Actor images not displayed until clicked

[deltonio2]

When you install a fresh new Jellyfin server, define all the metadata to be stored locally and create a Jellyfin library based on an existing folder with multiple files, the picture of the actors doesn't show in the interface, even when the scan is 100% finish.

I tried with a Debian server and a Synology server on Docker, on the web interface of Jellyfin or the Android TV app, the problem is the same.

However, if I click on the actor, his photo is displayed correctly.
If I go back to the film, the thumbnails display well, and will also be on next connections:

When I add a new movie in the library (after that Jellyfin was installed), the problem doesn't occur. All the actors that play in the new movies have their profile picture correctly loaded without having to click on it.

Jellyfin Version

Other

if other:

10.8.1

Environment

- OS:Debian or DSM
- Virtualization:N/A or Docker
- Clients:Android TV or Jellyfin Media Player on Windows or Jellyfin web
- Browser:Google Chrome 103
- Hardware Acceleration:None
- Plugins:None
- Reverse Proxy:None
- Networking:Host
- Storage:local

Code of Conduct

• I agree to follow this project's Code of Conduct

EDIT : How to reproduce

• in Jellyfin, define all the metadata to be stored locally
• add a new folder to your library that contains a movie AND its Jellyfin NFO file and JPG files
• if you don't already have a movie with the actor in your library, his photo won't show up until you click on it

EDIT 2

The execution of "Refresh People" in the Scheduled Tasks does not change anything.

[RainyDAy59]

I'm experiencing this too using Jellyfin 10.8.4. Only when I click on the actor box will their image appear.

[gyre-ri]

Exactly the same for me...

[bhaveman]

Same in 10.8.5

[j-insan3]

Same issue inn 10.8.7

[deltonio2]

The issue is still there in version 10.8.9

[deltonio2]

I believe I understood what causes the problem, when Jellyfin detects a new movie in the directory which has its metadata already downloaded (NFO and JPG file), it will add it to the library but it will not download the photos of the actors who star in the film.

I'm doing an rsync of the main server directory where my movies are on a secondary server. On my main server, I see the photos of the actors for the new movies that I add. On the secondary server, even the new movies don't have the cast photos added.

[gummykage]

Just had a RAID fail so I had to setup a new server... Problem still persists as of 10.8.10

[deltonio2]

I found a workaround that allows you to retrieve all the photos of the actors at a given time.

I don't understand at all how Jellyfin works in backend but I know that by clicking on an actor, it loads his photo that remains for the future. So I do as if I was clicking on all the actors present in the Jellyfin server. This is definitely a bad solution that is completely unoptimized, but it works.

Here is a PowerShell line that does the job:

(Invoke-RestMethod -Uri "http://youJellyfinServer:8096/emby/Persons?api_key=yourAPIKey").Items | ForEach-Object { Invoke-RestMethod -Uri "http://youJellyfinServer:8096/Users/yourUserID/Items/$($_.Id)?api_key=yourAPIKey" }

Things you need to change to make it works on your server:

• youJellyfinServer: the hostname of your Jellyfin server
• yourAPIKey: can be retrieved by going to the Dashboard, API Keys, + button, enter any name, get the generated API Key
• yourUserID: can be retrieved by going to the Dashboard, Users, click on your (or another) user, get what is in the URL after "userId="

EDIT:

You can use this line to only load photos of actors on your server who don't have any:

(Invoke-RestMethod -Uri "http://youJellyfinServer:8096/emby/Persons?api_key=yourAPIKey").Items | Where-Object { [string]::IsNullOrEmpty($_.ImageTags) } | ForEach-Object { Invoke-RestMethod -Uri "http://youJellyfinServer:8096/Users/yourUserID/Items/$($_.Id)?api_key=yourAPIKey" }

If like me you have servers whose libraries are replicated on another, you can:

• make a scheduled task of this command to add the photos of the new actors added
• move the metadata folder from the main server to a location replicated with the other servers, then make natural links for all servers to point from the default metadata emplacement to the new location

EDIT 2:

This command avoids searching for the same actor several times:

(Invoke-RestMethod -Uri "http://youJellyfinServer:8096/emby/Persons?api_key=yourAPIKey").Items | Where-Object { [string]::IsNullOrEmpty($_.ImageTags) } | Sort-Object -Property Id -Unique | ForEach-Object { Invoke-RestMethod -Uri "http://youJellyfinServer:8096/Users/yourUserID/Items/$($_.Id)?api_key=yourAPIKey" }

Please note that the commands check all the actors who do not have a photo, but do not differentiate between an actor who does not yet have his photo on your server and an actor who does not have a photo at all in the website you rely on for your metadata (e.g. TMDB).

[ReaderGuy42]

@deltonio2 How would I do this on Linux or rather Raspberry Pi? Your powershell script doesn't work there, and I can't get powershell to install on it. Specifically it's complaining about .Items I think.

Thanks!

[deltonio2]

@ReaderGuy42 you can run this script from any station that has access to your server, If you have a Windows PC on hand, PowerShell is installed by default, otherwise you can install PowerShell Core on macOS or Linux.

You will find the Microsoft help page for installing PowerShell Core on Raspbian here.

I tested my script on default Windows PowerShell version 5.1.19041 and on PowerShell Core last version 7.3.7 and it works on both.

[ReaderGuy42]

Thanks that worked! However, now I'd like to schedule that as a task, as you mention in your earlier comment. But I can't figure out how to do that. Any advice? Thanks!

[deltonio2]

On Windows you can do it with the scheduled tasks tool, on Raspbbery/Linux you can do it with cron.

You will easily find examples by searching on the internet, e.g. here for Windows and here for Raspbian.