Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[paulrr01]

Hello all,
MC25 windows client.
I have 'some' (I dont know how many exactly) FLAC files which are showing a tag 'Volume Level (ReplayGain)' with values in. This is using the tag panel within MC on a client PC, the files are on a NAS.
However, using a 'third party' tag dumping tool the tags do not show up, except on one album. Viewing the library album by album has several albums showing this tag.
What I'm trying to do is to tidy up the tags generally plus also trying to prepare the ground to get the replay gain stuff sorted across my whole library. Generally all working ok except this one confusion.
Any ideas why MC thinks the tags are there but not any other tools?
Any and all advice/info gratefully received.

[wer]

Paul, not all tagging programs understand all types of tags.

First, use the "Tag Dump" area in the bottom of the MC Tag Editor to see if the tag is actually written to the file; that's what that area does. MC can contain tags in the database that are not written to the file. There is an option ""Save in file tags when possible" for each field (tag) in MC to control whether MC writes that particular tag to the file or not.

If the Tag Dump shows that the tag is written to the file, but the tag doesn't show up in your 3rd party editor, then the editor isn't just parsing the tag properly.

That particular tag is used as part of MC's volume leveling, so don't "tidy" it.

I hope this helps.

[paulrr01]

Thank you Wer, it does, and thank you for your prompt reply....but
Just checked a couple of things -
The 'save in file tags when possible' is ticked for this tag (and as far as I know always has).
On a file in question the tag dump does NOT show the Volume level tag.

So, am I right in thinking these database tags should be in the file tags based on this?
 
Which tag has priority in MC playback, the database tag or the file tag? (thinking about it I could easily test this by setting a file tag to a wildly different value and hear what happens...)

I would like to get to a situation where all my tags are file tags - including the volume related ones as I may not always be using MC, plus I can 'see' what I've got tag wise etc.

Rightly or wrongly, as I can't vouch for the existing tags, I was going to go through a process of analysing the library and setting the file volume tags in a consistent manner - and related to my 'priority' question above, should I just go ahead and analyse and set the file tags anyway?

[wer]

Database takes precedence over file tags.

Right click on the file and do Library Tools->Update tags from library and then check the tag dump again.

If the tag isn't in your file after that, something on your system is preventing the write, like read only permissions or antivirus. Or, you kept using the word "client" in your original post. Are you running MC in client server mode?

[paulrr01]

Thank you Wer.
You may be onto something......just changed a database tag in MC (on a file that does NOT have that as a file tag), then Library Tools->Update tags from library - I get a failure (but no hints)......
That being said I can change file tags to my hearts content using the third party tool without problems. Thats one avenue to explore.

However, say for example I analyse my library (for replay gain) and set file tags, and then the database values are different from the newly analysed file values, the database tags will take priority...

I want to get to the situation where the only tags of any sort are ones I have set myself (or at least been in control of setting). In other words, how do I get rid of database tags, and stop them populating?

Last question for now, is 'sidecar tagging' and 'database tagging' the samething?

Thanks again for your help.

[wer]

You misunderstand. MC maintains the metadata (tags) in the database, and then writes them to the file if possible. You don't get rid of metadata in the database (database tags as you call them); the database is how MC functions. If you don't want metadata in a database and want to exist only with file-based tags, give up MC and use Foobar.

When you analyze audio, it is the database that is updated. It will write the updated values to the files at the same time if it can. You can force it do so so (again) later with update tags from library. If the tags in the files are wrong, it will not affect playback in MC.

Fix the writing problem, update tags from library, and then the files and db will be in sync.

You need to focus on the problem whereby MC can't write to the files first, before you pursue your plan for "tag domination ".     I think you also need to gain more experience and understanding as to how MC works with tagging before you can control everything manually.  https://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Tagging

For example, you said you are using FLAC. Therefore, you don't need sidecar files. Forget about that.

Good luck.

[paulrr01]

Thank you wer,
I didnt for one minute think I needed sidecar files, I wondered what they were in the context of this discussion, thank you for confirming I don't need them.
I've looked at the page youve referred too, some useful info there, vicious circle of my lack of understanding, terminology etc.

However, thinking about it, I don't want (or need) MC to write to the file tags as I have that side of things under control. What I do want is for MC to take on board those file tags and nothing else. I don't want MC to have any tags internally I have not set myself (or if there are any internal tags they have no effect).

I use MC for viewing my library and playback. I want MC to be in sync with the file tags and not the other way round (that being said I would like to find out why MC cant save to the file tags).

Is there a way of clearing the internal tags?
Again, thank you for your time.