Content:Files

First of all, you should clearly understand how AniDB works in respect to files.
AniDB is kind of split into two parts: The public side where you add the files visible for everyone and the private side (your mylist) where you can keep track of the files you have. If you want to add a file to your mylist, you have to publicly add it to AniDB first.
The reason for this is easy: The next person who has the same file and wants to add it to his/her list doesn't have to input all the info again, but simply selects the existing entry.
That's why we ask you to include as much info as possible when adding a new file, it's for all users' benefit.

Note:

You need to understand that "files" in anidb are actually just containers with textinfo added (bitrate, codec, hashes and so on) meaning those "files" are NOT located on the anidb server.

Where can I add files?!

add file dialog

Go to the anime's page and locate the episode the file belongs to. Click on the icon on the right (in the "Action" column). Then, you're on the "Add file" page for that episode, where you can input a lot of information.
Not all of this is needed, but if you have a minute to spare please add them all.

Basic info you should include when adding a file

Ed2k-link

An ed2k-link consists of the filename, the file's size and a so-called hash, basically a fingerprint of the file.
This assures that no duplicates are added (since they'd have the same hash) and that the size-value is correctly entered. Also important functions in AniDB itself and in AOM rely on the ed2k-link being present.
Also see How to generate ed2k-links.

Released by

Normally, the files are "tagged", meaning that the filename contains a string like "[AonE]" which you can look for in the according shortname dropdown-menu. Please note that not all groups on AniDB are listed under the tag they actually use as AniDB can only have one distinctive tag for each group, so make sure the group's full name matches as well.

When you add a new file from group that have already some files added for this anime, you can save yourself from browsing entire list again and againg by using by relation list, that contains only groups that already have at least one file added for this anime.
You can also just enter the groupname into the searchfield and click Search. After doing that a dropdown menu will appear and list groups whose name match your search.

However, some people remove the group-tags from filenames. If you have such a file, please check the file, if the group-name is being displayed somewhere in it.
If the group isn't listed, you have to add it first.

Note:

If a file is a joint release, meaning it was released by two or more groups (e.g. by "ANBU-AonE") that these usually have their own group entry in the dropdown-menu - AniDB treats those files like they are done by a separate group.

CRC

A CRC is a 8-digit checksum(/hash/fingerprint) like this one: "F017C5A4". Use a program like hashcalc or AOM to calculate the checksum of your file and put it in the according field.

CRC status

Groups often release files with the checksum of the correct file being published somewhere, for example in the IRC-channel's topic or directly in the filename. Now, only if the CRC you calculated from the file you have matches the CRC of the correct file, set the "CRC status" on AniDB to "crc matches official source". For older releases, especially for files you didn't directly get from the group, check pages like Envirosphere or Baka Updates.

File type

In case you pasted a full ed2k link (including the filename) to the "ed2k-link" field, the filetype will be set automatically. Otherwise you have to manually choose the correct one from the dropdown menu.

File version

Sometimes, the group makes mistakes and wants to correct them by releasing a second (third, fourth...) version, usually called "v2" ("v3", "v4", ...). If there is no such tag in the filename, it's normally the "version 1".

Audio language ("Lang" field)

The default ("Japanese") should do it most of the time. The "Dual (X/Y)"-entries are meant to be used with files that contain multiple audio-tracks. If there's a third audio-language (which is currently not supported by AniDB), please add that info as a comment to the file.

If the right language isn't listed, please request the language to be added in the DB Change Request-forum.

Subtitle language ("Sub Lang" field)

Again, the default ("English") is right most of the time, but remember to choose the right one when adding a file with a different subtitle-language. If there are multiple subtitle-languages, please add that info to the file-comment. A request to add a missing language can be filed in the DB Change Request-forum.

File Comment ("Descr" field)

Here you can put important (public) info on that particular file, like additional audio or subtitle languages.

Optional Info

We'd like you to add this info sooner or later to the file since some other users will benefit from your work.

