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[mattlovell]

The issue I'm encountering is with a portable installation of 25.0.114.  I'm posting here since any change (should one be needed) would likely come with MC 26.  That said...

I have a portable installation that, on the two laptops I use it (home and work machines), runs off drive F: on either Windows 10 (work laptop) or Windows 8.1 (home laptop).  Until recently, all imported audio files have a filepath that indeed starts with "F:\"

Upon my most recent import (triggered manually via Tools > Import, since I have auto-import turned off), the most recent batch of files have filepaths within MC's library that start with

(Install Drive)

Recall that (Install Drive) should be identical with "F:".  For most Audio Views, the difference in filepath / filename is immaterial.  I have one Category view, however, that is based upon file location, showing files starting with the directory path "F:\Opera\".  All of the just-imported files don't appear within this view!  My assumption is that, for the affected files, "(Install Drive)\Opera\" is not regarded as matching "F:\Opera".

I attempted to be clever and correct this by "moving" the files in place, thinking that operation might serve to update the library, triggering a substitution of "F:" for "(Install Drive)".  That didn't occur, unfortunately.

So, is there a way I can

• replace "F:\" with "(Install Drive)" for all files, with the assumption that I can then update the Category View to start with "(Install Drive)\Opera\"; or
• replace "(Install Drive)" with "F:\" for the most recently-imported files; or
• convince MC via some other mechanism that (Install Drive) is F:\ ?
  

Incidentally, it might be useful for a standard installation of MC to have such a relative filepath mechanism as an option for the library.  For those who keep their entire music library on a single drive, it would provide a easy mechanism to handle movement of the entire library to a new drive (when changing machines or modifying drive setup).  It is less general-purpose than maintaining absolute paths and offering the "Rename, Move, and Copy" function, but might result in a simpler configuration for some users.  I also don't know what proportion of JRiver users manage to keep their collection "confined" to one drive!   

Thanks!

(Edits: typing is hard this morning)

[JimH]

MC has a Find and Replace tool.  You might be able to use it.

[mattlovell]

MC has a Find and Replace tool.  You might be able to use it.

"Path" or "Filepath" don't appear to be among the fields listed in the "Find & Replace" dialog.  The dialog does make "Name" available, but trying that didn't yield any replacements.

[BryanC]

Find & Replace only applies to the path. You are using the Rename, Move & Copy tool, correct?

[mattlovell]

Find & Replace only applies to the path. You are using the Rename, Move & Copy tool, correct?

Yes, I noted my attempt at using "Rename, Move & Copy" in the OP.   In that dialog box, the file's Original path is shown as "F:\"; the "(Install Drive)" relative string doesn't make an appearance.  So, both Original and New reference drive F.  When I try to make a change, the file still ends up with (Install Drive) in the library.

I think the abstraction of (Install Drive) must be a little leaky...

Perhaps the problem is one of library history!  Originally, I had MC installed on my work laptop, as a normal installation.  That's where "F:\" originated.  In mid-December, I then changed to a portable installation (such that MC was no longer technically "installed" on the work laptop).  Imports since changing to the portable installation all make use of (Install Drive); I just hadn't noticed until now!

An alternative question would then be what's the best practice for handling a library transition from a standard installation to a portable one?

[mattlovell]

An alternative question would then be what's the best practice for handling a library transition from a standard installation to a portable one?

FWIW, I did try editing the Filename directly within the Tag window.

• Replacing "(Install Drive)" with "F", leaving the existing colon in place, did nothing.  No change resulted
• For a different file, replacing "F" with "(Install Drive)" then resulted in JRiver modifying the colon to an underscore, with a resulting error that the path didn't exist.
• For the same file as Step 2, replacing "(Install Drive)_" with "F:" then caused MC to place "(Install Drive):" at the start of the Filename!

So, clearly there's some attempt at substituting in the relative (Install Drive), but it seems to only get triggered by particular actions.

Examining the backup of the library, "(Install Drive):" looks to be a literal part of the stored Filename.  If there was an ability to import XML, I could use the XML export option, perform a global search and replace in that file, and then re-import.  Lacking that, I'm still hunting around for some straightforward way to cleanup a Library (formerly a fixed installation, now portable).

I would just dump the existing library entirely and re-import everything, but that would throw away the existing import date information, which is one of the views I like to use.

[mattlovell]

Just thought I'd try bumping this topic...

Category Views within MC 26.0.98, if one uses filepath as the criteria/group for display, treat "F:\" differently than "(Install Drive):", even though that is the drive letter I was careful to assign.  Imports of files (since I converted to a portable installation) all get assigned paths that start with

(Install Drive):\

and no amount of library Renaming, Move, Copying seems able to manipulate matters to get the whole library uniform.
 
Update: I did work around this by changing the Category View to be based upon Composer.  Nevertheless, it would be nice if RM&C was able to make a drive letter substitution to (Install Drive).  Presently, it refuses to due that, labeling the change as invalid.

[RoderickGI]

First, don't try to "fix" this using "Find & Replace" or directly using the RM&CF function. More on RM&CF later.

