Troubleshooting & FAQ¶

Frequently asked questions and troubleshooting advice for netflix-narc.

Troubleshooting Common Issues¶

1. CSV File Parsing Errors¶

Symptom: netflix-narc reports Invalid CSV format or fails to import titles.

Solutions: - Check Column Headers: Official Netflix CSVs contain Title and Date columns. Ensure the file header row has not been modified. - Check File Encoding: netflix-narc expects UTF-8 formatted CSV files. If opened and re-saved in Microsoft Excel or Apple Numbers, ensure it was saved in standard CSV format. - Check Selected Profile: Make sure you exported viewing history specifically from Netflix Account Activity and not an invoice or billing history CSV.

2. API Rate Limits & Missing Ratings¶

Symptom: Some titles display Unrated or rating fetch requests fail.

Solutions: - Automatic Caching: netflix-narc uses hishel HTTP caching to store responses locally. Subsequent evaluations will read from cache and avoid consuming API quotas. - Add Optional API Keys: Free tier keys (such as OMDb) have daily request limits (e.g. 1,000 requests/day). If you reach your limit, hishel will serve cached results, but new titles will remain unrated until your daily quota resets. - Manual Data Override: You can manually enter ratings for any unrated title using the Interrogation Room (i key).

3. Resetting Configuration & Cache¶

Symptom: You want to reset all preferences to default or wipe cached API metadata.

Configuration File Location:

~/.config/netflix-narc/.env

To Reset Settings: Delete or rename your .env configuration file and re-launch netflix-narc to trigger the Onboarding Wizard again:

rm ~/.config/netflix-narc/.env

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)¶

Q: Is my viewing history uploaded anywhere?¶

No. netflix-narc operates entirely locally. Your CSV files, preferences, and manual overrides remain on your local filesystem. Only anonymous title search queries (e.g., searching for "Stranger Things") are sent to external public metadata APIs (OMDb / TMDB / CSM) when fetching rating metadata.

Q: Can I run netflix-narc without registering for API keys?¶

Yes! API keys are completely optional. netflix-narc includes fallback rating mechanisms and local manual override capabilities via the Interrogation Room screen.

Q: How does netflix-narc calculate suitability and severity scores?¶

netflix-narc evaluates titles on a 0.0–10.0 suitability scale based on 5 sub-suitability breakdown components:

1. Base Quality: User/critic rating out of 10.
2. Age Suitability: Distance between the title's rating and your configured child age range.
3. Educational Suitability: Educational value score weighted by your preferences.
4. Positive Content: Positive messages and positive role models score.
5. Content Safety: Penalty deduction for Violence, Sexual Content, Language, and Substance Use.

The app supports two Scoring Modes (configurable in Preferences or during Onboarding):

• Option A (Quality Focus) 🛡️ (Stricter / Safer for Flagging Inappropriate Content): Content safety issues and age misfits act as direct, unmitigated penalty deductions. Mature or inappropriate content is penalized aggressively regardless of high critic ratings or positive messages.
• Option B (Balanced) ⚖️ (Default — More Forgiving): All 5 components contribute to a weighted average score (with neutral safety capped at 7.0/10), allowing high quality or educational merit to soften mild content warnings.

📖 For complete details on mathematical formulas, mechanics, and use cases, see Scoring Modes in the TUI Walkthrough.