Delete empty folder package ?

gjf60

Member
I seems to remember there is a Delete empty folder package Can someone tell me what its called as I cant find it ?
 
Are there problems with it ? where is the repository ? or mabe for newbies like me I should leave it alone ?
 
WebIF >> Package Management >> Available >> tidy-folders

If you can't see it, set WebIF >> Settings >> Advanced Settings >> Show development and advanced packages? = YES and try again.
 
I just installed it. Is there any setup required (seems not)? How often does it run? I have had to delete several empty folders recently (probably self inflicted by deleting the programmes therein and by cut/paste to a different folder).
 
No setup needed. It runs every 10 minutes - change the crontabs file if you want it any different.
It writes a log entry when it does something, which you can view on the Diagnostics page.
 
Thanks again prpr.:)

Did a test and it worked OK. I wasn't expecting any different result.:)
 
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Just beware of unanticipated consequences - like creating a folder ahead of a series recording so as to set properties such as no-flatten or mpg extraction, and then having it deleted by tidy-folders.
 
If you time it right, it's not a problem. Once the flag files are created by such actions, the folder will be protected from deletion.
 
Okay, I didn't realise the folder has to be totally empty, instead of just empty of media files. It is not uncommon that detritus is left behind from a deletion, so that will block the folder tidying and may not be obvious in the media listings.
 
What I did as a test was to set a series for Jeremy Kyle (just as a test). After it had recorded all of 2 of the three programmes yesterday, I stopped the third recording. Then using the WebIF, I deleted the entry in the schedule list, then deleted the 2 full recordings and the partial recording from within the JK folder. I then waited about an hour to check if it had worked, and it had deleted the JK series folder just as I was hoping it would do.
Although I don't fully understand BH's comments (what is mpg extraction? I thought it was the imperial version of litres per 100km:)), thanks for the warning, but I don't use flatten or whatever mpg extraction is so it shouldn't give me a problem?:D
 
Have you never explored the operations available on the WebIF media browser OPT+ button for folders and recordings? They are all explained in the wiki (I think).

The point is that the folder options available (okay - so you don't use flatten but somebody else might, mpg extraction converts .ts files to .mpg stripping out the non-video data, mp3 extraction creates an audio file... all automatically when a recording appears in the folder) are flagged by marker files in the folder, so if you want to set all that up prior to a series recording creating the folder in the first place you need to pre-create the folder yourself (using the options available in the WebIF schedule browser) and set up the options on it. Same applies to sweeper operations.

Obviously you don't want tidy-folders to delete your pre-created folder in the window of time between creating it and then populating it with the marker files. The most secure process would be to disable tidy-folders, pre-create the target folder, set up the auto-operations, re-enable tidy-folders.

I use target folders with the "[" prefix so that they are ignored by the auto-processes (by convention) unless explicitly set. In particular, this prevents flatten removing them (which is similar to tidy-folders in that it deletes empty folders - but it makes the folder empty by moving recordings to My Video). prpr - does tidy-folders disregard [ folders?
 
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Yes, but I haven't bumped into one that says delete the series folder when you delete the last recorded programme, which is what the STDIF does. But I suppose you are referring to mpg;). I'll have a look.
Eventually found it. Why would 'normal' users use that?

Ah Ha. Having come back from my wiki hunt, I have read your edit which explains everything that you were getting at (I think). Nice. Thanks.
 
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Also note that the flatview package provides an alternative to flatten and/or tidy-folders. Flatview sets up a virtual folder (prefixed by " " so it appears at the top of the folder list in the media browser) which lists all the recordings in My Video (except those contained in [-prefix folders) - which saves having to hunt through series folders to find the next watch.

Deleting a recording within the Flatview folder deletes it in its original location, and if the deletion empties the series folder the folder is deleted also.
 
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