Overview

Organize your movie, artwork and trailer files/folders the way you want, and the features to use depending on the method you use.

File/Folder Structure

My Films allows you to organize and store your films and artwork almost any way you wish. You can you can store your movies all in a single folder, or in multiple folders, either a separate folder for each movie or multiple folders organized by genre, year or whatever!

Normally MyFilms simply reads the 'source' from your database/catalog to find and play your films, and the paths you specify in Artwork Setup to find (or add) your movie covers, person images, custom view images and fanart.

Existing Catalogs

When you use the Setup Wizard, you select the catalog type and location of your existing XML database file. MyFilms presets paths based on your selections and uses the default artwork storage locations for your movie catalog type.

However, you can change the location of your catalog and artwork folders. Unlike other MediaPortal plugins, you do not need to store your database or artwork in the program data folder. You can store them in any folder, on any HDD, or on any device you wish, such as a NAS or device where MediaPortal is not even installed.

New Catalogs

If you do not have an existing movie catalog/database, and create a new one using AMC Updater to Import your movies, the catalog (and movie covers) will be stored by default in the user or program data folder:

...\MediaPortal\MyFilms\Catalog

folder. 

Note: The location has changed from the Thumbs folder as of v 6.0.0 

Movie files

If you do not have the full path stored in your movie catalog/database, you can tell My Films to search for your movies by entering the paths in Setup on the General Tab > Movie Playback Path Configuration:

Offline Media

If you store your movies 'offline' such as on CDs, DVDs, BDs, USB drives or network storage where the device may not be always available, My Films offers several features to aid you:

1. Offline Media Identification
   1. In Setup > General Tab > Offline Media Identification - select a field (such as Media Label) where you have entered the location (e.g. CD, /DVD, Blu-ray, NAS, USB etc.), ID or catalog number and a message to display. Then when you try to play the movie, My Films will display the message and location of the movie so you can enable the device or insert the correct media.
2. Scan for available media
   1. Setup > General Tab > Scan media on start - enable this option so that My Films always knows (and you can see) which movies are currently available for playback. However, if you have a lot of movies stored in many locations, this may take some time. You can always Update online availability in the GUI using the Global Updates feature.
   2. If you enable this option, you may also enable 'Show only available movies' on the Views Tab in Setup. You can also enable or disable this option using the Global Filter in the GUI (Note; for the filter to work, you must have scanned for available media first - either on startup or using the Global Updates feature)
   3. When browsing your films, My Films will display status icons to indicate if a movie is:
      • available - green icon
      • unavailable - red icon
      • offline - yellow icon
      • unknown (availability has not been checked) - grey icon
3. Importing Offline Media using AMC Updater
   1. AMCU Setup > Database Fields tab > Media Label Field Handling
      1. Enable the option 'Try to read DVD Disk label, Volume name or UNC Server name'
4. WakeOnLan
   1. Enable the WOL features in Setup > Network tab if you wish My Films to wake up a NAS or other LAN device where your movies are stored.

See Supported Media Types and Import DVD or Blu-ray disc for additional info.

Trailers

You may also store your trailers anywhere you wish. As with your movies, just select the field in Setup > Trailers tab > DB Item for storing Trailer Info - that contains the path and filename of your trailer(s) for the movie.

Note: a field must be selected to support Trailers features in My Films!  The Play Trailer context menu option only displays if local trailers are enabled and available. 

As of v 6.0.0 you may select the Source Trailer field when using AMC4 catalog type.

When searching for local trailers, My Films assumes they are stored in the same folder as the movie, however you may select or enter one or more paths (separated by semi-colon)  in Setup > Trailers tab under Extended Trailers Search path to search any folders that may contain trailers for your films.

Trailers downloaded using Online Videos plugin

If you use the My Films trailers feature to find and download related trailers via the Online Videos plugin, the trailer will be stored in the movie folder.

Artwork

See Custom Artwork setup guide to learn all the ways you can customize artwork for MyFilms.

By default, MyFilms stores artwork images, especially default images provided with MyFilms, in:

• ...\MediaPortal\Thumbs\MyFilms

  sub-folders 

However, you can change the location in My Films Setup > Artwork tab.

Movie Covers

Although My Films presets the storage to the default location - based on your movie catalog type - you may choose to store your covers in a different location in Setup > Artwork tab > Films

1. Folder other than movie catalog folder (or sub-folder) - select enter/select Picture handling=full path, then select the path for Covers images path.
2. Sub folder of movie catalog folder - select Picture handling=Relative path,then enter the path of the sub-folder as a prefix:
   • e.g. when using Ant Movie Catalog, to store your covers in a \pictures sub-folder, enter *pictures* in Artwork Setup for Picture prefix.
3. Folder.jpg in movie folder - select Picture handling=Folder.jpg

Group Covers (e.g. Box Sets, Groups)

My Films will display the cover of the first movie in the group. However you can add custom group cover images for the group to the same folder where your movie covers are stored. You must use the same name you use to define the Group, e.g. Star Trek Group.jpg for a Group of Star Trek films. (see Box Sets, Groups for details on creating groups)

View Images (e.g. Category, Year, etc.)

Default images for views are stored in:

You may create or add your own custom view images to:

• ...\MediaPortal\thumbs\MyFilms\ViewImages\<view>

e.g.

...\MediaPortal\thumbs\MyFilms\ViewImages\category

or to a sub-folder of the folder you select in Setup > Artwork tab > View Images path

Person Images (e.g. Actors images)

• ...\ MediaPortal\thumbs\MyFilms\PersonImages 

or to any folder you select in Setup > Artwork tab > Person Images path 

Fanart

Fanart you download or create using My Films is stored by default in :

• ...\ MediaPortal\thumbs\MyFilms\Fanart

or to the folder you select in Setup > Artwork tab  > Fanart path

Fanart for Groups/Hierarchies

If you enable Random fanart, My Films will display fanart images from the films in the Group. However if you wish to store custom fanart for groups simply save the fanart image with the same name as the group (e.g. Star Trek Group.jpg for a Star Trek Group) in:

• ...\ MediaPortal\thumbs\MyFilms\Fanart_Group

Fanart for Views

You may enable random fanart for Views, however, If you wish to add custom fanart for views, you must save it to the sub-folders of the

_View

fanart folder (as selected in  Setup > Artwork tab  > Fanart path ) e.g. the default fanart folder:

• ...\ MediaPortal\thumbs\MyFilms\Fanart_View\<view>

e.g.

...\MediaPortal\thumbs\MyFilms\Fanart_View\category

(for custom fanart for the category view)

Related

• Getting Started