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[duesy]

I have 62,000 song clips on host server, mostly .mp3 and .flac. Yet MC will only import a portion, which varies each time I import and/or wipe clean then re-import. Usually an amount around 35,000. As a test, I marked ALL file types to be imported to ensure entire source content. And I tested the two "Ignore Results ..." boxes with no apparent difference. Final import quantity varies across the several networked machines where the host machine seems to yield the lowest quantity of song clips. Very strange. Can anyone help resolve this weirdness?? Thank you.

MC12 xxx.518.

[JimH]

Search for one of the filenames.  It may not be where you think it is.

[duesy]

All music files are located in one folder on host machine. For some reason each PC will import varying numbers of files and only one PC actually grabs the entire lot. Import settings are same across the board. Any suggestions?

[JimH]

Did you search in MC?

How are the PC's networked?  Any special server software or NAS drives, etc?  What's different about the one that works?

[duesy]

All machines hardwire networked, running XP with the exception of one Vista. The one PC able to import all files is XP. Host drive is mapped from each client PC. Worked okay until recently and about the time I upgraded to MC xx.518. Had similar problem some time ago and recall having to fully uninstall MC then reinstall, but that's obviously overkill to maintain accurate song count?!

[glynor]

It is quite unlikely that MC is actually not importing the tracks, unless they have been previously imported and then removed (and the "ignore files previously removed" option is turned on).

What Jim means is that they might not be filed where you expect inside MC.  If the files fail to "play" during the import test phase, they can get filed as "data" and show up under Documents in the tree.  You may also want to check under Video.  It is rare, but I've seen audio files get mis-categorized as Video as well.

[duesy]

Not sure what you mean by "inside MC." Whether I click on Artists, Songs, and even Disk Location (only one), all I get is a portion of total known song clips. Particulalry strange is that I get the lowest count on the actual host server machine so there's no network involved!

[Alex B]

Can you browse and play the unimported files through the "Drives & Devices > My computer" tree branch? If yes, can you import any of them by using the right-click > Import Into Library command?

Do the unimported files have anything in common at all or do they seem to be totally arbitrary?

By the way, I assume you mean normal ripped and encoded audio tracks (aka usual, complete songs from audio CDs) by "clips" or does that word have a special meaning?

[duesy]

Ran the procedure outlined by Alex B and wound up with additional clips but still far short of total (I've always used Tools > Import from top menu). I'm off by 9,044 .mp3 and 114 .flac files as verified by search on host server versus count imported to MC. Very difficult to ascertain which files are missing without slogging through each artist. Surely, there's something out of whack? Please help, thanks!

[JimH]

Use the search in the upper right to search for a track name that is missing.  Search Audio, Video, Images, and _Documents_.

[hit_ny]

..or do a search using [Filename (path)]="parent folder or partition here"

then do similar in explorer for that same folder to find the difference in filecount, this way you might identify some patterns between the successful ones and others.

Also are you checking the main Audio item at the top of MC's tree to display everything it thinks it has for Audio ?

[Alex B]

Ran the procedure outlined by Alex B and wound up with additional clips but still far short of total (I've always used Tools > Import from top menu). I'm off by 9,044 .mp3 and 114 .flac files as verified by search on host server versus count imported to MC. Very difficult to ascertain which files are missing without slogging through each artist. Surely, there's something out of whack? Please help, thanks!

You didn't really answer my questions.

Please find a few subfolders that contain unimported files and try to do what I asked.


EDIT

This is a wild guess, but could you have several MC instances trying to import the same files at the same time? I wonder if a file being accessed by one PC could be locked so that it would not be accessible from another PCs. For example, if you have set MC to use automatic cover art lookup MC may be constantly saving new file tags.

[JONCAT]

How goes this?

How deep is the folder structure in that one master folder?

By any chance, are you excluding any locations in your Auto-Import Folder setup that happen to be on the same drive?

DC

[duesy]

Server PC out of commission during upgrade to 1TB drive so have not been unable to dig into this issue further. In the meantime, all I can say is that absolutely nothing has changed on the host files with the exception of adding new clips and tag changes as I've done for xx years. Client machines functioning normally, calling for all file types and drilling down into folder heirarchies. As of MC upgrade the problem of inconsistent file importing has surfaced. Anyway, thanks to everyone's input and will be back with an update early next week.

