More > JRiver Media Center 23 for Mac
Fixing Paths and Filenames with special characters (Accents, etc.) Mac/PC
RoderickGI:
Right, on to the transfer process from the Mac to the PC.
I know you were very pleased with the transfer process you worked out and documented, but I am going to improve and simplify it. I can't test it, but it should make your life easier. I'll copy and edited your process so you can see the differences.
******* TO MIGRATE MEDIA CENTER LIBRARY FROM MAC TO PC ******
0. On both the Mac and Windows PC, turn off Auto Import before doing anything else. This will stop all your media files from being imported into the Library with the correct Windows paths, before you can fix the Mac paths, so you won't have to delete anything from the Library before fixing paths.
Untick "Options > Library & Folders > Run auto-import in background" in the Mac and Windows PCs.
1. On MAC: Back up library: File > Library > Backup Library .
2. Transfer library backup ZIP file from MAC to PC.
3. Make sure all songs that were imported on MAC are on a drive that PC can see. I used the exact same drive and folders. It just appears as a different path on MAC versus PC, and of course Mac uses slashes ( / ) while the PC uses backslashes ( \ ).
4. On PC go to Tools>Options>File Location>Program Files>Library Backups> select path for Library. This step is not required.
5. Run a Restore Library on PC using transferred MAC Library Backup:
File > Library > Restore Library > (choose backup file that you transferred in step 2 by clicking Browse and navigating to where you saved the Library Backup zip file on the PC). When this is complete you'll see all of your songs, playlists, views, etc. But the songs will all be "missing" and will have red minus signs ( - ) next to them.
VERY IMPORTANT!! Now I see 2 versions of each song – one with MAC path (and “-“ next to them) and the other has a Windows path (these actually play). Not any more! Because Auto Import is off.
Now, Go to Audio files and…
6. Sort by “Filename (Path)”, this will separate the files with Windows vs Mac file path.
7. Highlight all files with a PC Path C:\Users\susie\Music\My Music\ (or whatever your audio path is...)
These files are the playable ones and will NOT have “-“ next to them (doesn’t seem logical but it will work)
8. Right click and select Delete>Remove from Media Library. All remaining files should have “-“ and the original MAC Path /Users/susiemelo/Music/My Music/ (these files are not playable)
No longer required because Auto Import is off and so the Windows version of the files were not imported.
9. Highlight all remaining files in the Library with “-", which should all still have a MAC Path then…
Tools>Library Tools>Rename, Move & Copy>
“Update Database to point to new location” (Do not use Rename)
Uncheck all boxes except Find & Replace. (Do not check Convert Windows file path to Mac/Linux)
Now here we have a difference between MC23 and MC25 I think. I don't have MC23 installed any more to check, and I certainly don't have the Mac version to check. However, in the MC25 Windows version there is a setting near the bottom of the dialogue called "Replace slashes in expressions" which I think needs to be ticked to convert Mac to Windows paths and vice versa. Or maybe it converts slashes to underscore. Check what the Preview is showing and set that checkbox to get the correct result. If it mucks things up you can just Restore a backup again.
Find What: /Users/susiemelo/Music/My Music/
(or whatever your MAC path is)
Replace With: C:\Users\susie\Music\My Music\
(or whatever your Windows path shows in audio)
10. Turn Auto Import back on in MC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Your Windows Library should then show the files as available, and they should be playable. You will want to check MC settings, particularly Auto Import and "File Location".
Run with that Library for a while, then think about my suggestion to upgrade to a MC26 licence as above.
tangolovers:
Responding to your Reply #29
Regarding the Conversion Cache, Video is now pointing to: /Users/susiemelo/Library/Application Support/J River/JRiver Conversion Cache/. I was unable to get it to point to J River Conversion Cache (note space between J River). It kept defaulting to JRiver Conversion Cache unless I was doing something wrong. But seems like it doesn't matter.
--- Quote from: RoderickGI on December 01, 2019, 08:20:17 pm ---I don't know what broke your transfer process, but if you have always been on MC23, it would seem it was an Operating System change. Certainly, Windows 10 has had many changes that could have broken the process. It also could have been a settings change that MC remembered, such as the "Replace slashes in expressions" setting in the RM&CF function.
--- End quote ---
I haven’t always been on MC23, I think I started on MC18 or something. I believe "Replace slashes in expressions" has always been checked. Not sure I understand what it does, but what’s the best default (or suggestion when to check/not check)?
--- Quote from: RoderickGI on December 01, 2019, 08:20:17 pm ---As you wish to use the Windows (Windows 10 PC, rather than Windows 7?), then I suggest that you do a transfer to the primary Windows PC, fix it so that it works correctly as a Windows PC, and then only the transfer to the Mac needs special handling. This makes much more sense as you have two Windows PCs, and Library Backups can be used between them without any special process.
