Overview

How to setup Groups or Collections like Box Sets or Series and add custom group covers to your AMC catalog type.

Introduction

There are several ways to create groups in MyFilms: 

1. Use a 'hierarchy' separator in the Title field (this is the traditional AMC method)
2. Automatically create groups during import using either:
   • Search terms
   • Folder structure
3. Create Box Sets, Groups within MyFilms and add or remove movies from the Group 

Note: You must organize your films in hierarchical folders to use groups, see examples below.

Use a Hierarchy Group Separator

MyFilms uses the AMC method of grouping films, by using a hierarchy separator in the Title field. If you have already grouped your films in AMC, they will automatically display as groups in MyFilms.

You can continue to manually group films in AMC:
  Tip Use a unique character as your hierarchy separator, e.g. '\' backslash, that will not likely display in any film title.  Then you can use global search or create a view to display all your grouped films or movie collections. 

1. Name your film titles by group. For example:
   • Harry Potter**Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
   • Harry Potter**Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
   • and so on,
2. Select  a Group Hierarchy Separator in Setup on the General tab - e.g.'\' backslash (default) as in the example above_._

Auto-create Groups during Import

AMC Updater can automatically create Groups for you when you import films:

1. Open AMCU Updater via the Import button in MyFilms Setup or the desktop shortcut for your config
2. Select the Database Fields Tab
3. Under Title Handling, enable Folder Name as Group Identifier (default =enabled)
   
4. Add Group Name to - select the field you wish to use for your group name: Original Title, Translated Title, or both.

Note: If you wish to import groups based only the folder structure, remove the search term. 

Using Search Terms

Enter the 'search' terms you wish to use to identify your Groups and Series. Make sure the term is unique - e.g. the default values '(Group)' and '(Series)' with brackets. 

Example: 

1. Movies\Matrix\mediafile.avi
2. Movies\Star Trek (Group)\Star Trek 1\mediafile.avi
3. Movies\Star Trek (Group)\Star Trek 2\mediafile.avi
4. Collections\Star Trek (Group)\Star Trek 9\movie.avi

2, 3 and 4 will return "Star Trek" as group name.

Warning: If a search term is entered, only groups that have the search term in the folder name will be imported as groups. If you wish to import groups based on the folder structure, remove the search term.

Using Folder Structure

If you do not have, or wish to add, search terms to your group movies folders, make sure search term is blank. Then you can use a hierarchical folder structure and determine how movies are grouped using the Title Handling Options on the Import Movies tab:

1. File or File + Internet Lookup - group movies by the name of the folder containing the movie files
   e.g. 

   ...\Harry Potter\Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1 (2010).avi 

    or    

   ...\Harry Potter\Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows\Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1 (2010).avi 

2. Folder or  Folder + Internet Lookup - group movies by the parent folder
   e.g. 

   ...\Harry Potter\Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows\Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1 (2010).avi 

The resulting Groups/names are in red. The title handling method you choose depends on how you store your movies, and the number of levels of sub-folders in your hierarchy.

Note: Option 2 could also be used for TV-Series\Season\Episodes.

Group Covers

My Films will display a random cover image from the group as the group cover.

However, as of v 6.0.0 you can use custom cover images for your Groups:

1. Name the image exactly the same as the Group name (e.g. Harry Potter.jpg)
2. Save it in the same location as your catalog pictures/covers. 

A*s* of v 6.1.0 you can download collection/box set/group covers from TMDb using a new custom selection dialog, which allows you to select the collection cover you like the most. See Using My Films > Box Sets, GroupsBox Sets, Groups

Note: Your skin must support v 6.1.0 with the new 

MyFilmsDialogImageSelect.xml

skin file.

Group Fanart

If you enable Random Fanart (default=enabled) on the Artwork tab in MyFilms setup My Films will display random fanart from the movies in a group.

If you do not enable random fanart, you can add fanart images to the Fanart folder which MyFilms creates automatically when you create a Group, e.g.

• ...\MediaPortal\Thumbs\MyFilms\Fanart_Group\{harry.potter}

depending on the path you choose for fanart on the Artwork Tab in MyFilms Setup.

What's Next

See Box Sets, Groups to learn how to easily add movies to your Groups, as well as displaying groups.

Related

• Setup Guides