Overview

My Films offers several features to support networks such as centralized data (database and images), central config files, UNC paths Wake On LAN, offline media and multi-user watch status and ratings, and more.

Setup Options

Although you must install MediaPortal and My Films on each client PC, My Films supports a variety of ways to set up your network. You may also setup WakeOnLAN (WOL) options on the Network Tab in MyFilms Setup.

When using My Films in a networked environment you may centralize any or all of the following:

1. Movies storage
2. Artwork/Image - covers, person images, fanart
3. XML Database/Catalog 
4. Configuration settings (MyFilms.xml config - stored separately on each PC in MediaPortal program data folder, but can be auto synced in My Films Setup)

either on your main HTPC or on a network access storage (NAS) accessible via any Client PC on the network. This is particularly useful if you do not have a keyboard attached to your HTPC and makes using My Films Setup much easier. It also means you can configure, customize My Films no matter what room you have been banished to!  You can even import new films while hiding in the garage and they will be instantly available to all client PCs on the network, including covers, person images, fanart, etc.

Note:  Logos cannot be centralized because they are often skin dependent., However, the default setting is to use the skin logos. So using that option, you can still sync your Config settings to each client PC and they will use the logos of the skin selected for that PC.

Following are some of the ways you can combine the above options to suit your setup and workflow.

Full Centralization on HTPC or NAS

If you wish to use the same configuration for all Client PCs and centralize all four options listed above (storage, images, database, config settings), see the tutorials Centralized Data and Central Configs for instructions.

Even if you sync your config file, you may still create several configs using either the same database or different databases and sync them all to one or more client PCs. All configs are stored in one MyFilms.xml, so all Client PCs will have access to all the configs you sync.  So you can still select different start settings, views settings or artwork options for each PC, but create and modify them centrally.

See Multiple DBs or Configs for further details on using multiple configs in My Films.

Multi-User States

As of v 6.0.0 My Films automatically enabled Multi-User States for AMC4 catalog type and tracks watch status and user ratings for each user.

 If Trakt is enabled for the 'Config' and you have different profiles for different users on the Trakt.tv website, you can even sync watch status and user ratings to each user profile independently.

Each Client PC will display the watched status and user ratings for the current selected user, as well as the global  watched count by all users.

Pros and Cons

Central setup is of course easier to maintain. Plus, when you import new movies they are automatically available to all client PCs in the network, including cover and person images which only need to be 'grabbed' or downloaded once.

However, you may prefer to allow different users to create their own configs on different client PCs with their own settings, and track their own watch status and ratings without centralizing that, rather than add and sync multiple configs on one system.

Centralized Storage with Separate Configs

You can centralize storage of your movies and artwork images, and XML database but not sync the configuration settings to each PC. Or you could sync it once to copy the settings to each Client PC, then disable the central config syncing to customize each Client PC config. 

Pros and Cons

You still get all the advantages of a fully centralized setup, but if some users typically use a specific client PC with My Films (such as in their bedroom!), they can select their own start settings. view settings (layout, sort options, View Menu items and images etc) and Artwork options. You do not need to set up Multi-User watch status for that Client PC and users can display only the watched movies and ratings set on that PC..

The disadvantage may be future changes. If you decide to centralize the configs at a later date, you will lose the watched status and user ratings from that user/Client PC. Of course you must also configure each new version of My Films separately for that PC.

Centralized Storage with Separate Configs and Databases

To use separate databases, you must create a separate config.  You don't have to use separate databases - you can filter each config  to display only specific movies for a config. However there may be cases where you prefer a separate database:

1. If you already have multiple databases it is likely easier to keep them separate.
2. If you wish to manage different databases separately in your movie catalog software
3. If your data is not structured in a way to easily 'filter' the data for each Config, for example if you have no way to easily find all documentaries, or all adult films.
4. If you want to keep your movies separate from your documentaries and your private videos, as the importer settings are completely different.

Pros and Cons

You may find it easier to maintain different databases for different types of movies rather than try to structure your database to filter it accurately to display only kids movies. Thus you can store all your movies and artwork centrally, but use a different database for your kids movies accessible on the Client PC they usually use.

However, you can still create multiple configs and databases centrally and password protect the configs/databases you do not wish your kids to access.

Centralized Storage with Separate Configs and Artwork Images

If you wish to go a step further, you can select different artwork paths to display different cover images and fanart on one or more Client PCs.

Pros and Cons

In this case the only advantage you have is central storage of your movies. Everything else is almost the same as a Local Setup. Plus you must re-scan/import data to grab and store different artwork in the separate locations.

Local Setup

With a local setup, each Client PC stores its own movies, artwork, database or config. The setup is the same as that outlined throughout this wiki.

Pros and Cons

The main advantage is that you can combine network/centralized setup on some Client PCs but still set up others locally, for example when you wish to have your own 'private' catalog, or for testing.

However, in this case you do not get any of the advantages of centralized/network setup of course.

Related

Tutorials

• Central Config (Intermediate)
• Centralized Data (Advanced)