Print

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

[kingfisher47]

I am new Here , thank You for heoping me
Problem as follows I save the music data as wave files and tag them individually by changing the infrmation ,often then I save the library instantly
Mostly I rename the album by setting the name of the artist in the first place then followed by the original album name, I find it easier to find the music this way

Very often after a while already tagged files appear as unassigned album files

I retag them ,save and then other albums already tagged appear as unassigned files and their tagging is obviously lost, sometimes only the albumpicture I scanned in is left

Cant retag forever,with about 1 TB of files ,does anybody know what is wrong here

[Vincent Kars]

Are you using the right plug-in?
http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/WAV_%26_AIFF_Tagging

[kingfisher47]

Thank you very much , the Option was not activated , becaus I thought it would be automatically active if I chose to save as Wave file only, So hopefully this will solve My problems , Again thank You so much

[glynor]

It is not enabled by default because tagging in WAV files is unsupported by many (most) other media player applications, and saving tags to the files will often break playback for these other players.  So, when you enable this option, be aware that this may make these WAV files "MC-only".

[Matt]

It is not enabled by default because tagging in WAV files is unsupported by many (most) other media player applications, and saving tags to the files will often break playback for these other players.  So, when you enable this option, be aware that this may make these WAV files "MC-only".

The tag is stored in a valid WAV block, so the file remains a fully compliant WAV that will be supported by any good software.

The reason tagging is off for WAV by default is because WAV users are often particular, and we felt it safest to not surprise a WAV user with a tag they didn't expect.

[BrandonT]

So what kind of tagging convention does MC15 use? I just ran into the same problem as the poster, ripped some discs, then copied the albums to multiple computers and they all show up under unassigned with no metadata. Even WMP can seem to tag correctly! (too bad it jacks up all my cover art) Why would the tag info not stay with the file? What if I want to play the media on another player? Tell me what I'm missing here as this seems like a huge PITA. I'm ripping to FLAC.

[glynor]

The tag is stored in a valid WAV block, so the file remains a fully compliant WAV that will be supported by any good software.

The reason tagging is off for WAV by default is because WAV users are often particular, and we felt it safest to not surprise a WAV user with a tag they didn't expect.

Didn't realize that was the deal.  Nice to know.

I know some other (much older) software embedded tags in WAV files which broke playback for many other players.  Honestly I haven't used anything other than MC to do this type of stuff for a long, long time. 

[JimH]

MC reads and writes FLAC tags without problems.

What version of MC are you using?  What did you rip with?

[BrandonT]

I'm using the most current version of MC15. Ripped with MC15.

So does MC15 really tag the file? Or just cache metadata? The tag info doesn't seem to stick if I copy the music to another computer.

EDIT: just ripped a disc with Mediamonkey, pulled the metadata, and placed the album folder in the directory MC15 looks at. Loaded MC15 and it sees all the meta data as it should, it isn't being thrown into unassigned stripped of its meta data.

[MrC]

So does MC15 really tag the file? Or just cache metadata? The tag info doesn't seem to stick if I copy the music to another computer.

It really writes the tags to the audio files.  There is a preference to enable/disable this.  Tags will be written in the background - you can use Library Tools->Update Tags from Library to force an immediate update.

[Vocalpoint]

MC reads and writes FLAC tags without problems.

I strongly disagree with this - especially when using third party products to "prepare" FLAC files for use. MC 15.0.174 consistently and completely "ignores" some FLAC files created with EZ CD Extractor Pro or ones that have been edited in Tag N Rename 3.5x.

In process - MC15 doesn't do anything at all when it encounters a problematic FLAC file. It simple ignores it - which has to be the most frustrating thing I have ever seen with software of this class.

If anyone on dev wants more - please let me know.

Cheers,

VP

[JimH]

I strongly disagree with this - especially when using third party products to "prepare" FLAC files for use. MC 15.0.174 consistently and completely "ignores" some FLAC files created with EZ CD Extractor Pro or ones that have been edited in Tag N Rename 3.5x.

Make a list and send us a file.  If we can make a change, it will be in MC16.

But the best option would be to use MC for ripping.

[Vocalpoint]

Make a list and send us a file.  If we can make a change, it will be in MC16.

But the best option would be to use MC for ripping.

Well - A lot of my work (for broadcast and sound design) involves extraction of files from image files and if I could use MC to create individual FLAC out of image files (with cue) - I would use it all the time. But that's not possible as far as I can see so I have to use third party tools.

I will get together a "problem" list for you...

Cheers,

VP

[JimH]

I don't understand this:

... if I could use MC to create individual FLAC out of image files (with cue)

What do you mean by "image files"?

