Heelp...Cannot use movies on the network

[PierreLo]

Hi all,

I am looking for an alternative to MyMovies and this soiftware looks really great.
But I have a major problem with movies I have on my network drives (i.e all my movies...)

I have all my movies on a remote PC, called MediaServer, on a hard drive referred to as "Videobase1" on the network.
Each movie is in its own folder. Some are MKv files, some are DVD structures ripped to HDD (video_TS.ifo files and all the ifos and vobs together)

To qcces these movies in videobrowser, I created a Videos.vf file in my User/Video folder, containing the following single line :

\\Mediaserver\Videobase1\Movies


I have no trouble accessing these movies from either MyMovies, Open Media LIbrary or Windows itself, but when I use VideoBrowser, I get an error saying "Invalid Virtual Folder path \\Mediaserver\Videobase1\Movies".

When I run VideoBrowser, I have a button on the left showing labelled "Videos" (from the videos.vf file I created). When I click it, I get the above error message.
I couldn't find any tutorial on how to setup this properly, but I think I did what was recommended in the forums I have browsed.

I also tried to create a direct shortcut called "movies" in my C:\<User>\videos folder, pointing directly to \\Mediaserver\videobase1\movies, but then as soon as I click on the "movies" button in videobrowser, it immediately starts playing the first avi files in the first folder on the network drive, without showing any folder list or asking anything (and there are about 20 movies folders there).
I am completely lost here, so please can you help a newbie ?

For information, I am under Vista MCE, using lates videobrowser beta.

Thanks a lot in advance

PierreLo 8-)

[Jon]

Your vf file needs to read:

folder: \\Mediaserver\Videobase1\Movies

If you would like a custom image for that folder displayed, add the line

image: \\Mediaserver\Videobase1\Movies\folder.jpg

with folder.jpg being the image you want displayed.

You're also going to have to add metadata for your movies (mymovies.xml files for each folder. Grab Salami's Movie Organizer for this. It's easy enough to use.

[PierreLo]

Thanks Jon for answering,

My vf file indeed contains :

folder: \\Mediaserver\Videobase1\Movies

(the "folder:" part got skipped when I copy-pasted in my post :oops: )

I have the folder.jpg in place in each folder and the mymovies xml metadata files too (all my movies are still dealt with in MyMovies so the folders are OK)

I will try to better explain the problems I have:

Basically, I have 2 scenarios:

1. If I use the vf file, I get a "Invalid virtual folder path" error. Nothing more to say, it won't go past this message.

2. If I put in the "Videos" folder a direct shortcut to "\\ Mediaserver\videobase1\movies", then VideoBrowser will directly play the movie contained in the first folder in "Mediaserver\Videobase1\Movies"

For example, let's say I created (in my videos folder) a shortcut called "Test", which points to "\\Mediaserver\Videobase1\Movies" and I have the following folder structure:

\\Mediaserver
\Videobase1
\Movies
\Akira
\Lord of the Rings
\Zardoz

then as soon as I click on the newly created "Test" button in videobrowser, it won't show the folders in \Movies, but will directly start playing the Akira movie, without even showing the movie details page. It is always the first folder (alphabetically speaking) that gets played.

I can't event start to figure out any reason for this...

Any ideas ?

EDIT: I forgot to mention thait it works fine for movies located on the same PC where I run VideoBrowser. It is really a network-related problem it seems. Unfortunately, ALL my movies are on a remote server... :(


Thanks for your help

PierreLo 8-)

[PierreLo]

Well,

Finally a workaround....
It looks like VB does not like the "\\MEediaserver\Videobase1\Movies" syntax.
I did the following : Map the above to Z: drive on my local machine and changed the vf file to:

folder: Z:\

Then VB finds the movies.
Now I have to fine tune this...and do the same for all my movies folders over the network.

But it is strange that the network path was not accepted without mapping first.

If anyone has an idea of the possible reason to this, I am all ears (or should I say "all eyes")

PierreLo 8-)