Hello! Is it possible to create a personal section for TV shows only from a specific folder? My goal is to have a section that does not include recorded TV.
You mean Imported TV Shows and just from a specific import directory?
I don't think so, but if that's what you mean, I'll let the developers answer.
In another thread that has a similar request but with virtual channels, this was the answer from @maddox:
I'm guessing this probably applies here too but better to get the official answer.
Yes. I just want to keep recorded TV separate from imported TV.
Thank you. I'm surprised as it seems like it would be a very common scenario.
I'm sure the developers have their reasons for this.
There must be technical difficulties that we are not aware of.
Anyway, my post above got a thumbs up from the man himself so that's the official answer.
I know somebody, namely @lithium630, who is going to start using labels a lot!
Many of us do, but the developers say it doesn't matter to them how it gets into your Channels DVR Library, it's now in their Channels DVR Library (recorded, imports, streamlinks, strm files, etc) and use the UI as designed to navigate them.
There are some advanced ways to differentiate the sources of them, but not a lot built into the UI.
Ha. I haven’t used labels yet but it sounds like a lot more trouble than it’s worth for me. I’ve been neglecting my setup for a while and haven’t accounted for some of the changes that have occurred.
I chose Channels for the integration of different sources so I appreciate that. Just for my personal use case I hoped this would some something I have been trying to do for a while.
Speaking of Labels, do they allow you to set Labels in Passes yet?
That's where I would utilize them.
That's a good question. I don't think this is a feature of passes at this point.
That's a good idea, though. That would simplify automatic labeling a lot!
Also in the other thread:
That helps for "after the fact". But a lot more manual work and follow-up involved compared to just setting them in your passes to begin with.
Can you expound on what you mean by "some something I have been trying to do for a while"
Just separate recording from imports, or go to the folder level on imports, or... ?
I'm not a fan of the Recorded TV section. It lists all the individual episodes and looks too cluttered for me. I like to have each show grouped together (similar to folders) and then sorted by date. The work-around was to view recorded TV through TV Shows, but that mixes recorded TV with my library of shows. I rarely watch anything from my library right now. I would like the same view for both, but to keep them separate.
I have not used Personal Sections yet.
I just opened it for the first time and noticed this in the smart rules:
Isn't it what you would like?
I don't think he can do what he wants.
Shows aren't recorded or imported, their episodes are.
A Show (or Series) is just a way to group the episodes as being part of the Show/Series.
You can have a mix of recorded and imported episodes for the same show.
In fact, you could have the same episode both recorded and imported.
You could view only recorded episodes, but I don't think it can be viewed in the format he wants (Like Library Shows).
Ah yes, that's right. Very good points, @chDVRuser!
Thank you for the clarification.
Back to square one.
This is actually one of my use cases for personal sections so it can be done... with one kinda big limitation!
So I have two personal sections for TV shows: one is my personal library of shows ripped from discs that I plan to keep, the other is for shows I record that I plan to delete after watching. Like you I did not want these mixed together.
Here's the way you can do it. Set all your personal library shows to "Hidden". You don't have to do this for each episode, there is an option to mark an entire series as hidden. Now make a personal section for TV shows with a smart rule only showing shows with a visibility of hidden. I've named this "My TV". Next make a personal section for TV shows with a smart rule only showing shows with a visibility of not hidden. I've named this "DVR TV".
That's it! Shows you record will show up in one personal section grouped by series. Shows you have ripped will show up in the other.
Now for the big limitation. You can't have the same show in both places. If you've ripped the first season of "Little House on the Prairie" off a DVD you bought at a thrift store for $1.50 to your personal library and want to record the rest of the series off one of your sources, the new recordings will show up in your "My TV" personal section, not your "DVR TV" personal section. This method works for me because all my ripped shows are shows that have ended and don't have new episodes, but it's something to be aware of. An easy fix in this situation would be to keep a show you have partially ripped but are still recording episodes from in your "DVR TV" section by not marking it as hidden yet.
You could also accomplish this by adding Labels to your imported shows, and using rules based on Labels. Labels would have the advantage of allowing multiple Labels to a single show, so you can cut things up with rules in multiple ways.
You'd also be able to manually add the label to a recorded show you want to show in another personal section.