Currently thumbs are being stored as binary data inside the database. This task is to change the thumbs storage from database to file system.

Steps

• Use a DBMS that is able to deal well with blobs, or at least which has no limits to 4gb. Provide a proper DB provider.
• Extend the MP2 MediaLibrary to deal with external storage:
  • Add some parameter to "MediaItemAspectMetadata.CreateAttributeSpecification", like "storage=external" (https://github.com/MediaPortal/Medi...nt/DefaultItemAspects/ThumbnailLargeAspect.cs)
  • Extend the whole MediaItem management to unterstand external files:https://github.com/MediaPortal/Medi...ckend/Services/MediaLibrary/MIA_Management.cs and all other classes inside this and subfolder.
  • Store files by the MediaItem GUID + ASPECT_NAME in a matching folder structure that avoids to have too many files in one single folder
  • Make sure that DELETEs are handled correctly and external files are deleted as well (not only single deletes on MediaItem, but also when removing a whole share)

So any volunteer get's the task for free...

Review & test scenarios

After the rework is done, it is needed to do some performance tests to compare both ways of storing thumbs:

• loading 1000 MediaItems from Library inclusive thumbs (2x per item, small and large) (=working on 1 SQLCE .sdf file)
• loading 1000 MediaItems from Library the do 2x filesystem access to load thumbs (=working on 1 DB file + 2000 disk stored files)