Skip to content
MetaTana

These docs are for MetaTana 2.0, coming soon

On this page

Sidecar Didn't Appear On Disk

You ran a scrape, applied metadata, selected Save. Library shows the change. But the NFO or artwork file you expected next to your media isn't there. Either the action only updated MetaTana's database, the file write is waiting, or it ran and failed. This page walks all three.

Common causes, in order of likelihood

  1. The action only saves to the databaseMany edits (field changes, identity fixes) are saved in MetaTana without writing a sidecar. They mark the title's NFO as out of date instead, unless the folder writes NFO files every time.
  2. The write is waitingIt was queued but hasn't run yet, or it is held behind an earlier failure.
  3. Permissions on the folderThe user MetaTana runs as can't write to the folder where the sidecar should go.
  4. The file movedThe media file moved after MetaTana scanned it. MetaTana still has the old path, and the write goes there (and may fail).
  5. File output is off for the folderFolders added with For your player: None write no NFO or artwork files. Set Write NFO files to Always in the folder's Edit folder drawer on Folders, or pick a player.
  6. Autopilot is waiting for your OKAutopilot asks once per folder before its first NFO or artwork write. Until you answer, it saves metadata in MetaTana only. Open Inbox › Files to write and select Allow. If you chose Never for this folder earlier, open the folder's Edit folder drawer on Folders and select Ask me again under First write.

Diagnose

Check what you actually ran

Most saves only change MetaTana's database. Check which of these you ran:

  • Save in the editor: database only, and the NFO is marked out of date (written straight away only in a folder where Write NFO files is Always)
  • Rescrape: writes NFO and artwork when the folder writes files (its Write NFO files setting, or Settings › Files › Scrape defaults)
  • ⋯ › Write NFO on a title's page, or Rewrite NFO on a task in the task lists: writes the NFO from MetaTana's current values
  • Rewrite files for N under Library › Needs attention › NFO out of date: writes every out-of-date NFO

If you only saved, no sidecar appears until the NFO is written. Run Write NFO, or Rewrite files for N.

Read Activity

Open Activity. Set Show to Problems to see what failed, or search for the title. NFO writes appear under Filed and artwork fetches under Fetches. Each row tells you:

  • Whether the write is waiting, running, finished, or failed
  • The target path it tried to write
  • The error message if it failed (permission denied, no such file, etc.)

Check target path permissions

The error message in Activity will usually tell you. If it's "permission denied":

ls -la /path/to/target/folder

The user MetaTana runs as needs write access. On Docker, that's the user set by PUID and PGID.

Check the disk, not only MetaTana

Run ls -la on the folder the sidecar should be in. Sometimes the file is there but with an unexpected name (e.g. .actors/ folder for cast images, or movie.nfo for disc folders instead of MovieName.nfo).

Check the NFO settings

Flavour in Settings › Files › NFO files sets the format (Kodi, Emby, Jellyfin, Plex, or MediaPortal), with options such as Include stream details and Write artwork URLs. There is no overwrite switch: a write replaces the fields MetaTana manages and keeps unknown or hand-added XML. See NFO and artwork.

Fix

  • Only saved: write the NFO. For one title: ⋯ › Write NFO on its page. For many: Library › Needs attention › NFO out of date › Rewrite files for N, or Stale sidecars › Repair shown in the task lists.
  • Waiting or blocked: open the failed row in Activity, read the error, and retry from there once the cause is fixed.
  • Permission denied: fix the folder's permissions, or PUID and PGID on Docker. Retry from Activity.
  • File moved on disk: Run deep check in Settings › Maintenance › Library health lists ghost entries. Use ⋯ › Relink file… on the title's page to point MetaTana at the new location, then write again.
  • Autopilot waiting: Inbox › Files to write › Allow. Select Review… first if you want to see each file.
  • Existing library trusted: with trust turned on for the folder, Autopilot leaves titles identified from their NFO alone and rewrites those NFOs only when you ask. Run Rewrite NFO for them, or turn off Trust existing NFOs and artwork in this folder under More options in the folder's Edit folder drawer on Folders.
  • File output off: set Write NFO files to Always in the folder's Edit folder drawer on Folders, or pick a preset in Settings › Files › Media player preset, or run Write NFO for the titles you want. To discard old XML entirely, use the Clean NFO policy in Library's bulk sidecar actions.

Going deeper