How to do Video File Grouping ?

[phossler]

Just got new iPad for Christmas, installed VLC, and used iTunes to add video file from PC

A long time ago, when I set my grandkids iPad up I took file names like

s01e03 - Some Episode Title.mp4 and used MP3Tag to merge Title, Artist, and Album metadata and rename the file as ARTIST.s01e03.Some.Episode.Title.mp4

Season, TV Show, other metadata was all correct

This format was recommended in a VLC wiki that I found, but can't locate any more

Edit -- Found it https://wiki.videolan.org/Documentation:IOS/

Smart handling of music albums and TV shows
VLC for iOS 2.1 added smart handling of music albums and TV shows. Based upon meta tags and pattern matched file names, VLC for iOS will automatically detect TV shows and music albums. Switching the library mode in the sidebar menu will reveal dynamic collections for either category. "All Files" switches back to the default mode listing all files available on your iOS device within the VLC context.

How are TV shows detected by VLC for iOS?—at present, based upon the file name. The following schemes are supported in current releases: "Show.Name.S01E01.Optional.Episode.Name" or "Show.Name.0x00.Optional.Episode.Name". Show Name will become optional in version 2.2.1. Detection for more schemes will be part of future releases.

I swear I used to get a library organized on the iPad in a more logical order in the media library:

Artist 1
Season 1
Season 2
Season 3
Artist 2
Season 1
Season 2
Season 3

Now when I load 3 seasons of a show, I get all the episodes for all the seasons in one massive 'folder' that makes it impossible to find anything

I did find a post that said only the first 6 filename characters are used for grouping, but that is so illogical I couldn't believe it until I tested it. This would me that I need to rename every file and lose all identifying information

IS there ANY way to structure a file name or metadata to organize the media library better???

[Dogo]

Hello,

Here is what I found regarding the media grouping:

A match of at least 6 characters is required for 2 medias to be grouped together.

I do not believe that there is another way of structuring the file name in order to obtain a different way of how the media library is organized.

However, by following the format that you found on the wiki: "Show.Name.S01E01.Optional.Episode.Name", all the medias in the folder should be renamed without the dots, and can be sorted by different criterias.
When sorted alphanumerically, they should logically follow the order depending on the season and episode number, and this may help you organize your library.

[phossler]

Thanks, zI thought I'd try a work around and let the first 11 char define the group using a sample of media files

I hoped to get 3 groups, one per season, but they still all ended up in a massive group called 'DuckTales"

DuckTales01.e01.Woo-oo.mp4
DuckTales01.e02.Daytrip.of.Doom.mp4
DuckTales01.e03.The.Great.Dime.Chase.mp4
DuckTales01.e04.The.Beagle.Birthday.Massacre.mp4
DuckTales01.e05.Terror.of.the.Terra-Firmians.mp4
DuckTales02.e01.The.Most.Dangerous.Game....Night.mp4
DuckTales02.e02.The.Depths.of.Cousin.Fethry.mp4
DuckTales02.e03.The.Ballad.of.Duke.Baloney.mp4
DuckTales02.e04.The.Town.Where.Everyone.Was.Nice.mp4
DuckTales02.e05.Storkules.in.Duckburg.mp4
DuckTales03.e01.Challenge.of.the.Senior.Junior.Woodchucks.mp4
DuckTales03.e02.Quack.Pack.mp4
DuckTales03.e03.Double-O-Duck.in.You.Only.Crash.Twice.mp4
DuckTales03.e04.The.Lost.Harp.of.Mervana.mp4
DuckTales03.e05.Louie's.Eleven.mp4