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What is best way to Re-Rip Albums while preserving old library info?

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Magic_Randy:
I want to Re-Rip my library to upgrade the bitrate, but I do not want to lose current library info including:
1) Lyrics
2) Cover Art
3) Playlists
4) Stats (last played...)

I created a small workflow based on the following:
0) I created a new library for Re-Ripping (called Re-Ripping) and turned off auto import

1) I move all of the files for an album out of the current folder into a temp re-ripping folder (I do not do this from MC)
2) In MC I switch libraries to my Re-Ripping Library
3) I Re-Rip the album
4) I switch the library back to my default library
5) I select all the tracks for the Album and use the library tools to Update Tags (From Library)
6) With all the tracks still selected for the Album, I  use the library tools to Update Library (From Tags) - this fixes the bitrate in the library
7) If everything is OK, I delete the original files from step 1 and clear the Re-Ripping Library

Question:

Is there a better way to do this? This is a lot of steps.



EDIT: This is the process I'm settling on:

1) Turn off auto-import
2) Re-Rip to a temp location, using [Disc #]-[track #] convention as the outgoing files
3) Delete the freshly ripped files from the library
4) Select the album in MC, Rename old files to [Disc #]-[track #] convention
5) Use windows explorer to replace the old files with the new
6) Select the album in MC, do an Update tags from library
7) Select the album in MC, do an Update library from tags
8) Select the album in MC, Rename files back to the convention you use
9) Turn auto import back on.

Note: I'm using a 2nd library for the re-ripping.
        I repeat step 2 multiple times to re-rip a batch of albums before proceeding to the next steps
        I do step 9 to turn auto import back on after I complete re-ripping & updating a batch of albums
        I added a step to clear all of the cover art after step 2.

marko:
If it were me:

1) Turn off auto-import
2) Re-Rip to a temp location, using the same filenaming convention as the outgoing files
3) Delete the freshly ripped files from the library
4) Use windows explorer to replace the old files with the new
5) Select the album in MC, do an Update tags from library followed by an update library from tags.
6) Turn auto import back on.

Or

1) Re-rip files to a location and filename easily accessed via the rename from properties tool
2) Delete freshly ripped files from the library
3) Select the old files and open the rename, move and copy files tool
4) Set the top function to "update library to point to a new location (no move or copy)
5) Apply directory and filename rules that will point MC to your freshly ripped files and hit OK
6) Do update tags from library followed by update library from tags
7) Delete the old files
8) Use the rename from properties tool to move the new files back to where the old ones were.

I wouldn't use the second method as it's too hard, for me at least, to track mentally... I just know that old files would be bound to get forgotten about somewhere!!

If you want to change format, say, replace mp3 with flac rips, follow the first set of steps, but before doing the replace with explorer, use MC to do a find and replace on the filename field using "replace .mp3 with .flac"
Then replace the files using explorer and do the update tags shuffle. Works a treat.
Remember though, turning off auto-import is critical. If you forget, then MC will pick up the new files as "external changes" and begin updating the library accordingly. You wouldn't want that :)

I'm not sure that the first set of steps is "the best way" overall, just that it's the best way for me, and once you've done a couple and familiarised yourself with the steps, it really takes no time at all.
That "update library to point to a new location" option should, on the face of it, have made this job easier, but in practice, I've found that not to be the case at all. Where that option excels is when you've moved your files, for example, to a new drive, and need a wholesale library update without losing precious statistical library info.

-marko.

mark_h:
This question gets asked frequently enough that there should be a Wiki FAQ entry?

Mark

Mr ChriZ:
What would be nice is if MC offered the option to replace files but maintain tags/data.

JimH:

--- Quote from: mark_h on January 05, 2009, 03:01:54 am ---This question gets asked frequently enough that there should be a Wiki FAQ entry?

Mark

--- End quote ---
The wiki can be edited by anyone.  Thanks for volunteering.  ;)

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