[Listener]

Jim, I think the OP is using "image files" to describe a Flac file containing all the tracks on a CD with a cue file to indicate where tracks begin.

Op,

Perhaps a couple of experiments might help:

1. Select a Flac file whose tags you want to view. In the MC 16 Tag window, click on the line just below the header.  (It should say "flac" and then a duration in minutes and seconds.)  This will show all the tags actually present in the file.  You can use this display to see what tag information is actually present in the files.  Look at the files you edited with other programs and imported.

The Tools/Options/Library&folders dialog provides a list of fields defined for the current library.  Compare the field names to the tag names present in the file.  MC does not store tag information for tags that don't correspond to fields defined in the current library.

2. Use a text editor (or a file editor with a Hexadecimal mode) to look at the actual contents.  (I used Notepad++.) Flac files are large and full of binary information.  They have long runs of bytes with no end-of-line markers.  Some text editors like the Windows Notepad app may choke on a Flac file but many text editors can cope.  Search for a tag name you expect to see or a tag value you think is present.

Seeing what's actually in a file using a different tool is often the best way to resolve a problem where one program appears to write tags that another program does not recognize.

Here is a sample of tags in a Flac file as shown by Notepad++:

TOOL NAME=Media Center ... GENRE=Classical...DATE=1988/01/01...TITLE=Jazz pizzicato...ARTIST=Steinberg_Cologne Radio Orchestra...

I have indicated nul characters and other control info by ...

Bill

[glynor]

What do you mean by "image files"?

I suspect he means disk image files (like ISO, IMG, BIN, etc), as opposed to TIFF and JPEG.

[Vocalpoint]

Jim, I think the OP is using "image files" to describe a Flac file containing all the tracks on a CD with a cue file to indicate where tracks begin.

Yes - I routine receive CD image files in wav/cue, wv/cue, FLAC/cue or even aiff/cue format where we typically have a 300MB file called cdimage.flac and a matching cue file called cdimage.cue. When I load this cue file into EZ CD Extractor - I get the original CD layout appearing on screen with it's required spaces, breaks etc and then I simply hit Convert and the program "extracts" the audio via the cue pointers to individual files in FLAC format. Then I will clean up tags etc in Tag n Rename and then it can be played in MC.

This type of process is not available in MC or I would use it all the time.

Recently tho (last 10 days or so) - with no changes to EZ CD Extractor (I have been using the same version for over a year now) or to MC (Still using 15.0.174)...I am getting some FLAC files that cannot be read by MC...the error message is always the same (I will send it along with a problematic file if I can)

Cheers,

VP

[Vincent Kars]

MC is capable of reading the cue
You should see all the tracks in the interface
Select these tracks and choose Tools > Library Tools > Convert
This will convert them to a file per track
I use this to split single file APE, FLAC to individual FLAC

[glynor]

MC is capable of reading the cue
You should see all the tracks in the interface

Absolutely.  I do this all the time.

I thought you meant ISOs or IMG files.  MC can handle these too, but it takes a bit more setup first.

[Vocalpoint]

MC is capable of reading the cue
You should see all the tracks in the interface
Select these tracks and choose Tools > Library Tools > Convert
This will convert them to a file per track
I use this to split single file APE, FLAC to individual FLAC

Really? Exactly how to I get MC to read a cue file? File->Open or what?

EDIT - Double clicking doesn't work The track starts playing.

I should also mention that I absolutely need to do this process "outside" of MC. As in using the Drives and Devices tree item to locate a folder with a wav/cue fileset and then doing the conversion. First I need to know how to open a .cue file

VP

[Vincent Kars]

I do it all inside MC
I have my main library and a second one called “work”
This one points to a separate directory e.g C:\WORK  outside the folders of the main library.

The audio and the cue should be in the same folder e.g. C:\WORK 
The file name in the cue file should match the audio file exactly (often the extension doesn't match)

Code: [Select]

FILE "Beethoven - Ludwig van Beethoven op 18.mp3" WAVE
Both the big FLAC and all the tracks should popup in MC

[Listener]

I do it all inside MC
I have my main library and a second one called “work”

I also use a separate library for ripping, tagging and splitting files.