[glynor]

You seem to be hung up on looking under the Audio button in the tree (since you are looking for Audio files).  What I was saying before (and other people have been suggesting in their own way) is this:

MC may have imported the files, but it might wrongly think they are video files instead of audio files.  If this is the case, they WON'T show up when you click on "Artists, Songs, and even Disk Location" because those views are "underneath" the Audio view and they only show files that MC thinks are audio files.  Likewise, MC might not know what the heck they are, and then it'll stick them under "Documents" rather than Audio.

One thing I do to help with this problem is I create an "All Media" top-level view.  Do this:

1. Click the Playing Now "item" in the tree to open up the Playing Now view.
2. Go to the Edit menu up top and choose Add View Scheme.
3. In the dialog that appears, under Step 1, click the Add button.
4. In the View Scheme Item dialog, change the Type to File Path.  Leave everything else alone and hit OK.
5. In Step 2, uncheck Auto-name and type "All Media" in the box.
6. In Step 3, change Image to "Scheme".
7. Still in Step 3, uncheck Honor parent scheme search strings.
8. Click OK to close the Edit View Scheme dialog.
9. You will now have a new "All Media" item just under the Audio, Images, and Video buttons.  Click on it.
10. Go in Windows Explorer and find one of your missing files.  Note the filename.
11. Search (using the search box) for this missing file name "inside" this new All Media view in MC.

I'd bet that some of those "missing" files will be in there.  Once you find them, we can help you sort out why they aren't showing up in the regular Audio section of MC.

[duesy]

Okay, I'm back and ran the procedure (thank you for taking the time to walk me through it).

MC imported 53,963 audio clips. Server shows 66,069 audio clips, a 12,106 shortfall. I was able to identify that only two out of the host server's four Brian Eno albums render in MC. All Eno files are .mp3 and were in MC at some point in the past so I can't explain why not now ?! I'm sure other folders are MIA, but as you can surmise, it requires reverse engineering to identify clips that exist at the server but do not appear in MC.

Also, none of my .mpl playlists will import.

All very strange and frustrating. What's more, each machine on my network will yield a slightly different number of audio clips imported despite identical Import settings.

Any help much appreciated.

[ewingr]

I am having an issue with importing too. Now, I am sure they are not in different locations in MC, because I get the message "Failed to import 1785 files" when I do to import. (I am running Vista)

But here is some interesting information:

I have JRM installed on 3 PCs. The files import correctly on 2.

On the PC that it fails on, when I browse to the files, and DClick on them, they play in WMP. But if I RClick on them and select PLay in Media Center, the do not play in MC.

But here is the interesting thing. On the PC they fail to import from, the files are somehow marked as "Offline". There is a sync center icon on the files as well as MC icon. When I click on the Sync Center icon in the system tray, they are listed as offline.

I am tempted to click on  Sync Offline files, but I'm afraid it will mess them up more, or copy all them to my PC which I don't want to do.

I wonder how I can get them not marked as OFFLINE. They are just files on a server.

[JimH]

What is Sync Center?  I don't think that's ours.

[glynor]

Hmmm.... I actually had some odd issues with importing yesterday that I haven't been able to figure out because the behavior doesn't seem consistent.

Could you describe your directory structure more thoroughly?  Specifically, what paths are listed in your Auto-Import Options dialog?  And where are the actual files?

What I was seeing was this...

My media files on my laptop are all in subdirectories of O:\Users\Shared\media (O: is the OSX volume on my Macbook Pro, which is mounted in bootcamp Windows using MediaFour's MacDrive).  Underneath this folder is this structure:

media\
      --> images\
      --> incoming\
      --> media_art\
      --> music\
      --> video\

My only two watched folders are:
O:\Users\Shared\media\ - All file Types, Ignore files previously removed is UNCHECKED, Ignore special is CHECKED.
O:\Users\Shared\media\media_art\ - EXCLUDED, All file types, Ignore files previously removed is UNCHECKED, Ignore special is CHECKED.

