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Author Topic: Feature Request - Make Creating Waveform For Audio Files Optional  (Read 2090 times)

EnglishTiger

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The fact that MC28 populates an "Audio CRC" checksum field that will be filled by the audio analysis is great even though it does mean re-running Audi Analysis on existing tracks/files.
That is not much of a problem but having to once again remove the unwanted data from the Waveform Tag is something most of us can do without; so can we please have creating the waveform optional. Something that JimH agreed was a good idea - see replies 10 & 11 in the "1. Changed: Waveform data is no longer being created for Video content thread" - https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,128474.msg891651.html#msg891651
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Awesome Donkey

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Re: Feature Request - Make Creating Waveform Optional
« Reply #1 on: June 20, 2021, 12:44:28 pm »

I'd expand the idea to request that any and all present and future additions to audio analysis being optional including the Waveform and the Audio CRC fields. To accomplish this I think audio analysis itself should become customizable, allowing the user to decide what gets generated during audio analysis and what doesn't. At the current time I have tag writing for the Waveform and Audio CRC fields disabled, so they only get written to MC's library and not to the files themselves. Then every few days I use a custom view to show me all the files in the library currently with Waveform and Audio CRC fields and I empty them.

You might be wondering why I do this? It's because my library is so large (over 123,000 FLAC and DSF files), that adding any new metadata fields is a very time consuming process where I'd have to re-analyze my entire library, which would take days to complete. On top of that I manually backup and mirror any and all library file changes to two more backup library hard drives (and a NAS) in addition to the main music library hard drive so not only would I have to re-analyze things, I'd have to manually sync all those changes three more times which would add more days on top of that. So basically I can't allow new metadata tags to be created and written to my files or else everything goes haywire. I simply don't have time to do all of this, and I don't use the waveform seekbar nor do I have any use for CRCs of the files so there's literally no benefit in me doing so.

That's why I'd request adding a dialog box (like the custom bitstreaming options) to MC's Options > Library & Folders > Configure auto-import... and call it something like Configure audio analysis or something like that which will allow the user to choose what the audio analysis feature will analyse for and what not to. I believe this would bring a satisfactory solution for everyone, yes? This way it'll future proof the option if any new features to audio analysis are added, they can be easily made optional as well.

You could merge in Analyze for HDCD option into this new Configure audio analysis dialog along with all the other tags/metadata created during audio analysis including Audio CRC and Waveform.

Thoughts?
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pluto

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Re: Feature Request - Make Creating Waveform Optional
« Reply #2 on: June 20, 2021, 12:51:41 pm »

can we please have creating the waveform optional

Seconded.
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dtc

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Re: Feature Request - Make Creating Waveform Optional
« Reply #3 on: June 20, 2021, 01:29:03 pm »

I'd expand the idea to request that any and all present and future additions to audio analysis being optional including the Waveform and the Audio CRC fields. To accomplish this I think audio analysis itself should become customizable, allowing the user to decide what gets generated during audio analysis and what doesn't.

...

Thoughts?

Totally agree, for similar reasons. I have suggested this is the past. I have simply stopped using the option rather than go through the process you do, which is too bad because it means volume leveling does not work on my new albums. Volume leveling, HDCD, crc and waveform are entirely separate operations and should be treated as such. And, ignore previous analyzed files should recognize all the options. You should be able to use that option to fill in only the blanks fields you select. It currently only looks at the volume leveling analysis.
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EnglishTiger

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Re: Feature Request - Make Creating Waveform Optional
« Reply #4 on: June 21, 2021, 05:14:20 am »

I also agree - Though I've got a different suggestion - instead of putting them under options why not add Volume Leveling, HDCD, CRC and Waveform, plus tick boxes, to the Analyse Audio Form

Another nice change to that form would be for the Track Name to be the first in the panel so we get some indication of which track the thing is working on.

