Bug 16374 - "Music folder" for large library shows up as "Empty" other library views are ok
: "Music folder" for large library shows up as "Empty" other library views are ok
Status: RESOLVED FIXED
Product: Logitech Media Server
Classification: Unclassified
Component: Display
: 7.5.x
: PC Windows XP
: -- major (vote)
: 7.8.0
Assigned To: Michael Herger
:
Depends on:
Blocks: 17878
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Reported: 2010-07-21 05:58 UTC by Richard
Modified: 2013-08-19 13:49 UTC (History)
2 users (show)

See Also:
Category: ---


Attachments
Music folder folder structure file counts (31.96 KB, image/png)
2010-07-22 03:12 UTC, Richard
Details
Scanner log for a single remove all and rescan. (2.24 KB, application/octet-stream)
2012-03-16 06:10 UTC, Richard
Details
Server log showing a single startup (435 bytes, application/octet-stream)
2012-03-16 06:11 UTC, Richard
Details

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Description Richard 2010-07-21 05:58:50 UTC
Sometimes the "Music Folder" is empty.  All the other music views are OK (Album, artist etc). The issue seems to be related to music library size.  My current size is around 4000 songs.  If I remove half the library (leaving around 2000 tacks), rescan (Clear library and rescan everything) and restart squeezebox server "Music folder" view works.  If re put back the full library the problem reoccurs.  (More detail: 3300 tracks is ok.  4000 tracks NOT ok).
I've had this issue on 7.4.1 throught to 7.5.1.
On some versions (eg 7.4.3) the problem occurs at computer reboot (squeezebox server starts automatically with user login) - but can be fixed by stopping and restarting squeezebox server.
On other versions (eg 7.5.1) the problem ALWAYS occurs - the retart work around does't work.
Recently though this workaround (start/stop) stopped working on 7.4.3 - probably due to the music library growing in size.

Im not the only one to report this issue:
http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=80127

I have marked this as severity major because a lot of my collection does not have uptodate mp3 tag info - so 99.99 percent of the time I access my music via "Music Folder" - if that is empty it renders the whole system un-useable
Comment 1 Richard 2010-07-21 06:13:24 UTC
I suspect this is some kind of timing issue.
At boot the machine is busy - the disk is working - "Music Folders" is empty.
A stop/start server when the drive is less busy corrects "Music Folders" and content shows.
ajwaldo in this thread
http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=80127
solved his problem by moving to a newer (faster) drive.
Its looks like that if the reading of Music foler takes too long it will time out and show empty.
Comment 2 Michael Herger 2010-07-21 14:55:46 UTC
How many items are in that folder? We've seen timeouts in cases where hundreds or thousands of files and folders where in the same folder.
Comment 3 Richard 2010-07-21 15:12:29 UTC
As I mentioned above it is definitely related to the number of files in the root music folder.  I played about with this today at it looks like with v7.4.3 3500 tracks in that folder is ok but increase that to 4000 and it is timing out and shows empty.
My work around for the moment is to move out the Beatles discography...that puts me at about 3400 and at least I can browse by music folder - but its not an ideal solution.
I really appreciate a fix if timeouts are the issue.
Comment 4 Jim McAtee 2010-07-21 16:24:54 UTC
Do you have all of your tracks located in the root folder?  The obvious suggestion is to begin organizing things into subfolders.  Most people use two levels below the root folder:

/artist/album/tracks

but even

/artist/tracks

or 

/album/tracks

may solve the problem.  A good audio tagging program such as Mp3tag will let you reorganize your files into subfolders automatically.
Comment 5 Richard 2010-07-21 16:27:04 UTC
Yes they are organised in /artist/album/tracks subfolders - the issue seems to be the total number of tracks in that hierachy.
Comment 6 Michael Herger 2010-07-22 02:57:27 UTC
> As I mentioned above it is definitely related to the number of files in the
> root music folder.

I'm now a bit confused, as in reply to Jim you said that your files where organized in sub-folders. How many files and folders do you have in the root music folder? Root only, no sub-folder's content.

4000 definitely shouldn't be a problem if they're well organized in sub-folders. Many of us have tens of thousands of tracks. But 4000 in one folder would be a problem.
Comment 7 Richard 2010-07-22 03:12:13 UTC
Created attachment 6915 [details]
Music folder folder structure file counts

I dont think there is anything unusual about my collection.
Nothing in the root folder - only sub folders.
Maxium files in a single sub folder is < 200.
Total files 3000 - 4000.
Comment 8 Richard 2010-07-23 06:22:00 UTC
Update:
Since the stop/start work around stopped working on v7.4.3 I played with removing some tracks (Beatles discography) which bought total tracks down to 3400. This got music folders working reliably on v7.4.3.
So I today tried upgrading to v7.5.1 - with this version at 3400 tracks there is no way to get "Musica folder" working - tried restarting, tryed full rescan - its always empty.  If this is a timeout issue has that timeout threshold been changed in v7.5?
This issue is proving very frustation - I would really appreciate someone looking into it.
Comment 9 Richard 2010-07-23 07:19:23 UTC
(In reply to comment #3)
> As I mentioned above it is definitely related to the number of files in the
> root music folder. 

