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Author Topic: Restore DFF Library Data  (Read 723 times)

whoareyou

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Restore DFF Library Data
« on: February 08, 2021, 03:46:27 pm »

I have some DFF files. The files do not contain tagging information so this "tag" information is located solely in JRiver's database.
Is there a way to back up this dff tag information so that it can be imported to newly created database (not a database restore)? 

Thanks
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zybex

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Re: Restore DFF Library Data
« Reply #1 on: February 08, 2021, 03:52:08 pm »

MC can save tags in a XML file next to each imported file. It's called a "sidecar". To enable it:
- Settings -> General -> Import & Tagging -> Sidecar Tagging Mode: Save in both Sidecar and internal tags

Then right-click on the files and do a Library Tools -> "Update Tags (From Library)", and check if new files called "original_filename_sidecar.xml" are created next to your DFF files.

On a new MC install, when you import the files these Sidecars will be imported too. If not, you can do a "Update Library (From Tags").

Caveat 1: not all fields are saved to Sidecars by default. You can open one of the XMLs in Notepad to check what it contains... if it's missing something you need, you have to go to Settings->Library->Manage Library Fields, and enable the "Save in File Tags" option for each field you need.

Caveat 2: Looks like MC only saves Sidecars for Audio or Video files. You may need to change the "Media Type" on your files to "Video" to have MC create the sidecars.
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zybex

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Re: Restore DFF Library Data
« Reply #2 on: February 08, 2021, 03:56:13 pm »

Solution B is to just open a Details view of your files in MC, add the columns/tags you want to the View, then select all files, CTRL+C, then CTRL+V in Excel. Though restoring the tags back to MC is not as easy (but also possible)
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dtc

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Re: Restore DFF Library Data
« Reply #3 on: February 08, 2021, 06:17:00 pm »

You might want to look at converting your dff files to dsf, although you need to be careful doing that as many conversions go through a PCM intermediate state, which is a loss conversion.  Is there a reason you need to use dff files?
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whoareyou

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Re: Restore DFF Library Data
« Reply #4 on: February 08, 2021, 09:07:12 pm »

Thanks for the suggestions.  Might try the sidecar route and/or export to excel. 

There are only couple albums like this (maybe a total of 20 of files) so not that big a deal, but it has been pain to reenter info on a couple of occassions.

I would convert to DSF, except these are compressed DFF and I don't know of a converter that will convert directly to DSF from compressed DFF format.


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dtc

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Re: Restore DFF Library Data
« Reply #5 on: February 08, 2021, 09:28:07 pm »

Yes, dst files are a problem. There is little support for that format, unfortunately.
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zybex

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Re: Restore DFF Library Data
« Reply #6 on: February 09, 2021, 03:42:03 am »

It seems there's an option in Settings to enable Sidecar files for Audio files. So if you enable that, you don't need to change the MediaType tag.
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whoareyou

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Re: Restore DFF Library Data
« Reply #7 on: February 09, 2021, 08:29:16 am »

That option is perfect.  Never would have found it.

Thanks!



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