Bill

[MrC]

Or more simply, instead of a text editor, to see flac tags outside MC, use the metaflac cmd line too:

Code: [Select]

Desktop\flac-1.2.1-win>bin\metaflac.exe --list "08   Introduzione- Adagio molto.flac"
...
METADATA block #2
  type: 4 (VORBIS_COMMENT)
  is last: false
  length: 454
  vendor string: reference libFLAC 1.1.2 20050205
  comments: 16
    comment[0]: TOOL NAME=Media Center
    comment[1]: TOOL VERSION=14.0.157
    comment[2]: GENRE=Classical
    comment[3]: TITLE=Introduzione: Adagio Molto
    comment[4]: TRACKNUMBER=8
    comment[5]: COMMENT=Track 8
    comment[6]: ARTIST=Beethoven, Ludwig van
    comment[7]: ALBUM=Horowitz Plays Beethoven Sonatas
    comment[8]: COMPOSER=Beethoven, Ludwig van
    comment[9]: CONDUCTOR=Horowitz
    comment[10]: BPM=41
    comment[11]: INTENSITY=1
    comment[12]: REFERENCE ID=986
    comment[13]: DATE=1990
    comment[14]: REPLAYGAIN_TRACK_PEAK=0.398130
    comment[15]: REPLAYGAIN_TRACK_GAIN=+7.74 dB
METADATA block #3
  type: 1 (PADDING)
  is last: true
  length: 4038


[Vocalpoint]

I also use a separate library for ripping, tagging and splitting files.

Bill

Wow - I will join that club now:) I believe I have just been shown a completely new way of doing things here now...

This forum totally rocks...

VP

[Vocalpoint]

So I have tried a couple of "image" conversions and the naming conventions do not work for me. Is there a way - during conversion to get MC to do use the Folder and Filename rules I have set up...AKA [Artist]\[Album] and [Track#] [Name].

The FLAC conversion goes great but the resulting tracks get dumped into a single folder which is taking it's name from the original folder location where the flac/cue files are sitting.

Ideally  - I would like to use this "work" library to:

1. Load the cue/wav (or whatever)
2. Adjust tags, add art etc
3. Then bulk convert out to my main library using my specific folder and naming conventions.

Can this be done?

VP

[JimH]

It would be helpful to call these images audio images or CD images or similar, just to avoid confusion.

Cue files would also work as a name.

[Listener]

So I have tried a couple of "image" conversions and the naming conventions do not work for me. Is there a way - during conversion to get MC to do use the Folder and Filename rules I have set up...AKA [Artist]\[Album] and [Track#] [Name].

The FLAC conversion goes great but the resulting tracks get dumped into a single folder which is taking it's name from the original folder location where the flac/cue files are sitting.

Ideally  - I would like to use this "work" library to:

1. Load the cue/wav (or whatever)
2. Adjust tags, add art etc
3. Then bulk convert out to my main library using my specific folder and naming conventions.

Can this be done?

It can be done. try the process first with a few files.

I assume that you have set up a library for doing this work.  Make that library the active one in MC.

1. Import the cue files you want to split.  When you click on import, choose "import a single folder" and click the "Next" button.

2. The dialog window will change and show the words "Media import".  There is a list of file types.  Click on the arrow head to the left of audio.  This will produce a list of file types.  Be sure that there is a checkbox beside "CUE files".  (If Flac files is also checked both the CUE file and the Flac file will be imported, producing duplication. This may or may not be a problem for you depending on what you do with the Flac files for the individual tracks.)

3. Click the "Finish" button to start the import process.

4.  Each of the tracks the Cue files specify should appear as a separate line in the list of files.  They aren't actual files yet - just parts of the big Flac file identified individually by the .cue files.

5. Select the tracks you want to make into separate Flac files.  Right click on them, producing a context menu.  Choose Library Tools/Rename, Move&Copy files.

6. In the dialog that appears, choose Copy files.  (Note that you can choose whether to have the copied filed be added to the MC library.)  Specify the base path where you want the copied files to be stored.  Just below, specify a rule for file and folder names.  Click on the left arrow head to the right of "Rule".  The command "preset" gives you a choice of standard rules for file and folder names.  If you don't like those standard rules, you can specify your own.  You can use tag names inside square brackets as part of the names.  Use a backslash to separate folder from file name.  You can have fixed characters including spaces and dashes as part of the names.

Once you have the individual track Flac files, you can do what you want with them.
---
JimH and Matt,  in another thread I commented that many new MC users are unable to surf the menus and find the command that would solve their current problem.  This is an example of that situation.

Bill

[Vocalpoint]

It can be done. try the process first with a few files.

I assume that you have set up a library for doing this work.  Make that library the active one in MC.

1. Import the cue files you want to split.  When you click on import, choose "import a single folder" and click the "Next" button.

