Can See Only Videos

When I first started using Serviio years ago, everything worked fine, in general. Like all computer software, things magically stop working correctly over time, either because of updates, or configuration or environment changes, and Serviio is no exception.

My current problem is that while my devices can see and stream videos from Serviio, they cannot see any content that is Music or Pictures. When I first installed Serviio, my devices could see and view Audio, Pictures and Videos.

Does anyone have any suggestions on what to check?

My devices include: Google TV (Sony NSZ-GS7/GS8) using aVia, Sony PlayStation 3, Sony Bravia XBR 65HX929, Sony STR-DA3600ES Receiver.

Cheers, Eric

[DenyAll]

Describe your environment - what OS, is the Music and Photos stored on an external or internal drive, if external, via USB, network attached, etc.

My guess is either:

• you haven't selected Music or Photos for these shared folders - check the "ticks" in Serviio Console, Library, Shared folders.
• permissions have changed. Ensure that permissions on your drives folders that contain your music and photos, and all sub-folders and files is set so that the Serviio Service can access these folders (in your case, its easy - check that the permissions in these folders are the same as for your folders that contain videos).

What happens if you move one or two songs/photos into the same folder as your videos (and enable this folder for music and photos in Serviio console, then refresh library). If this works it would tend to suggest its a permission issue.

I am running on Windows 8.1, but when I started with Serviio I was running on Windows 7.

The music and photos are stored on the same drive/volume as the videos (D:).

I have checked the paths over and over, and ticked them.

I added some music files to the video folder, but they do not show up, event after refreshing the library.

For some reason Serviio just seems to be ignoring all music and image files.

Cheers, Eric

[DenyAll]

When you added the music to the video folder did you also tick the music column in Shared folders for that folder. What about photos - did you try them (in case the music is DRM protected... they won't play)?

Just to check - when you looked on your device you are going to the "Images" or "Music" menu rather than the "Video" menu item. You are also checking in the folders category (eg. Images - Folders - folder name or Music - Folders - folder name)?

Also, you haven't inadvertently disabled these categories in Serviio Console - Presentation tab.

Yes, I ticked the music column, but the music files still do not show up. Interestingly enough, the music folders do show up, but they are empty in Avia.

Yes, when I start looking for Music, I start with the Music menu.

I cannot see any way to disable anything in the Presentation tab.

Cheers, Eric

So, it turns out part of the problem is the Avia on the Google TV. It cannot see the music I put in the video folder, but my TV, Receiver, and PS3 can see the music there - but they cannot see the music anywhere else.

Cheers, Eric

[DenyAll]

Ignoring the Avia (Google TV raises its own set of issue) for now, I think this is definitely a folder/files permissions issue. When converting from one OS version to another sometime folder and file permissions get screwed up.

Try this - its a cheats way to fix the issue:

• Create a subfolder under your video shared folder. This new folder should then inherit the permissions of the Video folder (which we know are good);
• Move this newly created subfolder to where you want it;
• Move** the files and subfolder from your current Music folder to this new folder
• Once done - delete the old music folder and rename the new folder to the same as the old folder.
• Refresh your library and see if your music appears.
• if good, do the same for photos

**I'm not sure - you may have to copy the files if this doesn't work.
This should fix the permissions issue and you should then be able to see these files. You should also be able to right click on the folders and in the security tab, check the permissions for each folder. Try this and let me know.

Thanks for the detailed advice...

Here is what I have learned:

• Serviio will follow symbolic links on the file system
• Serviio will not track anything under D:\User\Eric\Google Drive, either directly, or indirectly via symbolic links
• The file permission under "D:\User\Eric\Google Drive" do not look any different than elsewhere.
• I have tried moving folders from elsewhere to under D:\User\Eric\Google Drive, but Serviio will not see them (or at least publish them)

At this point, I believe there is some interaction between Google Drive and Serviio that is preventing Serviio from dealing with the content there. It's just a normal file system, and I have even tried pausing Google Drive (to avoid locking problems), but nothing seems to work. At this point, I think it would be better for the Serviio developers to investigate further with Google Drive, Sky Drive, Drop Box, etc. to see what is going on. Is there a way to file a defect/issue with the development team?

The reason my d:Videos folder worked was because it is not on my Google Drive (too expensive to store videos there).

Cheers, Eric

[DenyAll]

See https://productforums.google.com/forum/ ... q5mGXUsbU0 and http://superuser.com/questions/485719/w ... ive-folder. This discusses the fact that the Google drive folder cannot be indexed by Windows search, but the principle is the same - it cannot be indexed by Serviio either for the same reason. It's not a Serviio issue, but a Google one (Google sets the folder up with insufficient rights to allow it to be indexed).

The Google Drive folder needs to add the SYSTEM user with FULL RIGHTS, so that both Windows and Serviio can access the folder. Note that if your Serviio service logs in as a different user (check the Serviio service in services.msc), you will also need to give that user full access rights as well. If for whatever reason this still does not work, try giving the folder full access to the "Everyone" user - this will give access to all local (non-networked users) including Serviio, as a test (if you are not happy giving Everyone access we can work around that, but test it first to ensure that it is an access rights issue). Make sure when assigning access rights you propagate the rights to all files and subfolders, and that your Force Refresh your library in Serviio Console.

OK, I seem to have Serviio working with the files system under my Google Drive control. I had to add full access for both Administrator and SYSTEM in order to get it working.

It would be nice Serviio could check that the access is correct when you configure your libraries, and offer some complaint/diagnostics/advice when there is a problem. I am a software developer, and generally I like write "paranoid code" that tries to assume there are going to be problems, and offers useful diagnostics and advice to the users when things are not configured right.

It took me a long time get things working the way I want. The serviio console kept freezing when I was trying to removed and add folders from my library. I had to keep using Task Manager to kill Serviio Console. I suspect Serviio might have been stalled processing my really HUGE music library, but when it stalls, there is nothing in the user interface to suggest that it is processing anything, it just looks totally dead.

Well, at least I learned that Serviio follows symbolic links properly, so this helps me organize my media better overall.

Thanks again for the tips on working around Google Drive, that really helped.

Cheers, Eric