[brazen1]

I've added .Ai to the end of a movie FOLDER title like this - Some Movie (2021) .Ai
.Ai. is also included in the movie FILE name.

I've created a new Smart Playlist but when I open the playlist, it's empty.

[Karellen]

ve added .Ai to the end of a movie FOLDER title like this - Some Movie (2021) .Ai

Ok, but you have selected "Title" in the rule, which is the movie title as seen in the library listing, not the filename.

What does .Ai signify?

[brazen1]

ve added .Ai to the end of a movie FOLDER title like this - Some Movie (2021) .Ai

Ok, but you have selected "Title" in the rule, which is the movie title as seen in the library listing, not the filename.

What does .Ai signify?

I have more than one .Ai title scattered across various sources mixed with titles that do not have .Ai naming so I don't point to a specific title.  Each title is in it's own folder.  I'd rather not group .Ai specific titles in their own unique source folder.  Does this mean a smart playlist cannot look at all my sources filtering for folders and/or files with .Ai. in its name?  Thanks for the help.

[Karellen]

Does this mean a smart playlist cannot look at all my sources filtering for folders and/or files with .Ai. in its name? 

You will need to add a rule for each source you want searched.
Then use "Match one of the rules"

[Karellen]

You could also add a tag to each of those .Ai movies and you don't need a smart playlist.

[jjd-uk]

Does this mean a smart playlist cannot look at all my sources filtering for folders and/or files with .Ai. in its name?  Thanks for the help.

To match on folder you need a Path rule.

To match on filename you need a File rule.

Then it's a choice of allowing either rule to be satisfied (match one or more of rules) and whether both rules must be satisfied (match all of the rules)

[PatK]

Smartplaylists work with the scanned library. This thread may have some baring.

[brazen1]

Thank you all for trying to help me 

I am able to add 1 source and it filters .Ai. titles perfectly.  This source is B:\1.  The problem I'm having begins as soon as I add another source as a rule.  This other source is located in another HDD.  There are many HDD's that will be sources. 
My 1st source is added using 'all of the rules' like this:



If I select 'one or more of the rules', all titles in that source are shown instead of only showing files that have .Ai. in the name.  So I leave it using 'all of the rules'.

Next, I select a rule for my next source E:\3. I choose path and browse to the folder containing titles in that different HDD as my source.  I leave 'all of the rules' selected.




Now when I open the playlist, it's empty.  Nothing is shown.  If I edit the playlist and change to 'one or more of the rules', all titles contained in B:\1 and all titles contained in E:\3 are displayed instead of only files containing .Ai. in their file names.  Not sure what I'm doing wrong if anything?

[jjd-uk]

Why are you even adding sources via path? If everything you want to filter has the .Ai. in filename I don't believe there's any need.

[brazen1]

Why are you even adding sources via path? If everything you want to filter has the .Ai. in filename I don't believe there's any need.

Because I have 8 HDD's containing movies with .Ai. in the file names and I assume the Smart Playlist needs to be directed where to look on my PC.  All the HDD's are local fwiw.  Also, it was suggested "You will need to add a rule for each source you want searched."

Would you be kind enough to detail what I can do since you believe there's not any need to add sources via a path for the playlist to locate all files with .Ai. in their name?  Perhaps I'm completely misunderstanding something?

[jjd-uk]

If you really do need to filter by source, then match all is wrong for this circumstance, since to match all the files need to be on both your B path AND E path. To do that correctly you would need 2 smartplaylists, one for the OR condition of B or E using match one or more of rules. Then a 2nd smartplaylist adding the the name of the source playlist together with File using match all the files.

[brazen1]

WAIT!!!  You hit the nail on the head.  I removed the paths and every title with .Ai. in the file name now shows perfectly!  Thank you @jjd-uk very much and everyone else too!  So happy 

[jjd-uk]

Why are you even adding sources via path? If everything you want to filter has the .Ai. in filename I don't believe there's any need.

Because I have 8 HDD's containing movies with .Ai. in the file names and I assume the Smart Playlist needs to be directed where to look on my PC.  All the HDD's are local fwiw.  Also, it was suggested "You will need to add a rule for each source you want searched."

Would you be kind enough to detail what I can do since you believe there's not any need to add sources via a path for the playlist to locate all files with .Ai. in their name?  Perhaps I'm completely misunderstanding something?

Smartplaylists on work on library items, so the only direction needed is content type, so Movies in this case, then File to do a match on filename for movies stored in movie db.

[brazen1]

Why are you even adding sources via path? If everything you want to filter has the .Ai. in filename I don't believe there's any need.

Because I have 8 HDD's containing movies with .Ai. in the file names and I assume the Smart Playlist needs to be directed where to look on my PC.  All the HDD's are local fwiw.  Also, it was suggested "You will need to add a rule for each source you want searched."

Would you be kind enough to detail what I can do since you believe there's not any need to add sources via a path for the playlist to locate all files with .Ai. in their name?  Perhaps I'm completely misunderstanding something?

Smartplaylists on work on library items, so the only direction needed is content type, so Movies in this case, then File to do a match on filename for movies stored in movie db.

Yes, now I'm beginning to understand how a smart playlist works.  It only sees library items.  Fantastic.  Thanks again.

[jjd-uk]

Smartplaylists can be extremely powerful tools. You can use Smartplaylists within Smartplaylists, which is what you'd need if you ever did need source specific filtering, which was what post#11 was all about.