Print

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

[audiolover]

I have a question about sorting my music in 3 categories and in keeping those categories updated.

What do I want:
When I use Gizmo I want to have 3 categories to choose from: classic - popular - opera , these are audio-only categories.
The easiest way would be to change the tag "genre" in my music into these 3 categories but I do not want that.
I have 3 locations on my harddrive with the same names and containing the sorted music.

I have tried the following: in "media network" "customize views for gizmo" I added the 3 categories with
"filelocation", "album-artist" and "album".
It seems to work, I have the 3 categories in Gizmo and the music that belongs in the specific category is where it should be.

However, I have 2 problems:

* The music is shown alphabetically using the names of the folders on my harddrive instead of the tags and that name is not allways the same as the tags in the music
   (example: 'Round or Round). The tags are more important to me.
* the categories are not updated which means I have to clear and reload my library after I copy new additions to my database.

I hope someone can help me in the right direction?

[Arindelle]

Hi

I think the easiest way is to just create or use an existing field in your database.  Simple example use the field Grouping which already exists (if you are not using it already). Go to a File "View" in Standard View and select all the files for Classic ->Open the tag Window (CTRLALT+enter is the shortcut) type in Classic in the Grouping Field. If you don't see the grouping field the first time use the little icon in the top left corner of the tag window). Repeat for Popular and Opera.

I'd recommend for the first custom views you create, you do it in standard View, not Gizmo directly.  Choose Add a View by right clicking in the audio part of the tree and choose  type of view you want to represent which would be categories I would think -- here you'd want the Genre template.

Then in the customize view box which is now open click add towards the left and choose the Grouping field.  Move it up to the top of the list. Then remove, change or add to the box on the bottom left.  This will allow you to drill down -- if you want to skip genres and go directly to album artist remove Genre,  etc. I'd recommend unchecking the box to support tree browsing in the middle pane as you won't be using this -- your choice. Check out your view, if you like it go on.

Now go back to your customize Gizmo menu and click add=>from standard view and choose the name of the view you just created. (put this under Audio though). Of course you can get more elaborate than this eg. Category (using the grouping field or one of your choosing) = Classical Genre=Lyric Style=Opera Period=Baroque etc etc etc.

I'd recommend to insure that write tags to file is checked under the grouping field, btw. (ses options Library)

Baby steps -- all you have to do is remember to tag the grouping field when you add new media and you are set to go.

Remember golden rule number one --> backup your library often, backup and even archive your music often. Then play around and have some fun organizing your collection.

Also,  I see so many people relying on choosing physical files and not using the tags and the power of JRiver highly customizable data base. Use the metadata for your views and you won't have the problems you are describing any more.

Hope this helps

[audiolover]

Thanks Arindelle for your help, much appreciated! I took your advice and, hey presto, it works!

I did look at the "grouping" tag before and in a small (test)database I changed that tag using the program Tagscanner into the 3 categories.
JRiver hoewever did NOT work with the grouping tag, it appears it did not even "see" it.
Now I changed the tag from within JRiver as per your advice, in Tagscanner hoewever I do not see any change in the "grouping" field?
The "write to file" box is checked!

Does JRiver use other tagfields?

[audiolover]

I found the answer by emailing the author of Tagscanner. Tagscanner uses a different field called "contentgroup" instead of "grouping".
I am now using the tag "comment" for my sorting and it works. This tag/field is the same in both programs.

Problem seems to be solved, thanks again!

[JimH]

Let the tagscanner author know that we'll send him a license if he would like one.