Inside each of these subfolders is a set of either additional folders (conforming to my foldername structure for that media type) or the files themselves).  So, for example, under music\ I have [Artist]\[Album] folders.  Under images\ I have [Year]\[Special Date Format] folders.  Under video\ I have a mix of different structures depending on [Media Sub Type].  The incoming\ folder is for newly downloaded or acquired content that hasn't been properly tagged or filed yet, and it is generally a mishmash with some files just in the root of the folder and others in subfolders.  In general, my system on my laptop parallels my home RAID storage system, but is far less complex (and contains far fewer files).

However, I discovered yesterday that no files under the incoming\ folder were actually imported into MC.  I ran the manual "Run Auto-Import Now" scan and they still didn't show up (it just said 0 files imported).  This had likely been going on for quite some time.  I use that particular library on my laptop mostly for podcasts.  I have another library which points to a larger external drive which I use for most of my DJing and other "real" media use on my laptop.

Anyway... I first removed every single file from my library (I didn't care much about the metadata in this particular library).  Then I went and removed both of the folders from my Auto-Import Options, closed MC, reopened MC, then re-added the folders via the Import Folder dialog, and this time it found all of the files.  I have no idea what was causing it, but it seems to be working fine now.

[ewingr]

What is Sync Center?  I don't think that's ours

Sync Center is the area in Vista that is used to synchronize remote files, MP3 Players, PDAs, etc. I was thinking that maybe because for some reason the Sync Center thinks that many of my files are 'offline' that JRM couldn't import them. But, I just checked something; I went into Synch Center and displayed a list of the files that are 'offline', and there are 582. But JRM is unable  to import 1784 of 2432 files.

Again, let me remind readers here that I have 2 Vista Ultimate computers, one of which is importing fine, the other is not. I also have a Vista Premium laptop, and it is importing fine. So, 2 of 3 are working, importing from the very same directory structure.

Could you describe your directory structure more thoroughly?  Specifically, what paths are listed in your Auto-Import Options dialog?  And where are the actual files?

My files are located on a file server (Unraid box http://lime-technology.com/). The file structure is by Artist, then album. All files were ripped by JRM 10. The structure is:

\\tower\music
  --> Artist
      --> Album
         --> Tracks
         --> Folder.jpg

I am watching \\tower\music. I have validated that I have turned off "Ignore files deleted from library".

I just tried this: Uninstall JRM 12, reinstall and setup, reimport. I watched it the whole time. It found 1784 files; it did an analyze audio on 52; it imported 0. I looked at the detailed information on the import, and it just says Imported 0. Failed to import 1784. Then it lists the 1784 files it failed to import. No information on why.

I just tried turning off Analyze Audio just  to see if that makes any difference. Nope.

As I've been working on the tests, and writing this, I finally got to your final statement about deleting the folders and readding them. I just tried that. Still no luck, well, a little. It picked up 2 more files. Now it won't import 1782 files.

 Darn!


[EDIT]
I just found that there is a newer verision out htere, althought check updates doesn't find it. I downloaded and installed. Did not help. My original version is the one that doenloads when you purchase (did it earlier this week as un upgrade) 047. The latest one I just downloaded is 056.

Still no go...

[glynor]

Could you find one of those files that failed to import and try playing it IN MC.  You can do this by either drag-dropping the file from Windows Explorer to the Playing Now window in MC, or by going to File --> Open Media File and browsing and selecting the file manually.

If MC fails to import, it usually means it is failing to play.  However, something else could be going on.  That unRAID box looks neat.  What software does it run (I'm assuming Linux, but it could be BSD or something else weird)?  Perhaps we're hitting a SAMBA problem (I've certainly seen more than my fair share of those with my OSX and Linux boxes).

[ewingr]

I'll have to try some more later, but I'm finding that each one that I try to play now is considered "offline" by the Sync Center in Vista.

I also find that every folder for music is in that Offline status in Sync Center, but all the music that does import is there too.

I am feeling certain that it has to do with this "offline" status in the Sync Center. But I'm not sure what to do about that.

