Identify naming rules

This is the reference behind Identify.

TV showsCopy Anchor Link

Show Name/
  Season 01/
    Show Name - S01E01 - Episode Title.mkv
    Show Name - S01E02 - Episode Title.mkv
  Unmatched/
    anything you left unassigned.mkv

• The show folder and the show name in file names come from TMDB (or the name you typed in Custom mode).
• Season folders are Season 01, Season 02 and so on, with a two-digit number. Episode codes are S01E01.
• File extensions are kept, converted to lowercase.
• Files with no episode are moved into Unmatched inside the show folder with their original name.

MoviesCopy Anchor Link

Movie Title (2010)/
  Movie Title (2010).mkv

The year is added when TMDB gives one.

Characters that are removedCopy Anchor Link

Anything a file system might refuse is dropped from names: < > : " / \ | ? * and control characters. Leading and trailing dots and spaces are trimmed too.

SubtitlesCopy Anchor Link

A subtitle file next to a video is renamed to match it. The part of its name after the video's name is kept, so Show.S01E01.en.srt becomes Show Name - S01E01 - Episode Title.en.srt.

Folder rename and moveCopy Anchor Link

The source folder itself is renamed to the show or movie name. With Move to, it is moved to the chosen location instead, using a move that works across different drives. Parallax will not overwrite a folder that already exists at the destination. Files are renamed first, then the folder, and any library that points at the folder or files inside it is updated to the new paths.

How files are matched to episodesCopy Anchor Link

Each file name is read for a season and episode number (using a name parser that understands common release naming such as S01E03, 1x03 and Season 1 Episode 3). Files that are recognised are placed into the matching episode automatically. Everything else lands in the Unassigned list for you to place by hand.

Custom mode extrasCopy Anchor Link

Custom mode treats the folder as one season of a show you describe. In addition to renaming:

• Titles. Each file's name is cleaned up for the title: bracketed tags and trailing Part N or Episode N are removed. The Generic titles option replaces them with Episode N.
• tvshow.nfo and one episode .nfo per file, in the format Kodi, Jellyfin and Plex read. Episode files include the air date and a description when the video has them stored inside it. The show file points at the artwork.
• Artwork, generated from a frame about 30% into the first episode:
  • poster.jpg and folder.jpg, 1000 × 1500, with the frame blurred and darkened and the show name in a bold font over it.
  • backdrop.jpg and fanart.jpg, 1920 × 1080, from the same frame with a light darkening and no text.
  • Season NN/folder.jpg for each season.

The artwork is created after the renames, from each episode's final location, and everything is done with software on your machine. Nothing is looked up online.