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[Tolga]

I have finally found a tool that can be used to verify that the music parts of mp3 files in a library has not changed. I had posted a question on that a while ago and couldn't find a solution. I wanted to share it with all of you.



It is free, open source and a great companion to MC.


http://mp3bookhelper.sourceforge.net/
(only the development version has the features described here).

BACKGROUND:
I have spend to much time in creating my mp3 library. With new features of MC, most of the data can be written on mp3 files. Advantage: if library is corrupted or lost, the information can be obtained by scanning files. Disadvantage: each time you write something on Mp3 Files, you risk the danger of corrupting them. This is especially the case, if you like testing beta software , even if it is very quality beta software .

SOLUTION
Mp3 Book Helper (MBH) was a tool that could verify that mp3 files in a directory have not changed by creating a checksum code and comparing it to a previously created one that is stored on a text file. After communicating with its very nice author, he has rapidly included some features such that I can do the following now:

I create checksum data with MBH.

Make tag changes and filename changes in MBH. (when the checksum is store in seperate directories, even directory moving or name changing should be ok).

If verify the music directories with MBH
It verifies that the mp3 music data has not changed, even if the filename and tags have changed.
It can detect exact music data dublicates (rather than tags). For example if you have copied a file, and changed the name and tags of the new files..

To be exact, it does not protect you, but if detects the problems. You have to use backups in addition to this.

MBH has many other features but these were unique features that I couldn't find anywhere else.

I feel safe now when making changes with MC or any other program... I just wanted to spread my joy on that.  

DISCLAIMER:
I am not associated with MBH, but for a few days, I am sending to its author frequent feedback and although he does not paid for this program, he has incorporated most of my wishes.

The features described here are very new, even this message may be premature. BUT HEY you guys are used to beta software !!! Come and help to him to develop this great tool.

The mp3-data verification may not work well for mp3 files that don't fit the standards. In that case, you may get false data corruption alert for these files. I use mp3utility to detect errors in mp3 files.

The program was originally designed for small number of files. (i.e. therefore is very responsive to external changes). I used it for a library 4000 files. Loading the files takes some time etc. Fortunately, you have the option of testing small portions of your library seperately.

[nila]

Just tried it and it works quite well.
Added it to my mp3 toolkit arsenal.

I'm hoping one day MC is going to have more tools to do with verifying mp3's and stuff but till then I have quite a nice little collection of little shareware progs that I use. This is going to be a great addition

[Mastiff]

I'm downloading it now and will try it. I hope it can replace my current tag tool - MP3 Tag Studio by Magnus Brading. But I'm not too optimistic. That program is a veritable swiss army knife for tagging and renaming. If only MC9 could work as good as that in the tagging department, but there are limits to what we can demand of the good people at JRiver.    

[JimH]

I hope it can replace my current tag tool - MP3 Tag Studio by Magnus Brading. But I'm not too optimistic. That program is a veritable swiss army knife for tagging and renaming. If only MC9 could work as good

Can you name the three things you like best about it?

[Mastiff]

Jim, I don't know if you have used it, but the main things I like about it are:

1. The interface, very easy to use and very uncluttered since it only deals with tagging and renaming.

2. The very good renaming options (I do all changes to track/artist name in the filename and then tag based on that), with casefixes and the possiblity for a lot of own rules (like title case with uncapitalized special words and the option to put in own words (like UFO instead of Ufo)).

3. The preview mode - you get an easy to read list and can compare the changes with a glance. It will only show the changes as well, not the files that stay the same (in renaming that's very nice).

I can probably do the same things, or many of them, in MC, it may be mostly that I'm used to the way MP3TS does it (I've used that a lot longer than I have used MJB/MC) but I think the batch operations (file renaming and such) is easier to do. I have tried to use the tagging options in MC, but it seems to be made for fewer files at the same time. I'm closing in on the end of my massive operations (I have had to edit tags for batches of up to 3000 files when moving them from CDs and other places into the main MP3 jukebox), but that was always very easy. And I rely fully on tags, so if I loose a library I can just import the files again without fiddling more with them after MC has read the tags.

Does this seem logical or not? It may be just the force of habit, I'm not sure.  

[phelt]

I'll second the sentiment about MP3 Tag Studio. Being able to use specific information from tags or filenames and apply them to each other....sweet. Customization of most batch operations is quick - usually just re-ordering items in a list. Plus a lot of tools that are lesser-used but good to have.