Next, most importantly, in the Portable Installation I have, only the [Filename] field includes the indirect reference to the actual drive MC is installed on, "(Install Drive):". The [Filename (path)] field refers only to the actual drive letter that the installation drive has taken on when MC was run. See the attached image for details.

As a result of the above, you should just be able to change your views to use the [Filename (path)] field instead of the [Filename] field, and then they should work as you intended. However, if you really want to use the [Filename] field, and make the Views work regardless of the drive letter assigned to your portable drive, then change the View "Set rules for file display" to "Filename   Start With   (Install Drive)", or [Filename]=[/(Install Drive/)" (including trailing quote mark) if you view the rule using the "Import/Export" button.

That should fix all your issues.


Now, if the [Filename] field starts with "F:" for some of your files, but starts with "(Install Drive):" for others then try fixing the affected files using the RM&CF function to move them from "F:" to say "F:\XX\", and then move them back again.

Report back if that fixes the [Filename] field display or not. If not, include a screenshot of the two types of [Filename] field values together in one View. Sorry, I am sceptical of that situation, as I couldn't replicate it. So you will have to convince me of that with a screenshot. Also, confirm that your Install Drive is still, in fact, F:\.

[mattlovell]

Taking just the second part of RoderickGI's message (since I'm content using "Composer" for the Category view):

Now, if the [Filename] field starts with "F:" for some of your files, but starts with "(Install Drive):" for others then try fixing the affected files using the RM&CF function to move them from "F:" to say "F:\XX\", and then move them back again.

Report back if that fixes the [Filename] field display or not.

That operation indeed removes the "(Install Drive):" start of the Filename, replacing it with "F:\".  Before and after screenshots attached.

However, that doesn't seem like the most useful direction.  Given that it is a portable installation, it would be nicer to replace the "F:\" portion of all files (imported into MC prior to it being a portable installation) with "(Install Drive):" (or whatever the portable version of the library uses internally to indicate that).  Until I'm able to make that change for all files in the library, it seems like I'll have to continue to ensure that the drive gets mapped to F: (i.e., it's not a fully portable installation).

Can RM&C perform that change?

Per previous posts, I realize I brought this upon myself since I seeded the portable installation via a backup of the previous library (same version of MC, same drive, just a standard installation rather than a portable one).  I didn't realize at the time that the previously-imported path would be quite so "sticky".

[RoderickGI]

Can RM&C perform that change?

Not directly, but indirectly using the move files then move them back, yes.



I replicated your problem by:
1. Creating a new Library on my PC using the installation on an internal hard drive.
2. Importing into that Library three Artist's Albums from media files stored on the USB Drive that has the Portable Installation on it.
3. Creating a Library Backup of that new Library, and stored the backup on the USB Drive.
4. Shutting down the PC version of MC and starting the Portable version from the USB Drive. Backed up my existing Library on the Portable version.
5. Restored the Library Backup from the PC version. Confirmed that the [Filename] field showed as M:\Music and not (Install Drive).
6. Imported three more Artist's Albums from media files stored on the USB Drive, and confirmed that they imported with the [Filename] field as (Install Drive) and not M:\Music.

Then I tested my potential fix as per my previous post:
7. Moved one Albums worth of files that currently had a [Filename] field that started with M:\Music to M:\Music\XX. Noted that the [Filename] field changed to starting with (Install Drive). The [Filename] field took a couple of moments to refresh with the new value. In fact I had to move my mouse over the records in the View for the value to refresh.
8. Moved that same Album's worth of files back to M:\Music, and noted that the [Filename] field stayed as starting with (Install Drive).
9. Moved another Album. Same result.
10. Moved one Albums worth of files that currently had a [Filename] field that started with (Install Drive) to M:\Music\XX. Noted that the [Filename] field stayed as starting with (Install Drive). Moved them back with same result.
11. Moved all remaining files to M:\Music\XX and back. The [Filename] field of all files were updated to start with (Install Drive).
12. Restarted the Portable version of MC and confirmed that the fix remained, and the [Filename] field of all files retained the naming of starting with (Install Drive) in all default Views.


So, I'm not sure why your files that started with (Install Drive) changed to starting with F:\. Mine changed in the other direction, and stayed that way once they were corrected.

[mattlovell]

7. Moved one Albums worth of files that currently had a [Filename] field that started with M:\Music to M:\Music\XX. Noted that the [Filename] field changed to starting with (Install Drive).

Per the screenshots, when I followed your steps yesterday I started with a file that MC had on (Install Drive), and it ended up on F. 

I guess I should try on that's initially on F: and see if ends up on (Install Drive).  Maybe it always toggles!

At this point, unless one of the developers gets interested in this sort of hiccup, I think I'm settling for a partially-portable installation.

[mattlovell]

I guess I should try on that's initially on F: and see if ends up on (Install Drive).

Just tried the experiment... no luck, the file stayed on F: through the move to an F:\XX\<blah> directory and back.

[RoderickGI]

At this point, unless one of the developers gets interested in this sort of hiccup, I think I'm settling for a partially-portable installation.

Probably wise. Hopefully someone pipes up with what triggers the (Install Drive) functionality.

I did have a look around in the guts of the Portable Installation, to see if anything was obvious. Unfortunately not.
Otherwise, JRiver?