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[Dr.Funk]

Hi Guys,
I am sure this has been asked before but doing a search has not revealed the answer to me.

I am trying to create my own Smartlist, to create a list of all my Albums for my insurance company. The albums contained in my MC 31 library have all been ripped from my CD's or digital files I have purchased. My insurance company have asked for me to provide an Excel spreadsheet, or similar, to them.

To be honest I am not sure how to go about this and I have managed to get to nearly what I want, by trial and error.
For the life of me I cannot get the view to display just the Artist with the Album title. I keep getting all the tracks listed, under the heading of Name?
Would someone kindly put me out of my misery and show me how to do this please?

I have included a screen shot of the Rules and Modify Results that I have created, together with how it is presenting it as a list.
I put the Disc# value - is less than or equal to - 3 purely to show my double albums, there are some albums with 3 discs, possibly more as I have some boxed sets too.
I created a rule for the Bitrate to ensure none of my mp3's in the list, hence the title of All High Res Albums.
I want the year (date) of each Artists Album to be in chronological order, which I think I have achieved?

Could someone also walk me through how I convert/export said list to Excel please.
Thanks very much
Dr.Funk 

[eve]

Just a thought, you might want to be more specific about pressing / version information if this is for insurance purposes. The value of a specific album may vary dramatically between pressings. I think it would be hard to argue many widely pressed, popular albums would be worth very much but that specific physical version you have MAY be worth a serious chunk of change.

[Dr.Funk]

Thank you for the reminder.
I didn't think that was the case for CD's only vinyl. My plan is to later digitise my vinyl, so that definitely would make a difference.

[HPBEME]

Just a thought, you might want to be more specific about pressing / version information if this is for insurance purposes. The value of a specific album may vary dramatically between pressings. I think it would be hard to argue many widely pressed, popular albums would be worth very much but that specific physical version you have MAY be worth a serious chunk of change.

Solid advice there from Eve.

As for how to do it…  there may be other ways, but when I want to "export" MC data to Excel:
 
- Create list view of what I want to export (which you have already done)
- Ctrl+A: selects all items in the list view
- Ctrl+C: to copy everything that you selected in the previous step
- Open Excel, and Ctrl+ V to paste everything into the spreadsheet

You will have to resize the columns as needed - you can also delete any extra columns you don't need at that time as well. The entire operation takes approximately fifteen seconds 

[HPBEME]

Oh yeah, to create the view without tracks, just select customize view from the drop-down menu on the tab, and simply add albums as your only category.  Choose list as your view style, make sure you show the artist and album columns (and whatever else you want to include). 

NOTE: since album is the field that "defines" this view, you can display the album name by choosing [album] or [name] for the column (and if you choose both, you will get the same results for both columns)

[eve]

Thank you for the reminder.
I didn't think that was the case for CD's only vinyl. My plan is to later digitise my vinyl, so that definitely would make a difference.

Pop over to discogs and see, you might be pleasantly surprised! A common pressing of a popular album may be worth 50c-$1, being generous, something a little more elusive? Could be a few hundred easy for that same album. It's a huge difference at times.

[Dr.Funk]

Thank you for that.
I may appear a bit dense here; but I don't get the same options you are showing in your customize view?
Are you using a different tab to activate the custom view screen, if that makes a difference?
Thanks for your help.

[HPBEME]

It is because you're trying to create the view via a playlist.  Just create a new regular view and call it Artist-Album or whatever - you will now have the option to choose categories from the Customize View drop down.  You can apply the same rules you were using for your playlist, and you'll get the exact same Library items. Display it as a list, and add whatever columns you want to include.   

FYI, if you want to export only a single column, there is a built-in field called [Artist/Album/Year] which MC will concatenate for you (assuming all those fields are properly tagged). I think displaying these three items as individual columns makes more sense, but thought I would point it out.

[jctcom]

Here is my "View" settings for Album Inventory:

Attached.  I use "Categories" in the "View As" field

That produces a column view and then you just select the required "Columns" at the top.