2. The dialog window will change and show the words "Media import".  There is a list of file types.  Click on the arrow head to the left of audio.  This will produce a list of file types.  Be sure that there is a checkbox beside "CUE files".  (If Flac files is also checked both the CUE file and the Flac file will be imported, producing duplication. This may or may not be a problem for you depending on what you do with the Flac files for the individual tracks.)

3. Click the "Finish" button to start the import process.

4.  Each of the tracks the Cue files specify should appear as a separate line in the list of files.  They aren't actual files yet - just parts of the big Flac file identified individually by the .cue files.

5. Select the tracks you want to make into separate Flac files.  Right click on them, producing a context menu.  Choose Library Tools/Rename, Move&Copy files.

6. In the dialog that appears, choose Copy files.  (Note that you can choose whether to have the copied filed be added to the MC library.)  Specify the base path where you want the copied files to be stored.  Just below, specify a rule for file and folder names.  Click on the left arrow head to the right of "Rule".  The command "preset" gives you a choice of standard rules for file and folder names.  If you don't like those standard rules, you can specify your own.  You can use tag names inside square brackets as part of the names.  Use a backslash to separate folder from file name.  You can have fixed characters including spaces and dashes as part of the names.

Once you have the individual track Flac files, you can do what you want with them.
---
JimH and Matt,  in another thread I commented that many new MC users are unable to surf the menus and find the command that would solve their current problem.  This is an example of that situation.

Bill

I will comment on your steps...

Firstly - I set up a work library that contains w hole raft of things....FLAC's, CD images, cues...the works. I manually did an Auto import and the three folders that contained a cue/FLAC combo or a cue/wav combo came in good and I can see the listing of separate files.

However - to test your steps...I selected one of the albums (whose files were all showing correctly via the cue file in the directory) and choose Delete (Remove From Library)...to simply break the link and get the reference out of the library. Then I attempted your steps - using this now removed folder as my Import Target....

1. Selected this single folder (containing a cue/flac fileset) and clicked Next
2. Ensured ALL audio media types to ensure "cue" and FLAC were selected. Clicked Finish
3. MC now only displays a single file (The big FLAC file) was brought in. No cue was recognized.
4. Do not see a list of files in separate lines - only file I can see is the big FLAC file
5. Bailed out on it since I could not convert.

Tried the above again - this time starting @ your Step 5 - with an album that came in correctly via cue file when I ran the initial "auto import" when setting up the work library.

5. Selected 3 tracks to test
6. In the dialog, I sete my specific folder and file conventions and ensure Copy was active - and can see the three file destinations change
7. Since you didn't specify an actual action after step 6 - I clicked OK and MC attempts to "copy" the three selected "tracks" via the cue file
8. The naming works - but the three files created are 398MB in size - each a "copy" of the original FLAC file...each huge file taking the name of the Title displayed via the cue file
9. This process contains no actual conversion - so I am baffled at this point. Where do we hit Convert Audio?

Look forward to an update since this is not working at all...

VP

 

[Listener]

The first 4 steps import .cue files into MC.  If you already have already imported the cue files successfully into MC, you don't need to do it again.

Before I posted instructions, I tried them out.  I failed to check the file sizes.  When I repeated the steps, I got the same result you did.  Sorry. 

Were the file and folder names as you wanted them to be?

---
You appear to have two remaining  problems.

1. Some cue files / flac files can't be imported successfully.

2. When you select lines that correspond to tracks in a big flac file and copy them, the entire big Flac is copied rather than the portion that the cue file specifies.

You had a third problem: you couldn't get the file/folder names you wanted.  Is that problem under control?

Since I don't use CUE files with any regularity, I have reached the limit of my ability to help.  Perhaps someone else can help you.

Bill

[Vocalpoint]

You appear to have two remaining  problems.

1. Some cue files / flac files can't be imported successfully.

2. When you select lines that correspond to tracks in a big flac file and copy them, the entire big Flac is copied rather than the portion that the cue file specifies.

You had a third problem: you couldn't get the file/folder names you wanted.  Is that problem under control?

Since I don't use CUE files with any regularity, I have reached the limit of my ability to help.  Perhaps someone else can help you.

Bill

Bill,

Thanks for your help - much appreciated. 

1. Oddly - MC did read specific cue files correct upon initial import. But removing a target folder and re-importing to the same library does not seem to work.
2. The "Rename/Move Files" process dialog has no bearing on this whatsoever since there is no conversion that actually takes place.
3. The Convert Audio process works great when the files referenced in the .cue file are listed correctly on screen - but if the resultant file names and their folder structures march to their own drum (I still cannot figure how MC is naming them what they end up getting) - this process is of no use to me.

