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More => Old Versions => JRiver Media Center 29 for Windows => Topic started by: JohnCLee on August 23, 2022, 11:08:26 am

Title: Adding Windows shortcuts (lnk) files as Extras
Post by: JohnCLee on August 23, 2022, 11:08:26 am

My Library has a large number of operas and other vocal works. I have cataloged librettos and texts in JRiver as documents, but often the same libretto will be relevant to multiple recordings. Rather than having to copy the libretto to each recording's Extra location, I would like to be able to place a Windows .lnk file in the Extras folder that would open the related libretto.
Is it possible to add this extension to items listed under Extras?
Thanks.

Title: Re: Adding Windows shortcuts (lnk) files as Extras
Post by: JimH on August 23, 2022, 01:08:46 pm

You can select all the recordings and just copy the tag once.

Title: Re: Adding Windows shortcuts (lnk) files as Extras
Post by: JohnCLee on August 24, 2022, 06:52:48 am

I don't understand your response, JimH.  I have been trying to use "View Extras" to see content related to an album. Many of my albums have shared "Extras", but I don't want to copy the files into the Extras folder of every album.

It sounds like you're suggesting using a tag to accomplish this. Can you explain that a bit more for me?

Thanks.

Title: Re: Adding Windows shortcuts (lnk) files as Extras
Post by: Awesome Donkey on August 24, 2022, 07:01:38 am

Shortcut (.lnk) files aren't actually real files, so that's very likely why they can't be added as extras. You'd unfortunately would likely have to add the actual file(s) into each location for them to get added.

Pretty sure the subject of using shortcut files in MC has come up before in the past.

Title: Re: Adding Windows shortcuts (lnk) files as Extras
Post by: voodoo5_6k on August 24, 2022, 07:33:23 am

You could try to use hard links/symbolic links on file system level. That way it "looks" like you have the file in several places, but it actually resides in only one place. However, as it "looks" like it is in several folders, it can be imported several times. MC (and any other application) will think it is a separate file, while in reality it is only existing once.

...\Folder 1\original file

...\Folder 2\hard link to original file

This above will be imported as two files, although there exists only one file (in Folder 1).

Title: Re: Adding Windows shortcuts (lnk) files as Extras
Post by: JohnCLee on August 24, 2022, 09:09:51 am

Thank you, voodoo5_6k.  Hardlinks do exactly what I wanted. I found a UI tool to create the hardlinks very easily on Windows 11: LinkShellExtension (https://schinagl.priv.at/nt/hardlinkshellext/linkshellextension.html#introduction). It works through the context menu of folders and files.

Note: Symbolic links did not work. They appeared OK in the View Extras list but clicking on the symbolic link would not launch the pdf file.

Thanks for your help.