Carl.

[Dr.Funk]

Hi Guys,
Thank you all for your replies.

I have been reading through and have created a 'New View' but whether I view it as a File List or as a Category List, apply Rules and/or Modify Results, I cannot find away to remove the track lists and just keep the title.
As you can see from my screenshot there are multiple listings under Album, which are the individual tracks. How do I reduce this to one listing? I have left the Cover Art to help me identify the album as I make adjustments, but I know how to remove it if needed.
Under the Rules, I have tried adding Tracks # = empty.
The examples I have been given show the Artist and Album Title, but I cannot see how they have kept the Album list to just one line (the Album Title).
The Title is above each Cover Art thumbnail but the list is for every track, even though I don't have this selected.
Cheers

[jctcom]

Can you post one with View As "Category" instead of view as "File List"?

All the screen shots I have seen from you show "File List".

Also I don't have any rules at all in mine.  Just for a test why don't you remove the rules.

Carl.

[jctcom]

Actually I just did a quick test.

As soon as I switched mine to "File List" I got all the songs listed.

Carl.

[EnglishTiger]

One way of doing it would be by setting up a smartlist where the rules are Disc# is less than2 and Track# is 1; which will restrict list to the 1st Track on the 1st Disc of an album, or mutli-cd album.
Then in the details section only show the Tags/Fields you want to appear on the Excel Spreadshhet for the Insurance Company and set the sort paramaters to produce the list in the required order (probably Album within Album Artist).

Once you have set up the smartist run it and then Right Click on the Smartlists Name in the Tree and select the "Export Playlist..." option, then on the form that appears tell MC that you want to export it as a "Text File (CSV delimited)" and to only include "Only Visible Fields" and under "Output Range" select all. Once MC has createdd the file you should then be able to open it in Excel

[Dr.Funk]

Can you post one with View As "Category" instead of view as "File List"?

All the screen shots I have seen from you show "File List".

Also I don't have any rules at all in mine.  Just for a test why don't you remove the rules.

Carl.

I didn't post as a Category because it does the same, lists all the darn tracks again!

[Dr.Funk]

Oh yeah, to create the view without tracks, just select customize view from the drop-down menu on the tab, and simply add albums as your only category.  Choose list as your view style, make sure you show the artist and album columns (and whatever else you want to include). 

NOTE: since album is the field that "defines" this view, you can display the album name by choosing [album] or [name] for the column (and if you choose both, you will get the same results for both columns)

I did this, only category was Album and I have tried displaying the album only name by choosing  [album] and/or [name], nothing changes I get the same result that I have posted.

[Dr.Funk]

One way of doing it would be by setting up a smartlist where the rules are Disc# is less than2 and Track# is 1; which will restrict list to the 1st Track on the 1st Disc of an album, or mutli-cd album.
Then in the details section only show the Tags/Fields you want to appear on the Excel Spreadshhet for the Insurance Company and set the sort paramaters to produce the list in the required order (probably Album within Album Artist).

Once you have set up the smartist run it and then Right Click on the Smartlists Name in the Tree and select the "Export Playlist..." option, then on the form that appears tell MC that you want to export it as a "Text File (CSV delimited)" and to only include "Only Visible Fields" and under "Output Range" select all. Once MC has createdd the file you should then be able to open it in Excel

Thanks for your advice, I started off with a Smartlist and was told I needed to do a normal view, which is what I did, very confused now! Doesn't matter whether I do a Smartlist, normal view of whatever, I cannot turn off the darn track list, how do I do this simple thing. I don't know which bit I have done wrong that keeps this on. When I go through all the lists, turning things on and off, one by one, the view for me never changes, whether by File/Category/Pane view the tracks are always there!!

[EnglishTiger]

To stop the smartlist listing ever track in an album you have to set the rules up like this :-

[jctcom]

Well I showed you in my earlier post how it works with Category and only "album" as the category.  So we need to delve into what other settings are different for you. 

