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[4BYE]

Hello,

First I MUST say that I'm impressed by this great program. I updated yesterday from MJ8 and it looks and works great! Totally no regrets. Thanks for that.

I realize it's a lot of experimenting before everything suits my needs and it will take some time.

What I cannot find out is the following: Is there an easy way to just import AUDIO or just IMAGES to my database? Now I have to tag .ape/mp3/wav etc. because otherwise I will get also the folder.jpg from each album into the database. With the images it's easier because there are no music files in that directory.

Then a more complex question: I now use ACDSEE 7 for my images and that works fine. To make a better database I want to edit and insert TAGS to those images. (RAW/JPG/TIFF/BMP) This way I can track images easier by adding names of people on it, locations, seach words etc.

BUT WHAT IS PUT INTO THE FILE ITSELF? I mean when using different programs what will be left in those programs. Are there general tags like in .mp3 or .ape files? I don't want to go through all of this knowing that it will not be seen in other programs.

Also I would like to know if there are more skins around then the ones on the website.


Thanks for any help.

[Alex B]

What I cannot find out is the following: Is there an easy way to just import AUDIO or just IMAGES to my database? Now I have to tag .ape/mp3/wav etc. because otherwise I will get also the folder.jpg from each album into the database. With the images it's easier because there are no music files in that directory.

If you use the import dialog you can select the file types to be imported. (File > Library > Import Media > Advanced).

After you have made the initial import you can import new files also directly from Windows Explorer (right-click > Media Center > Import. The shell integration must be enabled in the MC options). I use mainly this right-click import system. Also, you can browse the files inside MC in the Drives & Devices tree branch and right-click import. The fourth option is to drag files from Windows Explorer into the media library.

I have imported my cover art files too (I have them in music folders) and filled at least the Album and Artist library fields. That may be advantageus if you like to use MC tools for moving the image files together with the music files. You need to make a new view scheme that has no media type restriction for seeing the music and image files side by side. Also, with view schemes it easy to separate the imported cover art images from the personal images.

BTW, did you make an MJ8 database backup file? You could restore that backup in MC11.1 and have everything from the old library in MC11.1.

Then a more complex question: I now use ACDSEE 7 for my images and that works fine. To make a better database I want to edit and insert TAGS to those images. (RAW/JPG/TIFF/BMP) This way I can track images easier by adding names of people on it, locations, seach words etc. BUT WHAT IS PUT INTO THE FILE ITSELF? I mean when using different programs what will be left in those programs. Are there general tags like in .mp3 or .ape files? I don't want to go through all of this knowing that it will not be seen in other programs.

Not quite. I suppose ACDSEE uses EXIF tags when possible. EXIF is a sort of standard, but it is not universally supported and it is not usable with all image file formats. MC can read some of the EXIF tags (mainly the date & time tag and show the other tags in Action Window > File Type Info), but not write them. MC can write its own proprietary tags to jpg images (I am not sure about tiff), but no other programs can read those tags. Perhaps this gets better in MC12. According to what has discussed here some changes are possible.

Also I would like to know if there are more skins around then the ones on the website.

Some additional skins are available in the Third Party Plug-ins, Programs, and Skins forum: http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?board=5.0

[4BYE]

Hello Alex,

Thanks for the input. You made some points I can use. But for large amounts of folders it would be nice to have some personalized options to import. f.e. AUDIO and IMAGES where you can select what has to be imported.

When I import singe folders it's easy.


Thanks,

Best regards,


Theo

[Alex B]

Did you check the advanced import options? You can select the file types there.

EDIT

Or do you mean that you would like MC to memorize several different selections? Unfortunately that is not possible (yet?). Many times JRiver has added options like that after a request and popular demand.

[4BYE]

Hello Alex,

Yes that's what I mean.
Maybe for 12?

Do you know what files I should save on my backup disk to have all my settings back after re-installion?
(crash).
Are that all the files .jmd? I don't care about my library since that's only a question of importing them again.

Thanks again,


Theo

[Alex B]

MJ8 has a library backup tool. It makes a single backup zip file that can restored in MC11.1. (File > Library > Restore Library). The backup file includes the jmd files the MJ8 database uses so it might be possible to point a new library to a folder that contains the old jmd files.

You should be able to get the statistics and playlists from MJ8. The library format and smartlist expressions have changed many times after MJ8 so the smartlists may not work. The program options are not included in the backup and they would not be compatible anyway.

Actually, I have tested only restoring MJ8 backups to MC11.0, but it should work with MC11.1 too.

Also, you need to rerun the Replay Gain analysis in MC11.1 (if you use Replay Gain). The Replay Gain system changed slightly already in MC9.


EDIT

For making backups of your MC11.1 database you should use the library backup tool regularly.

If you like to backup the MC11.1 program options you need to backup the JRiver registry keys in the Windows registry. Better would be to use a tool like Norton Ghost or Acronis True Image for making backups of your complete OS and program files HD partition (usually the C: drive). Then you would be able to restore the operating system and all installed programs if needed.

I have partitioned the C: drive to be about 50 GB and I keep only the program files, system cache and temp files on it. I have other partitions and disks for my file archives. I make disk images of the C: partition regularly, usually before any big changes to the OS or installing new programs.

Besides the MC library backups I backup my media files almost daily, but I add (or replace) only the changed files to these backups.

[4BYE]

Hello Alex,

I don't use MJ8 anymore... I will export the reg file to my backup disc.

I have a single 80 GB disc as a C: drive for only my programs.
Then I use 4x 300 GIG for my music and images. (I had a CD store and even before that so many CD's). So I my new house I want to use MediaCenter 11 in every room to have music available anytime without taking my CD's out. I convert to .ape files because they are lossless and can be converted back to exact original files. That's why I got MJ8 because there were not many players that played .ape files.
I have an ASUS p4C 800 E Deluxe board and it's really great when using 6 HD and 2 DVD Roms. (I even have a WD 250 spare disc that I can use for samples and virtual synthesizers).

To back up all these files I use 4 external USB 300 GB HD.
I have a nice tool that changes only the changed files.

My 40 GB disc crashed 2 weeks ago and that was the reason that I looked for Media Center 11 because I reorganize my computer now I have to start from scratch.
All my other discs were fine but I realized after the crash that it's handy to have settings saved as well for various programs. A lot of programs do that, but some don't.

I will have a look at GHOST since it would be nice to copy everything back the same way it was. The C drive was the only thing I didn't backup. There was no real need because I have everything saved on the other discs and my software on disc etc. But like I said before the settings can take so much time to have it my way again that I start to organize things better.

So that was a long story, but I appreciate your info very much. To start I will export the .reg file tonight and make backups with the libray tool.


Thanks and enjoy the MC11.


All the best,


Theo