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[rjm]

I create a txt file with summary info for my albums. In my early days I was not as disciplined and some albums are missing these info files. I would like to create a view that shows only albums that are missing info files so that I can fill the gaps. I have fooled around with filters and views but cannot figure out how to do it.

Wondering if a smartlist guru out there can suggest a solution?

Here are the details...

I would like a view that lists albums that do not have a file with [Name]=[info] and [File Type]=[txt].

Or coming at it from the physical file perspective, list albums that do not have a file named "[Artist] - [Album] - info.txt".

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

[marko]

are your info.txt files imported into your MC library, and are they actually tagged with the [artist] - [album] - [name] data?
The answer to both of these questions needs to be yes. If they're not tagged, the 'fill properties from filename' tool will be your friend. The [name] for these files needs to be 'info'.

Once that's done, make a smartlist that contains all albums that do have an 'info.txt' file...
[name]=info ~a should do the trick.

I think you'll probably find that a view scheme that shows albums without info.txt files would be easier to work with. Set your view up to suit yourself, but be sure to exclude any files in the smartlist you made above and include data files too...
[media type]=[audio],[data]
Playlists > Is Not Any >

Now you should be good to go. As you add (and import and tag) info.txt files for these albums, they'll be automatically removed from the view scheme. When the view is empty, your work is done.

[rjm]

Thank you so much! This worked great.

I never understood the power of ~a until now.

MC never ceases to surprise me in pleasant ways!

[marko]

You're welcome.
Apologies, but I see a slight correction needed...

Once that's done, make a smartlist that contains all albums that do have an 'info.txt' file...
[name]=info ~a should do the trick.

That smartlist rule should really be [name]=[info] ~a
This means that the [name] must be exactly info, though case shouldn't matter.
without the square brackets around "info", as I originally posted, a track named, for example, "Too Much Information" would match the rule, and you need to be confident that the match only occurs on those info files, not the audio tracks. You can't specify media types in the rule because the ~a modifier respects the media type rule when they're used in conjunction with each other.

-marko.

[rjm]

Thanks for the clarification marko.

Your concept of subtracting one list from another list is really powerful. I am dreaming up new useful ways to apply it.

[rjm]

marko,

It appears that ~a does not expand to the full album when [name]=[info]. In other words, I get only those files with [name]=[info].

~a does expand to the full album when I use [name]=info

Do you understand what is going on here?

<edit>

Did some more tests. It appears that ~a does not expand to full album when any kind of exact match is used on [Name] and does expand when a non-exact match is used.

As a work around I am using name starts with info ie. [name]=[info*

This gets me pretty close to what I want.

Your thoughts on what is going on here would be appreciated.

[marko]

Your thoughts on what is going on here would be appreciated.

I think this is a bug.

~a should only concede to a [media type]= rule that goes before it.

-marko.