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Author Topic: Add folders to existing library  (Read 343 times)

Bigguy49

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Add folders to existing library
« on: June 10, 2023, 07:48:37 am »

Have a music server drive Z which contains folders that have been MANUALLY imported one-by-one as they have been created.
Have several other folders (A,B,C,D) which contain many other folders not yet imported into Z but which have been manually imported into a subset of my server LIBRARY on another system running MC.  Folders in A,B,C,D have COVER ART as well as additional artwork, documentation, etc.
Figured I could IMPORT the contents of A,B,C & D by copying their contents into Z and then running AUTO IMPORT on drive Z.
So, I started with A and copied its contents into Z and ran AUTO IMPORT on Z.
What a mess...!
I figured MC would put the contents of A, now in Z, into my RECENT ALBUMS and retain the order of the pre-existing manually imported folders in the display of RECENT ALBUMS.
NOT!!
System spent 7+ minutes doing what it does...
It apparently "reprocessed" ALL contents of Z, fixing this, adjusting that, "losing" cover art...and on and on.  The most recent RECENT FILES no longer displayed in the order they appeared before doing the AUTO IMPORT.
I did a library restore and am successfully back to ground zero.  PHEW!
Is there a way to "bulk" import the contents of A,B,C,D into Z and still retain their configuration of tags, artwork, etc.?  Essentially just want to add the contents of one RECENT ALBUM "box" to the RECENT ALBUM box on Z.
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JimH

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Re: Add folders to existing library
« Reply #1 on: June 10, 2023, 07:53:19 am »

If you want to move files, let MC do it.  See the wiki topic called Moving Files.

Set up auto import to manage the folders.

You can restore a backup from an earlier date.  MC makes them automatically.  [Wiki]
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Bigguy49

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Re: Add folders to existing library
« Reply #2 on: June 10, 2023, 08:52:33 am »

OK, here is what I find for MOVING FILES.
Quote
Rename, Move, & Copy Files
Using Library Tools > Rename, Move, & Copy Files, you can use the renaming to move your files.

    1. Select a few files to test before you do many.
    2. Check the Directories box.
    3. Set the "Base Path". This is the folder under which your music will be stored. Example: C:\Music
    4. Set "Rule". Example: [Artist]\[Album] will make a directory named for the Artist and a directory under that for each Album
Once you've done this for the selected fields, you'll see the proposed results on the right. Hover your mouse over one or two lines to make sure it's going to do what you expect. Then press "OK". .

Sorry for my not understanding these brief instructions. 

When I am in MC and go to TOOLS > LIBRARY TOOLS, system says "no files selected"?!

If I want to copy files in MS Explorer, I highlight file(s), right click to COPY/CUT, choose my target folder and right click to PASTE and all characteristics are unchanged.

Historically I have copied music folders from, say, drive A, pasted into music server drive Z and then manually imported them into MC.  MC indicates how many files were imported and folder displays in RECENT ALBUMS.  iF I click on TAGS, information is the same as what appears on drive A.  Double clicking on album artwork opens up the track summary showing correct information including previously determined DR values.  FILE PATH shows drive Z, etc.

How do I replicate this process for a single manual import to bulk?


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JimH

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Re: Add folders to existing library
« Reply #3 on: June 10, 2023, 09:09:51 am »

Select a few files, then follow the directions.  Experiment to learn how it works.

Files must be imported first in order to be moved by this tool.

https://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Rename,_Move,_and_Copy_Files
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Bigguy49

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Re: Add folders to existing library
« Reply #4 on: June 10, 2023, 10:08:58 am »

Select a few files, then follow the directions.  Experiment to learn how it works.

Files must be imported first in order to be moved by this tool.


Sorry for my inability to properly communicate my goal which is to copy album folders that had previously been imported into MC on another machine into my MC music server.
I am NOT trying to MOVE but, rather, COPY the folders while retaining their configuration from being imported on the source system and copied onto A,B,C,D drives

I tried copying a dozen folders from drive A to drive Z and then running AUTO IMPORT on drive Z which proceed to reprocess the entirety of drive Z and not just IMPORT the dozen folders copied from drive A.  Due to lack of understanding I probably did not have set up all the AUTO IMPORT parameters correctly for what I wanted to do but the result was very disturbing to an "Non Citizen Of The Universe".
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