More > JRiver Media Center 25 for Mac
Albums occasionally vanish
gd0:
--- Quote from: JimH on January 30, 2020, 06:30:06 am ---Yes, you need to set up auto import.
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--- Quote from: blgentry on January 30, 2020, 12:50:30 pm ---I personally set "fix broken links" to NO. This is the safest option that gives you the most control. Automated can be more convenient, but can also be more mysterious. I prefer to know.
I also do not run auto import automatically. I only run it on demand via a button on the MC interface. It's very easy to import new files after I rip a CD or something. Just press the button and watch the album show up. Again, more control.
This is my approach and may or may not be the right way for you.
Brian.
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Thanks guys.
I started to learn/re-learn what Auto Import is, and started wandering backwards in the instructions, and ran across this under Library:
By default, the Library is stored on your disk in your User Profile's Application Data directory.
OSX: /Users/<user name>/Library/Application Support/J River/Media Center <version>/Library/
Media Center uses the Library files for all operations, and to drive all metadata searches and behavior in the application. For this reason, the performance of the disk where the Library (or Libraries) is critical. The Library files are not large, and should be stored on your fastest, internal disk in the computer (an SSD if possible).
I looked, and of course, there is no JRiver listed in this Application Support location on my iMac. I don't know where it is at all; but again, everything works.
Which makes me question whether I originally installed anything correctly at all, despite being deliberately slow at reading (and rereading) the installation guide.
So before I make further moves, and risk undoing everything, I gave each of your posts some thought. It's been 4 years(?) or so since I first installed, so I may not remember precisely, but I'm guessing I let JR do its Automatic First Use Scan to import maybe 2200 albums. And then MAYBE I read about Auto Import, and ignored? Attached below is what my Auto Import looks like.
And that reminds me of another personal preference that I didn't think to mention.
I want ZERO online interaction when using JRiver, or at least minimized to near-zero. For example, I wouldn't want JRiver to casually substitute album art for whatever reason. And that goes double for audio content; I have various mix/mastering/format duplicates in the library, among other unique content (see my usage in the first post). iTunes does that kind of substitution as a default, one of many reasons I've ditched them.
Everything I want JRiver to access resides in an external hard drive, and it's all hardwired. Unless I misunderstand how JRiver works (very possible!), there should be no need for an online connection to use it.
I guess I use JRiver as a big "carousel" CD player (that can play all audio formats).
So with all that considered, is it reasonable to forget Auto Import - or Auto ANYthing - and think of this "vanishing albums" issue as a mild flaw? One that may be addressed in a future update? I did a topic search and didn't find anything, until Jim pointed it out.
Thanx again.
blgentry:
--- Quote from: gd0 on January 30, 2020, 02:19:50 pm ---I started to learn/re-learn what Auto Import is, and started wandering backwards in the instructions, and ran across this under Library:
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MC terminology can sometimes be confusing. This is probably one of the worst ones. "Library". In MC terminology, "Library" means the internal database that MC uses to track files, show views, etc. It has NOTHING TO DO with your media file location(s). The "Library" location is simply where the database files are. You should never need to touch these or look at them.
--- Quote ---I looked, and of course, there is no JRiver listed in this Application Support location on my iMac. I don't know where it is at all; but again, everything works.
--- End quote ---
You are probably not looking in the right place. In each USER'S directory on a Mac, there is a Library folder. But it's hidden by default. So you have to know the tricks to get it to show up. Inside there is Application Support, and inside there is the JRiver folder. Feel free to go find it if you'd like. But, as you said, if it's working correctly, then you are probably fine.
--- Quote ---Attached below is what my Auto Import looks like.
And that reminds me of another personal preference that I didn't think to mention.
I want ZERO online interaction when using JRiver, or at least minimized to near-zero. For example, I wouldn't want JRiver to casually substitute album art for whatever reason. And that goes double for audio content; I have various mix/mastering/format duplicates in the library, among other unique content (see my usage in the first post). iTunes does that kind of substitution as a default, one of many reasons I've ditched them.
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MC is generally very safe to use with your media files. I have had nearly zero issues with it over several years and 5 major versions. Given what you've said, I recommend the following settings in your auto import Tasks area:
get cover art: uncheck
ignore files previously removed from library: uncheck
update for external changes: uncheck
fix broken links: NO
I also recommend that you *do* set up at least one directory for auto import. But I would turn off "run auto import in background". If you do NOT have auto import set up, you will have to manually point MC to each and every new album or song you put on your disk. I keep my music in several top level folders, and I put new stuff where it goes. Most of my music goes into a folder called "FLAC" and below that there are Artist and Album folders (named for each artist and within those, named for each album by that artist). So, when I rip new CDs (for example), they get put in the right place. Then I just press the auto import button the MC interface and it searches my FLAC folder and finds the new stuff.
This has the side benefit of making sure that EVERYTHING in that folder has been seen by MC. So I don't have any orphaned files or folders. Everything is where it should be and MC knows about all of it. This helps me become the master of my own collection. I am my own Digital Librarian. MC is a very powerful tool that helps me do that.
--- Quote ---Everything I want JRiver to access resides in an external hard drive, and it's all hardwired. Unless I misunderstand how JRiver works (very possible!), there should be no need for an online connection to use it.
--- End quote ---
So you are asking about running MC on a computer that does not have Internet? If that's right, then yes, you can do that. The only reason to connect to the Internet with MC is for a few file types, the codecs are not present in the installation files. Instead, when you play those file types for the first time, the CODEC gets downloaded into MC and then it's there for good. If you don't have any trouble playing any file types, then you should be fine with an "offline" computer with MC on it.
Brian.
gd0:
Hey Brian
--- Quote from: blgentry on January 31, 2020, 09:00:54 am ---MC terminology can sometimes be confusing...
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Ya think?... ha ha.
--- Quote from: blgentry on January 31, 2020, 09:00:54 am ---I recommend the following settings in your auto import Tasks area:
get cover art: uncheck
ignore files previously removed from library: uncheck
update for external changes: uncheck
fix broken links: NO
--- End quote ---
Done, thanks. I also disabled Get movie & TV info.
--- Quote from: blgentry on January 31, 2020, 09:00:54 am ---I also recommend that you *do* set up at least one directory for auto import. But I would turn off "run auto import in background". If you do NOT have auto import set up, you will have to manually point MC to each and every new album or song you put on your disk...
This has the side benefit of making sure that EVERYTHING in that folder has been seen by MC. So I don't have any orphaned files or folders.
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Acknowledged. But I'm thorough about tagging, nothing ever gets lost. Even when I import a download that needs tags, it's not hard to correct in Recent Albums. And I don't buy a great deal of music anymore; adding manually is no chore. I browse mostly by Panes ("Album Artist").
I'm more interested in avoiding programming. Just to embarrass myself, and I know it's Computer 101, I still don't know exactly what a Directory is.
--- Quote from: blgentry on January 31, 2020, 09:00:54 am ---So you are asking about running MC on a computer that does not have Internet? If that's right, then yes, you can do that. The only reason to connect to the Internet with MC is for a few file types, the codecs are not present in the installation files. Instead, when you play those file types for the first time, the CODEC gets downloaded into MC and then it's there for good.
--- End quote ---
Thanks! That's information that I would never find on my own here. The iMac is online of course; I'd just like MC to ignore it. Not a criticism - and I don't mind learning how to use MC - but it's not always clear. Not to mention loaded with features I'll never use. Powerful stuff.
Like you, I have virtually no misfires with JRiver. I won't be surprised to find that the vanishing issue, uhh, vanishes, with the settings changes.
Thanks again!
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