59.3.9.141 Media Manager Service

The Media Manager Service action allows file processing from the source device to the destination device through a dedicated service installed in the server that is in charge of operating.
Below are explained the parameters contained in the General tab of each MMS action type.

Action Parameters
To create an action of a specific operation, the following fields must be compiled:
Media_Manager_Service

Name: Give a short name to identify the action.
Operation: Select one of the following actions:
• Copy file: Copy files from source to destination device.
• Delete file: Delete the file in the device specified. Only files in the source device can be deleted.
• Move file: Move file from a source device into a destination device.
• Rename file: Change filename only. 
• Delete all files: Delete all files linked to the asset, whether codec or device.
• Loudness check: Check the loudness value associated with the metafile.
• Execute process: Run a manually defined command line.
• Etere Transcoding: Perform the transcoding action.
• Media Info: Perform the MediaInfo action.
• MD5 Checksum: Generate or check the MD5 hash file.
• Icons regeneration: Generate automatically picons and thumbnails from a linked video or image file.
• Memory cut: Cut a file recorded with Etere Memory, according to the marks specified in Memory Browser Web.
• Partial retrieve: Create a new file from an existing one, according to the marks specified in the source asset's EDL.
• Conforming process: Launch the process etConform.exe, allowing the merge of 2 or more segments into a single video file (see chapter 62.3.2.0).
• Asset Data Export: Perform the Asset Data Export (see chapter 93.2.1.13).
• Advanced QC: Advanced audiovideo Quality check from Etere
• Orbox QC: Advanced audiovideo qualitycheck from Orbox 
• Packaging: Export multiple files linked to an asset as one single package (either as a directory or a zipped file).
• Create vod project: see chapter 93.2.1.19
• Auto censorship: 
• AWS S3 integration: 
• Wave form export: export the selected metafile waveform on a png image (see chapter 93.2.1.21).

Source
Current metafile: Select this option to use the current metafile.
Device / Codec: Select the source device and codec. If the meta device contains multiple versions (codecs) of the file, select the codec you wish to copy or delete.
NB: These parameters are not available for Delete all files action.

Destination
Device: Select the destination device to which the files would be copied. This parameter is not available for Delete file, Delete all files, Rename file, Loudness check and Mediainfo actions.
Path: If the selected cloud device contains more than one path, this parameter allows one to choose one of them as the destination path. This parameter is not available for Delete file, Delete all files, Rename file, Loudness check and Mediainfo actions.
Codec: Select the destination codec where the files would be copied to. This parameter is not available for Delete file, Delete all files, Loudness check and Mediainfo actions.
Filename: Choose, among the following options, how the destination filename should be managed.
• Keep source name - Enable this option to maintain the file source file name in the destination. This option is enabled by default. Not available for Rename file action.
• Asset ID - Rename the file as the ID of the asset to which the wf is attached.
• Asset code - Rename the file as the asset code to which the wf is attached.
• Asset code + type - Rename the file as the code and the type of the asset to which the wf is attached.
• Generate a unique name - The physical file will be named using a unique identification (UID) automatically generated by a system algorithm.
By default, one unique name is generated for each metafile; therefore, in case the file is formed by multiple physical files (e.g. mpg, pd, vix), Etere DataMover will use the same UID for all files but different extensions; for instance, the files 2143.mpg, 2143. vix and 2143.pd will become 02BD0000000000000075.mpg, 02BD0000000000000075.vix, 02BD0000000000000075.PD.
If the metafile name is changed, Etere DataMover will use the same UID for both the file and the metafile, thus allowing the support of video servers on which video files are managed, maintaining a relationship between the name of metafiles and physical files.
• Use custom rules - The file will be named with a custom filename based on database references (e.g.  Flexi-metadata, asset data...) and free text.
NB: These options are NOT available for Delete file, Move file, Delete all files, Loudness check, Execute process, Partial retrieve, Icons regeneration, MD5 Checksum and Mediainfo actions.

NB2: If in the RENAME action, a rule is used that must take the value from a flexi that contains characters not supported by the operating system (such as | \ / : * ") ETERE automatically replaces them with the character - (minus)

Extension: This parameter allows modification of the extension of the destination file, activating the "Change" flag and typing it in the field.
NB: This option is NOT available for Delete file, Move file, Delete all files, Loudness check, Execute process, Partial retrieve, Icons regeneration, MD5 Checksum and Mediainfo actions.

