Automatic "Scan Disk" Periodically Please?

[David L Raines]

Is there a way to set an automatic "Scan Disk" feature periodically?  I every so often drag over FLAC files to the B2.  In order for them to show up, I need to click "Scan Disk" from the web browser.  It would be nice if the B2 automatically refreshed itself periodically to check for new files.   Is there a feature to allow for this?

[Daniel Taylor]

I don't think that's something you want done automatically.  Keeping in mind that it's bad to ask the B2 to do more than one thing at a time, if it had just started a Scan Disk right before you asked it to do something else, you could end up with a problem to fix.  Of course, that would be your choice.  But realistically, I don't think that feature will ever be offered.

[David L Raines]

Daniel, I would like for it to be scheduled perhaps at 4:00 am or something when it's not being used.  

[Les Stanley]

I think this would be a useful feature. Good luck.

[Chris Buckle]

I agree, this would be a useful feature. In fact this is what Sonos does. A rescan of the library can be scheduled for a specific time each day.

[David L Raines]

This screen :) - Yes, you want to check this box off to make sure it re-databases each night.   A setting like this would be nice   Where do we post feature requests?

[PMB]

Hi Davidl,

Noted, thanks.

Paul

Brennan Support.

[Rob Harriman]

I am sorry to disagree, but I wouldn't want my B2 to automatically be making potential changes to my music library unbidden by me at any time.

It would just be another opportunity for more unpredictable behaviour to occur.  If I were to make changes requiring Scan Disk I'd want to be running that myself to keep on top of things. There's an apposite saying here: "Beware what you wish for."

Perhaps I'm being too cautious for most but I'd want to be able to override such an option, if it were to be added.

I would hope that Martin would err on the side of caution in this case and not add it, at least without a much larger poll of the user base beforehand.

Rob

[Keith Gardner]

I agree with Daniel T & Rob H., this feature is undesirable. Automatic changes to the music database are asking for disaster scenarios and further loading on the humble Pi. 

What if... B2 powered up and clock not running (ie. no WiFi) and later the Wifi is started while B2 music is playing (with timezone not set correctly), or a backup is in progress... which would take precedence or conflict...

Regards

Keith G

[Daniel Taylor]

Keith G hits the nail on the head.  Those questions must be dealt with.

The forum is not an engineering design team.  It's easy to come up with an idea, not so easy to anticipate the ramifications.

[Peter Lowham]

Hi All,

Two issues come to mind for me.

1.  The playing of music would have to be stopped.  The B2 would have its brain scrambled if it is actively using the 'd2db' reference file while another process is rebuilding it.

2.  The compression process, if running, would have to be stopped while any 'b2db' update process for the same reason as in point 1 above.

All in all, it is possibly quite a bit of work for very little gain.  I just click on 'Scan Disk' and let it run.  Simples!

Regards,

Peter.

[Chris Buckle]

Interesting feedback. But all of the potential issues identified are well within the control of the system designer/programmer. I assume also that the end user would be given the option of using or not using such a facility, so not a problem for those who would have reservations.

I do think, though, that given the Brennan compresses when it is not otherwise in use, the ability to schedule a scan at ‘end of day’,  following housekeeping, makes some sense.

Chris

[fred.w....@gmail.com]

The logical place to do a scan disk would be as part of the boot up process, but, but, but, in my case a scan disk takes quite some time to complete . It would end up like booting Windows😄!.

I agree Scan Disk is a process best kept as a user started process!

Fred

[Les Stanley]

I'm always surprised by the negativity when anyone mentions any improvement to the existing options. And it would surely only be an option, something that could be defined by each B2 owner. Just add, Scan Disc Automatically on Startup, or Set to Scan Disc at (Time) as an option in the UI. If you don't want it then don't tick the box. 

I suggested something similar for software updates a while back and again it was something some agreed with and some didn't.

[JFBUK]

Hi,

I don’t think it’s negativity.

As you said yourself there are differing views and one of the strengths of this forum is that diversity.

Some of the contributors have a wealth of experience with the B2 and other Brennan products so are well placed to comment on the practicality and efficacy of suggestions for enhancements and also recommend possible workarounds.

We all have things we would like the B2 to do (better tag support please :) ) but realise that nothing is perfect.

John

[Daniel Taylor]

I was not trying to be negative.  I just wanted to be realistic that the suggested feature probably would not be coming.

Sometimes "suggestions" sound like complaining.  No product can be all things to all people.  There are things about the B2 that I don't like, that I am sure could have been implemented better.  I just try to work around those things and enjoy what it can do for me.

[David L Raines]

Thank you all for your feedback!  I didn't realize that I would open up a can of worms, but it seems that we are all passionate here which is amazing.   Obviously I think it should be an option and purely something you would need to turn on / enable.   For some of us that use the NAS feature and drop files to the B2, I think it would be a good thing.   Look, it's not the end of the world to press "Scan Disk" on the B2 web interface after I drag files over, but in my opinion it would be nice to automatically do it for me.   I also love the idea of it doing it on boot up.   It really doesn't take that long.   That's it, I've said my piece and I hope that one day it's an option for me to "scan disk" at 4:00 am :)