Overview

How to import new films to your existing database (AMC catalog type only).

Methods

For first time import, see the New Catalogs setup guide which includes tutorials such as how to Import Moving Pictures DB.

You can import new movies to your existing AMC database (which includes a database created by MyFilms using AMC Updater) either:

1. Within My Films using the main menu  > Global Updates > Import/Update all movies (AMC Updater)
2. Externally, using AMC Updater - either from the button in My Films setup or a desktop shortcut even while MyFilms/MediaPortal is running. You can store AMC Updater on a network server and update your database for all clients (since MyFilms uses a central database) even if they are using MyFilms at the time.
3. As of v 6.1.0 you can set auto scan options in in MyFilms Setup > Import tab :
   1. Scan on Startup - check for new films added to your movie scan paths whenever you first load MyFilms.
   2. Watch Scan paths - add new films whenever changes are made to your movie scan pathswhile MyFilms is loaded.
      Enable both options if you wish to ensure all new films are automatically added whether or not MyFilms is loaded.
4. Schedule a task on the Import tab in Setup to add new films at a specific time. 

Warning:  Import will add any new movies in selected movie folder(s) to your movie catalog (if you haven't 'excluded' or ignored them already. If you wish to protect some movies, you should create a separate config with PIN Protection. AMCU offers additional options when Manually Matching films to Ignore specific movies from import, and even Always Ignore them by adding them to an excluded movies list. You can show, reset or configure the location of the excluded movies list on the Options Tab in AMCU.

Note: See also Import DVD or Blu-ray discs

Setup

Both methods use AMC Updater (AMCU) to import new movies in the background. The Setup Wizard will preset most import settings for you. The settings in MyFilms Setup > Import tab are automatically synced to AMCU. However you may customize many more import settings in AMC Updater and either run a single import with custom settings, or save them as your default settings.

You can always revert to the default AMCU settings using the (re)Create AMC Updater Default Settings button on the Import Tab in MyFilms Setup.

Note: See the Import Setup guide for more details.

Import/Update all movies within My Films

This is the option recommended for importing a few new films. 

Here is how to scan and add new films to your database:

1. Go to the My Films Menu in the Main Window
2. Select Global Updates > Import/Update all movies (AMC Updater)

That's it! The update will run in the background so you can carry on doing other things, even watching a film. When the update is complete, you will receive a message and the new films will appear in the list or view on your screen.

View the imported films

If  you wish to view the films you have just imported, just sort by date, descending, if this is not already your default sort.  

Or you can select the Recently Added view which will display your films added by 'time period' such as "today, yesterday, last week, last month" etc. 

Update mismatched films

Matching will never be 100% as there are so many films with similar names, even in the same year. 

My Films will match any films it can, and (as of v 6.0.1) import only the file name, title and media info for films it cannot.

You can then manually match and update the movie details:

1. Make sure Auto select best match is off (default) in Options > Global Settings. This is the same as disabling Import if no auto match on the Import tab in Setup.
2. Select Get Internet Info from the Updates option on the context menu.
3. Select the correct film.
4. Select either update all fields, update missing data or select field(s) to update which you can also use to preview the updates.

See Update Existing Films for more details.

Note: You can also disable the Import if no auto match option on the Import tab in Setup and then update the movies that can not be auto matched using AMC Updater - see Manual Matching.

Covers

My Films will download the cover from the website based on the grabber script you choose. The grabber is normally preset for you when you use the Setup Wizard, based on the country you select in the Wizard. Some grabbers get data from one site and covers from another website (see Grabber Scripts).

As of v 6.0.0, you may also use the Cover Manager to download additional covers, and select the one you prefer..

In addition, while importing you may automatically add a suffix (e.g. year, number) for your cover filenames to avoid displaying the wrong cover for movies with the same name. See AMCU > Database Fields Tab > Cover Handling Section for details.

Fanart

Fanart will be downloaded automatically when you import films, either via the Global Updates >  Import/Update all movies option in My Films, or using AMC Updater. You may customize the number and resolution of fanart images imported in AMC Updater > Database Fields tab > Fanart Handling.

You can also download, update (and add all new images), or delete fanart within MyFilms using the Fanart Manager, or even create your own fanart.

AMC Updater - Import Movies

You can run AMC Updater while MyFilms is running, even on a network server without installing MediaPortal or MyFilms, and update all your clients at once!

AMC Updater provides more control over matching films for internet lookup and many options you can customize. 

1. Run AMC Updater (AMCU) either from the Import button in MyFilms Setup, or via a desktop shortcut automatically created for each config you create in MyFilms Setup.
2. AMC Updater will open to the Import Movies tab. If the default settings meet your needs, you can simply press the Begin Import button.
3. If AMC Updater cannot auto-match the film, it will display a list of possible matches (see Manual Matching). Usually the correct one will be recommended by match hints for you to select. This results in almost perfect matching.  

 Tip: If you are importing many movies and wish to run it mostly unattended, import your movies in two steps:

1. Select Auto match only for Import Behaviour to import all the movies that can be auto-matched
2. Select Manual Match (always ask) for Import Behaviour to then match the movies that could not be auto-matched.

There are many options for you to customize to suit the way you have stored and named your movie files. However, it requires time to learn how to use all its options and features.  Thus there is an entire section of the My Films Wiki devoted to it: see AMC Updater.

Related

• Using My Films