[mw8t]

what potential problems can I run into?

I would rather have artwork and nfo data all in one location rather than kept with my video files?

[haverer2]

perhaps there are other reasons also, but I have opted to keep it with my individual files because if I lost / deleted the 1 file, or it became corrupt then I'd have a problem.

[PatK]

It's an option and I didn't think either usage was discouraged.

1) separate files is preferred by some who want to keep their back-ups next to the video. Makes for quick local editing of their meta-data, and unless you lose the entire drive, the folder meta-data is always checked on a scan regardless of path.

2) export to single file is a convenience for location, and keeps your folders clean of extraneous material for a bit faster response and the bulk can be kept offline. Importing gets you back into your set-up quickly from a fresh install or update, but all the paths are intact, so importing to a different drive set-up would need editing.

I guess there are more advantages & disadvantages, but these are the ones that come to mind. Of course it's possible to utilize both.

[mw8t]

It's an option and I didn't think either usage was discouraged.

1) separate files is preferred by some who want to keep their back-ups next to the video. Makes for quick local editing of their meta-data, and unless you lose the entire drive, the folder meta-data is always checked on a scan regardless of path.

2) export to single file is a convenience for location, and keeps your folders clean of extraneous material for a bit faster response and the bulk can be kept offline. Importing gets you back into your set-up quickly from a fresh install or update, but all the paths are intact, so importing to a different drive set-up would need editing.

I guess there are more advantages & disadvantages, but these are the ones that come to mind. Of course it's possible to utilize both.

Is that what this means on the wiki page

You can get around this by doing your import step by using a network source, like an SMB share where the video files are, so the URL works from all the computers. It would make the path something like smb://server/folder/Exported_folder/images/dvdcover.jpg, and then there would be no issue.

So as long as I store the Single File Export on a share everyone on my network can access 'there is no issue' with a fresh install>Import?

Importing to a Kodi instance off my network 'would need editing'?

[PatK]

You are referring to this

Note: Exporting to a single file is discouraged in Frodo and higher, as there is a big issue with artwork. It changes the artwork location URL to the folder location of the export, which causes problems when you want to redownload the information.

and it appears you are setting up a server type setting, then this wiki would be more useful http://kodi.wiki/view/MySQL/Setting_up_Kodi otherwise refer to the standard wiki for import/export http://kodi.wiki/view/810:Import_-_Export_Library and this http://kodi.wiki/view/HOW-TO:Backup_the_video_library