[MasKila]

Hello, the mod on your Github (where I started an 'issue' ticket) said to post here so I'll try to reformat it how your 'read this 1st' topic says, but most of it will be copy and paste.

1. Version of Kodi. Note - "Latest" is NOT a version of ANYTHING! (See below)
(20.1.0) Git:20230312-289ec664e3)

2. Windows Version + Service Pack version (Vista SP1 / Windows 8.1 update 1 / etc.)
Windows 10 Pro,  10.0.19045 Build 19045

3. CPU/Architecture (make/model and eg. 32 or 64 bit.)
Intel Core i5-4260U, 64-bit

4. RAM amount (2 GB, 512MB etc.)
4 GB

5. Detailed Instructions to reproduce the Problem (The more specific the better.)
-Launch Kodi from Desktop icon
-Click on any video to play it (either in recents shown on initial homescreen, or by first clicking on 'Movies' on left, then choosing ANY movie)
-"One or more items failed to play" error pops-up and can NOT play the video

6. Details of all devices relevant to the problem
-Brand new Western Digital WD 4TB Elements Desktop External Hard Drive, USB 3.0, formatted ExFat (needed since movies are initially on my mac server, then I copy them to this HDD - this way both Mac and Windows can read the drive).
-REIIE H9+ Backlit Wireless Mini Handheld Remote Keyboard with Touchpad (also tried WeChip W1 Remote 2.4G Wireless Keyboard/Remote)

7. FULL Debug Log (see Section 3 below.) 
anohazahey.kodi (paste)

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (copy and paste from GitHub)
This is an OFFLINE (NO internet) media library run off a laptop with an external USB, used at our vacation home. We HAVE to have thumbnails and movie description to pick a movie, so after I scan the library back home (where I have internet), I use Settings > Media > Library > Export Library (tried 'Single File', AND 'Separate' options) to export all the thumbnails/metadata/descriptions to a folder on the external HDD so I can see those when offline.

Windows error log says something about an "InputStream: Error opening" "XFILE::CDirectory::GetDirectory - Error getting movie name" errors... FYI I can literally paste in the path from KODI's error log and it'll find the movie file EXACTLY where it's looking... it is not a drive or location/path error. Every other player (and Plex) plays the same files perfectly. Doesn't seem to be a permission error either - I've tried 2x different HDD's, one of which I did chmod 777 in Linux to remove any permissions from ALL the movies/files.

This is NOT just a Windows error either - this same error persists on Raspberry Pi 4 running LibreELEC/Kodi first, and TWO different Mac laptops. On the Mac's I tried normal Kodi version, then 8x (yes, eight) v20 and v21 "Nightly Development Builds" to no avail. RP4 and Mac's give me a different error than Windows though - those give me a "namespace" error which alludes to unsupported characters in file names... but they're all normal (DOES have spaces, periods, and dashes per usual naming conventions). It also seems like the ONLY fix for the "namespace" error is to disable the "export library" option, which I can't do, because then I wouldn't be able to pick out a movie to watch. Again, Windows doesn't seem to give this "namespace" error.

[Karellen]

@MasKila

Looing at your log Line 413...
error <general>: XFILE::CDirectory::GetDirectory - Error getting D:\My Movies\NEW Movies\Creed.III.2023.1080p.WEBRip.x265-RARBG\
This is the problem that is most obvious.

Movie is local on d: drive but Kodi is unable to access it.
Could it be that you have a permissions issue with the drive or folder?

[PatK]

Could this have happened?

[izprtxqkft]

Could this have happened?

good point that brings more questions

seeing that exfat should be incapable of storing permissions chmod should have no affect and all files default to 777
conversely, windows permissions should not be stored and since the drive is stated to also not work in a linux/pi environment i wouldnt suspect that either
even if it was mounting read-only kodi should have access to play the files

follow up questions

1. can anything else access the drive other than kodi and play its files?
   
2. does windows provide security permission settings for the drive in the security tab?
   
3. if yes to the last question, are they correct and is the owner set correctly?
   
4. was the drive formatted in macos and does macos do things any differently? (this question comes from never having used macos)
   
5. as PatK pointed out, has the drive letter changed?
   

[MasKila]

@MasKila

Looing at your log Line 413...
error <general>: XFILE::CDirectory::GetDirectory - Error getting D:\My Movies\NEW Movies\Creed.III.2023.1080p.WEBRip.x265-RARBG\
This is the problem that is most obvious.

Movie is local on d: drive but Kodi is unable to access it.
Could it be that you have a permissions issue with the drive or folder?

Hello, I mentioned in my post that I tried another drive as well, which I removed all the file permissions (chmod -R 777) in terminal (on my Mac) of every file/folder on the external drive - and the error still persists. I'm really not an expert in permissions in any way (at all!) but I thought that means that it should be totally open to read/write by any user, right?

I've also copy and pasted that exact file path from the error log into Windows Explorer and had no problem finding that exact file, double-clicking on it, and having it play in VLC. I assume that since there's only one user account on this computer that if one program (VLC) can access that file, that Kodi should be able to as well, correct?

I also use this same external drive (well, same model, formatted same way, files copied to it the same exact way) on my other setup which is running Plex - never had an issue there for like 5+ years... – it's just with Kodi (which people say is MUCH better for Offline use, which is why I'm trying to get Kodi to work).

