Plex Meta Manager is designed to be a background running service that "wakes up" and "sleeps" when it is scheduled to do so. By default and unless configured using the [Time to Run Command](../environmental.md#time-to-run), Plex Meta Manager expects to run every day at 5AM local time.
Whilst it is possible to have `python plex-meta-manager.py` running in an open window constantly, this is not the recommended approach as it relies on an always-open command window that can be obtrusive to the user.
Instead, it is recommended to set an automated scheduling service so that Plex Meta Manager can run in the background when scheduled to without any visible impact to the user (other than the Plex libraries and playlists updating).
Using docker is the simplest and most robust solution to automating Plex Meta Manager scheduling.
When running Plex Meta Manager within docker, the session will resume after a system reboot (assuming Docker is set to start at system startup, which is the default) and Plex Meta Manager will run in the background at all times.
There's a [Docker Walkthrough](docker) with more detailed instructions on setting up Plex Meta Manager within docker. The simplest command to facilitate a docker run is:
<TIMEZONE> is replaced with your local timezone, or the timezone your device is in that is running Plex Meta Manager. For a list of available timezones, please see [Timezones](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tz_database_time_zones). You want to replace <TIMEZONE> with the TZ Database Name.
This will run Plex Meta Manager in the background persistently until it is stopped by the user. While the docker container will be persistently running, Plex Meta Manager will not begin the run until the scheduled time.
Further customizations of the docker run command can be used to specify set times to run Plex Meta Manager, further information on this and other Run Commands can be found [here](../environmental.md#time-to-run)
Windows Task Scheduler is advised for those who followed the Windows instructions in the [Local Walkthrough Guides](local) and/or do not want to run Plex Meta Manager within docker.
Windows Task Scheduler allows the user to run commands and services at scheduled times and intervals.
There are two methods of running Plex Meta Manager:
* Single run Scheduled Task
* Background run Scheduled Task
These will be explained further down this page.
These guides assume the user has followed the Windows instructions in the [Local Walkthrough Guides](local) which includes setting up the [virtual environment](local.md#setting-up-a-virtual-environment). Please also ensure to edit any commands to be reflective of the live environment (such as usernames, installation directories).
### Background Run Scheduled Task
This method will start Plex Meta Manager at system startup and will keep the script running in the background indefinitely. The user can then define set days and times for the Configuration File to be processed, and Plex Meta Manager will handle processing as and when required.
This is the recommended approach as it allows the user additional control over how and when Plex Meta Manager processes.
If you don't specify a time, the script will run at 5AM each day. You can change this with the [time-to-run](../environmental.html#time-to-run) runtime flag.
* This will navigate to the PMM directory, then run PMM. At the scheduled time [as defined within Plex Meta Manager], PMM will process the Configuration File and will then wait until the next scheduled time.
1. Open Task Scheduler by searching for it in the Start Menu or by opening the Run window (Windows + R) and typing taskschd.msc before hitting OK.
* ** Ensure that Task Scheduler is opened and not Task Manager **
7. Click "Browse", Navigate to the PMM directory and choose `waiter.cmd`, which was created in Step 1, then select "Open". NOTE: Your path may vary from the illustration here; navigate to the file you created and saved in Step 1.
8. Copy the directory everything up to but not including `waiter.cmd` from the "Program/Script" field, and paste it into the "Start in" field. This is `C:\User\IEUser\Plex-Meta-Manager-1.15.1` in the example below, then select "next". NOTE: Your path may vary from the illustration or example.
Plex Meta Manager will now launch at system startup, but will wait until the user-specified scheduled time before executing, and will then wait in the background for the next scheduled run.
</details>
### Single Run Scheduled Task
This method will start Plex Meta Manager at the desired time, immediately begin running the Configuration File and will then kill the process once it has completed.
<details>
<summary>Single Run Scheduled Task</summary>
1. Create a `runner.cmd` file by opening the text editor (i.e. Notepad, TextEdit) and pasting the following code:
* This will navigate to the PMM directory, then launch PMM using the `-r`/`--run` flag which triggers an immediate run. Once complete, Plex Meta Manager will exit.
Save this file to C:\Users\USERNAMEHERE\Plex-Meta-Manager\runner.cmd`.
2. Open Task Scheduler by searching for it in the Start Menu or by opening the Run window (Windows + R) and typing taskschd.msc before hitting OK.
* ** Ensure that Task Scheduler is opened and not Task Manager **
9. Copy the directory everything up to but not including `runner.cmd` from the "Program/Script" field, and paste it into the "Start in" field. This is `C:\User\IEUser\Plex-Meta-Manager-1.15.1` in the example below, then select "next".
The cron utility is used for running scripts and commands at regular intervals, and at specific times and dates. It’s built into most Operating Systems (namely Linux and Mac), and provides a very useful way to schedule tasks on your server. It also works for running Docker commands on a schedule.
1. Decide when you want to run Plex Meta Manager
`cron` needs a specific syntax to express schedules. A cron schedule is something like "Every Tuesday at 4" or "5 minutes past every other hour".
You can generate the required line by checking boxes using something like [crontab-generator](https://crontab-generator.org/).
The command you use in crontab will probably be the command you use to run it on the command line.
A command you could use for this:
```
cd /path/to/plex-meta-manager && pmm-venv/bin/python plex_meta_manager.py --config config/config.yml --run
3. Paste in the crontab line you got from `crontab-generator`, or type in one of your own. Depending on the editor being used, you may need to put it into insert mode first. There's a good chance it's `vi`, in which case you need to press `i` to put it into insert mode, after which you will see `-- INSERT -- ` in the lower left.
4. Save and close the file. How you do that depends on which editor is being used. There's a good chance it's `vi`, in which case `ESC : w RETURN` will save and `ESC : q RETURN` will exit.
