I know we're getting close here but I spent this weekend pulling my hair out while trying to do file related stuff in MC. The 3 issues below are also in my bug list but I thought I'd just take the opportunity to share...
I just got a hard drive firewire enclosure and thought I'd back up some of my recently recently imported tracks. Seemed a simple task until I remembered that Move/Copy doesn't include the ability to create directories. OK, so I thought about a "send to portable device", except THAT doesn't create directories either although I'd swear it did once upon a time. Next I tried "external tools" figuring I'd just enter a "copy" command line that had [album artist]\[album], etc. in the paths. Wrong again. External tools only processes the [filename] field. So, I'm stuck. I can't see any way to copy files from MC including their directories.
OK, on to problem 2. I normally rip to APE then convert to MP3. I also use the auto album artist feature which depends on tracks from compilation CDs being arranged in common directories instead of being broken up into directories based on the track artist. My ripping settings are set appropriately. Unfortunately, the converter doesn't have the file naming template option that the ripper does and forces [artist]/[album] naming. So, a convert to MP3 scatters the compilation CD tracks all over the track artist directories which breaks auto album artist AND make the tracks all show up as incomplete albums.
Finally, over time I've developed 2 file reference schemes that I'd like to collapse. Some files are referenced with a UNC file name "\\server\usr\music..." and some are referenced with a mapped drive letter "i:\usr\music\...". MC has gotten too "smart" however and won't let me fix the references. If I attempt to change the reference (direct edit of the file name, find and replace, etc.), MC tries to copy the file to the new destination not realizing it's actually the same file. The pop-up comes up asking if I want to overwrite and if I say yes, the copy fails because the file is in use (of course it is, it's the same file) and the library change get's rolled back. If I say no, again the library change is rolled back. An "ignore" option would be nice.
These are the last 3 hurdles I have with MC9. Any chance for some relief?