MP3BookHelper's audio-only CRC check (if I'm understanding it correctly) is really cool. Thanks for the tip, Tolga. I don't see it replacing Tag Studio, but it definitely will be added to my MP3 tools  

[nila]

Jim - I'd never used it before so decided to give it a whirl to see what I prefered about it to MJ and here's what I found I liked instantly over MJ (mind you, I'm not a veteran with it and this is just first impressions):

• Creating the naming format to produce the filename with - this was done by means of a GUI and me checking simple boxes and specifying a seperator with the option of also specifying something to replace spaces (default = _).
  I MUCH prefer having a GUI means of doing this rather than having to type everything in a programming type method making sure to get the correct spelling of each field etc.  It also makes it easy to quickly make global changes (underscore to _) quickly and easily and toggle between the two previews with simply one button click.
  
  
• Ability to Save or Delete naming formats
  This one is one I REALLY miss in MJ - I have like 3 or 4 formats I use all the time and thats what I want in the list each time, not a random list that is of no use to me.
  
  
• Ability to easily toggle which tag (v1, v2, both, or existent) the data being written is saved to - this is a nice handy little feature implemented by simple checkboxes.
  
  
• Ability to set options for the tagging as to what is changed to what, what is ignored (ie  ft. is left as ft. and not changed to Ft. etc) - Also love the fact that the cleaning is mixed in with this as it is in fact all part of one big operation. It can also do multiple find and replace operations in one go with us being able to add a list of strings to find and replace and see each one in a list. A nice little touch.
  
  
• Direct tag manipulation tool which allows tags to be switched between specific fields (ie swap artist and album), id3 tags to be switched between the different id3 version fields (id3v1 -> id3v2).
  
  
  I find it lacks a good general GUI though for the program as a whole, relying on different screens too much for everything. Some features could be pulled out to form a main screen containing several options at all times.
  
  
  Here are the features I LOVE about Dr Tag too - if you manage to get all these features into MJ you'll make it an amazing tagging tool.
  
  
• the 'My Computer' way of browsing the computer is fast at displaying the files and Clicking on ESC cancels the operation INSTANTLY which is soooo nice .
  
  
• The 'Tagging' Toolbar gives a VERY easy, one click way to do a lot of basic operations, saving a lot of time and effort.
  
  
• Ability to set a default naming format and then with one click extract the files tags from that format or to name to a specified default format with one single button click.
  
  
• Again I love the graphic way of setting naming formats, including the ability to save these formats or delete existing ones.
  
  
  
  IF you got those main features:
  
• Graphic naming format builder
  
• ability to save and delete formats
  
• ability to choose strings to ignore, capitalise, lowercase, etc
  
• Better integration of cleaning, replacing etc into one more powerful screen.
  
• A toolbar for the tasks to give one click access to them as this would save a LOT of time when doing maintenance tasks to a BIG library (7000 songs x 2 clicks saved per song x 2 operations having to be performed on each song = 28,000 clicks saved each time).
  
  into MJ you'd make it a VERY powerful tagging tool
  
  Some I'd imagine wouldn't be too hard to add, others might be a bit trickier but I reckon they'd all definitely be worth the effort! Hope you agree.

[newhere]

Can you name the three things you like best about it?

It is a very easy to use but has features that can be so advanced that they seem scary. It can even sort and display files to be edited by frequency! Now I would not really need that but you can root out and select files by almost all criteria. One thing that is missing in MC is its inflexibility: I had some songs that I had no specific year for labeled '60' '70' '80' and so on but when I went to smartlists and wanted to create a list for 80s songs, I could not get MC to select 80 and everything 1980-1989 that was a small bummer. I then just had to rename all year fields to 1980 instead of 80. Of course, should I ever want to hear songs of 1980 I will be bombarded with all those general songs as well but I guess I can live with that.
I know that inflexibility did not have a lot to do with tag renaming, but in  the program by Magnus Brading, one can do all this and more... Oh well just try it http://www.magnusbrading.com/mp3ts/, for renaming tags, its grand (but don't forget to empty and reimport your library, thats the only way I could ever get MC to really only show the changed files with not doubles...)

Payam

[TURBO]

The coolest piece of software is this:
http://hp.vector.co.jp/authors/VA014830/english/FlexRena/    

[MachineHead]

TURBO-

What a great utility. Just changed an errant Jeff Beck folder. Hit Rename and it's done. Very cool. Thanks for the link!  

[TURBO]

You are very welcome. Try this. After installing it click in about and go to the program's website. (Is in chinese) and click were you see version 7 in the left side(a number). Then in the top part you click over the chinese characters and you can download the latest version. (Version 7). Enjoy!.