Options
Do not use media folders even if configured: Enable this option to ignore the translated path, even if it's configured.
Workstation parallelism/Concurrent processes: Indicate the maximum number of actions that can be taken at the workstation simultaneously.
Never update DB files: The file won't be updated in the Database.
Update all assets linked to the source file: If enabled (default), the copied file will be associated with all the asset forms linked to the source file.
Enabling this option is useful; for instance, when a single file is used by multiple assets (e.g. which transmit it overlaid with different logos); in this case, every time the file is copied, the new copy will be updated across all linked assets.
If disabled, the copied file will be associated only with the asset form for which the T-workflow has been launched.
Disabling this option is useful, for instance, when a single big file (e.g. a live feed recording) is used by multiple assets which partially retrieve a smaller file; in this case, only the support from which the partial retrieve has been executed will be updated.
Use SSL: Enable this option to use SSL (Secure Socket Layer) when saving the file in a destination path over the network. If enabled, the service media manager would attempt to complete the action using the following authentication steps in sequential order:
- FTP over TLS (Transport Layer Security)
- FTP over SSL (Secure Socket Layer)
- Plain FTP (without encryption)
If the FTP server supports SSL encryption, the Media Manager service will use a new set of libraries for copying files. Else, Plain FTP would be used.

Use passive mode: If checked, the FTP client will try to use passive mode for all file transfers (upload/download/move); otherwise (if disabled), the standard active way will be used.

Use "passive server to server" when moving between FTP servers: Enable this option if both source and destination devices use the FTP protocol and support 'passive mode'.

Check the file size with db value: If enabled, an additional check would be performed to compare the size of the copied physical file and the file size stored on db. This is useful to signal if the file has not been copied entirely into the destination folder. In this case, its file size differs from the original one, and this check can alert the operator by signalling an error in the wf.
Skip media check: Allow to avoid checking if the source file's device and codec match with the ones defined in the action. This is mandatory in the case of the Memory cut action because the Memory cut wf is attached to a new empty asset with no meta file, so the action would end in error if this parameter is disabled.

Maximum Bandwidth: The max. The bandwidth option is only supported for copies to limit the bandwidth used for data transfers.

Command
This parameter is available only for the Execute process, Partial retrieve (see below) and Memory cut actions.
Allow to specify which executable will perform the action and some additional attributes related to the media name, the job, the log filename, etc.
By default, it's compiled with an example string.
A legend below the field shows the available variables that can be used in the command line.

From Etere version 33.1, if this action exits as an Error, an SNMP message will be sent from the workstation where the service runs to the workstation where the SNMP console is opened.
See the Monitoring console page in the Etere Configuration chapter for further information.

Hereafter, the action-specific parameters are described.

Etere Transcoding action

transcoding_tab

Profile: Select an existing transcoding profile or create a new one, choosing <New profile> in the droplist. If an existing profile is selected, it's possible to edit or delete it using the buttons beside the combo box. Otherwise, the module will prompt a new form where the user can type a name for the new profile and then another form to configure it (see Chapter 62.4.14.10 for more information about the transcoding profile fields).
Loudness: If enabled, Etere Transcoder will normalize the audio level to the value set in the form beside the checkbox.
Physical file: Choose if the file extension will be taken from the related field in the transcoding profile (by default, it's enabled).

If the asset contains subtitles, select the subtitles standard available below and the subtitles languages to be inserted in the transcoded file. The Languages are mapped to the Language properties defined in the Database.

ARIBB24: Enable this option for ARIB subtitles and select an available language from the list.
CEA608: Enable this option for CEA608 subtitles and select a primary and a secondary language from the list.
CEA708: Enable it for CEA708 subtitles and select up to 6 languages from the droplist.
Burn in: Enable this option and select a language code to "burn" the subtitles into a video file. The start time of subtitles insertion is taken from the asset's physical start time rather than starting from zero.

MediaInfo action

mediainfo_tab

Read and merge ETX Fileinfo: If enabled, when several ETX file info is appended to the standard MediaInfo XML, the information is exported to metafile data in XML format and not added to SMPTE metadata.
Convert Mediainfo data to Etere FileInfo Standard: If checked, the retrieved MediaInfo data will be converted and inserted in the Etere FileInfo metadata structure.
NB: If data conversion fails, uncheck this option and retry the data conversion. Etere MediaInfo has been enhanced to better interpret metadata in the file when processed by MediaInfo workflow action.
Read update codec information: If checked, once MediaInfo data is converted into the FileInfo standard, the codec mapping will be applied (to set the correct codec matching the defined codec).  
With this option enabled, it would probably prevent the destination codec from being changed to the "UNK" (Unknown) codec despite the "UNK" codec being disabled in configuration settings.
Update asset data: If checked, MediaInfo data will be used to update asset data (e.g. duration).
Save result file on db: This option determines whether the XML file containing the result information generated from the MediaInfo action would be saved into the DOMA database in SQL Server. By default, this option is disabled to lighten SQL Server workload and maintain Data Mover stability.
Set checked metafile as current in the workflow: If enabled, at the end of the job, the checked metafile will be set as the T-workflow's current metafile (i.e. the metafile against which later operations are performed).
Execution timeout (sec): Specify the maximum time to wait for the action completion before exiting with an error status.
By default, this time is 1800 sec (30 minutes); it can be disabled by setting it to 0.

