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[smOOzz]

In the Current View column for Image File it shows some images stored 'Inside File' and some images stored as 'program files\j river\media center 11\data\cover art\xxxxx.jpg' .

When 'searching for files and library update' the 'retrieve album art from internet' function imports some images and I would like to know where these are stored.

I understand images can be collected individually and stored as "xxxxx.jpg' as another file with the music tracks 'xxxx.mp3' inside the database .     Trying to understand which storage method is preferable.  Any advice appreciated .

[datdude]

MP3's can store the image and IMO this is the best method especially for MC.  I believe that when getting art from the internet, MC stores based upon whether a)your files can store cover art and b) you have the option inside MC to save cover art inside tags.

I have had problems with MC's cover art directory because I use FLAC which can not store cover art and MC has made the directory a mess for me

[KingSparta]

inside or out side they both work fine on mp3's other formats it may not work as well on

[bbrip]

Inside storage works perfect on APE lossless format.  Would always  go for storying inside file so you dont get messed up if you reorganise your folders.

BB

[modelmaker]

I always store my cover art in the album folder.

[hit_ny]

I store my cover art in the album folder as well.

IF you want to store inside mp3s, bear in mind, that if your cover art is large, the space it occupies will be mulitplied by the numer of files in the album. This is a *TOTAL* waste of space as far as i am concerned.

I have never had MC mess up my cover art locations as i dont let it manage them  for me. If i get cover art for any album, it gets put in the album folder along with any additional back or inlay scans. I then add the cover image to all the files by selecting all tracks in the albums, right click, Image->Add Image from file.

Whenever a file from an album is played it displays the front image associated with the file in Playing Now.

Of course if you want to have more than one image display when the file is being played, thats an entriely different isssue.

[smOOzz]

Thanks for ideas.    Am trialling a separate folder for cover art images filed simply as xxxxx.jpg and electing to store the image inside file and this is working great so far.   If I backup on DVD/CD a data file of these tracks I assume the image file will be still attached to each track burnt?

The advantage if storing the image within the album folder is one of space saving as suggested.  So if a track is listed as Donald Fagan - The Nightfly - 04 - Ruby Baby.mp3, do you then show the image file as Donald Fagan - The Nightfly.jpg ?         And the if I burn a playlist onto a DVD/CD from within MC,  is the connection of track/image retained? 

[MGD_King]

I've found that storing the cover art inside the MP3 causes the IDTag to become corrupt on accasion, and my car's in-dash MP3 player doesn't display the tags properly. Removing the album art fixed this. I now just store them in a centralized folder on my hard drive.

[Simple]

Never noticed a problem like this (storing all cover art inside the files) concerning IDTags or my nearly two year old MP3 car player.

[MGD_King]

Never noticed a problem like this (storing all cover art inside the files) concerning IDTags or my nearly two year old MP3 car player.

I didn't notice it either on my old MP3 head unit, but when I upgraded my head unit and it supports IDv2 tags (with up to 256 characters) that's when the problem happened. My guess is my old head unit only supported IDv1 tags.

[hit_ny]

I currently store art in the file tags, mostly for one reason . . .
When storing it in the album folder as "folder.jpg", if you rename files causeing them to be moved, MC simply leaves the cover art behind as well as the folder containing it.
Since MC already is prone to leaving empty folders behind anyway, I do not wish to compound the matter. Also, if the art is left behind it is no longer going to show up in MC.
If MC is ever made to properly and completely deal with 'folder.jpg' files (moving them with the music files) I may consider this option, however at this point there is enough 'manual labor' involved in cleaning up orphaned folders without having to clean up orphaned cover art.

Ahh, a well put reason for embedding images in a media file.

But...i dont use Move, i use drag & drop.

Nothing gets left behind unless it was open at the time of the move. No biggie, all files get moved regardless.. i just remove the "left-behind" folder.

I have my directory tree set up as Genre/Artist etc. Artist gets a folder if said artist has more than 3 albums.

I have a partition for new stuff. Once i listen it gets moved to a genre folder where it stays for a long time.

No use of move, no orphaned folders or lost images.

[Simple]

... But...i dont use Move, i use drag & drop.

Nothing gets left behind unless it was open at the time of the move. No biggie, all files get moved regardless.. i just remove the "left-behind" folder.

I have my directory tree set up as Genre/Artist etc. Artist gets a folder if said artist has more than 3 albums...

Why drag and drop every single folder if you have MC to do this for you for all your folders togehter in one or two clicks? I use "Library Tools > Rename Files From Properties".

And if you ever change the the artist's name within MC you don't have to rename every single folder for all the artist's albums. Just one or two clicks...

So I don't see any reason to drag and drop manually. Exept the missing "folder.jpg" .

[hit_ny]

Why drag and drop every single folder if you have MC to do this for you for all your folders togehter in one or two clicks? I use "Library Tools > Rename Files From Properties".

Cos i find moving files via this method less intuitive than drag n drop. Rename files form properties i only use when i want to "actually" rename the filename from the tags, once thats done, its drag n drop (elsewhere if reqd).

And i only move  a folder once i have listened to it, usually one at a time. its funny in more than a year of using MC i have never wanted to move more than a folder at a time. Or if i did, it was a folder of folders.

Besides you have to select a directory in rename from properties anyway. Granted its slightly easier than dragging to the right spot.

And if you ever change the the artist's name within MC you don't have to rename every single folder for all the artist's albums. Just one or two clicks...

So I don't see any reason to drag and drop manually. Exept the missing "folder.jpg" .

Changing artist name is not related to moving, i do this from a view scheme as well.

Note that i'm changing the tag Artist here not the filename. This usually stays the same as i interact with the files via the tag names that MC shows.

At times I also use this function to change filenames & locations when Artist or Album name has been edited, also causing occurances of orphaned folders.

See above.

Regardless of whether I am correct there or not, there must be a better way than 12 to 20 copies of the same cover art and bio in an album.

There is no correct way, just a preference.

If you select all the files in a folder, images, media files, lyrics etc and then do a rename from properties are you saying that it only leaves the image file behind ? and moves all the other files.

[Alex B]

I have always used external cover art in album folders, but I have never liked the "folder.jpg" naming system. That would lead having over 2000 "folder.jpg" files on my HD. I much rather give them descriptive names like "Artist - Album - Front.jpg".

Usually I have several album images for an album. I import and tag them. One of the images is used as a cover art. I have described my system here: http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=22841.msg159422#msg159422

MC11 can import also other documents. I have started to import text files from album folders. Usually they are rip logs, album information and artist bios files. MC doesn't show text files internally, but it opens quickly a Notepad window for each text file when needed. I find that quite convenient. And since all files are imported I can use MC Tools for moving them.

Usually I browse my album files in All Media mode at MC tree > Media library > Advanced > Hard Disk Location, so I can see them all together.