Clarification - moving recording to import directory

[Archerkit]

Hi all,

My Sage recordings are on a variety of drives. A mix of a few internal and external drives. I'm getting a new WHS soon, and I'd like to "archive" a certain set of recordings to the WHS. (115 episodes of the Wonder Years, if you're curious!)

According to the FAQ, one of the steps is: "Move the recorded file to another recording directory or video import directory."

Basically I don't want to record to the WHS, but I'd like to free up space on the Sage box. By moving all of these recordings to a new "import" directory on the WHS, I'm assuming I can still watch them as if they were local, yet not record to that new directory, since it will be an import dir.

Also, since the recordings could be spread across six drives, and therefore the copy could take a long time - I'd like to do it in stages. Does this sound like a reasonable (modified from the FAQ) plan?

1. Define new, empty import dir that resides on WHS.
2. Exit SageTV
3. Backup wiz.bin
4. xcopy all of the Wonder*.* recordings from \\sageserver\d$ to the WHS
5. Delete all of the Wonder*.* recordings from \\sageserver\d$
6. Launch SageTV and hope it finds everything (and do advanced recovery if not)
7. Repeat steps 2-6 for the remaining drives

I might be able to do it in one sweep, but it depends if I need Sage to do some real work (recording or watching!) before the entire copy is done.

Thanks!

Doug

[evilpenguin]

Yep, that'll do it. If you don't want to take Sage down for the entire process you could do this too...

0) Wiz.bin backup!
1) Make a temp folder next to each of your recording folders that Sage doesn't monitor (i.e. Not a Recording or Import folder)
2) Move, *not copy*, the recordings from each recording folder to the temp folder *on the same drive*, should be instantaneous.
3) Make your destination folders on the WHS, but don't set them as import folders yet.
4) Copy the recordings to the destination folders.
5) Set them as import folders in Sage.
6) Wait 30-60 minutes and Sage should will have automatically reclaimed them as Sage Recordings.

[Archerkit]

No luck so far. I created the new import directory, with nothing in it. Exited Sage, backed up everything. I then moved all the recordings into the new import directory.

Waited a while, and the recordings were showing up in Media/Videos, but not in Sage Recordings.

I exited again, tried the old wiz.bin and added the advanced recovery option. Still no luck. Everything remains in Media/Videos. Is there any way to make them appear in Sage Recordings?

Thanks!

[Archerkit]

A bit more detail. Here's an example of what Sage is saying when finding the new file location, after trying the old wiz.bin again:

i 12/4 6:58:03.367 File Format Parsed-2 \\orthanc\sagearchives\TheWonderYears-Buster-5414304-0.mpg=MPEG2-PS 0:29:52 0 kbps [#0 Video[MPEG2-Video 29.97003 fps 720x480 4:3 interlaced]#1 Audio[MP2 48000 Hz 2 channels 384 kbps MAIN idx=1 id=c0]]
Fri 12/4 6:58:03.618 Added:MediaFile[id=1938210 A[1938213,1938211,"TheWonderYears-Buster-5414304-0",0@0515.22:00,29] host=sage encodedBy= format=MPEG2-PS 0:29:52 0 kbps [#0 Video[MPEG2-Video 29.97003 fps 720x480 4:3 interlaced]#1 Audio[MP2 48000 Hz 2 channels 384 kbps MAIN idx=1 id=c0]] \\orthanc\sagearchives\TheWonderYears-Buster-5414304-0.mpg, Seg0[Tue 5/15 22:00:08.249-Tue 5/15 22:30:00.449]]
Fri 12/4 6:58:03.619 New Library File MediaFile[id=1938210 A[1938213,1938211,"TheWonderYears-Buster-5414304-0",0@0515.22:00,29] host=sage encodedBy= format=MPEG2-PS 0:29:52 0 kbps [#0 Video[MPEG2-Video 29.97003 fps 720x480 4:3 interlaced]#1 Audio[MP2 48000 Hz 2 channels 384 kbps MAIN idx=1 id=c0]] \\orthanc\sagearchives\TheWonderYears-Buster-5414304-0.mpg, Seg0[Tue 5/15 22:00:08.249-Tue 5/15 22:30:00.449]]
F

I should re-ask my first question: is it possible for recordings that exist in an Import directory to show up in Sage Recordings?

Thanks!

[GKusnick]

Originally Posted by Archerkit

I should re-ask my first question: is it possible for recordings that exist in an Import directory to show up in Sage Recordings?

Yes.

Do you run Sage as a service? If so, did you stop the service before moving recordings, or just close the UI? If the service was running during the move, it's possible it got confused and thought recordings were being permanently deleted.

As an experiment, try moving one of the recordings back to your original recording directory (with Sage fully shut down of course) to see if that makes a difference. If it still appears as an import, then the database entry has been lost and to get it back you'll have to revert to a backup of Wiz.bin from before the move.

