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Author Topic: Lost library metadata after folder rename  (Read 3321 times)

Arcadian

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Lost library metadata after folder rename
« on: December 04, 2016, 08:56:07 am »

A while back I took the time to add correct artwork and metadata to my SACD ISOs. I realised that this metadata was only stored in JRiver's library database, not the image files. All was ok until I needed to rename the folder those ISOs were stored in. After renaming the folder I then edited the folder name in JRiver's Auto-Import settings in Options > Library & Folders. This immediately broke all the SACD metadata. Is there any way to repair this (would it return if I just change the folder name back perhaps, or has that horse already bolted?) And more importantly, how might I avoid this happening for future folder name changes?
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JimH

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Re: Lost library metadata after folder rename
« Reply #1 on: December 04, 2016, 11:24:18 am »

You could try moving them back.

If it works, use MC's Rename Move Copy utility to move everything.
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221bBS

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Re: Lost library metadata after folder rename
« Reply #2 on: December 04, 2016, 02:57:00 pm »

If all you did was rename a folder, you can just use the Find What/Replace With in Rename, Move, & Copy tool.

1) remove the new entries inside MC.
2) select all the files that's been move and select the Rename, Move, & Copy tool.
3) select "Update database to point to new location (no file rename, move, or copy)
    Only have Find & Replace checked
    Enter your old folder location in Find What (example C:\Music\Albums\)
    Enter your new folder location in Replace With (example C:\Music\SACD\Albums\)

or it can be
Find What: \Music\
Replace With: \Music\SACD\

PLEASE TEST with a couple files first.
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blgentry

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Re: Lost library metadata after folder rename
« Reply #3 on: December 04, 2016, 03:02:12 pm »

If you're using auto import on the new directory where you moved the SACD files *and* you have Fix Broken Links set to YES, then this could have happened.  MC would see the old files disappear as you move them, and then it would delete all of their metadata from your library, since the files were "deleted".  Then MC would see the files appear under a new directory name and thinks they are "new files", and imports them with no extra metadata.

IF (and I stress if) this is what happened, you'd need to roll back to a library backup that still contains the metadata of your SACD files.  I would turn off auto import and set Fix Broken Links to NO.  Then you could fix the file name mismatch by using RM&C in update mode.  Or you could fix it by moving the files back to their original location.

Brian.
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Arcadian

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Re: Lost library metadata after folder rename
« Reply #4 on: December 05, 2016, 04:31:54 am »

Thank you for all your input. Brian, my Media Centre auto import / broken links setup matches what you suggested. If I understand you correctly the library data is history. I keep backups but I've made quite a lot of changes since this problem occurred and prefer not to roll back now. Fixing the metadata on 50 albums isn't going to take long as I can copy and paste from FLAC versions I have.

Ok lesson learned! So is this method sound? Before renaming any folders (for media that's dependent on library instead of tag metadata) I need to:

1. Disable auto-import / fix broken links, close media centre
2. Rename the folder
3. Open MC and use Rename, Move & Copy Files tool set to 'Update database to point to new location (no file rename, move, or copy)' enabling 'Find & Replace' to find the old path and replace with the new.
4. Restart MC
5. Edit the original auto-import path for the new folder name
6. Re-enable auto-import
7. Re-enable 'Fix broken links'

If I were instead to try and do the moving / renaming just using MC's tool set to 'Rename (moves files if directory changes)' will MC both create the new target folder and update the auto-import path? If so that's a better option.
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221bBS

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Re: Lost library metadata after folder rename
« Reply #5 on: December 05, 2016, 07:02:31 am »

Fixing the metadata on 50 albums isn't going to take long as I can copy and paste from FLAC versions I have.

Hopefully you mean the Paste Tags feature in MC, will make it a lot easier.

1. Disable auto-import / fix broken links, close media centre
...
4. Restart MC

Don't need to close/restart MC.
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Arcadian

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Re: Lost library metadata after folder rename
« Reply #6 on: December 05, 2016, 10:10:31 am »

Quote
Hopefully you mean the Paste Tags feature in MC, will make it a lot easier.

Superb, MC has it all? We're not worthy...
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blgentry

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Re: Lost library metadata after folder rename
« Reply #7 on: December 06, 2016, 06:10:24 am »

Thank you for all your input. Brian, my Media Centre auto import / broken links setup matches what you suggested. If I understand you correctly the library data is history. I keep backups but I've made quite a lot of changes since this problem occurred and prefer not to roll back now. Fixing the metadata on 50 albums isn't going to take long as I can copy and paste from FLAC versions I have.

Ok, good.  There is probably a way to import an older backup and then export just your SACD data as an MPL playlist, then go back to your current MC database and import that MPL.  But it's tricky and I haven't tested it so....

Quote
If I were instead to try and do the moving / renaming just using MC's tool set to 'Rename (moves files if directory changes)' will MC both create the new target folder and update the auto-import path? If so that's a better option.

That's how MC is designed to be used.  It should work fine.  Though you might lose your tracks in the process.  Something weird about SACDs in particular.  There's an easy workaround though; let me go find it...

Ah.. here it is:

https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,96837.msg668255.html#msg668255

Brian.
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Arcadian

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Re: Lost library metadata after folder rename
« Reply #8 on: December 06, 2016, 01:10:18 pm »

Ok thanks for the info.
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