[JONCAT]

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/help/1074e034-1bcf-4dfb-93c3-46ec7df97d371033.mspx

dc

[ewingr]

Thanks, Doc. The answer isn't there. That has information on settup up and ending Sync Partnerships, etc. I don't have a synch partnership. From within Sync Center, it is seeing my music files as 'offline files'. So I guess the question is why does this computer see them as offline, and the others don't. I'll do some Googling on that topic. I wonder if it has somethign to do with VMC import at some time or other, or WMP. (Although I've done that on the other computers too that are working).

On the files that don't play: I just went into one directory for an album, and it has 21 files. 18 came into JRM. They all are listed in the Offline Files in Sync Center. The ones that don't load and play in JRM do load and play in WMP.

I did some looking at the properties of the files and I find this interesting: On a file that does load, there is a tab that is not there on one that does't load. It is the Offline Files tab. See graphics:

File that does load properties:



File that does not load prooperties (note, no Offline Files tab...although it is listed in the Offline Files:




So, again, I think this is more validation of it has to do with the Offline Fiels thing. Now to figure out why they are even in that list; and why some have different properties.

Anyone know a good forum for support for Vista? I have tried 3-4 different ones, and the ones I've found, I never get answers.

Of course, ultimately coming up with the answer here would be great 

Thanks for the input, everyone.

[EDIT]
Some progress, but only half a cigar.

I went to the folder in Explorer and foudn that the folder was marked "Make Available Offline". I turned that off, let it do it's thing, and did a new import. Got 670 more files. 1100 to go. I think I'll go over and empty the libray and do a complete import again and see what happens.

[JONCAT]

Frustrating problem, does this help:

http://www.vistaheads.com/forums/microsoft-public-windows-vista-networking-sharing/14852-how-remove-share-sync-center.html

This one stumped me for ages and I tried most things. One thing that worked
for me was to do a search in help for the page titled: Manage disk space
for offline files.

This then allows you to open offline files in control panel on the computer
with the sync and then remove the sync. Obscure way of doing it but it
worked for me.

Hope it does the same for you.

scroll to the bottom for another workaround....

dc

[ewingr]

Thanks so much for your help, Doc (Ok to call you that?)

You'll laugh at this: I am home today as you may have guessed...anyway, I am working from one computer, and have remote sessions to the 2 that are both Vista Ultimate (1 problem one, 1 OK one). I looked at that link and couln'd find specifically what they were talking about (at least not the way I understood it from the description), and ultimately, I browsed in the Control Panel, and found Offline Files. I went in and just disabled it and rebooted.

I came back to the session later (eating lunch in between here), and it looked like the computer hadn't rebooted, so I rebooted again. (BTW...I mentioned in my last post that I now had 1100...and I deleted all from LIB and reimported. I ended up with 673 again  ? .) Anyway, you have probably guessed it...I had disabled Offline Files on the wrong computer. Is that cool or what? 

So, having rebooted the problem computer, I went ahead and did an import...and it brought them all in! Now, I still see the files as offline in my Synch Center, like the poster did in the thread you pointed me to. Maybe it is just taking some time to clean it all up. I'm going to leave well enough alone for now.

Thansk for your help.

[ewingr]

... That unRAID box looks neat.  What software does it run (I'm assuming Linux, but it could be BSD or something else weird)?  ...

I just realized I didn't answer your question about the Unraid box.

Yes, it is a flavor of Linux. I like it so far. It's intended use generally is for storing media files on in an home environment. When you are used to traditional raid, there are some things to understand about this one that I stumbled through while working with it.

I had the software downloaded, put on a USB Flash drive, and the server up and going in about 10 minutes (after a while reading about how to do it of course).

[glynor]

I just realized I didn't answer your question about the Unraid box.

Yes, it is a flavor of Linux. I like it so far. It's intended use generally is for storing media files on in an home environment. When you are used to traditional raid, there are some things to understand about this one that I stumbled through while working with it.

Yeah.  I looked a little more at it later (after I posted that message).  Really looks cool.  I'd probably end up buying the license (rather than the free version), but it looks quite slick for a DIY NAS box.