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[al1947]

Testing out what I found at https://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Library_Tools#Track_Linking_Tools

I tested this feature in MC23, and it doesn't seem to be working correctly. If you select a series of tracks to link, the link property does not get applied to the last track in the selection. So, for example, linking Tracks A,B,C,D; A, B, and C show the link sequence number, but D doesn't.

Also that wiki item doesn't provide very much detail on how to use the feature. ideally, I would like to be able to use it as if the link tracks had been physically merged into one file/track. Is there any more detail available anywhere?

[blgentry]

You're probably looking at the [Link] tag in each song right?  The number you see displayed there is the File Key of the next file to be played.  Or the "link" to the next file (song).  If you look closely, you'll see that all of the numbers in the [Link] tag are different.  Because each one refers to a different file.

If you go to a view where you are looking at these files and add [Link] as a column, then add an expression column with the expression:

Code: [Select]

=filekey()
You will then see that the [Link] in file A is pointing to the file key of file B.  Then B points to C, and finally C points to D.  D does not point to anything because it is the last one in the chain of files to be linked.

A set of files linked like this *should* act like one track when you play track A.  As long as you have gapless playback set up.  If you have gapped playback set up, then you'll hear the corresponding gap between each track.  Unless of course you have "gapless for sequential album tracks" enabled *and* A, B, C, and D are sequential tracks from the same album.  In which case, playback will be gapless.  Whew, I'm tired now. 

Brian.

[al1947]

Thanks Brian

Turns out to be a very awesome feature. Helps me with at least three issues:

• Breaking digital downloads of box sets into component albums
• linking together multi-CD albums
• grouping classical music into full works (and thus splitting albums up into component pieces)

Even better shuffle play recognizes the linked files as if they were a single track

[blgentry]

Breaking digital downloads of box sets into component albums

I've done this by changing the [Album] tag on the songs the belong to each component album.  I wrote a post about it a long time ago, when I separated out the Led Zeppelin Box Sets into their individual albums.

linking together multi-CD albums

If these are part of the same album, then just setting the [Album] tag to the same value should work just fine.  For example, when you rip some 2 disc CDs, sometimes you will get two albums.  One named "That great album", and another labeled "That great album CD 2".  I always combine these into a single album by making the [Album] tag on both be "That great album".  The Smashing Pumpkins, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness springs to mind as an example where the discs get their own Album tags and I later changed them to a single value.

Of course, use Linked Tracks however you like.  I'm just giving information based on my experience and my preferences.

Enjoy.

Brian.

[drmimosa]

For classical music I use a Custom Tag called "First Movement."

Then I can shuffle a set of first movements and track links automatically add the movements of the complete work via track links.

If you just shuffle a list of linked movements, you get some incomplete pieces: 1-2-3 2-3 3 3-4 1-2-3-4. This is because the link only fills in the next links, not previous links. I think it is a simple code that adds sequential tags waits for an empty tag and then stops adding tracks.

Like Brian said everyone has a different system for links and multiple album sets. There was a thread about six months ago about different ways people tag multiple album sets. I'll link to it when I find it again. Enjoy!

Edit: Here is the link, it has a few problems and solutions related to multiple disc albums:

https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,109845.msg759886.html#msg759886