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[AndreaT]

Hello,
I am not expert on MC28 and just did a fresh install by default selecting then the Auto-Import option with all its default.
As I have understood, the Auto-Import by default does not change any files, and so it was looking to me as well.

However, after few days of use of MC 28.0.105, I noticed that the most of the audio files that I played have also been modified:
- The majority (quite all) of the files I played had their "file date & time" changed to the date & time of their last play
- Others (the minority) files I played also had an effective change in size and date! So, en effective content change took place.


Why these changes? What happened?
Is it possible to avoid any file change by default or without any user authorization?

I would really forbid MC28 to make any file change without my express authorization.

Thanks and regards, Andrea

[JimH]

There are several dates.  The one you're probably looking at is the last date played.

MC can write tag data to files or not, depending on how it's set.

[AndreaT]

Hello @JimH,
well, I am speaking about the "date" used by backup services... my backup tool was reporting files changed by "file date" and by size.

Where are the settings to avoid MC28 to write anything to files of its own?

I browsed the configuration panel(s), but I got lost... so many entries ... I couldn't find anything "clearly" about my issue...
I also looked at the Wiki searching for file and for change, but I couldn't find anything about.

Can you give me precise instruction about?

Regards, Andrea

[BryanC]

Uncheck Edit>Update Tags When File Info Changes

[markf2748]

Uncheck Edit>Update Tags When File Info Changes

Uncheck Edit?

Tools > Options... > General > Importing & Tagging > [uncheck] Update Tags When File Info Changes

If you want to be more selective about which library fields get written into tags, look at
Tools > Options... > Library & Folders > Manage Library Fields... > Data > Save in file tags (when possible)
which can be selected or deselected for individual fields.

[BryanC]

Uncheck Edit?

Yes, Edit, the top-level menu has a shortcut to this setting.

[blgentry]

Yes, Edit, the top-level menu has a shortcut to this setting.

Wow.  I had no idea that was there.  WHY is that there?  Very surprising.

If I may make a suggestion: The name of this option does not clearly indicate it's function.  The function is "allow MC to write to media files".  Perhaps changing the name of this option would make its meaning more clear.

Thanks,
Brian.

[BryanC]

Wow.  I had no idea that was there.  WHY is that there?  Very surprising.

If I may make a suggestion: The name of this option does not clearly indicate it's function.  The function is "allow MC to write to media files".  Perhaps changing the name of this option would make its meaning more clear.

Thanks,
Brian.

It's there so it can be quickly toggled. There are situations (batch editing) where it's nice to have a "backup" of the metadata stored in the tags until everything is good to go.

[Ashfall]

I'm seeing this issue as well lately.
For example, after playing a couple of albums a backup ran and one single track was modified and backed up due to changes.
It doesn't happen often, but sometimes, randomly to a single audio file.
Is there a log of what tags were written so I can see what was changed and why?  If not I can keep an extra backup of some albums, wait for it to happen again, then compare the files.
I don't understand why any tags would be written simply by playing a file.  These files have been here for years unchanged.

[BryanC]

I'm seeing this issue as well lately.
For example, after playing a couple of albums a backup ran and one single track was modified and backed up due to changes.
It doesn't happen often, but sometimes, randomly to a single audio file.
Is there a log of what tags were written so I can see what was changed and why?  If not I can keep an extra backup of some albums, wait for it to happen again, then compare the files.
I don't understand why any tags would be written simply by playing a file.  These files have been here for years unchanged.

Is Update Tags When File Info Changes enabled for you? Because every time you play a file the file info will change to account for [Number Plays], [Date Last Opened], [Last Played], [Bookmark], etc. Not all of these are stored in tags, but you can peruse the "Add Library Field" tool to see which of these are "save(d) in file tags (when possible)".

[Ashfall]

Is Update Tags When File Info Changes enabled for you? Because every time you play a file the file info will change to account for [Number Plays], [Date Last Opened], [Last Played], [Bookmark], etc. Not all of these are stored in tags, but you can peruse the "Add Library Field" tool to see which of these are "save(d) in file tags (when possible)".

Those are all disabled individually under Library & Folders.  Must be something I missed, and it's strange that only 1 file would change after listening to two albums.  I've just ignored it the past several months until coming upon this thread.  But I'll do a comparison next time it happens and provide an update.

[BryanC]

Those are all disabled individually under Library & Folders.  Must be something I missed, and it's strange that only 1 file would change after listening to two albums.  I've just ignored it the past several months until coming upon this thread.  But I'll do a comparison next time it happens and provide an update.

Those settings don't prevent writing tags on playback, only on import/analysis.

[markf2748]

Must be something I missed, and it's strange that only 1 file would change after listening to two albums.  I've just ignored it the past several months until coming upon this thread.  But I'll do a comparison next time it happens and provide an update.

Occasionally in the last few months I have also seen a few flac files changed, seemingly at random, sometimes files which I did not even recall playing.  I detect the changes by folder/file compare with a backup.  Changes are confined to the "header" section where tags are stored (audio bits always remain unchanged).  Sometimes the storage order of tags appears altered and/or the MC version within a tag is updated.  I don't know the root cause, but recently resorted to [uncheck] Update Tags When File Info Changes and will keep watching.

(edit 2/15/2022) Went back to [check] Update Tags When File Info Changes so that my lyrics and selected other tag edits get immediately written into the file. Otherwise, every time I would have to do library tools > update tags (from library), an extra step which I prefer to avoid right now.  I'd also like to discover the root cause for the "unauthorized" changes to tags.

[Ashfall]

Just played 2 albums and no files changed.  This could take a while!

[AndreaT]

Dear All, thanks for the info and tips you shared about.
I have right now disabled the option "Update Tags When File Info Changes".

I would kindly recommend to modify the title of that option as suggested in chat as well as I would strongly recommend to have that option disabled by default.

I am sure that many others (like me) don't want to have any tag or file detail changed without express approval (human authorization).

All the best, Andrea

[JimH]

Dear All, thanks for the info and tips you shared about.
I have right now disabled the option "Update Tags When File Info Changes".

I would kindly recommend to modify the title of that option as suggested in chat as well as I would strongly recommend to have that option disabled by default.

I am sure that many others (like me) don't want to have any tag or file detail changed without express approval (human authorization).

All the best, Andrea

On the other hand, if you ever have a problem with your drive, you may be happy to have the tag information stored in the files.

[AndreaT]

Hello JimH, sorry, I have not understood your reply/point of view.
All my audio library is on 4 external HDDs that I regularly backup/synchronize with others.
If I have a failure on any of these HDDs, I will anyway loose also all the files stored there regardless of the matter of where the tag infos are written in the audio files or on a separated side-card file... or not written at all.
So, in case of HDD failure I cannot relay on tag infos, I have to restore the new HDD from the mirrored one.
Regards, Andrea