Print

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

[Alan_Carpenter]

I've updated Composer information using an external program and I want Media Jukebox 12 to recognise the changes. I've found that on opening MJ it automatically overwrites my tag changes with the information in the database, so I'm going to remove tags from MJ, update them externally with my own VBA program then import them all again. However, I can't find the "Remove Tags" menu option.

Help says that it's on Library Tools >> Remove tags.
My Library Options offer these choices.

---------------
Rename, Move & Copy Files
Fill Properties From Filename

Find And Replace
Clean File Properties
Move / Copy Files
Fill Track Numbers From List Order

Lookup Track Info From YADB
Submit Track Info To YADB

Update Tags From Library
Update Library From Tags

Analyze Audio
Convert Format
---------------

I'm confused. Am I looking in the right place?

Also, is there a way to make JRWorker.exe do its deeds behind the scenes, rather than have a full screen blank black Command Window constantly interfering every ten minutes or so?  It's driving me crazy!

Cheers,
Alan Carpenter

[Alex B]

Apparently the "Remove Tags" feature in only available in the Media Center program. The help file is based on Media Center's help and as you said, either this part of the help file is incorrect or the feature is missing by mistake.

However, even if it were available it would not do what you want. It removes the physical file tags from the files, but it does not alter the field values inside the database.

For manually updating external tag changes you can use the "Update Library (from tags)" tool.

In general MJ12 writes tag changes to the files only when the user changes the library tags, but it has a few features which can trigger file tag writing. These can be disabled in the options.

From the top of my head I can list the following:
Tools > Auto-Import Options > Auto-Import Folders > Options:
- Analyze Audio
- Get cover art

Actually, in here you can configure MJ12 to automatically reread and import externally changed file tags: "Update for external changes"  (This might not work if you use a tagger that preserves the old last modification dates.)

Using the cover art tools

Whenever a linked or embedded cover art image is added or changed MJ12 rewrites the physical file tags.

When preferred you can disable tag writing completely:
Tools > Options > General > Update tags when file info changes   (untick this)

JRWorker.exe is mainly used for importing and building thumbnails in the background. The flashing CMD window problem is new to me. Perhaps some of your imported files start a badly behaving DirectShow filter, but that should not happen with internally supported formats. What file formats do you have?

As a workaround, you could try if disabling the "Run auto-import in background" option helps.

[Alan_Carpenter]

Thanks, Alex B

Apparently the "Remove Tags" feature in only available in the Media Center program. The help file is based on Media Center's help and as you said, either this part of the help file is incorrect or the feature is missing by mistake.

I didn't think of that, but it makes sense.

However, even if it were available it would not do what you want. It removes the physical file tags from the files, but it does not alter the field values inside the database.

Trying to change the database entries was the very reason I wanted to remove the physical tags! I was hoping that after I removed the tags, the AutoUpdate would replace the database entries with blanks. I would then use my VBA program (written in MS Access) to replace the tags, which AutoUpdate would then read.

Actually, in here you can configure MJ12 to automatically reread and import externally changed file tags: "Update for external changes"  (This might not work if use a tagger that preserves the old last modification dates.)

I have ticked the Update for external changes box. It's excellent for when I move finished folders from my working drive into my Library drive, but it doesn't seem to notice the changes I make outside of MJ.  My coded updates conform to the  ID3 tag version 2.4.0 Specification at http://www.id3.org/id3v2.3.0.txt, and MJ reads them without a problem.  It's when I alter a tag externally that AutoUpdate re-writes the physical tag from the database, rather than the other way around. Just in passing, I've noticed that sometimes MJ writes the title in Unicode, sometimes not, but I haven't yet found out what criteria it uses. (My titles are all in standard ANSII.)

JRWorker.exe is mainly used for importing and building thumbnails in the background. The flashing CMD window problem is new to me. Perhaps some of your imported files start a badly behaving DirectShow filter, but that should not happen with internally supported formats. What file formats do you have?

Almost my first action was to disable the "Build thumbnails" option.

File types: I've ticked the "Default Formats" box. While debugging I chose Tools > Options > File associations > Deselect All Types without any noticeable change.  Currently I have only the MPEG audio option ticked.  I have Audio files only in the watched Folders (no video formats.)

