[Bug]: Missing book despite it being in the server #2504

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opened 2026-04-25 00:07:49 +02:00 by adam · 12 comments
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Originally created by @DankMemeGuy on GitHub (Jan 20, 2025).

What happened?

I uploaded a book, it says it was added correctly, when searching it nothing shows up for that book, not by title, not by author, not by narrator. I reupload the file and get an error saying file already exists, i check the server folder, and yes it is properly stored as is every other audio book. i assume it was bug so i delete the folder and reupload, i get the same confirmation saying success. then same issue where the book cannot be found.

I believe there is some weird big happening, not sure what. the author is barack obama, and the file type is m4b. nothing weird with filenames etc

What did you expect to happen?

be searchable like every other book

Steps to reproduce the issue

  1. download barack obama's promise land audio in m4b, upload, then try to find it on the server

Audiobookshelf version

2.18.0

How are you running audiobookshelf?

Docker

What OS is your Audiobookshelf server hosted from?

Linux

If the issue is being seen in the UI, what browsers are you seeing the problem on?

None

Logs


Additional Notes

No response

Originally created by @DankMemeGuy on GitHub (Jan 20, 2025). ### What happened? I uploaded a book, it says it was added correctly, when searching it nothing shows up for that book, not by title, not by author, not by narrator. I reupload the file and get an error saying file already exists, i check the server folder, and yes it is properly stored as is every other audio book. i assume it was bug so i delete the folder and reupload, i get the same confirmation saying success. then same issue where the book cannot be found. I believe there is some weird big happening, not sure what. the author is barack obama, and the file type is m4b. nothing weird with filenames etc ### What did you expect to happen? be searchable like every other book ### Steps to reproduce the issue 1. download barack obama's promise land audio in m4b, upload, then try to find it on the server ### Audiobookshelf version 2.18.0 ### How are you running audiobookshelf? Docker ### What OS is your Audiobookshelf server hosted from? Linux ### If the issue is being seen in the UI, what browsers are you seeing the problem on? None ### Logs ```shell ``` ### Additional Notes _No response_
adam added the bug label 2026-04-25 00:07:49 +02:00
adam closed this issue 2026-04-25 00:07:49 +02:00
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@advplyr commented on GitHub (Jan 20, 2025):

What is the folder structure? Maybe you have an audio file or ebook file in the author folder

@advplyr commented on GitHub (Jan 20, 2025): What is the folder structure? Maybe you have an audio file or ebook file in the author folder
Author
Owner

@advplyr commented on GitHub (Jan 20, 2025):

Maybe the folder watcher doesn't work for your file system and you have to do a library scan after uploading. Have you tried re-scanning the library?

If the scanner have an issue adding the item you will see errors in the logs.

@advplyr commented on GitHub (Jan 20, 2025): Maybe the folder watcher doesn't work for your file system and you have to do a library scan after uploading. Have you tried re-scanning the library? If the scanner have an issue adding the item you will see errors in the logs.
Author
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@DankMemeGuy commented on GitHub (Jan 20, 2025):

@advplyr this is the weird part about this, the only file in the folder is the audio book, and its uploaded via the web UI (just as is every other book) and they have all worked fine. I've tried multiple times to delete the folder and re-upload and the same issue happens.

I don't think it's a folder watcher issue because why would it work with every other book uploaded?

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@DankMemeGuy commented on GitHub (Jan 20, 2025): @advplyr this is the weird part about this, the only file in the folder is the audio book, and its uploaded via the web UI (just as is every other book) and they have all worked fine. I've tried multiple times to delete the folder and re-upload and the same issue happens. I don't think it's a folder watcher issue because why would it work with every other book uploaded? ![Image](https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/13a5e167-4be3-497c-b8c2-491ffadf238f) ![Image](https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/dd1297de-4832-49c3-badb-abf14d350e88) ![Image](https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/5f7b3db5-f3a7-49e5-95bd-5f7648d3b261) ![Image](https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/6baec2b5-8e25-43cb-a33e-1538d67b4c1f)
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@WhiteSockedDancer commented on GitHub (Jan 20, 2025):

I got the same symptoms on one book and was quite irritated.

Then i found out: I matched the book wrong with totally different metadata. Maybe check your other books if there is one with these files associated.

@WhiteSockedDancer commented on GitHub (Jan 20, 2025): I got the same symptoms on one book and was quite irritated. Then i found out: I matched the book wrong with totally different metadata. Maybe check your other books if there is one with these files associated.
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@advplyr commented on GitHub (Jan 20, 2025):

I downloaded the file and uploaded it and it came in fine. Did you match the book using auto match all in library or quick match?
What is your metadata scan settings?

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@advplyr commented on GitHub (Jan 20, 2025): I downloaded the file and uploaded it and it came in fine. Did you match the book using auto match all in library or quick match? What is your metadata scan settings? ![Image](https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/5ce7abaa-5ca6-4ebf-b607-87a6f7cb0326)
Author
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@DankMemeGuy commented on GitHub (Jan 20, 2025):

@WhiteSockedDancer

I got the same symptoms on one book and was quite irritated.