I've just realised that "CRC Analysis" isn't as useful as I 1st thought; if you use it to check a track/file that you think has gone corrupt it will overwrite the original value. So unless you have access to the original CRC, probably from a CD-Ripper, you won't know if the CRC has changed.
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Awesome Donkey

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Re: Feature Request - Make Creating Waveform Optional
« Reply #5 on: June 21, 2021, 05:32:54 am »

I also agree - Though I've got a different suggestion - instead of putting them under options why not add Volume Leveling, HDCD, CRC and Waveform, plus tick boxes, to the Analyse Audio Form

This would make sense if you manually analyze audio. What I'm specifically talking about the automatic analyze audio function/option when importing new files. Having it for both would make sense.
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JimH

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Re: Feature Request - Make Creating Waveform Optional
« Reply #6 on: June 21, 2021, 07:12:03 am »

If you can agree on a design, we'll try to implement it.  Awesome Donkey, you're it.
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Awesome Donkey

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Re: Feature Request - Make Creating Waveform Optional
« Reply #7 on: June 21, 2021, 07:55:44 am »

If you can agree on a design, we'll try to implement it.

Okay, I've been thinking about this some more and I've come up with an idea/solution to handle both scenarios (auto import audio analysis and manual audio analysis) with one set of options to deal with both.

1a) Add a Configure audio analysis... option to MC's Options > Audio > Advanced section, probably above the Play HDCD if possible option.

And/or...

1b) Add (another) Configure audio analysis... option to MC's Options > Library & Folders > Configure auto-import and in that dialog add Configure audio analysis... under the Analyze audio for audio files checkbox option.

And then...

2) In the Audio Analysis dialog (found under Library Tools > Audio Analysis...) add a Configure... button to the bottom left side. Or bottom right with the other buttons if you prefer.

Both Configure audio analysis... options in either or both locations and the Configure... button in the Audio Analysis dialog would all open the same Configure Audio Analysis dialog. Let's base the look of this dialog on the custom bitstreaming formats dialog with multiple boxes and checkboxes.

The Configure Audio Analysis dialog would have the following options (with checkboxes for each);

Audio CRC
BPM
Dynamic Range
HDCD
Peak Level (or merge this with the Volume Level option below as one option, Volume)
Volume Level (or merge this with the Peak Level option above as one option, Volume)
Waveform

Checking them tells audio analysis what to test for (and what tags to create/write), unchecking them would tell audio analysis what not to test for (and what tags not to create/write).

Also remove the Analyze for HDCD option under MC's Options > Library & Folders because it has changed locations to the Configure Audio Analysis dialog. It'll become redundant with this new dialog, though it's probably a good idea to remember what it was set to and carry that setting over to the new option.

This would allow a) users to choose what audio analysis tests for and what tags are created/written and b) future proof audio analysis adding new options to the dialog if/when audio analysis gets expanded further in the future and finally c) make everyone happy. :P

Awesome Donkey, you're it.

I try, I try. :P
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mwillems

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Re: Feature Request - Make Creating Waveform Optional
« Reply #8 on: June 21, 2021, 08:02:50 am »

That design looks good to me, and I think it would be a welcome addition.
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Hendrik

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Re: Feature Request - Make Creating Waveform Optional
« Reply #9 on: June 21, 2021, 08:20:41 am »

All the R128 properties are all analyzed in the same process, separating them doesn't make much sense, and the other similarly named options are just derived from its values, also not adding any actual analysis steps, so those should all just be consolidated into a "Volume" check of some sort. Keeping very closely related properties together makes the UI easier and more intuitive to use.
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Awesome Donkey

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Re: Feature Request - Make Creating Waveform Optional
« Reply #10 on: June 21, 2021, 08:28:57 am »

Ahh, I didn't know that. Nonetheless grouping them works for me, I'll revise the post above...
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dtc

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Re: Feature Request - Make Creating Waveform Optional
« Reply #11 on: June 21, 2021, 08:53:14 am »

I would add the the "Skip Analyzed Files" option should honor the settings.  That way you can do a subset of the analysis without having to redo ones that have already been done.
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Awesome Donkey

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Re: Feature Request - Make Creating Waveform Optional
« Reply #12 on: June 21, 2021, 09:42:06 am »

For sure, agreed.
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EnglishTiger

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Re: Feature Request - Make Creating Waveform Optional
« Reply #13 on: June 21, 2021, 10:25:09 am »

iAwsome Donkey - Your Solution + DTC's Suggestion that the "Skip Analyzed Files" option should honor the settings gets my vote as well.
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marko

