Skip to content

Protected copies

Setup

Keep a file you like. A protected copy is never replaced by an upgrade.

  1. Open the title page.
  2. Go to Copies.
  3. In the Version’s group, select Protect this copy. You should see a Protected badge.

Protection survives restarts and rescans, even while the file is missing for a while. HolyArrs checks it again before using a search result and before an import places a file, so a search or download already queued cannot replace it.

Keep a copy and add another Version

Link to Keep a copy and add another Version

Use this for a second copy beside this one, such as 4K next to HD.

  1. Select Keep this copy and add another Version.
  2. Choose a label, a Library folder and Pick rules. Add an edition and audio languages if you want.
  3. Select Protect and add Version.

Both happen in one step. If it fails, nothing changes. It does not start a download or copy the file into the new Version.

Remove protection

Link to Remove protection
  1. In the copy’s group, tick the confirm box.
  2. Select Remove protection.

What happens on delete

Link to What happens on delete
  • Removing a title or a movie series skips protected titles and keeps them.
  • Removing files by hand can include protected copies if you confirm that separately. Only files HolyArrs imported or took over go to the holding folder; others stay put.
  • When that move works, protection is cleared and holding cleanup can remove the file later. When it fails, the copy stays protected.
  • Holding cleanup skips protected files.

If it does not work

Link to If it does not work

Symptom: Remove protection is greyed out. Fix: Tick the confirm box first.

Symptom: A protected file changed anyway. Cause: Protection covers what HolyArrs does. Another program or a person on the disk can still change it.

Symptom: The Video codecs page will not let you tick a copy. Cause: Protected copies cannot be searched again. See Codecs and media inspection.

Edge cases
  • A show file that covers several episodes cannot be partly replaced by a season pack while protected.
  • Protection does not change other titles, Versions or Pick rules.

HolyArrs is free. If it saved you time, star it on GitHub, sponsor it or buy me a coffee.