Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[mhakman]

I’m asking the following question in hope that other people with a similar problem already solved it.

I have a number of music files in a lossless format in a directory subtree. These files were imported to MC 11 library. Then I converted all the files to mp3 format and stored mp3 files in another subtree. The mp3 files are not in MC 11 library. Whenever I change any of the lossless files or add new, I would like to update my mp3 file subtree by (re)converting modified and new files. The process should work like “make” utility – if an mp3 file is older than a corresponding lossless file or not existing then the corresponding lossless file should be converted (again). In appropriate case a new artist/album directory should also be created in the mp3 tree. This would be quite easy to achieve by standard “make” utility if a command line conversion utility that handles all the attributes/properties in a correct way were available. Independently, I would also like to be able to delete mp3 files not in MC 11 anymore, and when appropriate even remove corresponding artist/album directory from mp3 subtree.

The best would be if this was possible in MC 11 “out-of-the-box”. A plugin or standalone utility would also work. Another way would be a smartlist that lists all the new/modified files (with respect to mp3 files). Then I could simply convert all the files in this smartlist. Except that I don’t know how to create such a smartlist

Thanks/Mikael

[Alex B]

MC's Handheld option can do that automatically. It can keep two folder paths synchronized and convert the files on the fly.

[mhakman]

Thanks Alex - it sounds great.

I configured a folder as handheld but I cannot select anything else than "Don't convert files" in File Conversion box. It must be something very basic that I'm overlooking?

Thanks/Mikael

[Alex B]

Strange. It works for me. Actually, I've just recently tested the system because I advised someone at Hydrogen Audio to try the same thing. (http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=37561)

Have you installed the MP3 encoder? MC does that automatically when you open the MP3 encoding options. What is your MC version? You should use the v. 11.0.136 (not the 11.1 alpha).

[mhakman]

I can convert to MP3 by selecting tracks manually and then performing “convert”.  I think MC installed MP3 encoder when I did that the first time. My MC version is 11.0.316. I can choose conversion in Handheld on an XP machine but on W2K Server there is only “Don’t convert” option there. How can this be a problem? I can manually convert to mp3 on this W2K computer. 

Thanks/Mikael

[Alex B]

I don't know why it doesn't work. You could try to uninstall and reinstall MC.

I don't have the server version, but I can try what happens on my W2k Pro workstation.

[mhakman]

The problem is that the size of dropdown list in File Conversion box on Handheld page in Options dialog under my W2K is exactly the same as the size of one item (line). This then looks like the list has only one item (if you don’t observe the 2 microscopic arrows on the right). If default choice is “Don’t convert” then only it appears on the dropdown list. In the Encoder box on Encoding page this dropdown list is much larger so that you see that there is a number of items on list. Under XP both dropdown lists are of correct size.

This is a minor problem and looks like a bug. The real problem is however that handheld synchronization doesn’t do what I need it to do. AFAICS MC 11 synchronization doesn’t compare file times, only name and artist. So if you replace a file by a new version (perhaps better encoding or recording of the same thing) then MC 11 doesn’t synchronize the updated files.  The same is true when you add cover art afterwards to a file. Cover art seems somehow to be very difficult for MC 11 because it passes it to converted file only when synchronizing for the very first time with completely empty handheld library. I’m converting from flac to mp3. I’m using flac for master archive and mp3 for mobile apps. Also I have been unable to get MC 11 to actually store cover art in flac file. When I add cover art and then do “update tags from library”, MC 11 says that it updated the file but there is no cover art in file.

The main problem is MC 11 not comparing file times, then cover art problems, and then the minor size of dropdown list problem.

Thanks/Mikael

[NickM]

Alex, is it possible to configure a local folder as a handheld?  If so, how...

nick

[mhakman]

Nick, this is exactly what Alex says in his first answer to my original question here.  You can do that using Tools-Options-Handheld-Edit Virtual Device.

Mikael