If you know of anything I can try permission wise PLEASE let me know! I'm open to trying any tutorial on that to see if it fixes the problem. -- only issue there is my non-tech-savvy parents are the guinea pigs, who would be trying it out for their next week away. I've setup 4x different setups for them (Raspberry Pi 4 LibreELEC/Kodi, 2014 Macbook, 2017 Macbook, 2014 Macbook running Windows 10) -- all of those worked fine for my initial testing at my house, then they get it for the week and it works for maybe a day, maybe ~3, then bricks... In the last couple days was the only time it failed for ME at MY house - which is why I was able to get the error log to post and am now troubleshooting.

[MasKila]

Could this have happened?

good point that brings more questions

seeing that exfat should be incapable of storing permissions chmod should have no affect and all files default to 777
conversely, windows permissions should not be stored and since the drive is stated to also not work in a linux/pi environment i wouldnt suspect that either
even if it was mounting read-only kodi should have access to play the files

follow up questions

1. can anything else access the drive other than kodi and play its files?
   
2. does windows provide security permission settings for the drive in the security tab?
   
3. if yes to the last question, are they correct and is the owner set correctly?
   
4. was the drive formatted in macos and does macos do things any differently? (this question comes from never having used macos)
   
5. as PatK pointed out, has the drive letter changed?
   

Sorry for the double post (seems like we can't edit out posts on this forum? and can't figure out how to quote two people at once lol --both which are super weird...).

Anyway, no, it's the only thing plugged-in - never had it be anything but "D:" drive.

1.) Actually posted this in my above reply - EVERYTHING else can access the drive and read, write, do whatever it wants to it.

2.) I believe I CAN check/uncheck things in the security tab on the ExFAT drive... which is weird because a quick google result says "exFAT, as an extension of FAT, is not capable of storing discretionary access control metadata. This is why all the files on an exFAT volume appear to be 777 permissions"... which if that's true why then could I edit options like that on the drive in Windows?

3.) No owner, believe it actually said (can double check) read only was checked... which is incorrect because I've deleted files off this drive on Windows before... This is also checking the drive overall, I didn't check all like 6,000 files and/or folders on it individually so maybe that's the difference?

4.) MacOS did format the drive - and being on Mac since like 2000 I've had ZERO issues when I format a drive ExFAT so both Windows and Mac can read it (even back in the day when it was probably just FAT or FAT32). Windows has been good with ExFAT for like 15+ years now.

5.) no, drive letter is always "D:" as it's the only thing plugged in. Even copied the path from the error log (pasted into top field in Windows Explorer, or in CMD even) and the file was EXACTLY where it was supposed to be.

[Karellen]

@MasKila

Can you provide another log that captures you trying to play the movie.
With this one, after you enable Debug Mode, also enable Component Logging for the following items...
The FFmpeg libraries
JSON-RPC requests
The Audio component
The libCEC library
The Video component
The Database component

Maybe something there might point to the issue.

Can you also provide the MediaInfo output for the video file... https://mediaarea.net/en/MediaInfo

and can't figure out how to quote two people at once

You don't have edit permissions yet.

[MasKila]

@MasKila

Can you provide another log that captures you trying to play the movie.
With this one, after you enable Debug Mode, also enable Component Logging for the following items...
The FFmpeg libraries
JSON-RPC requests
The Audio component
The libCEC library
The Video component
The Database component

Maybe something there might point to the issue.

Can you also provide the MediaInfo output for the video file... https://mediaarea.net/en/MediaInfoand can't figure out how to quote two people at once

Hello! Right this second, after the 3rd? re-do (reinstall everything and scan library again) it seems to be working... but like I posted above the last 4x times it was working for me in my brief testing at home as well... then my parents get it and it bricks in a few days... At that point, probably next week if history is going to repeat itself for the 5th time, I'll then get it back after it's bricked again and can then turn on all those advanced logs.

Can also run MediaInfo but it's really not (like 1000% positive on this) a video file problem (maybe the filename as the namespace error I was getting on Linux/Mac I posted about... but not the actual video files' content). I say this because it's given us the same error on like 50+ (no exaggeration) movie files... and all those play in Plex, VLC, Quicktime, Media Player, Infuse, Optimus, whatever browser based player, etc. etc. etc.

[Karellen]

then my parents get it and it bricks in a few days

I think you need to spy to discover what operation they are performing which causes the problem. Maybe fiddling with settings? If it is a setting thing, we can work around that.

[MasKila]

then my parents get it and it bricks in a few days

I think you need to spy to discover what operation they are performing which causes the problem. Maybe fiddling with settings? If it is a setting thing, we can work around that.

No, it happened to me as well (for the first time) the same day I made my initial Github issue post. Literally a fresh install on a new computer, only thing I did 'special' is to install the search plug-in, then add the two folders with the movies to scan the metadata and download thumbnails - didn't touch a single other setting. It worked for a couple boot-ups, then bricked soon thereafter.

And my parents know to NOT touch any setting, anywhere. The most advanced thing they'll do is to click the subtitle icon and browse inside a folder (if the .SRT isn't in the root, but in a "subs" folder).

[Karellen]

No, it happened to me as wel

Ok. I'll still need those other items to look into it further. And ensure you restart after enabling debug mode. You didn't do that in your last log.

Can you also change your audio settings to use WASAPI.

[MasKila]

No, it happened to me as wel

Ok. I'll still need those other items to look into it further. And ensure you restart after enabling debug mode. You didn't do that in your last log.

Can you also change your audio settings to use WASAPI.

Will do, and thank you! It's with my parents for another couple week trial right now - they'll let me know how they make out and will update with correct logs when/if it gives them this same error.