:sparkles: [Feature] Watchlist feature for MDbList

[jamal2362]

Describe the feature that you'd like

Hey @jurialmunkey / @linaspurinis,

I would like to see an implementation of the MDbList Watchlist.
Unfortunately, it is currently only possible to use your own lists.
I have not yet found a way to use my watchlist as a widget.

If this function could be implemented, I would have another wish:
A button with which you can add films/tv shows directly to the watchlist or remove them from it - similar to Trakt.

API:
https://mdblist.docs.apiary.io/#reference/watchlist

Why is this feature needed? What problem does it solve?

I would like to use this function as a replacement for the Trakt watchlist, as this was limited to 100 titles in the free version a few months ago.
In addition, I am currently transferring a lot of content from Trakt to MDbList, as more and more restrictions have been added in recent months and I am therefore gradually replacing Trakt with other services.

If this could be implemented, I would be very grateful.
Thank you for your great work ❤️

Screenshots and Additional Info

Checklist

• I have searched the issues and this feature has not been requested.
• I have updated TMDbHelper to the most recent version.

[linaspurinis]

MDBList supports listing and modifying your Watchlist via its API:
https://mdblist.docs.apiary.io/#reference/watchlist

[jamal2362]

Oh that's perfect @linaspurinis, thank you!

Then I would look forward to/hope for an implementation in TMDbHelper, if @jurialmunkey also sees this as useful too.

Unfortunately, in recent months Trakt has been increasingly restricted behind a VIP lock, very bad as a free member. I am currently very happy with MDbList, and that would be the only thing I need, i.e. the watchlist.

[jurialmunkey]

@jamal2362 I'm unclear on what the benefit of an mdblist "watchlist" is versus any other static list?

Mdblist doesn't track what you watch so Im struggling to see how it would behave differently?

The only difference I see is that you can sync mdblist watchlist back to trakt watchlist, but thats only useful if you have a VIP trakt account so defeats the purpose.

I'm not sure there is any value add for me to code in support for mdblist watchlist when you could use any other static mdblist to do exactly the same thing and which tmdbhelper already supports.

[linaspurinis]

While I agree with @jurialmunkey that the MDBList watchlist lacks some features compared to, say, Trakt’s watchlist, it’s still much more powerful than a regular static list. It syncs with both Trakt and Plex, and automatically removes items from the watchlist when they’re marked as watched.

The API uses the same parameters as regular lists—just a different endpoint—so it should be easy to implement.

[jamal2362]

@jurialmunkey

@linaspurinis explained it really well — I couldn’t have said it better myself.

My MDbList account is connected to both Plex and Trakt.
When I add something to the watchlist in either Plex or Trakt, it automatically appears in my MDbList watchlist within a few minutes.

Once I’ve fully watched a movie, it’s removed from the watchlist because Trakt syncs that status with MDbList.

It would be great if I could simply use a widget to display my MDbList watchlist.
Unfortunately, TMDbHelper doesn't support this — neither displaying the watchlist as widget nor adding/removing items from it.
At the moment, only static lists can be used, not the watchlist.

[jurialmunkey]

But once you go over the trakt item limit those additional items will not be synced with your trakt watchlist and those will not behave that way which defeats the purpose.

if you're consostently under trakt item limit then just use a normal trakt watchlist... And if you're regularly over then it is no different to a static list... And if you're somewhere in between then you get inconsistent behaviour and people reporting the weird inconsistent behaviour as a "bug" when it is just acting in the expected inconsistent manner because some items can sync and some items can't.

Or am I missing something here?

[Bequiet19]

Speaking of the button for adding to watchlist, I noticed that the button that already exists in the tmdb helper for adding to the mdblist lists does not work. Can someone check if it's something messed up on my part. I am using the latest version of tmdb helper.

[Bequiet19]

Now I found that adding to the list is not supported with the free api. @linaspurinis Is this true? If so, then this function has no purpose, nor does this function with adding to the watchlist. This is a really basic feature to have to pay for.

[linaspurinis]

@Bequiet19 Thanks for the feedback – you’re absolutely right that being able to add items to a list or watchlist feels like a core part of the API. Up until now, write actions were restricted to supporters to help manage server load and abuse, but I've decided to lift that restriction if it helps for better API adoption across the apps.

[linaspurinis]

@jurialmunkey
What if the user is a Trakt VIP? Syncing to a static list won’t work for them at all.

Even for free users, using the watchlist endpoint is better than a static list because of how the watchlist integrates with MDBList (calendar, filtering, visual representation, etc.). So while your current implementation technically works, it’s not the behaviour users expect from a “watchlist.”

Also, going forward I might add other sync destinations (e.g. recently-added watchlist sync to Plex), and the watchlist endpoint would handle those consistently. Since the watchlist API uses the exact same parameters as lists for reading and adding content, it’s literally just changing the endpoint URL.

[jurialmunkey]

What if the user is a Trakt VIP? Syncing to a static list won’t work for them at all.

If a user is a Trakt VIP then they can use the Trakt watchlist without restriction. If they also have an MDbList account, it will continue to sync against their Trakt account.

The user gains no additional features from having access to the MDbList version from inside TMDbHelper.

In fact it is better they use the Trakt version because TMDbHelper can read the last activity value to determine whether it needs to refresh the details when the widget refreshes rather than asking MDbList for new details every time a video starts or stops (this is how Kodi determines when to ask widgets to refresh).

Additionally, if TMDbHelper has already retrieved Trakt watchlist sync for other purposes (e.g. indicators) then it can simply pull that data directly from the locally stored database cache (vs. an online request to MDbList every playback).

Even for free users

If the user is on Trakt free, and they have a watchlist under 100 items, the same as above applies.

Syncing still occurs and they would gain no additional features from accessing the MDbList version from inside TMDbHelper.

So while your current implementation technically works, it’s not the behaviour users expect from a “watchlist.”

A free user with more than 100 items also will not experience the expected behaviour using the MDbList watchlist.

In fact it is worse, because it seems to work at first while they stay under 100 items, then once they go over it stops syncing and watched items that haven't synced are not removed because Trakt will not allow for a sync over 100 items for a free user but the MDbList version will let them continue to add more on the MDbList side.

Then the users will complain to me about the "bug".

This is my point:

• VIP = more benefit in using standard Trakt watchlist and syncing it to MDbList than other way around. TMDbHelper only needs to do one request (to Trakt sync) rather than two (to Trakt sync and MDbList list).
• Free w/ <100 items = same as above
• Free w/ 100+ items watchlist = inconsistent and unexpected behaviour which changes depending on number of items. No good way for a user to remain on a free user and have 100+ items in their watchlist and have it behave in the normal "expected" way.

[linaspurinis]

@jurialmunkey You’re only considering Trakt users, but not those who use MDBList exclusively. But of course, it’s your app and your decision.