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+--- Thread: Bulk Metadata Crazy Idea (/t-bulk-metadata-crazy-idea)
Bulk Metadata Crazy Idea - Exceptions - 2025-09-21
I came up with a workflow that seems to be okay, if a little weird.
Bulk editing is a desired feature, but it’s not anywhere near our grasp. I failed miserably at my first attempts to edit the db, and never went back. I instead decided to bulk edit the nfo files.
If your library is set to use nfo files, and you do whatever futzing is required to get them generated, you’re halfway there.
The nfo files are really only read when a movie or whatever is added to the db. Thus the job is to remove the movie from the database, edit the nfo, and stick it back in.
I move my movies into a folder that’s not in the library path, and typically make the library scan and update. I think I turn off the scrapers as well.
Once the movies are out of JF, I use a bulk text editor on the nfo files. I’m a Mac user, so TextSoap is my application of choice. TextSoap allows to you to make custom RegExp changes very easily.
I use these to hunt for tags, replace tags, lock updates, change actor info, and so on. I’m sure there are similar apps on every other platform.
For example. I drag all the Marvel movies out, and then use TextSoap to add <Marvel Cinematic Universe> into the nfo. I have tags for Star Trek, franchises, Made for TV movies, TV networks, genres, etc.
When I’m done, I drop the movies back into my library path and scan for updates. JF scrapes the nfo for the data, ignores the built-in scrapers, and we’re done.
So far it’s worked pretty well. Saves a ton of clicking.