Overview

Use the Import tab in AMCU settings to select the main settings, scan for movie files and import them to update your AMC database.

Introduction

The Import Movies tab (renamed from 'Interactive' as of v 6.0.0) is used to select the main options for scanning and importing new films into your database/catalog.

The presets should work in most cases,  and you can just click the 'Begin Import' button.

Alternatively you can run each part of the import in turn using the numbered buttons. This allows you to review the output in the log window and be sure that it is configured correctly before grabbing begins. 

During the Update Movie DB phase, the Status at the bottom of the window, will display the number of movies processed as well as a progress bar.

If you are not happy with the results of any part of the operation, you may Cancel at any time, and choose to save your work thus far or not.

Settings

Most options are preset for you when you use the My Films Setup Wizard to create a new Config. The settings preset or selected in My Films Setup on the Import tab are automatically saved/synced to your AMCU settings when you save your My Films Configuration.

The settings on the Database Fields, Scan Paths and Filters and Options tabs also apply to Update Movies.

Note: You may change any settings in AMC Updater and use them temporarily for an Import. They will not be saved permanently unless you select Save from the File Menu.

You also can change settings and save them with a different filename. To start AMC Updater automatically with your custom settings file, you have to set the config file as start parameter.

To learn more about AMC Updater configuration settings and custom settings, see AMC Updater.

See also Import DVD or Blu-ray discs

Import Movies

Note: As of v 6.0.0 Movie scan folder options have moved to the Scan Paths and Filters Tab.

File Handling

Select the options which affect your XML database file:

Overwrite XML File

changes overwrite the existing XML database file. AMC Updater uses an in-memory representation of your Ant database file when running. When the import process is complete, you can choose to save the changes back to the original file. This is the default option. If you un-tick this box, then the new Ant database file will be saved to the same folder as the original file, but with the name modified to include ‘-NEW.xml’ at the end.

Backup XML File

As you would expect, this option is on by default. When the AMC Updater application saves your changes it will first take a copy of your original database file and save it with a unique filename including the date and time it was modified.

Purge Orphan Records

This option allows AMC Updater to remove any database entries which reference non-existent files.

Note: You may also select or change this setting in My Films Setup on the Import tab. It is automatically synced to AMCU Settings when you save your config in MyFilms Setup.

As of v 6.0.0, AMC Updater will only remove database entries if

• the database entry references a file that is not located at the given path
• the path in the database matches the path you are scanning
• the path is available/online - but the files are not

Example: A NAS that is currently offline, or a USB drive that is not connected

To clarify, if you scan \\server1\movies and your database refers to a movie stored at \\server2\DVDs\ then the entry will not be considered to be an orphan and will not be removed. If however you have a database entry referring to \\server1\movies\moviename.avi, and you are scanning \\server1\movies\ (or using that as an Override Path) and the device is online, then the entry will be removed if the file is not found.

Purge Orphans when source not available

This option can only be enabled when Purge Orphan Records is enabled.  It will remove or purge records in your database even if the source path/device (e.g. NAS, USB drive) is not currently online.

Example: if you imported movies from a USB drive before, but you don't have that drive anymore and want to get rid of the movies in your catalog.

Use this option with caution - if you store your movies e.g. on a NAS and it is offline, all movies will be removed from your DB.

Prohibit Internet Lookup

Select this option if you wish to globally override all internet lookups.  However, you may also use the option on the Database Fields Tab to exclude fields that require internet lookup. 

Re-Scan Moved Files

If you move a movie file in your selected movie scan folders, AMCU will re-scan and update the record with the new file location.

Note: If you disable this option, moves are very quick, as only the path information is updated, but no media or internet data loaded.

Import Options

AMC Updater offers a variety of different ways to import your data, determined by the settings you select in this section!

Note: You may also select or change this setting in My Films Setup on the Import tab. It is automatically synced to AMCU Settings when you save your config in MyFilms Setup.

You can even select different modes for importing via AMCU vs. My Films GUI.

