Media Manager - Missing Media Detection System

A comprehensive media file monitoring system that tracks your media collection, detects missing files, and sends notifications when content goes missing. Available as both a user-friendly GUI application and command-line tools.

Features

• 🔍 Media File Scanning: Automatically scan directories for video files (.mp4, .mkv, .avi)
• 📊 Missing Media Detection: Compare recent scans to identify missing files
• 📧 Email Notifications: Get alerted when media files go missing
• 🗂️ File Management: Automatic retention management (keep only N recent lists)
• 🖥️ Cross-Platform GUI: Easy-to-use graphical interface for Windows and Linux
• ⚙️ Automation Support: Schedule tasks with Windows Task Scheduler or Linux cron
• 🛠️ Windows Compatibility: Check and fix Windows filename issues
• 💻 Headless Operation: Run without GUI for servers and automated systems

Quick Start

Windows Users (Recommended)

Option 1: Standalone Executable (See BUILD_EXECUTABLE.md)

1. Download or clone this repository
2. Build or download the .exe file
3. Run MediaManager.exe directly (no Python installation required)

Option 2: GUI Application

1. Download or clone this repository
2. Double-click run_gui.bat to start the GUI
3. Configure your media directories in the "Main Configuration" tab
4. Click "Run Complete Check" to start monitoring

Linux Users

GUI Mode:

# Install tkinter if needed (Ubuntu/Debian)
sudo apt-get install python3-tk

# Clone and run
git clone https://github.com/TrueBankai416/missing-media-scripts.git
cd missing-media-scripts
python3 media_manager_gui.py

Command Line Mode:

# Generate media list
python3 generate_media_list.py -d /path/to/media1 /path/to/media2 -o media_list.txt

# Check for missing media
python3 generate_missing_media_list.py -m /path/to/lists -o missing_media.txt

# Manage file retention
python3 manage_files.py -d /path/to/lists -n 100

Headless/Server Systems

For servers or automated systems without GUI:

# Complete automated check
python3 media_manager_gui.py --automated-complete-check

# Individual operations
python3 media_manager_gui.py --automated-generate-media-list
python3 media_manager_gui.py --automated-check-missing-media
python3 media_manager_gui.py --automated-manage-file-retention
python3 media_manager_gui.py --automated-check-windows-filenames

Installation

Requirements

• Python 3.6+ (not required for Windows .exe version)
• tkinter (for GUI - usually included with Python)
• Internet connection (for email notifications)

Dependencies

This project uses only Python standard library modules:

• tkinter (GUI)
• os, json, threading, datetime, glob
• smtplib, email (notifications)
• pathlib, argparse

No external packages required!

Setup

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/TrueBankai416/missing-media-scripts.git
   cd missing-media-scripts

2. For GUI usage: Run the appropriate launcher for your system

3. For command-line usage: Use the individual Python scripts directly

Configuration

Using the GUI (Recommended)

1. Launch the GUI using python3 media_manager_gui.py or run_gui.bat
2. Configure scan directories in the "Main Configuration" tab
3. Set up email notifications in the "Email Configuration" tab (optional)
4. Configure automation in the "Automation" tab (optional)
5. Save settings - configuration is automatically persisted

Manual Configuration

Create a media_manager_config.json file based on example_config.json:

{
    "scan_directories": [
        "/path/to/movies",
        "/path/to/tv-shows"
    ],
    "output_directory": "/path/to/output",
    "file_extensions": {
        "media": [".mp4", ".mkv", ".avi"],
        "additional": [".mov", ".wmv", ".flv", ".webm"]
    },
    "email": {
        "enabled": true,
        "sender_email": "[email protected]",
        "receiver_email": "[email protected]",
        "password": "your-app-password",
        "smtp_server": "smtp.gmail.com",
        "smtp_port": 587
    },
    "file_retention_count": 100
}

Email Setup

For Gmail:

1. Enable 2-Factor Authentication
2. Create an App Password (Google Account → Security → 2-Step Verification → App passwords)
3. Use the app password (not your regular password) in the configuration

For other providers:

• Outlook/Hotmail: smtp-mail.outlook.com:587
• Yahoo: smtp.mail.yahoo.com:587
• Gmail: smtp.gmail.com:587

Automation

Using the GUI Automation (Recommended)