Release Date

The date the group published the file. Have a look at the group's homepage or other release info pages like Envirosphere or Baka Updates.

MD5 and SHA-1

Two more hashes. You can use programs like hashcalc or AniDB O'Matic to easily get these hashes in one step.

Hint: When you hash the file with AniDB O'Matic, these hashes will automatically be added to the file-entry within 24 hours. (The file needs to be in AniDB already for AOM to create an auto-creq!)

File Quality

• unknown - You haven't watched the file yet or can't tell by your impression of previous files. Be sure to add the quality-rating once you've watched it!
• very high - No encoding artifacts, very good sound-quality, perfect timing, no grammar or translation-errors in the subs.
• high - The file is good, but there are minor issues with it, like a not-so-good source with few visible or audible encoding artifacts - maybe just in one particular scene - or slight translation/editing-misses.
• medium - One can clearly spot encoding issues in video or sound, or the translation is off sometimes.
• low - There's a permanent annoyance in video, audio or translation.
• very low - This is not quite what one would want to watch. The video, sound or translation are just disturbingly bad.
• corrupted - Used for files with clearly visible corruptions over a longer period in the file.
• eyecancer - Even recompressed to .rm, this couldn't look worse.

The quality rating should not be influenced by differences in the actual drawing or contents (like a cut TV-version or a censored hentai). Please also don't rate a file lower just because you don't like the fonts used.

Source

Here you can tell the raw (unsubbed) source of the anime. If you don't know the source, leave it "unknown". If you find a tag like "(S)VHS" or "DVD" in the filename, choose the according option from the dropdown-menu. Sometimes, it's ok to make an educated guess: For animes that are released fansubbed shortly (within days/weeks) after they aired in Japan, you can safely assume "DTV" (Digital TV) as source. Another case for educated guessing is "HKDVD" (Hongkong-DVD) - the video-quality may be ok for them, but the translation is usually horrible, which is how you can spot them.

Video and audio information

Use AOM to easily determine the codecs and bitrates used in an avi-files. For mkv/ogm-files, you can use MediaInfo or the Matroska Shell Extension. Another possible program, which we consider trustworthy is Virtualdubmod (Gspot is easy to use, but not very accurate so it's NOT recommended.)

Note: Many XviD-encodes have a "DIVX" or "DX50" 4cc (for compatibility) and are thus often wrongly recognized as DivX4 or DivX5. In GSpot, you may find an additional signature displayed near the DivX one, for example "DIVX/xvid" or "DX50/xvid". In such cases, please always set the codec on AniDB to XviD. Also read: Codec Identification

Your version is corrupted...

Fileentries on AniDB are supposed to be useful for a larger group of users: One of them adds the entry and many others can use it (by adding it to their list).

Adding wide-spread corrupted files

An entry for a corrupted file may still be useful for others as long as it's likely that more people have the exact same corrupted file as you have. (For example if one source sent the corrupted version to many people.)

If - and only if - this is the case, you can add the file normally to AniDB, marking it as "CRC invalid" and/or "Quality: Corrupted" if there are visible/audible errors in the file.

Adding "personal" corrupted files

If your specific (corrupted) version of the file isn't listed on AniDB, for example because of some hard- or software-problem on your side or because you manually edited the files, in most cases you should not add them to AniDB, because they serve no purpose for other users.

Don't worry - you can still list such files properly in your mylist. For example: You have a corrupted version of group X's release. Navigate to the corresponding episode where the regular, uncorrupted of group X's release is listed and click on the "add file ()" icon. On the next page, you can select the "Type: corrupted version/invalid crc" so that your mylist-entries properly indicate which version you have.

If there's no crc-valid version of group X added for the release you have, consider adding the episodes' generic files to your list instead.

Removing bad entries

If you added a bad entry yourself you can remove it as long as no one put that file to his mylist. In that case you don't have the neccessary rights to remove it. Please post the entry which should get removed here: DB Change Requests