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[lise]

This is the most efficient way I have found so far to re-rip my collection of mp3s using lossless.

1. Rip
2. Go to folder in Explorer
3. Make sure the file names are identical for mp3s and apes. Do some renaming within MC if they are not.
4. In MC, select the mp3s, Rename Move Copy and select Update with Find .mp3 and replace with .ape
5. update tags from library
6. update library from tags.
7. Go back to the Explorer folder, select all mp3s and delete.

This is working so far, but there are too many chances of user error.
Forgetting to switching between Rename and Update in the Rename/move/copy dialog box has already caused me issues, and finding the mp3s to delete them in explorer as well. I'm taking my time, but I've been at it for a days now and I know I'm going to make a major mistake at some point.

Has anyone found a more elegant way of doing this?

[rick.ca]

I haven't tried your method, so I'm not which is more elegant or less error-prone, but this is what I do:

• Disable Auto-Import.
• Rip to a temporary folder.
• In MC, select the target tracks and use Find & Replace to change the filename extensions (e.g., from .mp3 to .ape).
• In an external file manager, ensure the filenames are identical, and replace the target files with the new ones.
• In MC, Update Tags (from Library) then Update Library (from Tags).
• When finished, enable Auto-Import.

I use Directory Opus in a source/target split view to do step 4. The same thing can be done using two instances of Explorer. Dragging and dropping the source files to the destination not only means there's nothing to "clean up." Failure to notice a file name is not identical will simply result in duplicate track in the destination folder. To correct, drag the larger file (which will be the actual ape file) back to the source folder, edit the name and move it back (to replace the original). It is important, of course, to check the destination folder for such duplicate tracks.

I rarely run into this, but if the filenames cannot easily be made identical, it would be easier to reduce them to just track numbers. Once sure the tracks match up properly (i.e., the track numbers are identical), use Rename, Move & Copy Files to change the filenames to [Track #].ape. Use MC to do the same for the source files, accessing them via Drives & Devices > Explorer. Then do steps 4 & 5. When done, use Rename, Move & Copy Files to change the filenames to their usual form (e.g., [Track #] [Name]).

[lise]

So nothing simple and elegant then,   

For the number of times re-ripping happens I guess it's not worth the effort of making a very simple solution.
And when you think about it, re-ripping isn't the issue.
It's finding the simplest way of copying all tags and database info like playlist membership, etc., from one file to another.
But at least there are ways to do it.

[JustinChase]

I do something a bit different also, but no more elegant, or less prone to error

Once you know the files are named exactly the same,
Move the mp3 files to be replaced to a unique folder using MC, then
I actually rename this folder containing the .mp3 files with windows explorer, breaking the links in MC,
then find/replace .mp3 with .ape in MC,
then 'rename, move...' on them in MC to correct the path to the location of the actual ape files
update from tags should get them fully working in MC again.

I've screwed up almost as often as I've been successful, mainly because I don't do it often enough to remember the snags that got me last time

backup the library first