Profiles and instances

Configure multiple accounts/servers per provider in a single CrossWatch install.

Provider instances (aka profiles) let one CrossWatch (CW) install connect to multiple accounts and/or servers for the same provider.

In the UI, CrossWatch calls these Profiles.

In config and docs, we often call the same thing an Instance.

Recommended: start with default first.

Add profiles only when the base setup works.

Common uses:

• Two Plex servers (home + remote).

• Two Plex users (yours + partner’s).

• Two Trakt users (yours + partner’s).

• Separate Jellyfin servers (anime vs family).

• Basically i dont care......you get the point 😄

Terms

• Provider: PLEX, TRAKT, SIMKL, JELLYFIN, EMBY, MDBLIST, …

• Profile / Instance: one complete, independent configuration for a provider.

  • Separate tokens, URLs, user IDs, and settings.

• Default instance: the built-in instance named default.

Where instances matter

Instances show up in three places:

1. Settings → Authentication Credentials, server settings, and whitelisting are saved per profile/instance.

2. Pairs Each side of a pair can point at a specific instance.

3. Watcher (routes mode) Routes choose a provider instance (event source) and a sink instance (event target).

Create an instance (UI)

1

Open Authentication

Go to Settings → Authentication.

2

Add a profile

Open a provider.

Click Profile.

That creates a new instance/profile.

CrossWatch picks the next available profile ID automatically.

3

Connect and save

Connect that instance.

Fill in required fields.

Click Save.

Instances are meant to be independent.

If a provider needs a token, URL, or user ID, set it per instance.

That includes library whitelisting.

Want a second user on the same provider (example: Plex)?

You still need a separate profile and a full connect + settings + save flow.

There’s no shortcut. It is what it is.

Profiles can get complicated fast.

Every profile can be referenced by Pairs and Watcher routes.

If you delete a profile, also delete or update anything that points at it.

Otherwise runs can fail, or sync the wrong account/server.

Instance IDs

• default is reserved.

• Non-default instances use PROVIDER-P##.

  • Examples: PLEX-P01, TRAKT-P01, SIMKL-P02.

• The UI Profile button creates the next free PROVIDER-P##.

  • Example: if PLEX-P01 exists, the next one is PLEX-P02.

How this looks in config.json

Each provider can include an instances map.

{
  "plex": {
    "account_token": "...",
    "server_url": "http://plex.local:32400",
    "instances": {
      "PLEX-P01": {
        "account_token": "...",
        "server_url": "https://remote-plex.example"
      }
    }
  }
}

Provider keys in config are usually lowercase (plex, trakt).

Instance IDs are case-sensitive. Keep them consistent.

Use instances in sync pairs

Pairs can set:

• source_instance (defaults to default)

• target_instance (defaults to default)

{
  "pairs": [
    {
      "enabled": true,
      "source": "PLEX",
      "source_instance": "PLEX-P01",
      "target": "TRAKT",
      "target_instance": "TRAKT-P01",
      "mode": "one-way",
      "features": { "watchlist": true, "ratings": false, "history": true, "playlists": false }
    }
  ]
}

Use instances in Watcher routes

In routes mode, each route is:

provider(instance) → sink(instance)

{
  "scrobble": {
    "watch": {
      "routes": [
        {
          "id": "R1",
          "enabled": true,
          "provider": "plex",
          "provider_instance": "default",
          "sink": "trakt",
          "sink_instance": "TRAKT-P01",
          "filters": {}
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

Related

• Connect providers: Authentication

• Configure sync pairs: Configure Pairs

• Configure scrobbling: Watcher

• Config reference: Configuration (config.json)