I really don't have much in there.
But I guess the one thing I do have that might make the difference is under the category "Album" click on edit and near the bottom by "Sorting" I have it set to "Album Artist (Auto) - Year"

Nothing in matching or grouping.
Then in settings under "Chart" I have "Metric: Number Of Files"

Under "Included Files" I have no rules at all.

I have a "Check" beside "Use Parent Scheme Rules for file display..."

Nothing checked under "View Details".

Under "Tree"
     I have "Allow Tree Selection" Checked with  "Image:Audio"
also  "Position: Automatic"
and Check beside "Support Tree Browsing"

Under "Advanced"  I have checks beside "Enable Pane Tagging" and "Filter Panes Based On Selection"

That's about it.

Carl.

[Dr.Funk]

To stop the smartlist listing ever track in an album you have to set the rules up like this :-

Hooray!!!
Thank you, I have set it up like your example except, added in the rule to not show mp3's and m4a's (so as my title say, All High Res Albums. I will play around with the columns to get a more itemised list, Artist, Album and Year.
jctcom (Carl) has given another version and I am going to try that as well, so that I get my head around things better.
Extremely thankful for your time and effort in explaining, cheers
Dr.Funk
Andy

[Dr.Funk]

Well I showed you in my earlier post how it works with Category and only "album" as the category.  So we need to delve into what other settings are different for you. 

I really don't have much in there.
But I guess the one thing I do have that might make the difference is under the category "Album" click on edit and near the bottom by "Sorting" I have it set to "Album Artist (Auto) - Year"

Nothing in matching or grouping.
Then in settings under "Chart" I have "Metric: Number Of Files"

Under "Included Files" I have no rules at all.

I have a "Check" beside "Use Parent Scheme Rules for file display..."

Nothing checked under "View Details".

Under "Tree"
     I have "Allow Tree Selection" Checked with  "Image:Audio"
also  "Position: Automatic"
and Check beside "Support Tree Browsing"

Under "Advanced"  I have checks beside "Enable Pane Tagging" and "Filter Panes Based On Selection"

That's about it.

Carl.

Hi Carl,
Thank you so much for taking the time to explain things for me. I have resolved it by following the instructions from English Tiger.

I am out for the next few hours, when I get back I will give your instructions a go too,  because I need to get my head around this, for my own sanity.
I will let you know how I get on.
Cheers
Dr.Funk
Andy

[jctcom]

Hi Andy.

One other thing if you are going to try my way. (In case it still doesn't work)

The setting I have that says "Use Parent Scheme Rules For File Display".  I think that means it takes it's rules from the next level up which in my case is "Audio"  Should be in yours as well.

I don't have any settings in Audio.  I wonder if you have something in there that is affecting your new view that you are trying to create?

Carl.

[jctcom]

Hey Andy.

Try this out. Just found an option to save my view to shared server.

1. Create a new view under "Audio"  Name it whatever you like
2. Right click on your new view and select "Customize"
3. Near the bottom of settings click on "Browse Shared Views On Server"  Might take a moment to open.
4. at the bottom of the new window in "Search Server Views"  Type "Album Inventory"

I believe you should see "Carl's Inventory View" with some of my info  Click on that and then "OK".
You will see a message saying "Successfully saved "Album Inventory" to your views" or something like that.

Now in the window you are returned to select "Load A View" and select "Album inventory" Then "OK"

Keep in mind that I only just found this this morning but as far as I can tell it should work.

You will have to select the columns you want and you will probably be missing my custom column "AlbumArtistSort" as it is a custom field I created.  But other than that I think it should work.

Let me know what happens. 

It is 6:20 am here and I haven't gone to bed yet lol.  Will get a couple of hours now.

Carl.

[markf2748]

To stop the smartlist listing ever track in an album you have to set the rules up like this :-

Still another alternative is to simply set up a Panes View.  Then lock in @ET's rule ideas via

• Customize View... > Included Files > Set rules for file display...
• Or just include the two Categories "Track #" (choose value = 1) and "File Type" (choose value = flac).

