally in my HTPC. Eventually, I will have a dedicated server that will have a proper RAID backup in it... Currently, my NAS is RAID 0 and I will have 12TB RAID 0 in my HTPC.

---

I had been using WD TV Live Plus, and that seems so primitive now compaerd to this. I just had no idea that XBMC was even available until recently !

[Shane1]

Is there a list somewhere of all the Genre categories so that I have the option to capture everything when i create a Genre title? For example, if I happen to forget to create the Genre tab "Action" I would be missing that filter and not see those movies. I know the obvious genres (Action, Comedy, Drama, Family, Horror, Romance, Sci-fi, Thriller, etc...) but what is the complete list?

I just dont want to import my entire library and miss movies when I set up my Genres/Smart Play lists...

Is there a complete Genre list out there?

Or, I am I asking something that I dont need to even worry about?

[PatK]

The genre list would follow the database you're scraping from... Don't worry about organization so much as to follow the folder set-up you already have in place... I've got 30+ folders named as I like...on occasion I'll throw a horror into comedy, within the .nfo is the genre info and in some cases multiple genre.. Using XBMC searching by genre the miss-filed stuff pop-us correctly. I only have a folder organization for ease of my manual manipulation, and to limit the directory size listings.

Start one genre or folder at a time.. add the source (throw an icon on it, and scan the contents) repeat the process until all your genre/folders are in... simple. Your set-up may not follow any particular database, but it doesn't need to. In file mode you see what something like the clip, in Movie mode you see it all... how you want and then there's genre, playlists, favourite... not to worry, nothing gets ignored or lost.

[Shane1]

PatK your explanation makes total sense. Do you set up your folders using Smart Playlist where you can setup rules to it?
Thanks!

[PatK]

Sometimes I do when I'm selective e.g. Sherlock Holmes get's a smart playlist folder...insdie mysteries, it's easy to find, has the latest additions and no worry for movie sets. I let the scrape handle my box sets now, it's just less hassle. I do use playlists for segmenting resolution, studios, other more eccentric values. The function of smart playlists is getting wider usage via nodes http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=Custom_Video_Nodes So very soon now the sensible configuration will be smart playlists, so you'll be on the right path.