watched status (1 Viewer)

[bwg]

I am using the multi-user states in the latest AMC 4 catalog type. Just wondering what happens if I manually tick the checked field from AMC. How is this reflected in the various clients that read that xml file?

 

[Guzzi]

I am using the multi-user states in the latest AMC 4 catalog type. Just wondering what happens if I manually tick the checked field from AMC. How is this reflected in the various clients that read that xml file?

Hi bwg, the checked field is a binary field, which is not capable and not usable (and thus not used) for multi user states (MUS) - so once you use MUS, changing the checked field should not change the view state. MyFilms iirc DOES update it on view status changes for backward compatibility, but once you use MUS, it won't update MUS from changes in checked field anymore (assuming the multi user state is the more correct one). But easiest is to just test and see if it is behaving like that...

 

[Dadeo]

Guzzi, I thought that changed in v 6.0.x and MyFilms will sync whichever field you select for Watched Status Handling on the Update Setup tab to the Multi User State field. However internally MyFilms only uses that MUS field to track (and display) multi-user data. The Setup Wizard selects the checked field for AMC4 catalog types as the default for watched status handling. And in my tests it does sync both ways to the MUS field. So as soon as I watch a film in MyFilms, it is checked in AMC catalog (and vice versa) Ofc you can select another field for watched status handling if you wish (such as Watched) and MyFilms will sync to that field, and then you can use Checked for other things if you want.

But if you have multiple users setup, the checked field is synced only for the current selected user in MyFilms. So if another user switches to their user profile and watches a movie without you, it will be checked in AMC, although MyFilms will only increment the plays for that user, not you and won't display it as watched unless to switch to the user profile of the user who watched it. Simple eh? It's easy to grasp when you realize AMC does not support multiple users, but MyFilms does.

Also, remember if you sync your catalog to Trakt, and have syncing enabled in Trakt, it will reset your watched status to whatever is set on Trakt (and sync to the current user profile if they have a separate Trakt username). That's handy as a backup if you ever lose your database and have to revert to a backup and had not exported your watched status recently.

EDIT: So what is important bwg is not if you use Multi-User States (since that is automatic for AMC4 catalogs now), but if you have multiple users setup and switch user profiles when you watch films. Also remember if you have a network setup and use a centralized database on your server or NAS the same points apply because all the user data is stored in one database.

 

[bwg]

Thanks for the info guys, I think I grasp it. So what I was looking for was a way to sit at my desktop and edit my watched films. I thought the quickest way to do this was in AMC. Would I be better doing it in Trakt? I don't currently use Trakt.
EDIT: I am running a central xml database, but separate configs per client. If I use the same "Active User Profile Name" in the MUS section in the Update tab in MyFilms config on multiple clients, will the watched status from one client be recognised in the others due to having the same user name in the MUS field?
EDIT2: Just answered my own question in the EDIT above It works.

 

[Dadeo]

I don't think using Trakt would be quicker - I only mentioned it because it is integrated with MyFilms multi-user features.

Based on my experience you should be able to sit at your desktop and edit your watched films. I know you said the sync to clients with the same user name worked, but can you confirm if manually editing your database in AMC also worked?

 

[Guzzi]

Guzzi, I thought that changed in v 6.0.x and MyFilms will sync whichever field you select for Watched Status Handling on the Update Setup tab to the Multi User State field. However internally MyFilms only uses that MUS field to track (and display) multi-user data. The Setup Wizard selects the checked field for AMC4 catalog types as the default for watched status handling. And in my tests it does sync both ways to the MUS field.

That is great, I couldn't remember that

So as soon as I watch a film in MyFilms, it is checked in AMC catalog (and vice versa) Ofc you can select another field for watched status handling if you wish (such as Watched) and MyFilms will sync to that field, and then you can use Checked for other things if you want.

I use "watched" field, maybe that is why I am unfamiliar what the checked field does. Good, you remember all those things!

 

[Dadeo]

Good, you remember all those things!

I had to check the Wiki - you think I memorized all that just because I wrote it? But it was a lucky accident because I was just updating/working on the Multi-User pages in wiki And ofc I know it works for me since I use Checked field.