More > JRiver Media Center 23 for Mac
Fixing Paths and Filenames with special characters (Accents, etc.) Mac/PC
RoderickGI:
--- Quote from: tangolovers on December 04, 2019, 12:55:12 am ---I verified, my Audio Folder rule is currently set to the MC default of [Artist]\[Album]\.
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Okay, so we know that is what we should use in the RM&CF function. It may cause some issues, but it is going to be as accurate as we can, because it sounds like your metadata isn't consistent.
--- Quote from: tangolovers on December 04, 2019, 12:55:12 am ---When you say "directory rule"
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I was referring to the "directory rule" in the Rename, Move & Copy Files function, which is active when the "Directories" checkbox is ticked. The "Base Path" I referred to is also part of the RM&CF function. We are using the RM&CF function to fix the special characters in the path and file names. Nothing else at the moment.
If your directory rule has always been the default, and that is "[Artist]\[Album]\", then that is what we use to try to fix your Library.
--- Quote from: tangolovers on December 04, 2019, 12:55:12 am ---I'm a bit confused by your above comment regarding El Huracan. First of all, where do you see the Album Artist (auto) and the other fields you talk about?
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I added those fields to the View I am using for testing. You can do that by right-clicking anywhere on the column heading (i.e. on the [Name] column and selecting a new field to add as a column - you can drag the columns left and right to put them in a sequence you want to see). I wanted to look at them to see what we should use for the "Directory Rule". Now we know, we leave it at "[Artist]\[Album]\".
--- Quote from: tangolovers on December 04, 2019, 12:55:12 am ---From what I can see in MC El Huracan IS under the Artist "Alfredo.... ".
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But under [Album Artist] "El Húracan", and hence [Album Artist (auto)] is "El Húracan".
--- Quote from: tangolovers on December 04, 2019, 12:55:12 am ---Although I do have 10 different versions of El Huracan from different Albums, different orchestras etc., each using different naming conventions for Album, Album Artist etc... it's a mess!! My guess it this is a long term project of manual fixing as I go. No hurry on this. Just need library & playlists to work again, then I can clean up.
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Yes, by the sound of it there is a lot to do. I can't really help with fixing all your metadata, or recommending how to handle composers, for example, as there are many ways to do it in MC, and it really comes down to personal preference.
There are quite a few threads on handling metadata for orchestral and classical music, and where to get the metadata from. That is a task for the future.
--- Quote from: tangolovers on December 04, 2019, 12:55:12 am ---Yes, only Working with Windows7 right now. <snip> I wish I wasn't doing all the Library modifications there, because it's such a pain. But I guess I'm already halfway committed.
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If that external drive has original version of the files, and I'm sure you still have the Library Backup from Step 11 in post 15 above, or one after the transfer process in post 30, so you could move to the Windows 10 PC. At worst, the original files are on the Mac, with a Library Backup, and everything we have done is documented in this thread, so you haven't lost anything. That is up to you. I assume that the W10 PC is faster.
Also, the only actual fixing we have done after your transfer process is some Option Settings and the the RM&CF function, I think.
--- Quote from: tangolovers on December 04, 2019, 12:55:12 am ---The (1) suffix was already in Finder on the MAC. So it was also there in Explorer. What happened is when I accidentally did the Rename "[Track #] - [Name]" to clean up the special characters, neither of us realized that it would remove the (1) from MC making those files unreadable.
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I realised, and expected, the " (1)" suffix to be removed in MC, and also on the file itself, as shown in Windows Explorer. Even though MC is showing the files as missing, and hence unplayable, Windows seems to be able to find them no problem. MC uses Windows functions to rename files, so I expected the RM&CF function to both update MC and rename the files.
I couldn't test for this, as my file system isn't broken, and the sample files you shared were always playable after they were imported.
It sounds like the RM&CF function run to update the file name did not update Windows, and hence left the " (1)" suffix on those files.
You said:
--- Quote from: tangolovers on December 03, 2019, 08:41:17 pm ---Update To Post:
Regarding the Filenames ending in (1) in Explorer but not in MC: I used RM&CM to change one filename in MC and it played.
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So I believed that my assumption was correct, and the file would be renamed in Windows.
UPDATE:
I see you have reversed the removal of the suffix, and now removed the suffix in MC and Explorer. Good.
