Metadata not updating when Plex server detects a duplicate of same show?

[Steven P. Administrators]

So this is an odd bug. 

Say I have 1 season of The X-Files (Season 11) in my TV-shows media library, and then I place Seasons 1-5 in a different media library /Airing/ (things I am currently watching) Plex refuses to update the metadata for those last added seasons!

I moved them into the /TV-Shows/The X-Files/ folder (same folder as Season 11) and the metadata immediately updated in Plex!

[+FloatingFatMan Subscriber¹]

  On 02/06/2025 at 09:56, Steven P. said:

So this is an odd bug. 

Say I have 1 season of The X-Files (Season 11) in my TV-shows media library, and then I place Seasons 1-5 in a different media library /Airing/ (things I am currently watching) Plex refuses to update the metadata for those last added seasons!

I moved them into the /TV-Shows/The X-Files/ folder (same folder as Season 11) and the metadata immediately updated in Plex!

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Well, your Shows library would need the folder for your Airing library adding to it, otherwise it won't know where to look for new content...

But a question, why have a separate "Airing" library at all?  Plex keeps track of your active shows for as long as you set it to do so (mine is set to 10 weeks) in the "Continue Watching" part of your home screen, and even if a show falls off, when you open the show in the library, it still knows where you left off...

 

[Steven P. Administrators]

  On 02/06/2025 at 11:01, FloatingFatMan said:

But a question, why have a separate "Airing" library at all?  

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I don't want Sonarr to monitor my entire library of TV shows.

I am subscribed to a number of streaming platforms, but I prefer to watch through Plex or Emby because Netflix, AppleTV, Disney and Amazon all have their own quirks with streaming. 

I am watching Reacher on Amazon (not downloaded) but other shows I will just plug into Sonarr, grab and watch and then delete after (hence the Airing mapping).

I also use Watchstate (docker) to sync watched state of everything between Emby and Plex 😛 

[+FloatingFatMan Subscriber¹]

  On 02/06/2025 at 12:00, Steven P. said:

I don't want Sonarr to monitor my entire library of TV shows.

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Well, you don't have to.. I use it to grab shows, but once they've ended I just remove them from Sonarr as it won't be needed anymore...

 

  On 02/06/2025 at 12:00, Steven P. said:

I am subscribed to a number of streaming platforms, but I prefer to watch through Plex or Emby because Netflix, AppleTV, Disney and Amazon all have their own quirks with streaming. 

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It's a PITA, that's for sure.

 

  On 02/06/2025 at 12:00, Steven P. said:

I am watching Reacher on Amazon (not downloaded) but other shows I will just plug into Sonarr, grab and watch and then delete after (hence the Airing mapping).

I also use Watchstate (docker) to sync watched state of everything between Emby and Plex 😛 

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Well, the "Continue Watching" would work just fine for that as well, but it's not for me to second guess how you want your Plex setup!   However, if you want it to update your Shows library with what you put into "Airing", then you will need to monitor the same folders as "Airing" does.  I, for example, have my media spread across multiple drives, so a typical library would be pointing to several folders at once, for example:

Not ideal but a consequence of a library built over many years, and relocating stuff in Plex being a huge pain in the backside!

One of these days I'll get around to using a proper NAS with RAID, but that means a whole bunch of messing around that I just cba to do.   Currently I use a MinisForum mini PC with an i5-10210U CPU with a Terramaster direct attached USB box that I just add drives too as and when I need it.  It's due for an upgrade though as it has no TPM module and is running Windows 10 (I used to run on Ubuntu but I kept forgetting how to do stuff because I rarely needed to!  ).

I tried Jellyfin last week, what a pile of <bleep!> that turned out to be.. Its content matching is AWFUL...

[Steven P. Administrators]

  On 02/06/2025 at 12:20, FloatingFatMan said:

Not ideal but a consequence of a library built over many years, and relocating stuff in Plex being a huge pain in the backside!

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Yeah there are certain shows I want to keep, and others not, that is why I have a TV Shows library and an Airing library, the latter is not the permanent one, but some shows that have ended get moved into the permanent TV Shows library 😛