Batch File Path. Any way to change drive path

[leogets]

Hello,

Is there anyway possible to do a batch File Path change.
I would like to change the file path to Z:\ where it now is E:\ is that at all possible?
I would like to copy my database onto another computer in my home network, but in order for me to be able to play the media files, I have to change the file path as above.

[buah]

What I would do is either of these:

1. Always first make a backup of your database.

2. I'd share drive on another computer with the same letter as it is on the original computer (that means Z:\) and than mapped it onto the same computer. That way you wouldn't need to change paths in database.

3. If you choose to change paths, export your database to xml, open it with MS Excel, delete all columns except Title, Year and Path columns, replace all "E:\" with "Z:\" (without quotes), and  save it as xls. Than you should be able to import such a file into PVD overwriting exited "E" paths with "Z" paths.

[rick.ca]

I'm not sure what the situation is here, whether the movie files have been moved, or it's just a matter of accessing them from a PVD installation on a different computer. So please consider Movie path configuration, in case that's applicable. If it's just a matter of the movie files being moved and there is still only being one PVD installation, buah's #1+3 suggestion will work. But running Scan folders... should also update the paths correctly.

[leogets]

My siduation is this:
I have set up a sort of media server at my sisters house.
I take her hard drive that is connected as an external USB Drive.
I put it on my computer. I load it up with movies.
I take it back to her place and after hooking it all back up, they have 3 computers some are laptops.
They simply map a drive alway the G:\ Drive.  After mapping G$ to their computer it is seen as the Z:\ Drive always.

When I hook their computer up on my computer I hook it up as G:\ Drive. And do up the database.
This database with almost 600 movies took roughly 14 hours to complete.

Now I would like to simply change the Drive path to Z:\ instead of it being G:\.  G:\ will only be useful to play the movies if they RDP to the media server and run PVD there which is useless.
In order for them to play the movies using the PVD on their computer the movies have to be seen on Z:\

I exported the database to .XML file which opens automatically with ie; But if I right-click on this .XML file and choose to open it back up again with PVD it mega errors out and cannot be reopened.  (This should be fixed. If this program generated the .XML file why could not reopen it?)

I once tried to IMPORT using the link Get Movies from MS Excel. A window opened where I guess at that time I was suppose to select some things from the left and apply them to to the right side. The first time I opened it, I didn't select or move anything over to the other side and just hit OK. Now when I try to select this option again, the widow where your suppose to move the criteria over to the other side doesn't come up at the beginning anymore and simply goes straight to the directory to open a file.  But, even though there is a .XML file there, it doesn't get displayed in the window so I cannot open it. So, I went to C:\Documents and Settings\UserName\Application Data\Personal Video Database and deleted pvdconf.ini thinking maybe that some flags have been setup in this config file that would stop the window from coming back up when Get Movies from MS Excel is selected, whereby I could then be able to make some selections as to what to grab from the .XML File but that window still does not seem to pop up anymore and still goes straight to the directory where there is a .XML file but this .XML file cannot be seen in the window that opens.

Why is this so hard.
I opened the .XML file using UltraEdit.  And simply choose rename all G:\ to Z:\ then resaved the file. But how do you re open it?
This program doesn't seem to want to reopen or Import from these .XML files as you think they should... I errors out too many errors.


To place the drive now on another machine in my home network and map a drive to it as if it were over at her house and then rescan everything might take too long.  I just want to simply change the File Path.
Your Export and Import options need some working on. They don't work.
It would be easier now if I just went through this whole database one by one and change each listing by hand.... Another couple of hours of work.
What's up.

[buah]

...and  save it as xls.

You have to be very cautious. Nothing is so hard and don't "just hit OK". Actually, I haven't seen such a good import features like the one in PVD. I just don't want to give you some correct hints and to later be responsible for possible database damage.

[leogets]

I sort of see, I'm suppose to save as a .XLS file.

[rick.ca]

What's up.

Sorry to be blunt, but since you ask, you're imagining solutions which are inappropriate and/or don't work, and apparently failing to properly try the suggestions that have been made.

You're right, exporting and re-importing is a hopelessly tedious and unnecessary solution. If you insist on going that route, however, the Excel export/import routines work fine. There is no XML import routine, so that's a non-starter.

I see no indication you considered either one of my alternate suggestions. I'm not sure, but it seems the Replace Folders in File paths setting must have been provided for situations exactly like yours. Rescanning the drive should also work, assuming your file scanner configuration includes regex appropriate for your file pathnames.

[leogets]

Yes Rescanning did the trick.
But befor I could do that, I had to source out the registry tweek for WinXP that has to be there otherwise I can't map to an external USB connected hard drive.
Once I found this tweek I was then able to map G$ to Z:\ on my other computer.
However, I wish there could have been an easier way to do this without having everything attached as in my sister's home.  A way to simply be able to do a batch File Path change would be nice.

The tweek I needed was this:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\LanmanServer\Parameters]
"IRPStackSize"=dword:00000031

Without it I was unable to map to an externally connected USB Drive that was connected to another computer on the network.


Thanks for everybody's help.  Much appreciated.
This is still a very good program.  Thank You,