Automated media request process improvements

[vanblok]

I just installed your solution and am very impressed. There are a few minor glitches but very solid product. The main recommendation I have at the moment would be to funnel requests through Seerr instead of handing them directly to Radarr or Sonarr. Not sure if you could pass through the user that it was for, though if it was automation that was asking based on their watch history, they aren't really the one requesting it. Maybe a separate account for ShortList to request as, then you can use the normal approval process in Seerr to flag what is appropriate for your server. As I Type this out, I can see some of the issues. If Seerr isn't a good fit, maybe just a catch page for requests that can be queued up and reviewed/approved by the admin and sent to Radarr/Sonarr, or just dropped.

In any case, I like what you have done and look forward to where you take this. Thanks a lot!

[stevezau]

Hey, this has been added..

First up: the queue you're describing is already there, it's just off by default. Settings → Requests → turn off "Send the strongest titles without asking". Everything then waits in the Requests inbox for a yes or no instead of going straight to Radarr/Sonarr.

Second: Seerr support is now built and on :dev. Settings → Requests → "Where requests go" → Overseerr / Jellyseerr. Shortlist files a request and lets it handle the quality, folder and approval. Works with Overseerr, Jellyseerr and Seerr — same API.

On requesting as the user, you talked yourself out of it and you were right. A title here is usually wanted by several people at once, but an Overseerr request only has one requester, so whoever you picked would end up with their name on everything.

So instead there's a "Request as" dropdown, and it tells you which accounts auto-approve. Make a local user in Overseerr called "Shortlist" without auto-approve, pick it, and you get the separate approval step you were after. Worth knowing: on a lot of servers every existing account can already auto-approve, so making that one is usually the only way to get a queue.

Give it a go on :dev and let me know?

[vanblok]

Thank you for your reply. I have confirmed in the current stable version the requests page once I enabled it. I also installed a copy dev instance and connected the Seerr api without issue. Once I start to get some flow through it I will test it out. I do have a small issue that is completely mine as I only allow Plex ID logins to Seerr, not local accounts, but I can go change that if I need to, to get that functionality. I mainly don't want to deal with my users trying to use their emails, and force them to use Plex Auth as their only choice to avoid the "I can't login" calls.

Thanks again for the quick response and all of your work. Looking great!

[stevezau]

Hey, thanks. If you hit issue, please open an issue here https://github.com/stevezau/shortlist/issues

Re: "I do have a small issue that is completely mine, as I only allow Plex ID logins to Seerr, not local accounts, but I can go change that if I need to, to get that functionality." - What do you mean by this? Users don't login to shortlist so i am not understanding what the isse is?

Thanks!

[vanblok]

Actually, the requests are now auto downloading instead of queue for approvals. I don't have an option in the drop down for any other account other than mine that is auto approved. So everything starts downloading automatically

[stevezau]

How would you want it to work? I couldn't create requests per user as shortlist will often have multiple users requesting the same item.

[vanblok]

Would having multiple requestors matter, if it already exists as a request from someone, else, it could ignore it as it is already requested. You are right, maybe Seerr integrations is a step too far as it is really used for individuals to request content, not really made for this type of usage. The requests page you show might be enough for the admin to go approve them. For my use case, simply having the list generated, and no auto download without admin approval is preferred.

For context in this use case, I have one Shortlist instance setup for 1080p movies and TV, and another instance setup for 4K movies and TV. The latter doesn't need every movie or tv series to have a copy of the 4k content for everything, only certain content, since the media is so much bigger on disk. So much more strict about what gets downloaded. The 1080p content is much more liberal and willing to store through automation. Having the single request page for the 4k instance where requests are evaluated and approved or denied makes the most sense, without involving Seerr at all.

I agree with you that maybe Seerr is more trouble than it is worth. You do already provide a healthy solution that meets our needs and that extra mile might just muddy the water. Thanks for walking through this idea with me, and helping me see my request was one of "how cool would that be" and less "Should we".

Thanks for the focus you have put on this. ;)

[stevezau]

the empty dropdown was a bug on my end, not your setup. I'd hidden the user accounts, which left you with only your admin, and that auto-approves. Fixed on :dev now. You can pull the latest.

You're right about duplicates too — Shortlist already skips anything Seerr has already got or requested.

For your 4K instance though, I think you've landed in the right place: turn off "Send the strongest titles without asking" and everything waits in Shortlist's Requests page for you to approve. No Seerr needed there.

Thanks for working through it. Let me know if you have any other issues, if you do please open an issue here https://github.com/stevezau/shortlist/issues