1. Auto match only -  you can let this run without intervention and AMCU will import only films it can match automatically:
2. Manual Match - simply change the Import Behavior and run import again to manually match all the films that could not be matched automatically when you have time.

Import Behaviour

AMC Updater will attempt to look up your movies online if you have selected to import any Internet database fields on the Database Fields Tab, and have not enabled 'Prohibit Internet Lookup'. 

Note: The import behaviour you select will also apply when performing batch or global updates on the Update Movies tab.

'Silent' or unattended modes

1. Auto match only

Import movies unattended, but only with correct matches.Films that cannot be auto matched will not be imported. You can rerun the import using Manual Match (see below) and select correct matches for the ones AMCU could not match automatically.

2. Auto match & media only if no match

This mode allows you to import movies unattended and include films that cannot be automatically matched. AMCU will not ask you if it does not find a match, instead it will import only the file name, title and media info. You may then update the movie details using either:

1. Updates > Get Internet Info within My Films GUI
2. Update Movie on the AMCU View Movies tab

'Interactive' Modes

3. Auto match & ask if no match (default)  

Partly interactive - AMCU will match most of your films correctly. If it finds multiple, bad or no matches it will provide you a list with recommended matches based on year or IMDb tt numbers if available. This is the most commonly used mode for most users as it provides the best results with only minimal interaction. The import process cannot run unattended because user action is required each time a movie cannot be matched.

4. Manual Match (always ask) 

Fully interactive - AMCU will not match any film automatically, instead always allows you to review the result and confirm and select the match you want.This is a pure interactive mode, which allows you to always select the correct match for your films, including the manual selection of alternative websites for better results.

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.

Import Behavior in My Films

This section allows you to select a different import behavior when importing your movies via the Global Updates Menu within My Films GUI.

It is normally synced with the setting on the Import Tab in MyFilms Setup.

As of v 6.1.0 this setting also applies to the new auto scan watch settings you select on the Import Tab in MyFilms Setup.

Import if no auto match

As of v 6.0.1 the 'Import if no auto match' option is enabled by default - When you select Global Updates > Import/Update all movies (AMC Updater) in My Films,  only the file name, title and media info will be imported - much like the "Auto match & media only if no match" in AMCU Import Behaviour (above). If you prefer to import ONLY movies that can be auto matched correctly, and manually match them using AMCU, then disable this option.

Note: You may also select or change this setting in My Films Setup on the Import tab. It is automatically synced to AMCU Settings when you save your config in MyFilms Setup.

Internet Grabber Options

Here you can select the options that determine how AMCU will lookup and grab data from the internet:

Grabber Script

In order to connect to the Internet and download movie information, you need to specify a parser, or Internet Grabber script, file. By default you’ll find these in the MediaPortal program or user data folder under Scripts.  Just use the Browse button (...) to select a grabber.

Grabber Options

Click the Grabber Options button to open the Grabber Interface tool and customize grabber script options. See Customize Grabber to learn how to use the Grabber Interface Tool.

Title and Search Handling

Most people store their movies in a logical structure, which contains the name of the movie in either the individual file names or in the parent folder name. This drop-down lets you select how the application attempts to read the movie title. The options are:

• File Name 
• Folder Name
• Relative Name
• File Name + Internet Lookup
• Folder Name + Internet Lookup 
• Relative Name + Internet Lookup 

The files imported will be processed in the following manner:

1. The file / folder name is read as the movie title.
2. If using the file name, any file extension found will be stripped.
3. The title may then be cleaned up by string replacements defined on the Scan Path and Filters tab. Example: If your files often have a ‘.’ between each word in the file / folder name, for example, this can turn ‘The.Matrix.Revolutions.avi’ into “The Matrix Revolutions”.
4. Finally, if you selected an Internet Lookup option, then the application will attempt an online lookup

Note: If you select any "+ Internet Lookup" option your Title will be replaced by the title matched on the internet movie database.

For settings that relate to how Title fields are imported and auto detection of Groups, Editions see the Database Fields Tab under Title Handling.

Related

References

• Manual Matching