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[larryrup]

Is there a way to find a Song/Track in MC from Windows File Manager? 

I'm seeing examples of songs that appear to be missing from albums in MC, but are in fact in the windows directory.  If I try to import the track with a right click/import to MC, MC reports 0 additional tracks imported, 1 updated.  This leads me to believe it is in the library, however when searching by track name, album or artist, that track is not to be found. I also tried importing the folder from inside MC, which also reported no new tracks imported.  I assumed I had completely erroneous tag information associated with the track, however I discovered if I play the song in MC by starting it from the Windows File directory, it not only plays, but MC shows all the correct tag info.  It will still not be visable by track/album/artist, but selecting view file inside MC, then importing the track from there solves the problem  MC reports it imported a new file and you can now find it with a search. I have a large library and I'm always cleaning it up and likely making mistakes along the way.  I can quickly find additional examples of other missing tracks in the library, where they are in the windows  directory.  I'm trying to find a way of fixing this without manually auditing the directories against the MC library.  I don't think a library restore will help as I likely created this condition over time.  Perhaps throwing the library away and starting with a completely fresh import?  I do save tags in the file where possible, but I am concerned about tag info with a fresh import.  Any ideas on a simpler approach?
Larry

[JimH]

When you import, there is an option that lets you import files previously deleted.

[larryrup]

Thanks Jim.

I am aware of that setting and did try toggling it on/off.  does the message (0 imported (1 file updated)) actually confirm the file is in the library?...and 2)examining the file would likely provide clues if not an answer, but if it is in the library, how to find it?  I did look for unnamed, unknown etc..tracks  Even tried deleting the entire artist (and all tracks as shown in MC by that artist, them importing the artist windows folder, which resulted in MC reporting the albums and tracks as it did before the delete.  I tried updating tags using Music Brainz Picard, then updating library from tags in MC with no change in library reporting.  The only way I have been able to get it in the lirary, is to play it in MC from Windows, then located and import to MC.  That seems to work everytime.  Apparently, I have alot of tracks in this state.

Stumped!

Larry

[swiv3d]

Have a look in your tree view under albums, artists or even files for anything in an unassigned category, which usually lurks at the bottom of the expanded albums, artists or file views.

[larryrup]

I sure have.  Since I been using the software for years, I've done a lot of dopey things (mistakes) and looking at unfilled fields has solved many of a question.  Thanks.  I would have thought Picard would have solved a mis tag or no tag issue, and I am aware you need to tell MC to update library from tags. 

Sorry for spewing all this text.  Since a delete out of the library and re import didn't solve it, I'm stuck. I'd blame the file, but the one way I've stated that does get it into the library seems to indicate it is not file.  It's not urgent, but needed. World peace, world hunger, now that's urgent.  Larry's tagging issues..

[RoderickGI]

It sounds like the files have been imported, but just aren't visible in the default Views.

Customise the Audio > Files View.

Leave it as a Panes View. Add [Media Type] and [Media Sub Type] to the [Location] and [[File Type] fields already included in the Categories to show.
Uncheck the "Use parent scheme rules for file display" box, and check that the "Set Rule for File Display" contains no rules.
Click OK, select "Save As New View".

You will now have a new View called "Files Copy" which shows all files in the Library.
Search (search field in top right corner of View) for your base music directory, for example "D:\Music" or whatever you use. If you have these music tracks under more than one base music (top level) directory, you could search one at a time to find "lost" files.

If the [Media Type] in the top pane lists anything other than "Audio", click on the other value(s) and check if your lost files are in there. Sorting the detail section of the View by Filename might make them easy to find.

Using the above View I was quickly able to find a whole bunch of Image files (Cover Art) under my base music folder that had been imported into my test Library in error, due to bad Auto Import settings. I was then able to quickly remove them from the Library. You should be able to find those files and quickly change them all to a [Media Type] of "Audio", if that is the problem.

If the above doesn't address the issue, you need to look carefully at the definitions of the Views you are using to try to find these files. The definition must be excluding the files somehow.


On a separate issue, all those files in your image have a suffix of " (1)", which implies that you have copied the original files into the same folder they came from at some stage, and if using Windows Explorer Windows has added the suffix, or if using the MC RM&CF function MC has added the suffix.

