# Immich external library to albums This script creates Immich albums from the directory names in an external library and adds the corresponding assets to them. It does not move or modify the original files. For example, with: ```text EXTERNAL_ROOT=/mnt/nextcloud-photos ALBUM_MODE=root ``` the asset: ```text /mnt/nextcloud-photos/Korea_2016_07_08/photo.jpg ``` is added to an album named `Korea_2016_07_08`. Files in nested directories below `Korea_2016_07_08` are added to the same album. ## Configuration Required environment variables: - `IMMICH_URL`: Immich server URL, for example `http://immich-server:2283` - `IMMICH_API_KEY`: API key with `asset.read`, `album.read`, `album.create`, and `albumAsset.create` permissions - `IMMICH_LIBRARY_ID`: ID of the external Immich library Optional environment variables: - `EXTERNAL_ROOT`: Path stored in Immich's `originalPath`; defaults to `/mnt/nextcloud-photos` - `ALBUM_MODE`: `root` (default), `leaf`, or `relative` - `ALBUM_SEPARATOR`: Separator for `relative` mode; defaults to ` - ` - `PAGE_SIZE`: Immich search page size; defaults to `1000` - `DRY_RUN`: Set to `true` to log planned work without changing albums Run the script after Immich has scanned the external library: ```bash uv run python src/main.py ``` ## Docker Compose Copy the example configuration and insert your Immich API key and external library ID: ```bash cp .env.example .env docker compose up --build ``` The example starts with `DRY_RUN=true`. Check the output, then set `DRY_RUN=false` in `.env` and run `docker compose up` again. When Immich publishes port `2283` on the same Docker host, use: ```text IMMICH_URL=http://host.docker.internal:2283 ``` For an Immich server on another machine, use its normal HTTP(S) URL instead. The photo directory does not need to be mounted into this container: `EXTERNAL_ROOT` is matched against the path recorded in Immich's `originalPath` field. The Compose service performs one synchronization and then exits. Run it after an external-library scan, or invoke it regularly with a scheduler such as cron. The script only adds missing assets. It never removes assets from albums and never deletes albums.