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[Ant]

Using MC23 I want to convert my files from wav to flac and re-direct my my existing library to the new flac file master directory. My existing library has been edited to show all double albums as one album with tracks renumbered sequentially, and I'd rather not have to repeat this process as I would have to do, if I simply imported the new flac files to a library.
After conversion, the file structure of both the wav and flac master directories will be identical, but of course the file type will be different.  Redirecting the existing library to the new flac master directory is straight forward.   Is there a way to change the file type in the library filename field for each file, as well as update the relevant file type and bitrate fields?
 

[Spike1000]

Is there a way to change the file type in the library filename field for each file, as well as update the relevant file type and bitrate fields?

It's my understanding that you'd have to reimport the newly converted files. Either to the existing library and then delete the .WAV entries (messy). Or to a new library, but then you lose some information that's not stored in the file tags. . . but I fear that WAV files have limited tag support (I may be wrong) so most of the information you need is in the MC database.

There may be a neat way to do this (eg move and convert within MC) but I'll let someone with better knowledge chip in to that.

Spike

[Ant]

Thanks Spike.  Yes, I'm aware of the limited wav tag info that will be transferred to the flac files during conversion.  However, the existing wav tags have been adequate for my use to date.
I've run a few tests after realizing find / replace does not seem to use old DOS wildcards (*).  I was trying to change the filename to direct the library to the new flac directory, while also changing the file extension in one operation.  That did not work.
Now, with 3 separate operations I may be onto it: change the file extension to .flac, change the directory name, update library from tags.  The first single album worked.  I'll now trial a double.

[blgentry]

You seem to have found the magic recipe for making this happen in 3 steps.  Good deal.

Also note that there is an option when you convert files with MC:  You can choose to have MC replace the file on disk *and* in the library at the same time.  This deletes your original, which makes me a little nervous.  I would want to have a full backup (or two) of my media files before I did that.  But I wanted to mention that the option is there when you use the convert format function.

Brian.

[JimH]

When you convert files with MC, it will update the database.

[Ant]

Jim,
For the few albums I have converted to flac and stored in a new master directory, I did not notice any updates to the library.  Is there a switch / setting I need to enable for this to happen.  That is why I thought I'd have to re-import the files, leading to the issue I want to avoid with double albums.
Ant

[RoderickGI]

Look at "Convert Format > Options > Mode"

Brian mentioned the options that are in there. No re-import. No Find /Replace. It is a one-step process. It has always worked for me.

I use "Leave original file, add destination file to library" so that I can check the conversion, and maybe Stack the files, or just delete the original once I am happy with the new version. From memory, all tags in the MC Library are carried over to the new file, so as long as MC has the tags, nothing is lost. No reliance on tags inside the original WAV file.