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Re: Feature Request - Make Creating Waveform Optional
« Reply #14 on: June 21, 2021, 12:10:16 pm »

mine too

comox

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Re: Feature Request - Make Creating Waveform Optional
« Reply #15 on: June 21, 2021, 12:38:33 pm »

+1
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EnglishTiger

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Re: Feature Request - Make Creating Waveform For Audio Files Optional
« Reply #16 on: June 26, 2021, 04:33:32 am »

Whilst they are modifying the Tools >> Options >> Audio >> Advanced form/panel there is something else they can do - Remove the "Write tool name and version" option - MC hasn't written anything to those 2 tags/fields since MC26.0.98, or maybe even earlier
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markf2748

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Re: Feature Request - Make Creating Waveform For Audio Files Optional
« Reply #17 on: June 26, 2021, 01:33:06 pm »

Remove the "Write tool name and version" option - MC hasn't written anything to those 2 tags/fields since MC26.0.98, or maybe even earlier
??  If I look in the tag window "Tag Dump" for any recently analyzed audio file, I see those two fields are indeed written.  I appreciate having them there for future reference.

Granted I do not see them in the list Options > Library & Folders > Manage Library Fields ...  So apparently they are only controlled by the checkbox at the bottom of the Audio options.

MC 28.0.29.  Also there for 27.0.xx
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EnglishTiger

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Re: Feature Request - Make Creating Waveform For Audio Files Optional
« Reply #18 on: June 26, 2021, 04:25:30 pm »

??  If I look in the tag window "Tag Dump" for any recently analyzed audio file, I see those two fields are indeed written.  I appreciate having them there for future reference.

Granted I do not see them in the list Options > Library & Folders > Manage Library Fields ...  So apparently they are only controlled by the checkbox at the bottom of the Audio options.

MC 28.0.29.  Also there for 27.0.xx

That is really odd because both of them have always appeared when I use Manage Library Fields plus whilst I was testing my TrackInfo Plugins I tried just about everything I could think of to get MC 27 to write something in those 2 fields, including using MC to rip some discs, and I never saw a single entry in either of them.

In the last 2 weeks  I have imported just under 2300 files into MC28, run a full audio analysis on them and then used R, M & C on them and MC has not written anything to either of those 2 tags/fields.
The field (tool version).jmd file from both the MC27 and MC28 libraries only contain the same single entry showing that the only time MC did write something to that tag the version used was 26.0.98.
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markf2748

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Re: Feature Request - Make Creating Waveform For Audio Files Optional
« Reply #19 on: June 26, 2021, 05:39:52 pm »

That is really odd because ...

Both MC and MP3Tag show those two tags, as seen in these screenshots:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/yeddafy0ynbh74f/Screenshot%20-%20JRMC%2028.0.29%20Tag%20Dump.jpg?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/yv5brvsshm1j6cq/Screenshot%20-%20MP3Tag%20Extended%20Tags.jpg?dl=0

So no problem on my system AFAIK.

FYI I straightforwardly rip CDs with MC, doing full audio analysis, with settings:
- Options > Audio > Advanced > "Write tool name and version" [selected]
- Options > CD & BD > CD Ripping > Expert Options > Analyze audio during CD ripping [selected]
- Options > Library and Folders > Manage library fields... > various audio analysis fields are set to "Save in file tags (when possible)"
- Import... > Configure Auto-Import > Edit > "Analyze audio on new files" [selected]
I drop the ripped album folder onto MP3Tag to edit tags, but I never view or mess with Tool Name or Tool Version tags.
Then I view and may further edit tags in MC.
Ripping with dBpoweramp instead of MC shows same results after importing into MC.
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Awesome Donkey

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Re: Feature Request - Make Creating Waveform For Audio Files Optional
« Reply #20 on: June 26, 2021, 07:32:40 pm »

If Write tool name and version isn't working, it might be a bug. Might be something to open a new topic about and report it so the devs can see it. :)
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Matt

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Re: Feature Request - Make Creating Waveform For Audio Files Optional
« Reply #21 on: June 27, 2021, 05:56:48 am »

Double check the setting.
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EnglishTiger

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Re: Feature Request - Make Creating Waveform Optional
« Reply #22 on: July 15, 2021, 11:42:33 pm »

If you can agree on a design, we'll try to implement it.  Awesome Donkey, you're it.
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