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[haggis999]

When ripping my classical CDs (using dBpoweramp), I have found a way to create a Work subfolder. As a by-product of this process, the name of the work folder is stored in the Comment tag, e.g. Symphony No 1 in D minor, Op 13. However, I do not create this subfolder when I rip pop/rock or jazz CDs (and the Comment tag is then empty) as the track title is almost always the same as the work name for such music, e.g. Rocket Man (I Think It's Going to Be a Long, Long Time).

I am now seeking a way to automatically populate a new custom Work tag in MC18 and save this to my FLAC files. As a starting point, I have created a new library field called CalcWork, which is defined by the following expression,
 
=if(!isempty([comment]),[comment],[name])

So far, so good, but I am struggling with how to save such a value in my Work tag. Some guidance would be appreciated. I suspect I am missing something very simple...

David

[MrC]

If you define your work tag as type=expression, then the calculation is done for you.

Otherwise, you can assign en mass the selected tracks by using an equal sign in front of the expression:

   =expression

You can use auto-import auto-tagging rules, but these only act upon new imports.

[haggis999]

If you define your work tag as type=expression, then the calculation is done for you.

Otherwise, you can assign en mass the selected tracks by using an equal sign in front of the expression:

   =expression

You can use auto-import auto-tagging rules, but these only act upon new imports.

I don't quite understand your response. Perhaps I didn't explain myself clearly enough.

I'm not having any problem in viewing my CalcWork field in MC18. The expression I quoted displays exactly what I expected. However, this is purely a calculated result. What I want is to save that same info to a tag in my FLAC file, and that's what I don't know how to do.

David

[MrC]

Calculated values are not stored in tags.

You can mass copy a calculated field to a non-calculated field that has the Save in file tags (when possible) setting.

[haggis999]

You can mass copy a calculated field to a non-calculated field that has the Save in file tags (when possible) setting.

How exactly is that done?

David

[MrC]

And now we come full circle - see my reply above.

[haggis999]

And now we come full circle - see my reply above.

Up to now, I have been focusing on the 'Manage Library Fields' window for my custom Work field and your suggestions were not making much sense in that context.

However, I have now worked out that if I select some tracks and hit the right mouse button, I get an option to select Library Tools > Move / Copy Fields...
If I then select CalcWork as the source and Work as the destination then I achieve what I wish to do. Perhaps that is what you meant by "mass copy" but there are a bewildering number of menu options in MC18 so it was not obvious what action you were proposing. I've only notched up one week with this beast so I still have much to learn...

David

 

[MrC]

Sorry, I'd assumed too much since you were working with calculated fields.

In the Manage Library Fields, you can create the fields as calculated, as you've done with your CalcWork field.  (remove the initial = there by the way; its not correct, and unnecessary).

Since you can set the Save to tags setting for calculated fields, you'll need to create another field, perhaps, Work.

Now, you can use Move / Copy fields, but I find that is cumbersome and takes too much work.  So instead, select your tracks, in either edit the Work field in the Tag Action Window, or in-place editing in the file list, and enter:

  =[CalcWork]

and Enter.  You're done.

[haggis999]

As it happens, I found it fairly easy to understand the calculated field concept. As soon as you create a new library field you can see that its value can be defined by an expression and it is then easy to find the Help section on the expression syntax, which is quite well explained. As a newbie I get stuck on other things, like where a process whose official name you don't know might be hidden. 

I was able to use =[CalcWork] in the Tag action window for a group of selected tracks, as you suggested, but whenever I tried to use in-place editing in the file list (by doing a slow double-click on the Work column), I could only edit one file at a time. Is there a way to do in-place editing for more than one track at a time?

David

[MrC]

Two ways:

1. Select the first row, and when you shift-select the last row to select a range, be sure to click in the Works cell.  Then press F2.  Otherwise, where you last clicked will be the cell edited when you F2.  Of course, you can use Tab to move the edit.

2. Select your files any way you want.  Then, in any Works cell, hold down the Left mouse and while it is down, click the Right mouse button.  Now you are editing that cell for all the selected files.

[haggis999]

That works for me. The interface for in-line editing is a little unusual, so thanks for the guidance.

I shall now get back to my ripping...

David