So did you reverse the file renaming on all files, or just the ones with the suffix. I guess it doesn't matter too much, because if you try to rename files to the name they already have, MC will just not make changes. See attached image for how the RM&CF function should look.
BE CAREFUL to select and test just a few files. If the change looks wrong, Ctrl+Z will undo the change.
Select and test with files that have special characters in the path and file name. Make sure you refresh all MC and Explorer views when yu check the result. Both of them sometimes don't update their views quickly.
Check in Explorer after changing just a few files, to see they have been renamed in Windows (use the "On Disk (external)" function).
You need to confirm that:
The file names and paths in MC match the file names and paths in Explorer.
That MC doesn't show the files as missing.
That the files are playable.
That when you try to edit the [Filename (path)] or [filename (name)] field in a View in MC, using the F2 function or right-click and selecting "Rename", that the special characters look correct, without the gap.
You could also add the "Playlists" column to your View, if you wish, and check if the test files still have the names of any Playlists they belong to recorded in there.
By the way, I suspect that the RM&CF function will say "No Change" on some of your test files, and won't fix the problem. If that is the case was will try a slightly different idea. Hopefully though we can whittle down the number of files to deal with, step by step.
Sorry for my very long posts. But the devil is in the detail.
tangolovers:
HALLELUJAH... I finally finished manual fixes to pathnames & the likes!!! All files play and playlists are intact! ;D ;D ;D Hard to believe... I'm pinching myself!
I managed to document my process as detailed as possible, but I don't know if I should post it somewhere since it was very specific to my situation. Let me know what you think.
Just did a Library Backup & I'm copying music folders & Library to External HD which will be ported to Windows 10 as soon as it's finished copying. Fingers, toes, legs & eyes crossed!!
I assume I don't need to do anything special with regards to Loading a Library on the Windows 10 machine when I do the Restore? I'm still digesting how this Loading a Library works.
Going forward, I think it will make more sense to first upgrade my MacOS to Maverick (from Sierra) before moving to MC25 in case MC25 is anticipating the latest MacOC to already be installed. Do you agree with this thinking? I'll probably wait until next week until I make sure everything looks okay with the DB.
BTW, when do I turn Auto-Import back on? You don't suppose this could cause more duplicates or issues do you? Is there a best practice or rule for setting "Ignore files previously removed from library" under Configure Auto-Import? And, when/how is it safe to delete the “Media Center 22 on Mac” folder under My Backups (in MAC Finder)? It's still showing in MC.
tangolovers:
Opps, I didn't see your last post before I wrote mine because it wasn't obvious there was a Pg2.
Regarding RM&CF Directory rule. I rarely use this, so I’m not too versed in how it works, but I think I understand how to use this to move folders around. Is the base path the source and the Rule the destination? Is there any advantage in to trying to change my entire DB to [Album Artist (auto)]\[Album]\? Is there ever a case when you use the Browse button under Base Path to select something more specific than D:\Music\My Music\??
I suspect El Huracan was one of the many that were manually at some point – either as I Ripped CD’s or afterwards.
--- Quote from: RoderickGI on December 04, 2019, 02:57:46 am ---Check in Explorer after changing just a few files, to see they have been renamed in Windows (use the "On Disk (external)" function).
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I did this on a few, but it was time consuming. I ended up just clicking the file to see if it plays, and to check Explorer to make sure representation was accurate. Then I did the final test for missing files and there are zero!!.
RoderickGI:
Excellent that you have everything working, by the sound of it.
--- Quote from: tangolovers on December 04, 2019, 04:06:57 pm ---I managed to document my process as detailed as possible, but I don't know if I should post it somewhere since it was very specific to my situation. Let me know what you think.
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Post it, and change the name at the top of your post to something like the name I have used for this post. See above.
You could also change the thread name, which you can do by Modifying the first post in the thread and changing its Subject. I can't modify that post.
--- Quote from: tangolovers on December 04, 2019, 04:06:57 pm ---I assume I don't need to do anything special with regards to Loading a Library on the Windows 10 machine when I do the Restore?
--- End quote ---
Nothing special. You should load both the Library and the Settings, which is the default.
--- Quote from: tangolovers on December 04, 2019, 04:06:57 pm ---Going forward, I think it will make more sense to first upgrade my MacOS to Maverick (from Sierra) before moving to MC25 in case MC25 is anticipating the latest MacOC to already be installed. Do you agree with this thinking? I'll probably wait until next week until I make sure everything looks okay with the DB.