Sorry - yes - this statement is unclear it should read:
It is denfinitely related to the total number of files (orgnised in /artist/album/tracks subfolders) contained in the music folder.
Comment 10 Richard 2011-12-12 13:47:20 UTC
This bug was reported over a year ago - and the problem STILL exists (and has existed though every upgrade since I reported it).  Plenty of people have reported the same issue - some examples:
http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=80127&page=2
http://forums.logitech.com/t5/MySqueezebox-com-Squeezebox/Music-folder-shows-empty/td-p/598662
Please take this bug seriously - it is very frustrating.
It appears to be timing related and NOT permissions related as very occassionally things do show up in Music folder.
Please can we have some action on this before Im forced to chuck this squeezeshit and get Sonos... I would just like something THAT WORKS.
Comment 11 Richard 2012-02-03 01:43:16 UTC
Hello - still an issue for me and a load of other people - try a google search for "Squeezebox Music folder empty".  This is a real issue and has been for YEARS yet I don't even get the slightest sign of life out of this bug?  Can someone pick this up?
Comment 12 Jim McAtee 2012-02-04 01:11:51 UTC
You say you now think it's a timing (timeout?) problem? That may make more sense, as Browse Music Folder works for many people with far larger libraries.

What does your server setup look like? What hardware, what operating system, and where are the music library files located?
Comment 13 Michael Herger 2012-02-06 01:03:54 UTC
*** Bug 17878 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Comment 14 Michael Herger 2012-02-06 01:05:53 UTC
What kind of computer is running your server software?
Comment 15 Richard 2012-02-06 02:12:24 UTC

(In reply to comment #12)
> You say you now think it's a timing (timeout?) problem? That may make more
> sense, as Browse Music Folder works for many people with far larger libraries.
> 
> What does your server setup look like? What hardware, what operating system,
> and where are the music library files located?

When I initially reported this bug in 2010 the machine was a Intel P4 WindowsXP box.
 
My current setup is:
Hardware: Desktop Intel core i5 750 (quad) @ 2.67 GHz (stock clock).
Drive: 3 x Samsung Spinpoint F2 EcoGreen 1.5Tb, 32Mb SATA II as single 3Tb RAID5 volume on a HighPoint RocketRAID 2300 card.
OS: Windows 7 Ultimate x64.
Logitech Media Server: Cur version is v7.7.1.  I upgrade regularly (in the hope this bug is fixed) but I have had this bug since 7.4.1.

The music files are (and have always been) in Users\Public\Public Music.
Comment 16 Richard 2012-02-06 02:13:44 UTC
(In reply to comment #14)
> What kind of computer is running your server software?

See my reply to Jim McAtee comment 12.
Comment 17 Richard 2012-03-16 05:18:29 UTC
Well I see this bug is still "unconfirmed" and unassigned and again after a few questions (the answers for which were already in the info provided) it seems to be ignored.
Can I just emphasise how frustration for me this bug is.  If I happen to add music that doesn't have meta data its an annoying and time consuming process to get these tracks playable - before I could always play everything via Music folder.
Please please pleae can there at least be some sign of this bug being taken seriously?  Eg change of status (just search internet for "Squeeze Music folder empty" and you'll find a whole lot of confirmation for this bug) and/or someone actually assigned to it?
I consider this basic functionality.  If basic functionality is not working for all users 2 years after an issue is reported then there is a problem somewhere.
I used to recommend the Squeezebox plateform to people - now I just point them here...Sorry to sound negative but the complete lack of action on this issue is getting me down.
Comment 18 Michael Herger 2012-03-16 05:54:25 UTC
> I consider this basic functionality.  If basic functionality is not working for
> all users 2 years after an issue is reported then there is a problem somewhere.

Correct. But this case obviously isn't an issue for _all_ users.

Do you see any error messages in your log files?
Comment 19 Richard 2012-03-16 06:10:26 UTC
Created attachment 7651 [details]
Scanner log for a single remove all and rescan.

2 Warnings - not sure if significant:
Warning: DBIx::Class::ResultSet::update_or_create(): Query returned more than one row
Warning: Trying to commit transactions before DB is initialized!
Comment 20 Richard 2012-03-16 06:11:31 UTC
Created attachment 7652 [details]
Server log showing a single startup
Comment 21 Richard 2012-03-16 06:23:02 UTC
(In reply to comment #18)
> Correct. But this case obviously isn't an issue for _all_ users.
I understand that not all users are affected by this issue - but for those users who it is a problem (and Im not alone) it can be a real hasle.  I stand by my belief that basic functionally should work for ALL users.
Ive uploaded some log files - not sure if the warnings in those are significant or not.
If its any help Im a developer myself and understand that reproduction of issue like this can be difficult - if you want me to run a version with additional logging/trace around the music folder load Id be happy to do that.
Comment 22 Michael Herger 2012-03-16 06:25:04 UTC
Does the server.log file include an attempt to browse the music folder? What UI are you using?
Comment 23 Richard 2012-03-16 06:30:33 UTC
(In reply to comment #22)
> Does the server.log file include an attempt to browse the music folder?
No it didnt but browsing to Music folder -> empty didn't change the log files (ie no new entries as result of that).

> What UI are you using?
The standard default web UI.
Comment 24 Michael Herger 2013-08-16 05:22:31 UTC
I added some tweaks to the BMF mode in 7.8. Please give it a try. Thanks!
Comment 25 Richard 2013-08-17 12:18:58 UTC
Hi Michael,
Ok I tried just tried v7.8.0 nightly from 17.08.2013 (1376629550) and the good news is.... it appears to work fine for "Music folder".  I did a clear and rescan after install and everything was ok, I also tested a server stop, restart and again everything OK.  
With the abandoment of SqueezeBox by logitec I had abandonded all hope of this bug being fix - but apparantly we should never give up hope!  Thank you for your effort on this.