Then i found out: I matched the book wrong with totally different metadata. Maybe check your other books if there is one with these files associated.

I have 331 books on the server, how would I go about checking if I accidentally matched the wrong book? I think this very may be the case. i downloaded a new version of the book, and uploaded that, and I still got the same issue, so i don't think it's a file issue. I prob just have it matched wrong, but there's no way i can check the 331 books indivually to see what path leads to this book

@DankMemeGuy commented on GitHub (Jan 20, 2025): @WhiteSockedDancer > I got the same symptoms on one book and was quite irritated. > > Then i found out: I matched the book wrong with totally different metadata. Maybe check your other books if there is one with these files associated. I have 331 books on the server, how would I go about checking if I accidentally matched the wrong book? I think this very may be the case. i downloaded a new version of the book, and uploaded that, and I still got the same issue, so i don't think it's a file issue. I prob just have it matched wrong, but there's no way i can check the 331 books indivually to see what path leads to this book
Author
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@advplyr commented on GitHub (Jan 20, 2025):

Have you checked the logs yet to see if the scanner is throwing an error? It is saying no changes needed indicating it didn't scan in the book.

@advplyr commented on GitHub (Jan 20, 2025): Have you checked the logs yet to see if the scanner is throwing an error? It is saying no changes needed indicating it didn't scan in the book.
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@DankMemeGuy commented on GitHub (Jan 20, 2025):

@advplyr

I downloaded the file and uploaded it and it came in fine. Did you match the book using auto match all in library or quick match? What is your metadata scan settings?

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I have the same settings as you. i always use auto match. i am thinking that I may have mismatched the book to another metadata. How would I go about checking if I did do that? Is there an easy list to see all the full paths and what the corresponding match is to? Other than clicking each book and then seeing what the files contents are?

@DankMemeGuy commented on GitHub (Jan 20, 2025): @advplyr > I downloaded the file and uploaded it and it came in fine. Did you match the book using auto match all in library or quick match? What is your metadata scan settings? > > ![Image](https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/5ce7abaa-5ca6-4ebf-b607-87a6f7cb0326) I have the same settings as you. i always use auto match. i am thinking that I may have mismatched the book to another metadata. How would I go about checking if I did do that? Is there an easy list to see all the full paths and what the corresponding match is to? Other than clicking each book and then seeing what the files contents are?
Author
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@DankMemeGuy commented on GitHub (Jan 20, 2025):

@advplyr Okay thanks for the idea about the logs, this is what I did

  1. I deleted the file from the server
  2. i perform scan
  3. i see if an item is deleted via logs (it was infact mismatched)
  4. i reupload the file
  5. i go to the mismatched file and match it correctly

I think there should be an easier way of doing this on items that have been mismatched. I think I will manually check all the books in my server now because i am noticing the file count vs the book count is off

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@DankMemeGuy commented on GitHub (Jan 20, 2025): @advplyr Okay thanks for the idea about the logs, this is what I did 1. I deleted the file from the server 2. i perform scan 3. i see if an item is deleted via logs (it was infact mismatched) 4. i reupload the file 5. i go to the mismatched file and match it correctly I think there should be an easier way of doing this on items that have been mismatched. I think I will manually check all the books in my server now because i am noticing the file count vs the book count is off ![Image](https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/eac1efad-38dd-4233-a131-135c5d295856)
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@advplyr commented on GitHub (Jan 20, 2025):

This is why Abs doesn't automatically match books. It is too unreliable. I'm not sure what provider you are using match for but Audible does match that book correctly

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@advplyr commented on GitHub (Jan 20, 2025): This is why Abs doesn't automatically match books. It is too unreliable. I'm not sure what provider you are using match for but Audible does match that book correctly ![Image](https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/909d8aec-c37b-4c68-b3f6-a9fdd0fa68e1)
Author
Owner

@DankMemeGuy commented on GitHub (Jan 20, 2025):

This is why Abs doesn't automatically match books. It is too unreliable. I'm not sure what provider you are using match for but Audible does match that book correctly

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funny enough I used Audible, so I don't know what happened. But when you click that first link it actually adds a weird German subtitle (at least for me). but anyways going forward I'll just start auto matching

thx for the help!

@DankMemeGuy commented on GitHub (Jan 20, 2025): > This is why Abs doesn't automatically match books. It is too unreliable. I'm not sure what provider you are using match for but Audible does match that book correctly > > ![Image](https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/909d8aec-c37b-4c68-b3f6-a9fdd0fa68e1) funny enough I used Audible, so I don't know what happened. But when you click that first link it actually adds a weird German subtitle (at least for me). but anyways going forward I'll just start auto matching thx for the help!
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@WhiteSockedDancer commented on GitHub (Jan 21, 2025):

I'm glad we found the problem. Good luck with your next matches ;-)

@WhiteSockedDancer commented on GitHub (Jan 21, 2025): I'm glad we found the problem. Good luck with your next matches ;-)
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Reference: starred/audiobookshelf#2504