[Mavii]

I deleted the only file in the addons_data folder that had the word artwork in it (I don't remember the exact name). I'm still not getting the files to download again. There is a setting in the configuration that that says something about tracking previous dumps to limit future dumps to new files only. No matter what I set it to, it doesn't appear to have any effect. It also doesn't seem to matter if I run the script for all artwork or only new artwork. I'm a little confused. Is there a good writeup somewhere on how to use this addon?

I even tried uninstalling the addon and then reinstalling it.

[Mavii]

OK. I still can't get it to work. Here is what I did the first time I ran the program.

1. I moved all but 3 Movies and 2 TV shows out of my Movie and TV Show directories. (I wasn't sure what exactly was going to happen when I ran Artwork Dump, and I wanted to limit the number of files that would be altered.)
   
2. I ran Artwork Dump, and it copied all the correct files into the 3 Movie folders and 2 TV show folders. It also created a folder for every other Movie and TV Show in my library even though the folders weren't there. It created its own folders and put the correct artwork in each one. (I kind of expected this to happen.)
   
3. Once I understood how Artwork Dump worked, I deleted all the folders that it created in step 2 above. I also deleted a few artwork files in the remaining 3 Movie and 2 TV Show folders (the same folders as in step 1).
   
4. I ran Artwork Dump again, but this time it didn't do anything.
   

Since then, I've tried everything I can think of to get it to work again, but I can't figure it out.

1. I've uninstalled the program and re-installed it.
   
2. I've tried all kids of different settings in Artwork Dump.
   
3. I've deleted the Artwork Dump DB file without uninstalling he program.
   
4. I've deleted the Artwork Dump DB file and also uninstalled and reinstalled the program.
   
5. I've cleaned the library.
   
6. I've put all my Movie and TV Shows back into the right directories.
   
7. I've updated the library.
   
8. I've tried all of the above in different combinations.
   

I know I'm missing some little detail. I just don't know what else to try.

[Karellen]

I deleted the only file in the addons_data folder that had the word artwork in it

Hopefully that was script.artwork.dump.

These artwork that you deleted, were they previously downloaded by Artwork Dump, or different artwork files?

[Mavii]

Yes, it was script.artwork.dump.

In step 3 of my previous post, all the folders I deleted (along with the files inside) were created by Artwork Dump because I'd temporarily moved the folders containing the mkv files, nfo, etc. to a different location. The other artwork files I deleted were files that Artwork Dump had placed in the 3 Movie and 2 TV Show folders.

As it sits right now, all my Movies and TV Shows are now in the correct directory and I am trying to run Artwork Dump on everything again, but no artwork is being dumped to the folders. Before I put all the Movie and TV Show folders back in the right places, Artwork Dump didn't create folders a second time like it did the first time in step 2 of my previous post.

[Karellen]

Hopefully that was script.artwork.dump.

Ensure this is what you deleted from the addon_data folder. But no need to delete the whole folder, just the db file. Otherwise you have to redo your settings because you also deleted the settings file.
Then restart Kodi and try again. Did you restart Kodi last time?

[Mavii]

I exited KODI, powered off the Xbox and then started it back up and launched KODI again. Still no luck.

[Karellen]

I exited KODI, powered off the Xbox and then started it back up and launched KODI again. Still no luck.

I am sorry, but I am at a loss. Maybe post the question in the Artwork Dump thread... https://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=360078
or an Issue report on the github repo for the addon?

[Mavii]

I will do that. Thank you.

[Mavii]

Out of curiosity, does the artwork dump script give me some sort of advantage over the Library Export?

[Karellen]

Out of curiosity, does the artwork dump script give me some sort of advantage over the Library Export?

Artwork Dump downloads the original artwork from the scraper sites.
Library Export will export the cached artwork from Kodi which has been modified and reduced in size for quicker loading on screen.

[Mavii]

Good to know. Thank you.

[Mavii]

I created a post in the thread you suggested, but here is another piece of information to consider.

Today, I added a new movie to my library. Artwork Dump worked perfectly for this new movie, only the new movie. Please note, I asked AD to dump artwork for the entire library not only the new library items.

The list of movies and tvshows that are tracked to prevent a second dump has to be either broken or stored in some location other than the one I deleted (I've deleted it many times and uninstalled and installed the add-on many times.)

[Mavii]

Now that I have my AD problem figured out, I want to use the Export Library function to crate NFOs for all my movies and TV shows. I have spent a lot of time selecting artwork and naming things in for Extras. Is any of that captured when I do the library export? Is there a way to preserve that work so I don't have to redo it again later for some reason? I would really like each movie and tvshow folder to be self contained with everything included.

[Karellen]

I have spent a lot of time selecting artwork and naming things in for Extras. Is any of that captured when I do the library export?

It depends...
1. Nothing will happen with Extras. They are not a library item so they will not get any nfo files so any changes you make are not saved. Local artwork is always used if it is there.
2. Once you have local artwork, Kodi will use the local artwork as long as it is there before you scrape into the library. Scraping into the library, then adding local artwork does not work because you added the local artwork too late. You will need to delete from the library and rescrape so Kodi can find the local artwork.

Your workflow should be...
1. Set up folder for your movie / tv show and add the video files.
2a. Find artwork and save it in the folder, or
2b. Use Artwork Dump in a later step.
3. Scrape the item into the library
4. Run Artwork Dump to add local artwork
5. Run the Export to Separate Files with...
- Separate Files method
- Export artwork = Yes
- Export actors = Yes
- Overwrite existing = NO

I use a portable install for testing and playing around.
I use those above steps on my portable install. I download the posters and fanart that I like using step 2a, then all the other artwork I let step 4 find it and download it.
Once I have all the artwork, nfo files, trailers, Extras, theme all nicely set up, I then move the folder to my main storage and let my main Kodi scan it into the library.

Having all that saved means that you never have to rely on the scrapers again for that particular movie/tv show. It also means I can rebuild my library in about 20 minutes and it is exactly the same as the last time I ran the export library.

Set up a portable install for yourself so you don't end up mucking up your main library.