Topic: Numbers in Genre Field (Read 2000 times)

AJH · « **on:** October 08, 2020, 04:42:11 pm »

I'm using version 27.0.20. I just imported several 96/24 audio albums into JRiver, and instead of the name of the selected Genre (Vocal), JRiver places the number 28 into the Genre field for all song selections. I switched the genre, with my metadata editor, to Jazz, and again JRiver placed a number in the Genre field (if memory serves) the number was 8.

RoderickGI · « **Reply #1 on:** October 09, 2020, 12:18:55 am »

What is your metadata editor?

What field format were these?

Where are you seeing these numbers? Screenshot.

AJH · « **Reply #2 on:** October 10, 2020, 02:47:38 pm »

Quote from: RoderickGI on October 09, 2020, 12:18:55 am

What is your metadata editor?

What field format were these?

Where are you seeing these numbers? Screenshot.

Metadata editor is Metadatics 1.63 (always worked perfectly when I imported into JRiver 26). The field is the Genre field where the numbers appear and input into the field was] text- i.e. Vocal or Jazz. Screen shot attached (I hope).

wer · « **Reply #3 on:** October 10, 2020, 02:55:28 pm »

If you change the 28 to the "correct" value in MC and do "update tags from library", and then open that file in Metadatics, what do you see?

RoderickGI · « **Reply #4 on:** October 10, 2020, 05:52:40 pm »

That's a good suggestion Will. AJH could also look in one of the files using a HEX editor and see what the Genre is actually set to in the file.

I can't think why there would be a difference between MC26 and MC27, but the data has to be coming from somewhere, so my first suspect would be Metadatics.

It seems to be a small App created by one man, Mark V. That usually isn't a problem, but maybe he changed something, like indexing or standardising Genres with index numbers, and is unintentionally saving the index number instead of the Genre name. There isn't a lot of information on his web site, but I see he uses Amazon and MusicBrainz as his online sources. So the source data from online could also be the issue.

Some more investigation to do for you I think AJH.

Just another thought. These files you imported, MC has never seen them before has it? You haven't imported the files previously, then removed them from the Library, and just added them back? Or had files of the same name and location in the Library previously?

wer · « **Reply #5 on:** October 10, 2020, 05:58:19 pm »

Quote from: RoderickGI on October 10, 2020, 05:52:40 pm

Just another thought. These files you imported, MC has never seen them before has it? You haven't imported the files previously, then removed them from the Library, and just added them back? Or had files of the same name and location in the Library previously?

You're thinking MC is remembering some bad tags from before. That's certainly possible and is thinking outside the box, but I'd expect he'd remember and say something if he used to have 28 for his genre. Anyway carry on!

RoderickGI · « **Reply #6 on:** October 10, 2020, 06:20:26 pm »

RoderickGI · « **Reply #7 on:** October 10, 2020, 06:26:36 pm »

Actually, the other check I would do is look in the Tag Dump area in the Tag Window in MC. It shows what is actually in the file tag, and Genre is showed there even though the Value is shown in the MC [Genre] field as well. At least for flac files.

What file format are we talking about here AJH?
When this worked correctly, was it with the same format of files?

Worth a look.

aliciaviola · « **Reply #8 on:** October 11, 2020, 12:17:14 pm »

I have a similar problem and don't find a way to solve it.
I am also using Metadatics 1.6.3.
One problem are the special characters (correctly written in Metadatics, broken in MC - ä = a e).
The other problem for some time now: the comments (comment in MC) in Metadatics isn't recognised in MC and vice versa.
Same with the Work (Metadatics) - Name (MC) fields.

Frank

RoderickGI · « **Reply #9 on:** October 11, 2020, 04:40:06 pm »

What file format Frank?

aliciaviola · « **Reply #10 on:** October 11, 2020, 04:59:28 pm »

Any file format

zybex · « **Reply #11 on:** October 11, 2020, 05:15:24 pm »

The numbers are the genre codes used in ID3 tags. Looks like MC is not converting them.

In ID3v1, the genre field is just a byte value corresponding to a given genre, 28=Vocal.

In ID3v2 the genre is stored in the TCON frame as text, but can still be represented by the same numbers. These are valid strings for genre:
"(28)"
"(28)Vocal"
"Vocal"

Just "28" without parenthesis is not valid, so MC should not convert it - I suspect this is what you are seeing.
More info (search for TCON): https://id3.org/id3v2.3.0

Try switching to ID3v1 in Metadatics, if there's an option for that.

The issue with international characters is also likely due to different encodings used by Metadatics and MC. Again, one of them is doing something wrong.

RoderickGI · « **Reply #12 on:** October 11, 2020, 05:35:57 pm »

In that case if I were you I would investigate with flac files first, as they have the best and most consistent tagging structure. Well documented so all applications should produce the same result.

As you mentioned Comments aren't shared correctly between MC and Metadatics, it looking more like an issue with Metadatics not saving tags correctly. Investigate what Metadatics actually writes into the files. Using a HEX editor to look directly is the best way to do this, as most tagging applications manipulate the data they display, and don't show the raw tag entries.

I use "Tiny Hexer" version 1.8.1.6 because it is small, fast and free. Google will find it, but be careful where you download it from, as it is everywhere and some of the sources would definitely have put malware or viruses in the download. Any Hex editor should work though.

The Special (or composite) Characters are another issue. There are a lot of threads discussing that now. I haven't seen a resolution yet, but the cause is the Code Page or Character Set used in creating the Special Characters.

EDIT:
Zybex has got in before me. I suggested testing first with flac files because they use Vorbis, and not ID3 tags.
If Metadatics is using ID3v1 tags it is way behind the times. I have a few MP3 files that still have ID3v1 tags in them, and the [Genre] tag, as shown in the MC Tag Dump, is shown in the format "Rock (17)", for example. The same files has an ID3v2 tag of "TCON (Genre): Rock", as shown in the MC Tag Dump. I suspect MC understands ID3v1 correctly.

As above, look in the MC Tag Dump.

zybex · « **Reply #13 on:** October 11, 2020, 05:46:19 pm »

I really like HxD: https://mh-nexus.de/en/hxd/

RoderickGI · « **Reply #14 on:** October 11, 2020, 07:02:07 pm »

HxD looks nice as well.

A memory editor!

Dangerous for the curious.

Matt · « **Reply #15 on:** October 11, 2020, 07:21:32 pm »

Could you email me one of the files showing a number? I'll try and see if I can reproduce. I'm matt at jriver dot com.
Thanks.

HaWi · « **Reply #16 on:** October 12, 2020, 12:14:35 pm »

Quote from: zybex on October 11, 2020, 05:46:19 pm

I really like HxD: https://mh-nexus.de/en/hxd/

Is there a MacOS version?

zybex · « **Reply #17 on:** October 12, 2020, 12:32:30 pm »

No, try this one:
https://ridiculousfish.com/hexfiend/

Note - use it ONLY for viewing the file content, do NOT change anything on the file using the editor. It's easy to corrupt the file with an hex editor unless you know precisely what you're doing.

HaWi · « **Reply #18 on:** October 12, 2020, 01:40:00 pm »

Thank you, I understand

aliciaviola · « **Reply #19 on:** October 14, 2020, 02:06:06 pm »

I, at least solved my problem. Metadatics must have changed something at a update. Checking all tag fields in MC I found that the former matching fields now belong to another one. All is back and allright now when the database has undertaken the change from one field to another (up to now a work of over two hours and more than 191600 tags waiting - probably over the night).

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Author Topic: Numbers in Genre Field (Read 2000 times)