Could it be that all these "lost" files are actually duplicates, or you made duplicates and then moved them to another directory, or something? Looks like you have some more cleanup, or perhaps file renaming, to do!

Picard will optionally move files if you use it to fix tags. I think it may even have an option to copy files to a new structured location. That could be how these " (1)" files were created. Check the Picard settings very carefully. It can do a lot of changes very quickly. Or Picard could have just been changing the [Album] tag so that the "lost" files were just listed under a different Album name. It does that sort of thing a lot if you let it. i.e. If you do bulk lookups for Albums and accept whatever it finds without checking the detail.

[larryrup]

Thanks much.  Makes sense but did not find it in the new view either.  I do not have any experience with views so I snipped how I configured the view and a search result.  The new view did include all of the non audio file types as you indicated it would, but not the missing songs from an album, in the windows directory.  You'll see a different example in the snip.

I don't know if the following helps, but, I went to Explorer in MC, pointed to the win directory on my drive, and a folder where my library is missing songs from that directory.  This was interesting as I had not seen this in MC before.  When your looking at the contents of the directory MC has some choices to click on! You can play, import to lib, or add a folder to windows.  Clicking add to lib however again, shows 0 imported, one or several updated.  The only way I have been able to get a missing song to appear in the library (at least where it belongs) is to play the song, then located within MC, then import.  That works, but it's song by song, and I'm finding this problem is pretty rampant for me. 

Any thoughts?  Did I follow you instructions correctly?  If I wanted to start from scratch, would creating a new library in a new directory avoid the current library fully?

Thanks much

[blgentry]

When you use the search box at the top right of MC, it searches a bunch of fields at the same time.  This search includes the file name.  Find a file you are "missing" and try to choose one with a distinctive file name.  Now type some of that file name into the search box and see what you get returned.  This might help narrow down whether or not the files in question are imported.

Brian.

[swiv3d]

As you seem to be getting nowhere fast I would create a new library for test purposes and set up autoimport rules to gather files from your known music directories. This would enable you to check whether the files you are missing are importable - they certainly should be. You will lose any special views and such in the new library - but we are only doing this to test whether MC will successfully find and import the files.

[RoderickGI]

Did I follow you instructions correctly? 

Not at all.

You seem to have modified the default "Panes" View under Audio, then added the [File Type] field to it, when what I suggested was "Customise the Audio > Files View". You also then searched for a track name, instead of searching for the Base Music directory (which is "G:\Music" on your computer) as I suggested. Then as you hadn't added the [Media Type] and [Media Sub Type] fields to the View, you couldn't see if any non-Audio files were in your music directory.

Try again.

If I wanted to start from scratch, would creating a new library in a new directory avoid the current library fully?

I wouldn't recommend this at all. As you are struggling now, that would probably result in your losing a whole lot more stuff.

Fixing this issue will help you learn more about how MC works, so that you can fix other stuff and get the most out of MC. Keep at it and fix the problem.

Note: Swiv3d's suggestion to create a new library in parallel to your existing one for testing purposes is a reasonable idea. But don't do it yet. I could see a whole bunch of new issues if you do. Build the View I suggested, and use it to see if you can find your files.

PS: The Explorer function in MC works a whole lot differently to Windows Explorer and to normal MC Views. It shows all files, imported or not, and gives you some functions you can do on them. What you could use MC Explorer for is to drill down to the "The Doors" directory, select just the directory, not the files inside, and then click on the "Import into Library" button. But I think that would result in the same thing you have already seen; no new files imported, and possibly some updated.

Basically, ignore the MC Explorer for now.


Build the View I described. That will allow you to easily find files that have been imported into MC, but are not tagged as "Audio" Media Types, if that is the problem. Then you can quickly fix that problem.

[swiv3d]

Big Blue! Nuff said.

[RoderickGI]

Big Blue! Nuff said.

  Not big this time. Just bold and blue. 

[Spike1000]

The videos in my footer may help you in general in so much that you can watch someone else navigating around MC with a commentary. This could help you understand some of the actions associated with MC and give you a broader understanding of what's going on behind the scenes.

Spike