Configuration

Libraries and filesystem access

Configure Finetic movie and TV libraries, browse mounted folders safely and understand missing, degraded and healthy library states.

15 min readUpdated 18 Jul 2026Publicly verified

Finetic movie library showing navigation, filters and media cards — The working Finetic library interface. Public captures use a privacy-reviewed demonstration catalogue.

Purpose of the Libraries page#

Admin → Libraries answers four questions: what Finetic is configured to scan, whether the underlying storage is reachable, what the catalogue currently believes, and what action is safe next.

It is not merely a list of folder names. A useful library row combines configured roots, catalogue totals, scan state, warnings and the reason for any degraded status.

Library health states#

State	Meaning	Typical action
Healthy	Roots are reachable and the latest scan completed without a blocking issue	None
Scanning	Discovery or analysis is active	Open activity details; avoid duplicate scans
Degraded	At least one root, job class or integrity check needs attention	Open the explanation before rescanning
Unavailable	A configured root cannot currently be read	Restore the mount or permission
Empty	The root is reachable but contains no recognised media	Verify folder choice and naming

Degraded is never intended as a decorative amber badge. The details panel should state the affected root or subsystem and offer a relevant action.

Filesystem browser#

The browser represents the server filesystem, not the computer running your browser. Breadcrumbs show the current folder, mounts identify storage boundaries, and selection state shows exactly what will be added.

Permission denied means the Finetic service cannot inspect that location. Fix host permissions rather than running the whole application as root.

Recommended movie structure#

One folder per movie makes local metadata and artwork ownership clear:

Example

Movies/
  Arrival (2016)/
    Arrival (2016).mkv
    movie.nfo
    poster.jpg
    fanart.jpg

Recommended television structure#

Example

TV Shows/
  American Dad! (2005)/
    tvshow.nfo
    Season 01/
      American Dad! - S01E01 - Pilot.mkv
      American Dad! - S01E01 - Pilot.nfo

Season and episode identity is derived from multiple signals. The structure helps, but Finetic must not assume every season shares the same title or artwork merely because local NFO data is incomplete.

Scan choices#

Use an incremental scan for ordinary additions and corrections. Use a full integrity scan when roots, identities or a large number of files changed. Metadata refresh should not unnecessarily re-probe unchanged video streams.

Repeatedly starting scans does not make one finish faster. It increases queue pressure and can delay playback-sensitive work.

Missing media and renamed files#

Finetic uses stable identity evidence so a trusted rename or move can retain progress and metadata. When a mount disappears, items should be shown as unavailable rather than immediately removed. Resolve the mount first, then run reconciliation.

Adding more than one root#

A library may include multiple roots, such as local storage and a NAS. Each root should have an independent health result. Avoid overlapping roots because the same file may be discovered twice through different paths.