How to install Kodi advancedsettings.xml file on a Chromebook

On a PC, putting an advancedsettings.xml file in your Kodi directory is easy.  Copy and paste via Windows Explorer, done.

Same for an Android box or tablet.  Copy and paste using "My Files" or anything similar, done.


On a Chromebook, not so much.  Chromebooks hide the OS files.  Copy & paste is not possible.

However, it is possible to put an advancedsettings.xml file into Kodi on a Chromebook.


NOTE: This guide assumes you know how to point Kodi to another device that holds your advancedsettings.xml file, such as a USB stick, external hard drive, internal storage, or whatever.  If you don't know how to do that, go away and find out.

(Hey, you may as well.  You're probably going to need that same info to set up your video sources later.)

Steps:

1.  Make your advancedsettings.xml file. 

Here is a really simple file.  All it does is exclude certain directory names - like "Extras" - from being scanned into the Kodi library.

<advancedsettings>
  <video>

    <excludefromscan>
      <regexp>Extras</regexp>
      <regexp>Featurettes</regexp>
    </excludefromscan>

    <excludetvshowsfromscan>
      <regexp>Extras</regexp>
    </excludetvshowsfromscan>

  </video>
</advancedsettings>


Yes, you could regex the hell out of it.  But it's, like, 12 lines long.

You can obviously modify as you see fit - see the guide here.

 2.  Put it somewhere that is accessible by your Chromebook. 

This location might be:
-  a USB stick
-  an external hard drive
-  an SD card
-  a network location

or whatever.



3.  Go to the Play Store and install Kodi on your Chromebook.

4.  Run Kodi.

5.  Before you do anything else, go to Settings / File Manager.  Guide here.

Why?  Per the wiki:

"The File Manager allows the maintenace of files from within Kodi on platforms that have no underlying and easily accessible operating system."

Sounds like what we need.

6.  On the left-hand side, open "Profile directory".  This is the place where advancedsettings.xml needs to go.

(No, you can't really verify that.  But don't worry, it is the right spot.  And even if it wasn't, you can't really bolix up Kodi or your Chromebook by copying this kind of file to the wrong spot.)

7.  On the right-hand side, open "Add source".  Point it to wherever your "advancedsettings.xml" file currently lives.

Note:  I can't tell you exactly how to do this since it depends on your storage device (USB stick, network, etc.)  If you don't know how to do this, go away and find out, and come back.

7.  Click/tap on your advancedsettings.xml file in the right-hand pane, and hit Copy.

Note: Exactly how you copy depends on your OS (Windows, Android, etc.).  It's done via the "Context" menu, known as the right-click menu under Windows.  Right-clicking on the file name usually works.  For touch devices, press & hold may work.

8.  Change to the left-hand pane, and hit Paste.

Note: Exactly how you paste depends on your OS (Windows, Android, etc.).   Right-clicking in the left-hand pane usually works.  For touch devices, press & hold may work.


That's it - you've copied your advancedsettings.xml into the right Kodi directory.  Restart Kodi and the new settings should be in effect.

You can now go ahead and set up your sources.  The items excluded by your advancedsettings.xml file will naturally be excluded, as intended.