--- End quote ---
No, I don't agree. As I posted earlier, the discounted Upgrade price is available until December 10th. See https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,122405.0.html So buy now and take advantage of the 15% discount. You don't have to install it immediately though. In fact, do run MC23 for a week or so, and make sure everything is fixed and working correctly.
I assume that you have a MC Master Licence, since you are using Mac and Windows PCs.
I think the minimum System Requirements for MC25/26 OSX are still the same as documented here; https://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/OSX_System_Requirements, although that is an old article.
Also, OS X Mavericks is version 10.9.5, while macOS Sierra is version 10.12.6. So I assume you have Mavericks now, and are thinking of updating to Sierra? Catalina is the latest, if your hardware supports it.
Reference: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201260
--- Quote from: tangolovers on December 04, 2019, 04:06:57 pm ---BTW, when do I turn Auto-Import back on?
--- End quote ---
As soon as you have a good Library Backup with all the fixes, and have finished copying music files to the external drive, so that you have a fixed version of the files.
--- Quote from: tangolovers on December 04, 2019, 04:06:57 pm ---Is there a best practice or rule for setting "Ignore files previously removed from library" under Configure Auto-Import?
--- End quote ---
That is debatable, but given the history of your Library, I would leave that turned on, as long as the number of files in your Library matches the number of files on your hard drive, within reason. If they don't match, we can discuss further.
--- Quote from: tangolovers on December 04, 2019, 04:06:57 pm ---And, when/how is it safe to delete the “Media Center 22 on Mac” folder under My Backups (in MAC Finder)? It's still showing in MC.
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You can delete that now, as long as there is nothing important under there. Your Library Backups now go elsewhere, to "/Users/susiemelo/Documents/My Backups/Media Center/Library Backups" so they are safe.
But what about the exported Playlist files you created? Where did they go again? I think it was under "/Users/susiemelo/Documents/My Backups/Media Center 22 on MAC/Library Backups/Playlists” as per the image below.
Make sure you keep those files until you are completely happy with all these fixes. Just move them somewhere else.
Shut down MC on the Mac first, delete, then start MC and see if that “MC Library Backup” Library disappears. That may be the solution for deleting that Library under Playing Now, but I don't think so. I still don't know how to delete the "Bad Main Library" and “MC Library Backup” Library in your Mac, if they are still there. Your image on Post 25 shows the latter gone, but it doesn't show the "Bad Main Library", so maybe that was from earlier.
You should also check if your Mac actually has a folder;
"/Users/susiemelo/Library/Application Support/J River/Media Center 23/Library\" which is associated with the "Bad Main Library" and has the backslash at the end, as opposed to the correct;
"/Users/susiemelo/Library/Application Support/J River/Media Center 23/Library/" which is associated with the "Main Library" and is the Library and folder which you are now using.
If there is really a "/Users/susiemelo/Library/Application Support/J River/Media Center 23/Library\", delete that as well, with MC closed.
If deleting the folders doesn't remove the unwanted Libraries from MC, asking how to do that may be a good question for a new thread in the MC25 Mac forum.
Whew. Another long post. But all questions answered.
Location of exported Playlist files.
RoderickGI:
Oh, there was one more post!
--- Quote from: tangolovers on December 04, 2019, 04:20:31 pm ---Regarding RM&CF Directory rule.
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The Wiki article describes this pretty well: https://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Rename,_Move,_and_Copy_Files#Directories
--- Quote from: tangolovers on December 04, 2019, 04:20:31 pm ---Is there any advantage in to trying to change my entire DB to [Album Artist (auto)]\[Album]\?
--- End quote ---
Only if you first go through and fix your metadata so that [Album Artist (auto)] works correctly in all cases. Maybe after your long term project to fix up "the mess". ;)
--- Quote from: tangolovers on December 04, 2019, 04:20:31 pm ---Is there ever a case when you use the Browse button under Base Path to select something more specific than D:\Music\My Music\??
--- End quote ---
While it can be done, no, not really, at least for music.. Particularly as you have a matching "My Music" folder on the Mac and PCs. Videos and Images will have a different Base Paths, I hope
--- Quote from: tangolovers on December 04, 2019, 04:20:31 pm ---Then I did the final test for missing files and there are zero!!.
--- End quote ---
As above: Excellent!
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