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[toddc2]

My audio album art keeps vanishing. I can re-import the images, there is a message that indicates that no new files were imported, and then the artwork fills in. After exiting MC the artwork is gone again the next time I enter.

An interesting note to my setup: I originally imported my iTunes library and the HDTracks directory from my laptop hard drive. That library never has a problem displaying artwork. My laptop HDD was not large enough to store all my music so I purchased a NAS to use as the storage device. And the trouble began...I swear nothing seems to work properly with this configuration, it is very frustrating. So here are my related symptoms:

1. Artwork missing as described above
2. Lengthy (30 second) buffering of AIFF files (FLAC files load immediately)
3. Multiple file formats of the same song show up consecutively in any standard play view. Specifically I ripped all of my CD's in AIFF for iTunes and FLAC for general use so each song had AT LEAST two entries. I have seen some threads on using stacks, but honestly I don't have basic functionality working yet so I haven't tackled this issue yet.
4. I have tried multiple times to group my compilation albums by updating the "artist album" tag to "Various Artist" which works while I am in MC but is not saved between sessions (similar to artwork).

Please help a newbie out before I give up and just buy another laptop.   

[toddc2]

Here is another symptom for when the artwork and tags get lost:

In Audio->Album if I scroll down the albums turn into generic icons (the movie reel, picture and music note icon). Once this happens all of the updates I made previously are lost.

I have been reading the boards and this is clearly not the first instance of this happening out there. The only "fix" reference that I was able to see was to turn off the Media Server (which was always running in the background and prevented MC from exiting properly).

Can someone please help?

[MrC]

Does your MC say "Saving tag changes" in the status area (at the bottom of the window)?

[toddc2]

No, there is no indication that it is doing anything after the change

[MrC]

You don't need to "import" cover art.  It will be found based on a set of rules described here:

    http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Cover_Art

It is referenced in the metadata for each file (see the [Image File] field for each track (expand the Tag Action Window, add the Image File field to the view).

What settings do you have for Cover Art in Options > File Locations?  Is there any embedded cover art involved?


Regarding (3), you'll want to customize your views to distinguish the audio formats.  Views are driven by the metadata in files, so multiple formats with like metadata will appear under the same Artist, Album, etc. depending upon the view you're using.  You could add a new column to a pane view, new category to a category view, tailor views to a particular media type, etc.  Don't worry about this aspect.  Stacks can be used, but wait a bit until you're more familiar with the program.

Regarding (4), this is probably the same as the cover art issue.  Is it safe to assume these files are actually Imported into MC?  Or are you just using the explorer view?

[toddc2]

I am sure MC knows where the files are. However, the file tags are blank until I run Tools->Options->Library&Folders->Configure Auto Import with Get Cover Art checked.

The path for my Cover Art is C:\users\Todd\AppData\Roaming\JRiver\Media Center 17\Cover Art

I honestly don't know if the files were imported to MC or if I am using explorer. From my first post in this thread, I had originally imported from the hard drive into my Main Library. The DiskStation library was created without my interaction. Interestingly, the cover art that was imported in my Main Library shows up reliably in my DiskStation library.

[toddc2]

What settings do you have for Cover Art in Options > File Locations?  Is there any embedded cover art involved?

MrC, Sorry, I misunderstood your earlier question in my previous post. The settings are:

Audio mode: In the same folder as the file (as Folder.jpg)
Also store image in the files tag (checked)

I double checked the hidden folder containing the artwork and the files are all there.

[MrC]

I lost track of this.

If your files show up under stock views, such as Audio > Album, Audio > Artist, etc. then the files were imported and MC has internal metadata in the Library which is what you're manipulating when you add cover art, change Album Artist, etc.  Ultimately, these will get written out to the tags (by default settings).

If you've been browsing via Drives & Devices > Explorer and have disable Update Tags When File Info Changes..., then changes to fields there will be lost upon restart.

[toddc2]

The files are showing up under stock views.

After editing a few tags, I used the Tools->Library Tools->Update Library (from tags). This resulted in an information box that stated "Library updated for 28 files (28 failures)"

Are the tags stored locally on my PC or does MC try to update the tags on my NAS? I am guessing there is some kind of write permission issue for MC to write to my NAS.

[MrC]

Update Library (from tags) would be reading the tags from the media files on disk.  This seems to imply MC is having trouble reading some files.

The tags are stored in the Library (MC's database).  They are read when files are imported into MC.  The tags are also written back out to the media files when you change a file's properties in MC (again, presuming the default setting of "Update Tags When File Info Changes").  If media is being analyzed when imported, or cover art looked-up/downloaded, this info is written out to the files (e.g. gain values, etc.).

So, check the permissions of the files and folders on the NAS, ensuring the the MC user can read/write everything from the base folder MC is using (e.g. as configured in Tools > Import... > Configure Auto-Import, or that you've manually imported).

Also, create a smartlist (under Playlists), and place the value below in the Import/Export box:

   ~d=b

Do you have files there?

[toddc2]

So, check the permissions of the files and folders on the NAS, ensuring the the MC user can read/write everything from the base folder MC is using (e.g. as configured in Tools > Import... > Configure Auto-Import, or that you've manually imported).

There are no folders listed in the "Configure Auto-Import" setup. The library DiskStation was somehow created in MC when I installed the NAS. The first time I imported anything into the library I specified some mapped folders (m:\music\FLAC and m:\music\My HDTracks) but this resulted in 4 copies of every song being imported (AIFF and FLAC for both the "M" drive and the IP address of the NAS). It was a mess so I removed the mapped folders from the Auto-Import.

I think MC is building the library from whatever music it is finding on my shared drive using the IP address of the NAS. It can clearly read everything. I checked the permissions on the NAS and all users that have accounts in the NAS can read/write. I am not sure what user account MC is using to access the NAS so I don't know if it has write permission.

Also, create a smartlist (under Playlists), and place the value below in the Import/Export box:

   ~d=b

Do you have files there?

I did this and there are no files.

[MrC]

If you want, we can remote session to see what's going on.  Might be faster.

[toddc2]

Thanks MrC, I might have to take you up on this offer.

I was trying to reproduce the issue over the weekend. I spent several hours updating tags, going in and out of MC to make sure they stuck (and they did). And then it happended again. This time I exited the DiskStation library, loaded up the default main library, and then re-loaded the DiskStation library. And all of my updates were gone...