[Archerkit]

Hi,

Sage isn't running as a service, only the gui. I exited Sage and moved one of the files back to its original drive. Launched Sage, still with the post-move wiz.bin - the episode did not return to the Sage Recordings screen.

I exited Sage again, went back to the old wiz.bin, and sure enough, that one episode shows up in Sage Recordings, included its watched status. The rest remain under Media/Videos.

Does it matter that the new import directory is a UNC path? I verfied access (the imported videos play without a problem)

[Archerkit]

I'm wondering if I'm out of luck. I tried changing to a drive letter, no go. No matter what the episodes always end up as Imported video, rather than Sage recordings. Most unfortunate. Any other advice?

[-zip-]

Looking for a solution to this as well. Why cant we see the files? Import does not give the same flexibility as the recorded directory.

[davenlr]

Not to hijack, but I am trying just the opposite, and getting the opposite results you are.

I have one single Sage Recording Directory. I have Several import directories, catagorized.
If I record a movie, and shut down sage, and move it to any other drive, it will not show up in that drives folders list of files on Sage, but remains in the Sage Tv Recordings list. I want it to show up in the Import Directory list. I could rename it and lose all the data associated with it to accomplish this, but want to keep the data.

There has to be a simpe way to move a file from the Sage Tv Recordings list to one of the Media Centers lists without losing the information. Seems simple, but I cant get it to work.

[nick_l]

The method you are describing is supposed to work, and does for many (most?) people, but I have never been able to make it work. Ive never been able to figure out why. Now I just use the web interface to re-import the file data so it shows up in recordings again.

[Hornet]

It's really funny, that as big a fan of Sage that I am, I don't see why this has to be so difficult. I have been using Sage for a couple of years, and things just seem to happen that I don't understand. Try as I do, with the help of all the folks here, I just seem to get deeper and deeper in the abyss. I readily admit that I am not an IT professional, and struggle to understand a lot of the advice that I get. We have been moving files around on computers since I got my first one in the early 80's, so it should be well documented on how to do this. Using "Refresh Import Directories" should do all the things mentioned above but I can never see any results. Before everyone jumps on my case, I am more making a statement than a complaint. I have excepted the fact I can't watch DVD's and move files around freely, but it does a good job of what I bought it for, and that's to watch and record HDTV.

[nick_l]

Originally Posted by Hornet

It's really funny, that as big a fan of Sage that I am, I don't see why this has to be so difficult. I have been using Sage for a couple of years, and things just seem to happen that I don't understand. Try as I do, with the help of all the folks here, I just seem to get deeper and deeper in the abyss. I readily admit that I am not an IT professional, and struggle to understand a lot of the advice that I get. We have been moving files around on computers since I got my first one in the early 80's, so it should be well documented on how to do this. Using "Refresh Import Directories" should do all the things mentioned above but I can never see any results. Before everyone jumps on my case, I am more making a statement than a complaint. I have excepted the fact I can't watch DVD's and move files around freely, but it does a good job of what I bought it for, and that's to watch and record HDTV.

Just to clarify for you: The issue isnt moving files itself. You are right, that is a basic function that can be done easily in many ways. The "issues" arise because all the information associated with that file (ie. Airing date, actors, description, channel, etc.) is not actually part of the file itself. It is stored in a totally separate file, a datebase, called the wiz.bin. The problems come in when a file is moved without Sage knowing about it. Sage will do a refresh at some point, it will see that the file isnt where it is supposed to be, and try to find the file in other locations that it knows about. If it finds the file it will update the wiz.bin with the new location and everyting is rosy. Unfortunately this doesnt always work perfectly, thus orphaned files with no info.

[davenlr]

Or in my case, the file stays listed in the recording directory on C:, while the file is in the "HD MOVIES" directory on E:. If I pull up the file information, it SHOWS that the file is on E:/HD MOVIES/... However, it DOESNT show up in the media list for HD MOVIES import directory, it stays in the Recording list.

Im gonna try that deal where you shut down sage, and change something in the properties file and see if that works.

The funny thing is, it used to work ok under XP, but doesnt with Win7, even though I have UAC disabled, and it should, for all practical purposes, not be any different. Something is different though, and since Sage 6.x doesnt support win7, I just have to read and mess around with it I guess.

[nick_l]

In your case, it's doing what it is expected to do, reunite a file with its info. As long as Sage knows what that file is, it will show up in your recordings, not import, directory. If you change the name of the file, it will no longer be in your recordings directory, but you will also loose all the associated info.

At least that's how I understand it, someone please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.
Nick

[Patrick25]

I wonder if they'll ever include a feature to move recordings from one drive to another within the application UI? There seems to be so many questions regarding this I think it would make sense to support this feature. WHile they're at it, I would love it if you could specify which folder to store a recording by tuner and/or favorite.