MD5 Checksum action

MD5_checksum_tab

Generate MD5 file hash: Calculate the MD5 file hash of a media file and store it in the Database.
Check MD5 file hash: Calculates the MD5 file hash of a media file and compares this value to the one stored in the Database.
In case the MD5 HASH does not exist: Specify the behaviour in case the MD5 hash is missing for a metafile, that is, when at least one of the metafiles has an MD5 hash that is NULL :
• Exit with ERROR status (default) - exit the action with the "error" status.
• Exit with ABORTED status - Exit the action with "aborted" status.
• Generate the MD5 HASH - Generate a new MD5 hash for the metafile.
This parameter is useful to define the route the wf should follow once this action is completed and to correct all the assets which have one or more metafiles without MD5 hash.

The presence of the MD5 hash for a metafile is visible in the Media data tab under the MD5 Checksum column.
The possible MD5 Checksum results are listed below:
Green icon - The MD5 Checksum hash value has been calculated and stored but is still present in the file.
Green icon - The MD5 Checksum hash value was calculated and matched the stored value.
Red icon - The MD5 Checksum hash value does not match the stored. The archived file might have been corrupted.

Additional notes
• Please note that the MD5 checksum actions can be performed only for files stored on path-based meta devices (e.g. disk volumes). Using this action against files stored in video servers (e.g. ETX, Omneon) is NOT supported.
• When an asset file is removed, its md5 hash checksum is also removed.
It is impossible to remove the MD5 checksum from the asset without deleting it. However, it's possible to overwrite the existing MD5 checksum by creating a new one on the asset. The assets must be restored to disk to create a new checksum on assets in LTO tapes.
• Every time a file with an MD5 checksum is transferred, the existing checksum is also copied along with the file into the target meta device.
• It is not recommended to copy the zipped files containing MD5 checksum files from the source to the destination folder; it could result in discrepancies in checksum value when files are uncompressed at the destination folder. Zip archive has its checksum, different from the MD5 checksum.

Icons Regeneration action

icons_regeneration_tab

Processing timeout (minutes): Indicate the maximum time the system allows for completing the action. The action will exit with a "timeout" error if the timeout is reached without completion.
Regenerate thumbnails from EDLs: Specify the EDL lists containing segments for which Picons will be generated.

Also, regenerate already assigned thumbnails: If disabled (default), picons will be generated only for those segments without an image. Otherwise, if enabled, picons will also be generated for segments where an image is already present, thus overwriting it.
Thumbnail acquisition: If enabled, the action will generate the asset's main thumbnail by acquiring it from the frame positioned two seconds after the asset starts. Available behaviours include:
Yes - Acquire the thumbnail even if the asset already has a thumbnail.
No - Do not acquire any thumbnail.
Only if not present - Acquire the thumbnail if the asset doesn't have one.
Note: If the asset to process belongs to a season (i.e., an episode), it won't be possible to set any thumbnail since they are selected from the Season Manager module for the entire season.
Thumbnail sequence acquisition: This function allows generating a "thumbnails preview" (into the EDL 11) taken from the file matching the given device and codec. Available options include:
Yes - Acquire the thumbnail preview even if the asset already has a thumbnail.
No - Do not acquire any thumbnail preview.
Only if not present - Acquire the thumbnail preview only if the asset doesn't have one.
The Number of thumbnails parameter (default=0) allows specifying the exact number of thumbnails to be generated for the sequence preview. Please note that the first and last frames are omitted to prevent wrong images (e.g. black frames).

It's worth mentioning that thumbnails can be visible in Media Library search results by selecting Show > Thumbnail in the contextual menu. The related column must be enabled as well.
If a thumbnail sequence is present, it can be shown using the Tools menu Show thumbnail sequence function.
Also, from the contextual menu of the search results, it's possible to have a dynamic preview of the thumbnails, enabling the function View thumbnail. The image will be displayed in a separate window and changed according to the selected asset.

Partial Retreive action

partial_retrieve_tab

Process: Choose which process should transcode the file: Etere transcoding or a different application.
Profile: If the Etere transcoder is selected, it is possible to choose the transcoding profile to use or create a new one.
Command: In case an External application is selected, the .exe that will perform the transcoding must be specified. In the command line, some attributes can be added using the variables described in the legend below this field.
Final destination: Choose the selection mode for the destination path:
Fill Then Next: If enabled, Data Mover starts with the first path and checks whether that path has enough space; if it has enough space, Data Mover uses it. Otherwise, Data Mover checks again until the following available path is found.
Random: If enabled, a random path is chosen among the available ones.
Round Robin: If enabled, the path is chosen from the first to the last of the available ones and then starts again at the top of the list, and Data Mover continues to search in this sequence. The selection status is shared globally among all Data Mover instances that work on the configured cloud device. If a DM selects the 1st path, another DM on a second machine or another instance of the same action in the same DM will choose the 2nd one.
An asset created with the same content - Type: Choose if the new asset type should be the same as the source segment, the same as the source asset, a user-defined type or the system type PRT.
Associate t-workflow: If the system should start a wf upon completion of the partial retrieve, select it here.

ImportantNote: to use the MMS_PR action you need the ET0092 license

Asset data export action

asset_data_export_tab