Create several subscriptions for all local folders under a same parent folder (one level only)

In order to facilitate migration to AntennaPod when a user has a large library of downloaded episodes located in 200 local folders (one folder per subscription), all being subfolders of one parent folder, it would be very handy to be able to create several subscriptions at the same time for all local folders under a same parent folder (one level only).

Thank you

Hello,

(Replying here rather than in the GitHub ticket you created.)

You mean that rather than selecting individual folders as podcasts, you select only 1 parent folder and its directly children (so no grandchildren or further) are automatically picked up as individual podcasts?

A slightly different request & idea was requested before: Local files in subfolders

And to be honest I think this only makes sense if

a) your other request gets implemented as well:

related to the above request, a way to automatically create a new local feed for any new sub-folder appearing under the parent folder (at level 1)

b) OR, it is implemented as a ‘one time system scan’ (so it’s clear you don’t ‘add’ the parent folder as such, but rather select a location to scan for folders)

@ByteHamster, would it be feasible (in general, for other contributors) to add one level scanning (either one-time (b) or ‘continuous’ (a))?

Helllo

Thanks a lot for pointing me to this topic, that explains a lot about the reason why local folders are here, and also provides some info about AntennaPod strategy (at the time at least, but not sure it has changed since. or has it? :slight_smile:

The request is exactly as you describe it, and yes, it makes sense only with option a or b.
If Option b is confirmed to be easier technically and UX-wise (being “only” a loop of the single current feature), and as the burden is really on the initial mass migration of local folders from another Podcast manager to AntennaPod, and as one does not add tens of podcasts a day later on, option B could be quite sufficient.

For option a, the crucial feature is already here actually, which is further added files in an existing local feed being detected and managed by AP.

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Continuous only with additional flags in the database, a specific service, etc. I don’t think we should add that because it’s not the main focus of the app and creates additional maintenance overhead.

One-time could work, I think. We have to discuss how it would work, though. I think someone has already requested to add all files of subfolders to the same subscription. Without additional UI or database flags, we can only have one of them. How do we handle the case that the parent folder could also contain files then? In general, this needs quite a few thoughts and precautions in the UI, so I don’t really think it is worth the effort (again: not the main focus of the app).

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I wouldn’t make database changes for this, so it’d be UI changes. But the UI change wouldn’t have to be complicated. It could be as simple as an extra line for “Scan folder & add the folders in it”, or dialog with a choice between the two options. The one-time scanning could take place in the background; the found sub-folders are added as local podcasts (as you would do with any local folder currently).

An extra dialog that presents the found folders, allowing user to deselect them before they’re added as podcasts could be nice, but not even necessary.

Not sure what other precautions would be necessary with this approach.

That said – while I don’t think it’d have to be complicated UI-wise – I’d agree it’s not an important use-case for the project. (Though I realise it’d be helpful in this particular case.)