Configuration

Shoebox offers various configuration options to customize its behavior according to your needs.

Environment Variables

Shoebox can be configured using environment variables. Here are the main configuration options:

Server Configuration

Database Configuration

Media Configuration

Media Source Paths Configuration

The MEDIA_SOURCE_PATHS environment variable is particularly important as it defines where Shoebox looks for videos. This variable accepts a comma-separated list of paths.

Basic Usage

For basic usage, you can specify one or more paths:

MEDIA_SOURCE_PATHS=/path/to/videos,/path/to/more/videos

Advanced Configuration with Original Locations

A recent enhancement allows you to specify the original location of videos, which is useful when the path in your container or server differs from the original path where the videos were created or stored.

Each path can include additional configuration options using the following format:

/path/to/videos;/original/path;original_extension

Where:

• /path/to/videos is the path where the videos are mounted in the container or server
• /original/path (optional) is the original location of the videos on the source system
• original_extension (optional) is the original file extension of the videos

For example:

MEDIA_SOURCE_PATHS=/mnt/videos;/home/user/videos;mp4,/mnt/other-videos;/media/external/videos

This configuration specifies two media source paths:

1. /mnt/videos with original path /home/user/videos and original extension mp4
2. /mnt/other-videos with original path /media/external/videos and no specific extension

Why Specify Original Locations?

Specifying the original location of videos is useful for several reasons:

1. Preserving metadata: When exporting videos, Shoebox can include information about their original location, which helps with organization and traceability.
2. Compatibility with external tools: Some video editing tools may use absolute paths in project files. By knowing the original path, Shoebox can help maintain compatibility.
3. Migration between systems: If you move your videos from one system to another, specifying the original location helps maintain consistency in your workflow.

Configuration Files

Currently, Shoebox does not support configuration files directly. All configuration is done through environment variables or command-line arguments.

For Kubernetes deployments using the Helm chart, configuration is done through the values.yaml file or by setting values with the --set flag. See the Helm Chart page for more details.