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[Mike Foran]

Is there a way to edit to multiple files of which the tag has multiple keyword entries? For instance, in video files, the 'Genre' tag frequently has multiple entries separated by a semi-colon. I would like to be able to add a new entry to the group of them without erasing existing entries unique to each file.

When I use Adobe Lightroom, it solves this issue by showing all keywords for the selected files, with the unique keywords notated with an asterisk. I can add new keywords which will be applied to all the selected files without jeopardizing the unique keywords. If I remove the asterisk that keyword will be applied to all the files.

[ferday]

select all the files you want to tag

if you click on Genre, for example, it will highlight but not delete all the semicolon delimited entries.  Just click at the end of the string, add a new semicolon and your new entry and all will stay the same.  however, if you have a bunch of files that don't have the same tags, it will show up as [varies] in the genre box....in this case you cannot just add another one to every file.   

some fields (like keyword) are check box fields, in this case you can tag a bunch of files at the same time without erasing any of the prior entries. 

[Mike Foran]

Thanks, I see. Is there any way to change the Genre field to behave like the Keyword field?

[ferday]

no.  i think a lot of us would like it to be a checklist (ctrl-click would be ideal)...but genre is a standardized tag across all programs so i'm not sure if it can be done or not (right now it's a no go).  there are a lot of reasons why [artist] and [genre] are considered "special" tags and are treated differently than most others

the easiest way around it is to make a custom tag (like keywords), you can make those a checkbox list.  for example, i have a custom "sub genre" tag for music that i can just select or remove checkboxes very easily.  or...if you don't have hundreds or thousands of files you want to change, just do it manually...

[Mike Foran]

Makes sense, thanks.

[Arindelle]

This is where JRiver really shines, you can indeed make a checklist for a corresponding field. This also has other big advantages for non-pane views categories and theater views in particular.

What I would recommend doing is making a custom field .. let's use the field Genre

Create a new custom field -- lets call this [Genres] notice its plural

1) choose User Data then List (semi-colon delimited); not relational; edit type being List  -- save this clicking ok

2) open the manage Library Fields from options again. edit the field you just created and change the fields type from User Data to Calculated Data and paste this into the expression box

Code: [Select]

[genre]&datatype=[list]
click ok to save.

Attached is a screen to see what it would look like after step 2.

Now not only can you retag more easilyand re-order tags. Your Views with multiple genres will be split so no more Blues/Rock; Classic Rock etc. They will be separate. Also this is an autopopulating field. And it works in both ways. Eg. you retag using either field Genre or Genres the other one is filled out automatically. Key Fields like Genre should be written to the file, but you wouldn't need to for the new field as it would be redundant.

Please be sure to backup your library manually before messing with fields. You will of course have to edit your views if you want to max the benefits for this change (eg remove Genre and put in Genres.  Also recommend turning autoimport off if it runs in the background when making new fields like this. Also as Ferday mentioned do not remove Genre or Artist -- they are key fields

I use this all of the time. It is especially good for Artist and AlbumArtist, genres sous-genres styles etc.

[Mike Foran]

Arindelle that's brilliant. Thanks for posting this.

I had discovered another way, although your method is more elegant so I'm going to use that in the future. But my solution was that I created another Sub Genre field, and then a View that listed my Genre field in a column along the left with my files in a pane to the right. I could then enable Pane Tagging which would allow me to tick off Genre categories and they would populate in semicolon delineation. But your method works in a standard tagging panel too so I'm going to change it up.

[Arindelle]

Arindelle that's brilliant. Thanks for posting this.

I had discovered another way, although your method is more elegant so I'm going to use that in the future. But my solution was that I created another Sub Genre field, and then a View that listed my Genre field in a column along the left with my files in a pane to the right. I could then enable Pane Tagging which would allow me to tick off Genre categories and they would populate in semicolon delineation. But your method works in a standard tagging panel too so I'm going to change it up.

sure no problem

your way will be ok for tagging, but its not going to be as flexible especially in category or theater type views .. does't matter though enjoy the music !!

[MusicBringer]

@Arindelle, thank you for this