filling track # from list seems to not replicate the crash! so far at least.
i've been using counter() because i'm also fixing any other tagging errors i find (and adding the new date (release) tag as i go), so i'm in the tagging action window anyways. it does seem odd that i can crash MC reliably by using counter() in the tag action window, this is still a bug one way or the other.
well counter () exists for a reason ... I'd use it in a pane view and not in a smartlist, unless you know what you are doing ... without seeing your SL, I can crash it at will too, that doesn't mean its a bug, it means its not supposed tyo be used that way (eg contiguous tracks that the SL is hiding?) anyways if possible ... I'd recommend tagging really messed up files (eg. files that don't have track numbers, track names, artist, and album in the or in the path.). Artist, Album (maybe Album artist too) first. Then disc number if multiple cds. reset the maintenance view (rather than a smartlist). Then do the track numbers. Expression language is powerful stuff, and overrides the UI, so use with caution
Then there are a number of ways to correct the track numbers. Probably be a good idea to rename the files/paths once the metadata is ok. Whether or not you are in the tag window, the last x number of actions will be easily accessible from right clicking the files (the x being the number of actions that you can define in options.
But then again everyone has his own workflow, as long as it comes out in the end, that's whats important