[Enhancement]: Remove unnecessary columns from `playbackSessions` table in database #918

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opened 2025-10-14 18:01:15 -06:00 by navan · 0 comments

navan commented

2025-10-14 18:01:15 -06:00

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Originally created by @nichwall on 12/7/2024

Type of Enhancement

Server Backend

Describe the Feature/Enhancement

The playbackSessions table has several columns which should not be needed anymore. For example, if a book is updated or the authors are cleaned up, the displayTitle and displayAuthor can get out of sync on older listening sessions. I also have a number of /tmp related cover paths from old version of the iOS client, which doesn't really mean anything and is probably the local path on the device.

The following columns could be removed and instead fetched from the corresponding podcastEpisode or book entry in the other table, with an index to speed up fetches:

displayTitle
displayAuthor
coverPath
mediaMetadata

Why would this be helpful?

Reduce required amount of data for transfer and simplify the database for listening sessions.
Removes duplicate and out-of-date information.
Related to https://github.com/advplyr/audiobookshelf/pull/3690 and https://github.com/advplyr/audiobookshelf/pull/3689

Future Implementation (Screenshot)

Book ERD. Same sort of thing for podcastEpisode using the mediaId

Audiobookshelf Server Version

v2.17.4

Current Implementation (Screenshot)

No response

*Originally created by @nichwall on 12/7/2024* ### Type of Enhancement Server Backend ### Describe the Feature/Enhancement The `playbackSessions` table has several columns which should not be needed anymore. For example, if a book is updated or the authors are cleaned up, the `displayTitle` and `displayAuthor` can get out of sync on older listening sessions. I also have a number of `/tmp` related cover paths from old version of the iOS client, which doesn't really mean anything and is probably the local path on the device. The following columns could be removed and instead fetched from the corresponding `podcastEpisode` or `book` entry in the other table, with an index to speed up fetches: - `displayTitle` - `displayAuthor` - `coverPath` - `mediaMetadata` ### Why would this be helpful? Reduce required amount of data for transfer and simplify the database for listening sessions. Removes duplicate and out-of-date information. Related to https://github.com/advplyr/audiobookshelf/pull/3690 and https://github.com/advplyr/audiobookshelf/pull/3689 ### Future Implementation (Screenshot) Book ERD. Same sort of thing for `podcastEpisode` using the `mediaId` ![Screenshot from 2024-12-07 09-07-46](https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/bc13a134-9df5-41f0-8700-5300629e6626) ### Audiobookshelf Server Version v2.17.4 ### Current Implementation (Screenshot) _No response_