--- End quote ---
Actually, I will only have 2 computers going forward - my MAC and the new Windows 10 machine, which will be primary for MC & used for Playback. The Windows 10 machine is much bigger & faster than the Windows 7 dinosaur with a 10” monitor which will be trashed. Once MC is back on my PC, I really can’t see the need to transfer between MAC & PC too often, unless I swear off Windows for good. I grew up on DOS & Windows for the past 40 years and after the last straw I switched to MAC with no regrets – other than it’s too expensive to buy a smaller portable one for playback.
--- Quote from: RoderickGI on December 01, 2019, 08:20:17 pm ---Just on the topic of transferring from the Windows PC to the Mac in future, MC25 has new functionality which allows a Library from a PC to be restored to and used on a Mac. I referred to that functionality in this post to you on one of your other threads: https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,123138.msg853048.html#msg853048
--- End quote ---
Great news!! I got so absorbed in this issue, I never went back and looked at my other posts. I think they are obsolete at this point. Can/should they be deleted?
--- Quote from: RoderickGI on December 01, 2019, 08:20:17 pm ---What I suggest that you do is get MC23 working on your Windows PC, then upgrade all copies of MC to a MC26 license, which will work with the latest versions of MC25. With MC25 installed, your transfers to the Mac should be painless, or at least much easier than your previous process.
--- End quote ---
I could upgrade right now, especially if you think MC25/MC26 will help me get from MAC to PC easier. I would absolutely do that. In either case, I'll probably upgrade within the few days.
Unless you tell me that Upgrading to MC25/MC26 will get me to the PC faster and easier, I will start working on your instructions tomorrow afternoon/evening when I return.
Thannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnk You!!!!!!!!! ;D ;D ;D
RoderickGI:
All good with the cache issue.
I think the "Replace slashes in expressions" used to just replace all slashes in expressions with underscores, but I think the functionality has been updated, without the Wiki being updated. Anyway, just check the RM&CF Preview and pick the best option for that setting.
My first PC was an IBM running DOS 1.0 or 1.1, with two floppy disk drives. At least I think it had two. Might have been one, later upgraded to two. Later I got the huge upgrade to a floppy plus a 10MB hard drive. Memories!
Posts don't need to be deleted. I can't anyway. Not an Admin. You can but I wouldn't bother.
The new functionality works by mapping a path from one OS to a path on another OS. As Windows will be your primary OS, I recommend you do the transfer to Windows as per above, and then use the new functionality for future transfers to the Mac.
Probably best to get the transfer to Windows done on MC23, which is a known entity, then upgrade, which should be pretty easy but could add unknowns. Then set up the "Portable Library" settings and transfer back to the Mac.
I'm not sure if the discounted upgrade price is still available... Yes it is: https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,122405.0.html. That could be a deciding factor. Of course, you could upgrade soon to get any discount and install later.
tangolovers:
Good morning RoderickGI. Couldn't sleep... I was dying to do the port to PC before leaving.... starting with the Windows 7 machine so I don't goof up the new one until I know what I'm doing.
I followed the directions and looks like it went perfect. Almost.
My first attempt to restore - everything looked great initially so I immediately (too soon) re-checked Auto-Import, but this added 55 files to my Audio list and my playlists were missing many files, one was missing over 200 tracks.
My second attempt to restore - looked even better. I had exactly the same number of audio files (as the MAC) were recognized on my PC and I was able to change the paths so they were recognized. Playlists all have the right number of files too!! The "-" all went away and everything looked playable again. BTW, thank you for telling me where the checkbox was for Auto-Import - I had a hunch this had something to do with my troubles before, but didn't know where the box was (embarrased).
But then, something happens... With Auto-Import still Un-ticked, the problems started. One by one many (random) files reverted to unplayable "-". This was after my second attempt to restore. The playlists still have the correct number of files, just many with "-". Paths are correct. I tried selecting an album and doing a Locate, but that didn't work either. I verified & re-verified the paths. Can't find any inconsistencies. ARG... :'(
After waiting about an hour and nothing happened, I re-checked Auto-Import. It found the one's that had "-" (743 to be exact) and re-imported them. This time it only added 35 files to my Audio list & resulted in missing files from the playlists again - but not so bad as before.
I know it's probably something very stupid & simple like a check box - just can't figure it out! So frustrating!
--- Quote from: RoderickGI on December 01, 2019, 10:59:10 pm ---My first PC was an IBM running DOS 1.0 or 1.1, with two floppy disk drives. At least I think it had two. Might have been one, later upgraded to two. Later I got the huge upgrade to a floppy plus a 10MB hard drive. Memories!
--- End quote ---
Looks like we grew up in the same era 8). You just described my first computer.
tangolovers:
Hello RoderickGI, I'm back online. Hopefully you'll have some more ideas up your sleeve...
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