Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Cmagic]

Dear Folks,

I'm currently experiencing with stacks as I thought it could be a nice way for transfering metadata (file properties) from one set of files to another. A very useful thing to do when re-ripping an album while retaining the information already present in the library. During my experimentations I found what I think is a useful trick to do exactly this, but I also found some problems. I thought I would post my findings in case it could be useful to others.

First of all let's go with the tip: copying all tags from a file to another using stacks:

• Stack two tracks with the top one containing the metadata you want to copy and the bottom one with blank values (probably because it has just been ripped)
• Set the stack in stack mode. You should only see the top one with all properties. Then select it and do  'RMC - Library Tools - Clean File Properties' (CFP)
• In the CFP dialog, uncheck all cleaning operations then select the fields you want to cascade down the stack
• Hit Ok, unstack your stack: bingo ! you have copied all your tag values to another file in one simple operation !

Now with the problem:
For the above tip to work, it is important to control which is the top track and that is where I have a problem.
If I try to stack a whole set of files at once (using Autostack files) with say, a set of mpc files and a set of ape files,  the ape files always end up on top and I can't control which tracks will sit on top. (In my case I want the mpc to sit on top)
When the top tracks are not the one I was expecting, there is no easy way to change it. The only way I found is to expand the stacks and for each track do a 'Set as stack top' command. This is long tedious process (lot of clicks).

Edit 24/04/2008
From build 485, things have evolved. When Autostacking multiple tracks, it is now possible to choose the file type that you want to have on top. For the purpose of upgrading an album with a new rip, just select the old file type to be on top. That way you will be able to cascade all of its properties to the new rip using the CFP trick.

In summary, controlling the stack top in a single stack is alright, controlling the top in a set of stacks (such as an album) seems problematic. Maybe I am missing something ? Is there an easy way to select the top files when stacking a set of tracks using Autostack ? (yes there is now from .485)

Thanks for any help on the matter,

Best,

Christian

[Cmagic]

Alright,

Doing some search on the forum I found a stack tutorial on the wiki : http://wiki.jrmediacenter.com/index.php/Stacks
And there is said:

Tops -- Stack tops start out somewhat random. The application picks the largest file as the top for non images. For images it picks the largest dimension file of type jpeg.

That's part of my problem. There is currently no control over which file will end up at the stack top other than the size of the file (which is really difficult to control !). That's why the ape files of my example always ended up at the top.
Wouldn't it be possible that the application picks the stack top using a different criteria, one that could easily be selected by the user ? For example using an editable expression which largest value would give top status ? The Default expression would be [File Size] for non images.

C.

[Jaguu]

I was thinking about the same problem when trying to copy meta data from one file to another, a feature not available in MC12 yet. In my case I sometimes want to replace art images of low resolution with higher resolution images. In this case stacking would be a way to go, and in this case the oldest file imported would be handy to be on top of the stack, because that one is in most cases the one already tagged.

A library command that the stack could inherit selected meta tags of the top would be very handy.

[Cmagic]

Indeed the oldest file imported is the one to choose ast stack top in that particular case. Note that the trick I described using CFP will not cascade some properties (number plays/last played) and image file.
In your case, when you want to replace an existing art with a higher resolution one, can't you also do it with the new cover art system ?

C.

[darichman]

Thanks for this thread. I found it really useful!

[park]

I want to use this process to move the tag properties from my aa files to the mp3s that i converted them to. I also want to move the image (cover art) links, and last played, number of plays info. Is there another tool that could do this?

[JimH]

I want to use this process to move the tag properties from my aa files to the mp3s that i converted them to.

If you did it with MC, you can use Library Tools/Update tags from library.

I also want to move the image (cover art) links, and last played, number of plays info. Is there another tool that could do this?

Again, if it was done with MC, the art and other stats should go with the MP3.

[DarkPenguin]

Would adding some kind of expression tool (maybe just a simple input box to enter a search string) to autostack be helpful for selecting the top file?  I'd run that against each stack and set the top.

[Cmagic]

Hi,

Would adding some kind of expression tool (maybe just a simple input box to enter a search string) to autostack be helpful for selecting the top file?  I'd run that against each stack and set the top.

I thought about this idea of being able to choose the way to autostack files. For example for a new rip of an existing album it would be useful to autostack only based on Track #. There is also the selection of the stack top that could be great to parameterized. In the case of updating an older rip it would be great to have the oldest imported track on top so has to ease cascading of existing library field to the new tracks.

Anyway, thinking about all that I tried to make a mockup of the kind of dialog that would be great to have for that purpose. here it is:



What do you think ?

Christian

[park]

That's perfect cmagic. I want to see just that.

JimH, the "update tags from libray" sounds like the perfect solution. It'll be quick and easy. At the moment though it does nothing. I've tested stacking an audible file an mp3 together, and making sure the aa file is the top. But using that tool doesnt do anything. The mp3 remains bare of any of it's parent's info.

Get cover art from file/directory also doesnt work to fill the child cover art.

[Cmagic]

Hi,

Just edited the post on top to include a new feature included from build .485 that really ease the process of selecting the top files. Not completely perfect but very useful in the case of re-ripping.

Thanks guys,

Christian