Help understanding metathumbs, xml, etc

[brumleycom]

I use the media library to browse my videos.

Some covers are in a foreign language. To correct, I thought I could just change the order in the xml file since I noticed the incorrect cover was the first thumb listed and the second or third was good for me.  But it did not change the cover when viewing the media library.

So I have some questions to help my understand why not.

1. What is the .metathumb and when is it created. Does the library use the .metathumb in priority of the .xml list of thumbs? Does in contain meta data in addition to the cover.jpg? If so, how do I regenerate using a new cover instead. Can I simply download a cover.jpg and rename the extension .metafile or will I lose information embedded in the .metafile? 

2. Do I need to clear the .wd_tv  hidden folder? Could this by why I do not see a change in the cover when I change the .xml file.

3. I notice that the .xml file has some information that is not used by the defaul theme for the media library (like imdb rating, which I would find usefull)  Are that other themes that would utilize this? I don't want to jailbreak or use moviesheets, just something simple and approved.

4. The .xml files has a list of covers and pictures. The first cover seems to be the one used for the cover thumb. Are the others ever used?

[TonyPh12345 · Accepted solution]

1>  The XML listing of thumbs is completely ignored.  I don't even know why it's there.  Only the METATHUMB file is used.

The Metathumb is created when "Content Info" is collected; either manually or automatically depending on how you configured it.

It's just a plain JPG file with a different extension; no other data inside the metathumb file.

2> Yes, you can replace the JPGs, but you'll need to clear the cache which is inside the .wd_tv folder.

3> No, Themes can't use data that aren't referenced by the OS itself.

4> No.  See answer 1.

[brumleycom]

Thank you Tony,

That was most helpful.

[FFK1903_]

I have all the James Bond movies and I have named them 1962 - James Bond - Dr. No etc, so they all are together.

When I downloaded information from the WD Live Hub it changed the name to just Dr. No, and is now together with other movies starting with "D".

I edited the xml-file and wrote "1962 - James Bond - Dr. No" in the title tag where it had change to just "Dr. No", and it changed the name on the screen, but it didn't move from it's position with the "D"-movies. So now they are all spread among the 300+ other movies I have. I want them all together starting with 1962 - James Bond - Dr. No, then 1963 - James Bond - From Russia With Love etc.

Anyone got any tips?

[TonyPh12345]

Yeah, the DATABASE still has the old name (which influences sorting & searching and such), but the gallery view will always "display" the the real-time info in the XML file.

So you need to trick it into re-importing the updated XML.

The least distructive way to get around this is:

Move those movies into their own folder temporarily.

RESCAN the parent folder.

Then move them back and delete the temporary folder

RESCAN again.

Voila.

The SIMPLEST is to just clear the media library and rebuild the whole thing -- but that will delete favorites, ratings, watched status, etc., for EVERYTHING.

[FFK1903_]

Ah, everything with the WD hub isn't so easy og user friendly, but thanks, I will try that