The Tagging options I can live with, but the popup Command window is driving me nuts!  In the 20- odd minutes I've been both typing this and verifying options I've been "blacked out" a dozen times. I can Restore the window (with Alt/Enter) if it persists for more than a few seconds, and in the merest fraction of a second before the window closes I can see a very brief lash of text.   The first line appears to be:

Found 0 devices (devices will be listed below)

That's about it.
I've verified that there's nothing selected in Options for HandHeld or Podcasts, and I'm out of ideas.

Thanks for helping.

Alan Carpenter

[Alex B]

Trying to change the database entries was the very reason I wanted to remove the physical tags! I was hoping that after I removed the tags, the AutoUpdate would replace the database entries with blanks. I would then use my VBA program (written in MS Access) to replace the tags, which AutoUpdate would then read.

I have ticked the Update for external changes box. It's excellent for when I move finished folders from my working drive into my Library drive, but it doesn't seem to notice the changes I make outside of MJ.

The JRiver programs do not clear existing valid database field values when tags are removed from files. They can only update changed values. The database has been designed to work independently of the posssibly existing physical tagging support and obviously the chosen strategy is to first maintain the database and then write physical tags when the file format and selected options allow that.

My coded updates conform to the  ID3 tag version 2.4.0 Specification at http://www.id3.org/id3v2.3.0.txt, and MJ reads them without a problem.  It's when I alter a tag externally that AutoUpdate re-writes the physical tag from the database, rather than the other way around.

Does MJ automatically detect a new tag value when you change it instead of removing the tag?

In any case, I wonder what can trigger the tag writing operation. "Update for external changes" should not do that on its own. Have you disabled the "analyze files" and the "get cover art" options?

Just in passing, I've noticed that sometimes MJ writes the title in Unicode, sometimes not, but I haven't yet found out what criteria it uses. (My titles are all in standard ANSII.)
Almost my first action was to disable the "Build thumbnails" option.

I use only ID3v2.3 ISO-8859-1, but my understanding is that MJ and MC write UTF tags whenever the used characters are not from the ISO-8859-1 set. Perhaps the JRiver developers can provide more details on this.

Almost my first action was to disable the "Build thumbnails" option.

File types: I've ticked the "Default Formats" box. While debugging I chose Tools > Options > File associations > Deselect All Types without any noticeable change.  Currently I have only the MPEG audio option ticked.  I have Audio files only in the watched Folders (no video formats.)

The Tagging options I can live with, but the popup Command window is driving me nuts!  In the 20- odd minutes I've been both typing this and verifying options I've been "blacked out" a dozen times. I can Restore the window (with Alt/Enter) if it persists for more than a few seconds, and in the merest fraction of a second before the window closes I can see a very brief lash of text.   The first line appears to be:

Found 0 devices (devices will be listed below)

That's about it.
I've verified that there's nothing selected in Options for HandHeld or Podcasts, and I'm out of ideas.

The file type association options are only for standard Windows Explorer features.

The imported file types can be selected in Auto-Import options > Add Folder (or select an existing folder and go to "settings for this folder")  > Advanced.

I guess "Found 0 devices (devices will be listed below)" is related to detecting external devices, but as I said I have not personally seen anything like that. I hope the JRiver developers can help you. 

[Alan_Carpenter]

Thanks for your help, Alex B

Tags - I think I have an answer.
MJ writes a three part Comment similar to this:

COMM...'...Media Jukebox: Tool Name.Media Jukebox
COMM...$...Media Jukebox: Tool Version.12.0.47
COMM.......Media Jukebox: Date.35065

My own code has been adding Composer following all other fields, including the MJ Comment.  When I altered my ID3V2 code to check for the presence of the MJ Comment and make sure that it was the last Frame in the tag, the Update for external changes option worked as I would expect it to.  It's possible that it's a coincidence and that there was some other change I made to MJ settings which actually did the job, but I have a working solution and I'll call my problem fixed.
I didn't want to disable the Analyse or Get Cover Art options - I like them.

Unicode - it's not a worry to me. I use N° for Number, which is a possible trigger - I haven't put any effort into checking because I don't really care.  :-)

The JRWorker.exe Command window black screen is a major pain, though. I probably should start another thread on that.

Many thanks for your help.

Alan Carpenter