In the resulting Details output add whatever columns and sorting you desire, such as Album Artist, Album, Year, ...  The Pane with those two categories gives a clear, flexible view of your selection criteria at all times (which you may or may not prefer).

[EnglishTiger]

In my set of rules the one checking the Disc# is there to handle multi-cd albums as without it you would get one entry in the list for every CD in a multi-cd album.

[markf2748]

In my set of rules the one checking the Disc# is there to handle multi-cd albums as without it you would get one entry in the list for every CD in a multi-cd album.

Understood, thanks.   In my MC views I always like to see each CD listed separately for easy direct identification and selection, even in a multi-CD album.  So in my personal tagging, I've consistently gone to appending Disc# directly in the [Album] tag, as (CD1), (CD2), ... for multi-CD albums, as well as filling in their [Disc #] tag.  For example, Disc 2 in the ABBA 4-CD compilation:  [Album] = Thank You For The Music (CD2). Therefore I prefer to not apply the Disc# rule.  However others may definitely want to add that rule if they maintain the [Disc #] tag and prefer to list only a single entry per album, as you say.

[jctcom]

I don't actually use the Disc# tag unless I have more than one disc in the album.

Carl

[antenna]

I am trying to create my own Smartlist, to create a list of all my Albums for my insurance company. ...

You may also want to take some photos of the physical media you own to assist in substantiating any text lists you have. 

Insurance love photos.   

 

[antenna]

I didn't think that was the case for CD's only vinyl.

I've never "collected" media (vinyl or CD).  I always thought that I "accumulated" media.  (I've got boxes in closets, oh so many boxes...)

However, I have noticed that even some CDs have a, let's call it, a "collectable" aspect to them.  Those from the early days of CDs seem to be sought after.

I got my first CD player in 1984, I paid $900 for it, I had to drive 50 miles to a store that sold CD players....

The early CDs of John Cougar Mellencamp were pretty bad.  To my ear, they sounded like fourth- or fifth-generation copies from the master tape.  So bad,...  But that was all that was available (besides vinyl) back in the day.

On the other hand, RCA Records West Germany released in 1983 a numbered 3-disc quite excellent set of Elvis Presley hits (including some in stereo for the first time), his first appearance on CD.  I was able to pick that one up in mid-1984 for something like $30. 

Not many people buying CDs back then....

 
Long story short (probably too late for that ), don't discount the older CDs you may own.

[Dr.Funk]

You may also want to take some photos of the physical media you own to assist in substantiating any text lists you have. 

Insurance love photos.   

Gulp! over 4,000 CD's!!!!

[Dr.Funk]

I've never "collected" media (vinyl or CD).  I always thought that I "accumulated" media.  (I've got boxes in closets, oh so many boxes...)

However, I have noticed that even some CDs have a, let's call it, a "collectable" aspect to them.  Those from the early days of CDs seem to be sought after.

I got my first CD player in 1984, I paid $900 for it, I had to drive 50 miles to a store that sold CD players....

The early CDs of John Cougar Mellencamp were pretty bad.  To my ear, they sounded like fourth- or fifth-generation copies from the master tape.  So bad,...  But that was all that was available (besides vinyl) back in the day.

On the other hand, RCA Records West Germany released in 1983 a numbered 3-disc quite excellent set of Elvis Presley hits (including some in stereo for the first time), his first appearance on CD.  I was able to pick that one up in mid-1984 for something like $30. 

Not many people buying CDs back then....

 
Long story short (probably too late for that ), don't discount the older CDs you may own.

I got my first CD player in 1982, the Sony CDP-101, it came with 5 free CD's, all of which I still have, Elton John's Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Roxy Music - Manifesto, Chariots of Fire soundtrack, Dire Straits - Dire Straits and Fleetwood Mac - Rumours.
Happy Days!

[antenna]

Gulp! over 4,000 CD's!!!!

If they are on shelves, take photos of them on the shelves, showing the quantity you have.  No need to take individual photos of each CD.

Any sort of images backing up the lists you're generating can only be helpful.