Plex-Meta-Manager/docs/defaults/both/year.md

# Year Collections

The `year` Default Metadata File is used to dynamically create collections based on the years available in your library, sorted by critic rating to create a "best of <year>"

**This file works with Movie and TV Libraries.**

![](../images/year.png)

## Collections Section 13

| Collection                                        |                Key                | Description                                                |
|:--------------------------------------------------|:---------------------------------:|:-----------------------------------------------------------|
| `Year Collections`                                |            `separator`            | Separator Collection to denote the Section of Collections. |
| `Best of <<Year>>`<br>**Example:** `Best of 2022` | `<<Year>>`<br>**Example:** `2022` | Collection of Movies/Shows that have this Year.            |

## Config

The below YAML in your config.yml will create the collections:

```yaml
libraries:
  Movies:
    metadata_path:
      - pmm: year
  TV Shows:
    metadata_path:
      - pmm: year
```

## Template Variables

Template Variables can be used to manipulate the file in various ways to slightly change how it works without having to make your own local copy.

Note that the `templates_variables:` section only needs to be used if you do want to actually change how the defaults work. Any value not specified is its default value if it has one if not it's just ignored.

All [Shared Variables](../variables) are available as well as the additional Variables below which can be used to customize the file.

| Variable          | Description & Values                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
|:------------------|:-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| `use_separator`   | **Description:** Turn the separator collection off.<br>**Values:** `false` to turn of the collection                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
| `sep_style`       | **Description:** Separator Style.<br>**Default:** `orig`<br>**Values:** `orig`, red`, `blue`, `green`, `gray`, `purple`, or `stb`                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |         
| `sort_by`         | **Description:** Changes the Smart Filter Sort for all collections in a Defaults file.<br>**Default:** `release.desc`<br>**Values:** [Any `smart_filter` Sort Option](../../metadata/builders/smart.md#sort-options)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
| `sort_by_<<key>>` | **Description:** Changes the Smart Filter Sort of the specified key's Collection.<br>**Default:** `sort_by`<br>**Values:** [Any `smart_filter` Sort Option](../../metadata/builders/smart.md#sort-options)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
| `data`            | **Description:** Replaces the `data` dynamic collection value.<br><table class="clearTable"><tr><th>Attribute</th><th>Description & Values</th></tr><tr><td><code>starting</code></td><td>Controls the starting year for collections<hr><strong>Default:</strong> current_year-5<hr><strong>Values:</strong> Number greater than 0</td></tr><tr><td><code>ending</code></td><td>Controls the ending year for collections<hr><strong>Default:</strong> current_year<hr><strong>Values:</strong> Number greater than 1</td></tr><tr><td><code>increment</code></td><td>Controls the increment (i.e. every 5th year)<hr><strong>Default:</strong> 1<hr><strong>Values:</strong> Number greater than 0</td><td></td></tr></table><ul><li><strong><code>starting</code> and <code>ending</code> can also have the value <code>current_year</code></strong></li><li><strong>You can also use a value relative to the <code>current_year</code> by doing <code>current_year-5</code></strong></li></ul> |
| `exclude`         | **Description:** Exclude these Years from creating a Dynamic Collection.<br>**Values:** Any list of Years                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |

The below is an example config.yml extract with some Template Variables added in to change how the file works.

```yaml
libraries:
  Movies:
    metadata_path:
      - pmm: year
        template_variables:
          use_separator: false
          sep_style: purple
          sort_by: title.asc
          sort_by_2022: release.desc
```