Automate Your Movie Library with ALmoviesRenamerMaintaining a clean, consistent movie library becomes more important as your collection grows. ALmoviesRenamer is a tool designed to automate renaming, organizing, and enriching movie files so your media center (Plex, Kodi, Jellyfin, etc.) can correctly identify and display them. This article explains what ALmoviesRenamer does, how to install and configure it, best practices for automated workflows, and troubleshooting tips.
What ALmoviesRenamer Does
ALmoviesRenamer automates common tasks for movie files:
- Batch renaming to a consistent filename pattern.
- Fetching metadata (title, year, resolution, codec) to embed or use in filenames.
- Organizing files into folders by title, year, or collection.
- Handling multi-disc sets and extras by recognizing disc indicators and special folders.
- Dry-run previews so you can review changes before applying them.
Why Automate Your Movie Library
Manual renaming and organizing are time-consuming and error-prone. Automation provides:
- Consistency across filenames and folders.
- Better scraping by media servers, which improves posters, descriptions, and match accuracy.
- Time savings for large libraries or frequent acquisitions.
- Reduced duplicates and mismatches through standardized rules.
Installation and Setup
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System requirements:
- Windows ⁄11, macOS 10.14+, or a Linux distribution (Ubuntu/Debian recommended).
- .NET runtime or Python (depending on ALmoviesRenamer build) — check the release notes.
- Optional: Media server (Plex, Kodi, Jellyfin) for post-organization scanning.
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Download and install:
- Obtain the latest release package from the official project page or repository.
- For GUI builds, run the installer or unzip and launch the executable.
- For CLI builds, place the binary/script in a folder on your PATH.
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Initial configuration:
- Point ALmoviesRenamer at your movies folder.
- Choose a filename template (examples: “Title (Year).ext”, “Title [Year] – Resolution.ext”).
- Enable metadata sources (IMDb, TMDb, OMDb, local nfo files) and supply API keys if required.
- Set language and region preferences for metadata.
Recommended Filename and Folder Structures
Consistent patterns improve recognition by media servers. Examples:
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Filename templates:
- Title (Year).ext → The Matrix (1999).mkv
- Title (Year) [Resolution][Codec].ext → The Matrix (1999) [1080p][HEVC].mkv
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Folder structures:
- /Movies/Title (Year)/Title (Year).ext
- /Movies/Genre/Title (Year)/
Choose a structure that fits your needs — single-file folders are preferred by many apps for clean presentation and local artwork.
Automating Rules and Filters
Set rules to handle common scenarios:
- Rename only if metadata confidence ≥ 90%.
- Skip files smaller than 300 MB (likely extras or clips).
- Split multi-disc rips into subfolders like Disc 1, Disc 2.
- Move language-specific versions into subfolders (e.g., /Movies/Title (Year)/Spanish/).
Combine rules with scheduled runs or folder watchers to process new downloads automatically.
Integrating with Downloaders and Media Servers
For a fully automated pipeline:
- Configure your downloader (qBittorrent, NZBGet, SABnzbd) to place completed downloads into an “Incoming” folder.
- Set ALmoviesRenamer to watch that folder and process new items automatically (rename, move to /Movies/, create NFOs).
- After moving files, have ALmoviesRenamer trigger a library scan on your media server via its API (Plex, Jellyfin) so new movies appear instantly.
Example flow:
- Download completes → Incoming folder.
- ALmoviesRenamer watches Incoming → renames and moves to /Movies/.
- ALmoviesRenamer calls media server API → library update.
Metadata and Artwork Handling
ALmoviesRenamer can fetch and embed metadata or create sidecar files:
- Create NFO files for Kodi or Jellyfin to store detailed metadata.
- Download posters, backdrops, and fanart into the movie folder.
- Embed subtitles or download matching subtitle files automatically (OpenSubtitles integration).
Keep API keys safe and respect rate limits for services like TMDb.
Handling Edge Cases
- Ambiguous titles: use year and file heuristics (existing NFO, folder names) to select the correct match.
- Director’s cuts and extended editions: include edition tags in the filename (e.g., “Director’s Cut”, “Extended”).
- Foreign titles and alternate names: configure preferred title source or language fallbacks.
Use the dry-run mode to validate handling before committing changes.
Best Practices
- Run a full dry-run the first time and inspect an export report.
- Keep backups until you’re confident the rules are correct.
- Use single-movie folders for better artwork and metadata placement.
- Keep a local NFO repository for hard-to-match movies.
- Use versioned configuration files so you can roll back rule changes.
Troubleshooting Common Problems
- Incorrect matches: increase metadata confidence threshold, add year matching, or use manual match overrides.
- Missing artwork: check API keys and rate limits; enable fallback sources.
- Permissions errors: ensure ALmoviesRenamer runs with sufficient filesystem permissions or adjust folder ownership.
- Disk space: verify destination has enough free space before moving large rips.
Example: Sample Configuration (Quick Reference)
- Filename template: Title (Year) [Resolution][Codec]
- Min file size to process: 300 MB
- Metadata sources: TMDb (primary), IMDb (fallback)
- Post-process actions: move to /Movies/, create NFO, trigger Plex library scan
Automating your movie library with ALmoviesRenamer reduces manual work, improves media server accuracy, and keeps your collection tidy. Start with conservative rules, validate with dry-runs, and gradually expand automation into your download and library pipeline.
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