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[Bill S]

I updated to 17.0.50 yesterday (from a few versions back, don't remember which exactly, probably 17.0.42 or similar) and found my directory/file renaming rules wiped out without warning. Ugh...  Fortunately I had saved these in separate text file, however now I find my directory rule no longer works because of this 'base  path' thing.

BACKGROUND:
I have a large collection that does not fit on one drive, so I created a rule that saves to different drives/starting points depending upon whether or not the audio file is
- an audio book file
- music file that is surround
- music file that is fauxsurround (upmixed)
- music file that is neither surround nor fauxsurround

I've always tracked whether a music file is surround/fauxsurround/other via a custom field called 'Sound Type'. 

PROBLEM:
In 17.0.50 I now see 'base path' that apparently serves as the starting point for the directories rule, which means I no longer can have a working rule.

Here is my rule that worked before the update:

IF(ISEQUAL([Media Type],Audio,1),IF(ISEQUAL([Media Sub Type],Audiobook,1),J:\[MEDIA TYPE]\Audiobooks,IF(ISEQUAL([SOUND TYPE],Surround,1),H:\[MEDIA TYPE]\Music_Surround,IF(ISEQUAL([SOUND TYPE],FauxSurround,1),H:\[MEDIA TYPE]\Music_FauxSurround,J:\[MEDIA TYPE]\Music_Not Surround))),J:\[MEDIA TYPE]\Other)

ALREADY TRIED:
I tried leaving Base  Path box blank but the rule resulted in appending the path in my rule to the current location (using J_ etc... instead of J:)
I tried putting '.' (without the quotes) in the Base Path box but it did not work.  Same with '*'.
I also tried browing the base path to my 'Computer' folder in the browse button, but it the 'OK' button remained grayed out when after selecting Computer folder.

QUESTIONS
Am I missing something obvious, or...
1. Is this changed behavior or a bug?  If changed behavior, can this *please* be changed back?

2. How can I save to different starting points (on different drives) based on whether my audio file is an audio book file, nonsurround music file or surround/fauxsurround music file?

Thanks in advance

[MrC]

Your rule appears to work for me here...

[edit: I placed your rule in the base path.]

[Bill S]

Are you sure you are in 17.0.50?  It looks like the design has changed in the Rename,Move box.  There is now both a base path and rule box for the Directories entry, which means now you can't set the starting point to different hard drives.

Here is an example that may better illustrate the problem in 17.0.50

Rename, Move, & Copy Files box

Directories
--------------
  Base Path - I left this blank, I want my Directories Rule to set the starting point for different hard drives.

  Rule - see below

IF(ISEQUAL([Media Sub Type],Audiobook,1),IF(ISEQUAL([bsSeries],unknown,8),[bsAuthor]\[Album] /([bsNarrator]/),[bsAuthor]\[bsSeries] /(series/)\[bsSeries Num] - [Album] /([bsNarrator]/)),FORMATRANGE(CLEAN([Album Artist (auto)],2),2,0)\CLEAN([Album Artist (auto)],2)\[Release Type]\FORMATDATE([DATE,0],yyyy-MM) [Album]\[Rev Year]-[Rev Name]\IF(ISEQUAL(LEFT([Rev Format],4),Quad,1),[Rev Format]__[Rev Format Details]__[Source Format],[Rev Format Details]__[Source Format])\[Source Media])


Filename
--------------
  Rule - see below

IF(ISEQUAL([Media Sub Type],Audiobook,1),IF(ISEQUAL([bsSeries],unknown,8),[bsAuthor]\[Album] /([bsNarrator]/),[bsAuthor]\[bsSeries] /(series/)\[bsSeries Num] - [Album] /([bsNarrator]/)),FORMATRANGE(CLEAN([Album Artist (auto)],2),2,0)\CLEAN([Album Artist (auto)],2)\[Release Type]\FORMATDATE([DATE,0],yyyy-MM) [Album]\[Rev Year]-[Rev Name]\IF(ISEQUAL(LEFT([Rev Format],4),Quad,1),[Rev Format]__[Rev Format Details]__[Source Format],[Rev Format Details]__[Source Format])\[Source Media])



RESULT
----------------
My previous version (17.0.42 or 17.0.3x):
H:\Audio\Music_Surround\C-D\Carly Simon\Regular\1971-02 Carly Simon\Quad Q8_PCM 4ch\2008-Quad Q8 [Romanotrax 2008-07]\disc 1\02 - Alone.flac

17.0.50:
Dialog box pops up - "The base  path is undefined. The path the files currently resie in will be used as the base path"

If I answer no, then the dialog box is dismissed and I have to set the Base Path.
If I answer yes, then the file's current location is used as the base path, resulting in...

H:\Audio\Music_Surround\C-D\Carly Simon\Regular\1971-02 Carly Simon\Quad Q8_PCM 4ch\2008-Quad Q8 [Romanotrax 2008-07]\disc 1\H_\Audio\Music_Surround\C-D\Carly Simon\Regular\1971-02 Carly Simon\2008-Romanotrax\Quad Q8__DVD-Audio__PCM 4ch\disc 1.flac

Note that there is no longer a filename entry in the move/rename box, so now it looks like my rule also needs to be changed.  I did not yet change this in my rule so that is why my file was renamed with no name.

Does this help show the problem better?  Thx

[Bill S]

Your rule appears to work for me here...

[edit: I placed your rule in the base path.]

Ah, I hadn't seen your edit when I posted my post above.  I will try this and report back.  Thanks!

[MrC]

Actually, I'm a version up on you, but you'll get it soon enough.  No changes in this area that I see.

FYI.  You can clean your expression to have cleaner flow with the new IfElse and ! :

IfElse(!ISEQUAL([Media Type], Audio, 1),
         J:\[MEDIA TYPE]\Other,
    ISEQUAL([Media Sub Type], Audiobook, 1),
         J:\[MEDIA TYPE]\Audiobooks,
    ISEQUAL([SOUND TYPE], Surround, 1),
        H:\[MEDIA TYPE]\Music_Surround,
    ISEQUAL([SOUND TYPE], FauxSurround, 1),
        H:\[MEDIA TYPE]\Music_FauxSurround,
    1,
        J:\[MEDIA TYPE]\Music_Not Surround)

You'll have to remove the new lines for the Base path, but they are fine in the expression editor.

[Bill S]

Ah, I hadn't seen your edit when I posted my post above.  I will try this and report back.  Thanks!

That worked, THANK YOU SOOO MUCH!!!

It's very confusing to have to put the directory rule into something labeled "Base Path" when there is also a box labeled "Rule" right in the same Directory section.  Also confusing is that since the directory rule goes into "Base Path", and the filename's Rule box is still used to set the path from the starting point/base path, the Directory's Rule box purpose is unclear to me, but I'll just ignore Directory's Rule box for now.

I'll try your other suggestion later this evening.  Thanks again, you've really helped me with this!!!!!

[MrC]

Perhaps the Base vs. Directory stuff will get straightened out.  The idea is to have a navigable starting point, but then let directory rules shunt from there using simple templates (most folks don't use expressions).  But with folks placing same-type media in variable base locations, a mono-base doesn't work.

The new Presets allow you to store Directory Rules and Filename Rules, and call up those rules from your own presets, or from Options > File Location for the pre-defined media types.  Unfortunately, you can't save a rule in File Locations for Base.

So, save yourself a preset (bottom left of rename dialog).

FYI: you can use Windows to map a drive into an empty directory, so that you can avoid this directory multiplexing.