1. Open the Automation tab in the GUI
2. Enable automation and configure task scheduling
3. Click "Apply Scheduled Tasks" to create platform-specific scheduled tasks
4. Choose between:
   • Individual tasks with different schedules
   • Complete Check (recommended) - runs all operations in sequence

Manual Scheduling

Linux (cron):

# Edit crontab
crontab -e

# Add these lines for daily automation at 5 AM
0 5 * * * cd /path/to/missing-media-scripts && python3 media_manager_gui.py --automated-complete-check

Windows (Task Scheduler):

1. Open Task Scheduler
2. Create Basic Task
3. Set trigger: Daily at 5:00 AM
4. Action: Start a program
5. Program: python.exe
6. Arguments: path\to\media_manager_gui.py --automated-complete-check
7. Start in: Directory containing the scripts

Usage Examples

Basic Operations

Scan directories and generate media list:

python3 generate_media_list.py -d /home/user/Movies /home/user/TV -o media_list.txt

Check for missing media:

python3 generate_missing_media_list.py -m /path/to/lists -o missing_media.txt

Clean up old files:

python3 manage_files.py -d /path/to/lists -n 50

Check Windows filename compatibility:

python3 windows_filename_validator.py -i media_list.txt -o filename_report.txt

GUI Automation Commands

Run complete check (all operations):

python3 media_manager_gui.py --automated-complete-check

Individual operations:

python3 media_manager_gui.py --automated-generate-media-list
python3 media_manager_gui.py --automated-check-missing-media
python3 media_manager_gui.py --automated-manage-file-retention
python3 media_manager_gui.py --automated-check-windows-filenames

Test automation setup:

python3 media_manager_gui.py --automated-test

File Structure

missing-media-scripts/
├── media_manager_gui.py          # Main GUI application
├── generate_media_list.py        # Core media scanning
├── generate_missing_media_list.py # Missing media detection
├── manage_files.py               # File retention management
├── windows_filename_validator.py # Windows compatibility checker
├── email_utils.py                # Email notification system
├── run_gui.bat                   # Windows GUI launcher
├── media_manager_config.json     # Configuration file (auto-generated)
├── example_config.json           # Example configuration
├── requirements.txt              # Python dependencies (for building .exe)
├── AUTOMATION_README.md          # Detailed automation guide
├── GUI_README.md                 # Detailed GUI documentation
├── BUILD_EXECUTABLE.md           # Instructions for building .exe
└── lists/                        # Default output directory
    ├── media_list_*.txt          # Generated media lists
    └── missing_media_*.txt       # Missing media reports

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

"No module named 'tkinter'"

# Ubuntu/Debian
sudo apt-get install python3-tk

# CentOS/RHEL/Fedora
sudo yum install tkinter
# or
sudo dnf install python3-tkinter

Email sending fails

• Verify email credentials and app password
• Check firewall settings
• Ensure SMTP server and port are correct
• For Gmail: Use app passwords, not regular passwords

Permission errors

• Ensure read access to media directories
• Ensure write access to output directory
• On Windows: Run as administrator if accessing system directories

No files found

• Verify directory paths are correct
• Check that directories contain supported file types (.mp4, .mkv, .avi)
• Ensure directories are accessible and not hidden

Platform-Specific Notes

Windows:

• Use backslashes in paths or raw strings: r"C:\Users\Name\Videos"
• Some antivirus software may interfere with file operations
• Long path support may need to be enabled for very long filenames

Linux:

• Hidden directories (starting with '.') are automatically ignored
• Ensure proper file permissions for output directories
• For system-wide automation, consider using /etc/cron.d/

Headless Systems:

• Use --automated-* flags for GUI-less operation
• Email notifications are especially useful for monitoring
• Consider using screen or tmux for long-running operations

Support and Community

• GitHub Issues: Report bugs or request features
• Discord: Join the community at https://discord.com/channels/1217932881301737523/1217933464955785297
• Documentation: Check AUTOMATION_README.md and GUI_README.md for detailed guides

License

This project is licensed under the GNU General Public License v3.0 - see the LICENSE file for details.

Changelog

Recent improvements:

• Added cross-platform GUI with automation support
• Implemented Windows filename compatibility checking
• Enhanced email notification system
• Added headless operation modes
• Improved file retention management
• Added comprehensive configuration system