What are File relations?

File relations, like the name implies, are relations between files on AniDB, there are two types of file relations, File<->File and File<->Ep. The former tells how two different files relate and the later tells how a file relates to different episodes.

File<->Ep Relations

Imagine yourself with a file that spans two, or more, episodes. Until the introduction of file relations the only way to add this file to AniDB was to create a special episode that would hold your file. Now, for those kinds of files you can add file-ep relations.

How to create a File<->Ep relation

To create a file relation between a file and an episode you just need to follow these steps.

Add the file to the first episode it belongs
Open the file information page for your file, by clicking in it's fid
Click on "new episode relation" on the lower part of the page
On the Add File-Ep Relation page fill the percentage of the given episode the file covers and select the episode
Press "Add" and you are done.

File<->File Relations

Often you find yourself with files that are meant be together, for example you have a subtitle file for a video file. Until the introduction of file-relations the only way you had to show this connection was to add a file comment. Users would then have to open the file information page to be able to read your comment. Currently the new system allows you a greater degree of file relation possibilities.

Types of file relations

Currently there are a total of six possible file relations:

external-sub-for ; to relate a subtitle file to it's respective video file
newer-ver-of ; to indicate that there's a newer version of a given file (kind of like the current versioning system)
bundle ; to indicate that a group of two, or more, files are related, and normally, needed in group
op/end-for ; indicates that a given video file is an opening or ending to another video file
external-audio-for ; to relate an audio file to it's respective video file
other ; covers file relations that don't fit the other categories

Rules

These are the rules for using file relations:

external-sub-for ; can only be used to relate a subtitle file to a video file (as in, you need to select the subtitle file and add a file relation to the video file from within the subtitle file page)
external-audio-for ; can only be used to relate a audio file to a video file (as in, you need to select the audio file and add a file relation to the video file from within the audio file page)
newer-ver-of ; can only be used to relate files of the same type (video<->video), that are from the same episode and from the same, or related, groups
op/end-for ; can only be used to relate video files that belong to a Opening/Ending/Credits or an Other Episode to video files that belong on a Normal or Special Episode
bundle ; this kind of relation could be used, for example, to relate an idx to a srt file
other ; this one covers every other cases. Though if in doubt it's best to ask in irc or in forum

Notes: you can not relate generic files nor can you create a relation between the same file, you also can not link files from different animes.

How to create a File<->File relation

To create a file relation between two files you just need to follow these steps.

If you haven't so, add both files
Open the file information page for the file that is related to the other file (for a external-sub-for you go to the subtitle file page)
Click on "new file relation" on the lower part of the page
On the Add File-File Relation page select the type of relation and the related file
Press "Add" and you are done

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