Overview

Using Personal Video Database (PVD) version 0.9.9.21 with My Films - setup, field mapping, and special considerations.

Details

Personal Video Database (PVD) is a free program to catalog even very large movie collections quickly and easily. It has a well thought out user interface, is very easy to use, and works!

Setup 

PVD

When you export your database to XML (Movies), save the file (any filename you choose) in the same folder as your database, such as:

...\My Documents\Personal Video Database\Movies

. 

Then My Films Setup Wizard can automatically preset the paths for your artwork - cover images, person (actor, etc) images, and fanart.

MyFilms

Use the Setup Wizard :

• Catalog type - Personal Video Database
• Catalog XML - select the XML file you exported from PVD (see above)

The wizard presets most settings for you, however you should verify them, especially the paths set for displaying images in Artwork Setup. 

Supported Features

Most My Films features are supported for PVD catalogs, including:

• actor and other 'credits' or persons photos
• fanart (single image per film only since PVD does not store multiple images in a separate folder for each film), fanart is usually stored in the PVD \Screenshots folder
• Watched status will be displayed but updates can only be done in PVD

Note: PVD does not appear to have a standard method for storing local trailer filenames. Thus local trailers are not currently supported in My Films for PVD catalogs.

Field Mapping

Fields are listed by the field name in the XML, sorted by the My Films/AMC XML. Items in red are not currently exported or mapped by default and thus not displayed in My Films (unless you create a custom export template) . 

Extended Fields

In addition to the internal supported fields, My Films supports extended fields for:

• Writer - preset as a Custom Display Item when you use the Setup Wizard and can be used to create a custom view 
• Certification (MPAA) - can be displayed as a Custom Display Item or mapped to either the Description or Comments field on the External Catalogs Setup tab
• Tagline - can be displayed as a Custom Display Item or mapped to either the Description or Comments field on the External Catalogs Setup tab
• Tags - can be displayed as a Custom Display Item, and/or used to create a custom view similar to Categories (Genres)

For further details how to display these fields see Customizing Display; and Custom Views.to learn how to create a view based on these fields.

My Films also generates several fields when you open the plugin in MediaPortal:

• IndexedTitle
• DateAdded
• RecentlyAdded
• AgeAdded
• Persons

These fields are supported for any catalog and can be used within My Films to create views, or as custom display items. However, the data is not saved when you exit My Films, and cannot be viewed/used in your movie catalog app,

PVD fields not supported by My Films

The following fields exist in PVD, and are exported to the XML file, but are not mapped or displayed in My Films:

• Studio - could be mapped if requested
• Release
• Music (Composer)
• imdbrating
• orating
• rip (Quality)
• Translation
• Features
• Viewdate
• Wish
• Bookmark

Note: Other fields exist in PVD, but are not exported to XML.

Related

• Supported Catalogs