Library Doctor
Library Doctor is a specialized diagnostic tool that scans your library for media files that are corrupt, truncated, or otherwise unreadable by the Alchemist analyzer.
Run a scan manually from Settings → Runtime → Library Doctor.
Core Checks
Library Doctor runs an intensive probe on every file in your watch directories to identify the following issues:
| Check | Technical Detection | Action Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| Probe Failure | ffprobe returns a non-zero exit code or cannot parse headers. | Re-download or Re-rip. |
| No Video Stream | File container is valid but contains no detectable video tracks. | Verify source; delete if unintended. |
| Zero Duration | File metadata reports a duration of 0 seconds. | Check for interrupted transfers. |
| Truncated File | File size is significantly smaller than expected for the reported bitrate/duration. | Check filesystem integrity. |
| Missing Metadata | Missing critical codec data (e.g., pixel format, profile) needed for planning. | Possible unsupported codec variant. |
Relationship to Jobs
Files that fail Library Doctor checks will also fail the Analyzing stage of a standard transcode job.
- Pre-emptive detection: Running Library Doctor helps you clear "broken" files from your library before they enter the processing queue.
- Reporting: Issues identified by the Doctor appear in the Health tab of the dashboard, separate from active transcode jobs.
Handling Results
Library Doctor is read-only; it will never delete or modify your files automatically.
If a file is flagged, you should manually verify it using a media player. If the file is indeed unplayable, we recommend replacing it from the source. Flags can be cleared by deleting the file or moving it out of a watched directory.