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Author Topic: how to handle libraries with topic, sub topic, sub sub topic? Suggestions?  (Read 4002 times)

Jay Fora

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Hi, in my hard drive, some of my audio and video files, those that are not simply music,  are arranged in four parent (library) folders, each with sub, and sub sub folder, (Main library, sub topics (at least ten of each), then sub sub topics. In most of these folders, both audio and video files on the topic are included. Is there a way of replicating this order in MC? I have so far only seen partial possibilities in the tagging function, or the playlist. One option could be to browse folders in the hard drive from within MC, or select specific folders that can be accessed within the player, but I have not seen a way to do this, or found a way mentioned in the wiki. Any suggestions? Thanks, Jay
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ferday

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Tagging!

For example I have a [sub genre] custom tag set up as a checklist.  There are about 50-60 sub genres in the checklist (which makes it easy to tag) and I configured a view to have 3 sub genres (you can use more), so I can still the view down very quickly by sub genre

In your case I would make a [topic] tag for a main topic then a checklist [sub topic] tag, then configure a sub topic view that starts with main topic and drills down through sub topics quickly

Can't go into more detail now, about to get on a plane but it's not hard to do...
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Jay Fora

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Hi, thank you....I couldn't find the way to create sub genres that you mentioned, when I click on Genres there is a plentiful list, but nothing mentioned about sub genres. I did find a small square in the top left of the tagging window, which I missed before as it's so pale in the skin I selected, which allows me to add other fields to the tagging. I prefer the sub genre idea though. Maybe when you next have a moment you could tell me where to click to find this option. Being able to remove some of the pre set tagging fields from the tagging window would be nice, and I haven't yet discovered in my exploration how to edit the columns shown in the player. I'd like to remove some, and add some. Thanks, Jay
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Jay Fora

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Have found I can edit columns in player if I right click in blank space to right of column titles, so that's done.
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ferday

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go to Tools>options>Library&folders>...manage library fields

a window pops up showing all your tagging fields.  select "add new field", name it sub genre, sub topic, whatever.  select
data type: string
relational: not relational
edit type: check
check the save in file tags box

click ok.  now make a view scheme (right click and choose customize view).  i like panes myself...
for "show categories in this order", you can put whatever you want but mine for example would look like:
Location
Genre
Sub Genre
Sub Genre
Sub Genre

at the top of this view scheme, i have 5 columns now with those options.  because sub genre is created as a check field, i can drill through.  so say i pick
location = c:/audiobooks
genre = Non Fiction
sub genre = thriller
sub genre = action
sub genre = war

now in the bottom pane i have a list of files that only have those 3 sub genres listed!  you can make any file have as many check box sub genre entries as you like, or make them as specific as you want

hope that helps


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mwillems

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Fun fact:  You don't need to create new fields to have subgenres.  If you include a backslash in your genre field it will effectively create subgenres that existing genre views will respect.

So Rock\Classic Rock in the genre tag of an album, will result in a top-level genre Rock in the genre view, and when you click into Rock, you'll see the subgenre Classic Rock where the album will be grouped.  

That is by far the easiest way to create subgenres in MC and, as far as I can tell, you can nest as many genres as you please which makes it much more flexible than creating a separate field. If you want to include multiple genres or subgeneres, just separate each listing with a semicolon (e.g. Rock\Classic Rock; Rock\Southern Rock).

Just make sure you use backslashes and not forward slashes.  Pop\Rock is main genre Pop, subgenre Rock whereas Pop/Rock is just main genre Pop/Rock  .
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ferday

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mwillems, thanks for that the OP may prefer that method.  i know most do around here

i find the separate field works much better for how i use it, and i like pane tagging with checkboxes :)

it's fun how flexible MC is
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Jay Fora

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Hi MWillems and Ferday, sorry for the slow response, have been pre-occupied. Thank you both for helping me out here. I decided to play with both ways, and see which gives me the best result for my purposes in the library and also in the theatre view. I would love to be able to edit the fields shown by default in theatre view - do either of you know of a way to do that? Thanks, Jay
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