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[globetrotters1]

I tried to find an answer in the Wiki or in other posts, I didn't find, so I decided to ask:

We have different computers in our home. The media server has just a big screen, other computers have up to 3 screen connected. I'd love to maintain the library on a system with more screens. But if I load the library on such another computer and I change something within the tags of tracks listed in 'recently imported', nothing gets updated on the server...

BEFORE I use 'sync changes on the client back to server' (which I imagine to be this function) I just want to know which data get sync'd back to the server? I don't wanna destroy any option settings, as those are different on both machines...

Can someone point out please, what gets done internally by that sync function?

thanks

[rossp]

I use this feature at work. It only sync's tag changes and filename changes back to the server. It will not sync settings.

Ross

[globetrotters1]

I use this feature at work. It only sync's tag changes and filename changes back to the server. It will not sync settings.

Ross

Ross,
thanks for the hint, then I try it... just didn't want to destroy anything on my main server
Do you by any chance have an idea how often a sync has to be made to not lose any changes?
thanks

[zxsix]

I regularly go 8 hours between synchronizing.  As long as you have a network connection at the time of sync, and there hasn't been changes on the server, your fine.

[rossp]

Also if you close MC client it will search for changes and sync them automatically before closing...

Ross

[zxsix]

Also if you close MC client it will search for changes and sync them automatically before closing...

Ross

Only if that option is set to do so, it's optional.
Need to check the settings screen before you trust that.

[globetrotters1]

thanks for your hints, guys...

Well, I found out that file operations won't work with this... so, changing the tags and renaming the files due to these tag changes leads to the elimination of the whole album from the database - the album has to be manually imported again and reflects NO tag changes at all

Tested twice, same result
 

[zxsix]

In order for file operations to work, the client would have to be on the same local network and the file location would have to be accessible from both computers.  I can't expect that stuff to work from my work computer across the internet.  \\server\music\genre\artist\album doesn't exist across the internet, but it is the same for my desktop and my laptop when they are both at the house.
I do all file operations on the server only.

[globetrotters1]

In order for file operations to work, the client would have to be on the same local network and the file location would have to be accessible from both computers.  I can't expect that stuff to work from my work computer across the internet.  \\server\music\genre\artist\album doesn't exist across the internet, but it is the same for my desktop and my laptop when they are both at the house.
I do all file operations on the server only.

zxsix,
thanks, but i do everything on an internal network, where every computer has a fix IP address and all are connected together over a central switch. it replaces the drive character of the original path with the IP:port definition and the album simply disappears from the library. just wanted to point that out. of course i'll do all the file operations in the future directly on the server
thanks

[zxsix]

I can't say whether that's a bug or not.  I'd have to guess that even if it's not a supported operation, that it should be handled a little more gracefully, such as graying out the option on a client so you can't try it, or pop an error message saying it can't be done instead of just disappearing the files.

[JustinChase]

Media Center does not allow file operations from a client.  it's been requested for 10 years or so, but so far, the tag updates is as far as we've gotten.

You must do all file operations on the server, or close MC on the server, and open the library on the machine you wish to use for tagging, and you can do file operations on that machine, as long as it's the first to open the library.

You should be getting a message that "changes will not be saved" on any machine that opens a library that is already open with another machine, including the library server.

This was discussed a little while back in this thread...

http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=58965.0

I wrote up my "ideal" solution to this in this thread...

http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=57440.0  (but I was told it was confusing)

[globetrotters1]

JustinChase,
I've read the posts you mentioned and yes, it's clear why it's not working. I just wanted to point out that it's not blocked and it behaves very strange when I do it... it's not good that an album disappears from the library silently when I do a file operation, because I didn't know that it's not possible... it just never tells you. Nothing bad happened, I was very careful, just tried one album... just a short message would do
Thanks for your thoughts and hints

[JustinChase]

I agree with you.  Media Center allows you to "delete" a file from the program while logged in as a client, but those "changes" don't stick.

The only warning you get is the one you see when you first connect to the library server.  There are no other warnings after that one.

That's the way the programs works, I believe by design.

When I need to do tagging from a client machine, I have to remember to log off Media Center from the client, then remote connect to the machine running library server, log off that version, then re-open Media Center on the client, do my file operations, then logoff, and log the server back on, then reconnect with the client.

Matt had asked a little while ago for some input about this, and he got some good feedback, but he never indicated what/if any of that advice they would implement.  It's been about 2 weeks since a public release, so I'm guessing they are either slaving over the code changes to make some of those suggestions a reality; or they are on vacation 

I'm hopeful for some changes to the media network soon, allowing Media Center to really be "a whole house music, movie, TV, and photo solution."