Troubleshooting

This guide addresses common questions, unexpected display behaviors, and diagnostic steps when using Collectarr.

1. An Entry Appears Missing or the Library Looks Empty

If albums you expect to see are not appearing in your library list:

1. Clear the Search Query: Look at the search box in the header toolbar. If text is entered, click the X button or press Escape to clear it.
2. Reset the Alphabet Bar: If a letter is highlighted in the top bar (e.g. B), click All at the far left of the alphabet bar to display all titles.
3. Check Collection Status Scope: The dropdown beside the + Add Albums button filters items by status. If set to In Collection, albums marked as Wish List or On Order will be hidden. Set it to All Statuses or In Collection.
4. Check Named Collections: If you use multiple collections (e.g. Main Collection, Vinyl, Classics), check the collection tabs at the bottom of the window to verify which collection is active.
5. Check Folder Selection: If the left sidebar is grouping by Artist, Genre, or Format, click [All Albums] at the very top of the folder list.
6. Browser Storage Check (Web build): On Web builds, clearing browser cookies/site storage or opening a Private/Incognito window resets local browser storage. Restore your database using Settings → Data → Restore from JSON.

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2. Artists, Labels, or Genres Split into Separate Folders

If the same artist appears under two different folders (e.g., The Paper Moons and Paper Moons, or an accidental typo like Demo Record and Demo Records):

1. Open the main drawer menu and select Manage Pick Lists.
2. Select the list (e.g. Artists or Record Labels).
3. In the right-hand panel, select the variant with the typo or duplicate naming.
4. Click Merge.
5. Choose the canonical target name. Collectarr re-links all albums to the chosen value and deletes the duplicate vocabulary entry. See Pick lists.

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3. Core Search or Barcode Scan Finds No Results

If searching Collectarr Core fails to find an album:

1. Check Connection Status: Navigate to Settings → Connection and verify that the Core service is reachable.
2. Barcode Nuances: Try scanning or typing the barcode without hyphens or spaces. If scanning fails, try searching by Catalog Number or Artist & Title.
3. Obscure or Independent Releases: If an album is brand new, a limited local pressing, or self-released, it may not exist in the central database yet. Click Add Manually > at the top right of the Add dialog to create the album immediately, then click Propose to Core to contribute it.

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4. Albums Sort Under the Wrong Letter

If an album like The Clash is sorting under T instead of C:

1. Open the album in the editor (double-click or select and press Ctrl+E).
2. Inspect the Sort Title and Sort Name fields:
   • For The Clash, Sort Title should read Clash, The.
   • For an artist like David Bowie, Sort Name should read Bowie, David.
3. In Settings → Appearance, check your Articles Ignore List to ensure articles like The, A, and An are enabled.

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5. Merging Multi-Disc Albums Imported Separately

If an imported spreadsheet created separate album rows for each disc of a box set:

1. Select all the individual disc entries in the library.
2. Open the selection actions menu (...) and click Merge Albums.
3. Designate the primary metadata record, arrange disc numbers (Disc 1, Disc 2, etc.), and confirm. Collectarr consolidates all tracks into a unified release. See Editing entries.

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6. Inspecting Diagnostic Logs and Reporting Bugs

If an unexpected error or crash occurs:

1. Open Settings → Logs.
2. Review the chronological diagnostic messages. Click Copy Logs to copy the stack trace.
3. Visit the Collectarr issue tracker.
4. Provide your platform (Web, Windows, macOS, Linux), application version, and reproducible steps.

[!CAUTION] Before attaching logs or screenshots to public issue reports, ensure that personal details (private notes, authorization tokens, or personal photos) are removed.