Since I do LOTS of audio image file conversion - I need tools that are logical to setup, work without issue and use my specific conventions for every job. While MC is my defacto playback app and is easily head and shoulders above anything else in the media player game - it has a long way to go in the file prep, conversion and folder management area.

Thanks again for the assistance!

Cheers,

VP

[BrandonT]

It really writes the tags to the audio files.  There is a preference to enable/disable this.  Tags will be written in the background - you can use Library Tools->Update Tags from Library to force an immediate update.

Just wanted to respond and highlight this to help other noobs like me: this worked as expected. Most people (including me) assumed that the track number, name, etc. they see is actually in the file - i.e. tagged. It is apparently just cached for MC15 until the file is updated as above. I just have to remember to force the update after I rip the disc so I know when I move it the tracks are tagged with all the meta data. Not sure why J River elected to have this stop not be immediate - right when the disc is ripped - but whatever, I know how to do it now. Thanks!

[MrC]

I just have to remember to force the update after I rip the disc so I know when I move it the tracks are tagged with all the meta data. Not sure why J River elected to have this stop not be immediate - right when the disc is ripped...

Tag data is stored immediately when the files are *ripped*, since the files are created at that time.  My comment was regarding changes to tags for existing tracks.

[BrandonT]

Well now I'm confused. So why when I rip a disc, transfer that music to another computer, it sees no track number, album,etc? In the Artist view they all show up as "unassigned". Using MC15 on all machines. If just after the rip I force the tags to update from library, all the info is there when I transfer the files to another machine, and they properly appear under the Artist view.

[Vocalpoint]

Well now I'm confused. So why when I rip a disc, transfer that music to another computer, it sees no track number, album,etc? In the Artist view they all show up as "unassigned". Using MC15 on all machines. If just after the rip I force the tags to update from library, all the info is there when I transfer the files to another machine, and they properly appear under the Artist view.

You probably do not have MC doing an auto look-up to get the info for the disc prior to rip. OR - the disc you are ripping does not exist in the YABB metadata stash. I find a lot of my discs have nothing out there...so I use different tools like EZCD Extractor to do the rips...it fills the bulk of the tags without fail every time. Then I can take the fresh rip into MC to adjust anything that may need adjusting.

VP

[BrandonT]

I have it set to auto lookup and it is working properly, on the machine I rip with it finds all the meta data quick and displays track number, genre, etc. The catch is when I move the ripped files to another machine, adn open them with MC15 it shows up under unassigned artist with no track number info, genre etc. IIRC only the track names and maybe the artist, probably pulled from the CD-TEXT track. Maybe not even that, I'd have to look and see.

[Vocalpoint]

I have it set to auto lookup and it is working properly, on the machine I rip with it finds all the meta data quick and displays track number, genre, etc. The catch is when I move the ripped files to another machine, adn open them with MC15 it shows up under unassigned artist with no track number info, genre etc. IIRC only the track names and maybe the artist, probably pulled from the CD-TEXT track. Maybe not even that, I'd have to look and see.

I will test this now and see what happens....what format are you ripping to?

EDIT: Just ripped the Arc Angels debut CD to FLAC...using the MC lookup etc...and moved the files to two different machines...all tags are present and accounted for.

VP

[BrandonT]

And in the Artist view it showed up properly, not under "unassigned?"

[Vocalpoint]

And in the Artist view it showed up properly, not under "unassigned?"

I didn't take it that far. I only examined the tracks in the folder via the Drives and Devices area on the tree. When/where are you seeing it as "unassigned'? Right after the rip?

VP

[BrandonT]

After the rip, on the other machines I move the files to. The machine I ripped on always shows everything fine. MC15 must be using a local cache, otherwise there would be no need for an "update tags from library" option, library meaning cache I'm guessing. If I force this update right after the rip everything is fine, the transfered files have all info ont eh other machines.

Basically I ripped a bunch of CD's, move those files to the music folder on another machine, and when I open MC15 in the Audio>Artist view they are all stacked under "unassigned" with little to no meta data. This is repeatable. Of course forcing the update right after the rip solves all this, but it is a strange way to do things, so I'd like to know if it is just me or MC15.

[MrC]

What value do you have for Options->General->Importing and Tagging->Update tags when file info changes ?

There is no "cache".  MC does have its own internal database.  Changes you make are affected there.  If your MC is set to not make tag changes, then they won't be made automatically.

[BrandonT]

What value do you have for Options->General->Importing and Tagging->Update tags when file info changes ?

I have that checked, but I may not have the last time I tested this out. Will check tonight.