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[NickM]

I have tidied up some badly typed album names and updated the tags from the library.  Now I wish to rename the directories using the standard [Artist]\[Album] format.

However, my cover art is stored next to file in each folder as [Artist] - [Album].jpg, and I don’t want these to be orphaned.  I seem to remember there is a 2 step process to do this, the first moving all the cover art together, then back again to individual album directories.  Or may a better way??

nick

[Alex B]

You could import the cover art files, make a new view scheme that can show the images too and tag the cover art files with artist and album tags.

After that you can move all files together since each image file is a part of an album in that view scheme.

[Doof]

I actually played around with doing that, but it broke MCs automatic Complete Album calculations, which in turn, broke my renaming expressions.

[Alex B]

I have had my cover art images (= the actual "cover art" image and often some additional images) imported for a couple of years now. I have never had any problems with moving them together with music files. Since the front cover is linked from the album folder the link does not contain a path and it will remain correct.

I don't usually use the Complete Album field for anything. I have my complete albums in the main Album Artist\Album folder structure. I keep other non-album music tracks elsewhere, so I can easily differentiate the complete albums without using that field.

Also, I use a lot various location based view schemes. It is easy to go to the artist or album branch in the tree, select all files (music, images, docs etc) and move, rename or tag them at once.

[hit_ny]

You could import the cover art files, make a new view scheme that can show the images too and tag the cover art files with artist and album tags.

After that you can move all files together since each image file is a part of an album in that view scheme.

May i ask why you decided to do it this way. Seems like an awful lot of work to do just to be able to move stuff with Rename from Properties.

Are there any other advantages to your system besides that ?
I just drag folders around and am done.

I'll grant you, it helps with the OP's problem.

[Alex B]

When I add new CDs I tag the images and docs at the same time. So it's not much more work to do. Also, I don't usually mass move my albums (not anymore - I am happy with my current system), but I have found the imported and tagged album image files useful in many ways.

For example, I am playing this playlist now:



These files make an Alice Cooper compilation named "The Beast of Alice Cooper". I have not actually bought this album, but I have all original main albums. Because I liked the track selections I recently gathered the "Beast of" tracks with the corresponding main album images to this playlist. I also downloaded and added the "Beast of" front and back covers.

When I play this playlist the PN display looks like this:
(The animated file is about 0.5 MB, so it may take some time to load.)




EDIT:

I changed the example to a smaller one. The image files were too big.

[hit_ny]

When I add new CDs I tag the images and docs at the same time. So it's not much more work to do.

Right, but if someone decided to do it later the hardest part would be to do this automatically. The ability to copy fields from one file to another is the missing link here. I can't think of any way to implement your system other than manually atm.

It struck me just after i posted that your system would give the slideshow that many ppl have asked for. There is the nice aspect of having all files associated with an album under the album tag (which acts as a container here). This might come in useful if JRiver ever implements Album Handling as a unit in itself.

[Alex B]

Right, but if someone decided to do it later the hardest part would be to do this automatically.

It may be possible to get the Artist and Album tags automatically from the folder structure or from the file names (if [Artist] - [Album].jpg is used) as I have explained a few times before. For NickM that would be sufficient, I think.

If the folders contain several images probably the filenames include words like Back, CD, Inlay etc so it may not be necessary to manually change the Name field (the filename is used by default).

The ability to copy fields from one file to another is the missing link here. I can't think of any way to implement your system other than manually atm.

I am not sure if I can follow this. Do you mean something like this: select all > apply a field change to all files ? - This is quite possible with a selection that contains mixed file types. For example, you can select the Alice Cooper three branch in a location based view scheme, select all audio and image files that are under Alice Cooper (in several album subfolders), edit a single field and MC will apply the change to all files.

It struck me just after i posted that your system would give the slideshow that many ppl have asked for. There is the nice aspect of having all files associated with an album under the album tag (which acts as a container here). This might come in useful if JRiver ever implements Album Handling as a unit in itself.

I have used my "semiautomatic" album image slideshows since it became possible, but that is limited only to one complete album or playlist. It would be nice if MC could automatically pick up new images when a new track starts.

Here is a proposition:
http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=33887.msg231366#msg231366

[hit_ny]

I am not sure if I can follow this. Do you mean something like this: select all > apply a field change to all files ? - This is quite possible with a selection that contains mixed file types. For example, you can select the Alice Cooper three branch in a location based view scheme, select all audio and image files that are under Alice Cooper (in several album subfolders), edit a single field and MC will apply the change to all files.

Right, what i mean is you would have to do this manually for each album.

Select all what you see in the tree view for that album, click Album, F2 then return to get it applied to all files in that folder.

[Alex B]

This would probably work for many of us:

1. Import the images
2. Make a new view scheme without a media type restriction and add the "Preset: Disc Location" view item
3. Select the root "music" folder in the tree (under this new view scheme)
4. Search: [Media Type]=[Image]
5. Select all
6. Fill Properties From Filename, Directories: [Artist]\[Album]   or  Filename: [Artist] - [Album]

Naturally, some corrections would be needed, but for example in my media library the directory option would handle at least 95% of the tags correctly. The filename option would make 100% correct tags since I have always used the default [Album Artist (auto)] - [Album] rule for cover art names.

[NickM]

Just to make sure I follow what you are suggesting...

If the changes have not yet been made to the album name, then follow AlexB's first suggestion.
If the changes have been made to the album name but not the cover art, then follow AlexB's second suggestion.

nick

[NickM]

Tried setting up the first view sheme and got stuck at stage 1... How do you create a view sheme that shows both audio & images?
nick

[Alex B]

Leave the Step 4: Pick Files... empty or use a rule that allows both media types, like [Media Type]=[Audio],[Image].

If the view scheme is a child scheme of the Audio (or some other) branch untick the "Honor parent scheme search strings" option in the Step 3.

Without a search string in Step 4 or from the parent view scheme MC shows all imported files.

[NickM]

OK, got it.  The JPG's were not showing up as the default album name was the Album date.  Not sure what's going on there.

With this scheme, the Album tag for the JPG would be updated, as would the directory name.  However, I don't see how the [Album] - [Artist].JPG (.i.e. filename) would update automatically.

nick

[Alex B]

MC uses the the file date as a default album name for untagged image files.

You need to tag only the Artist and Album fields. The Name field can be anything (just like audio track names are varied).

This should fill those fields automatically from the filename:

6. Fill Properties From Filename, Filename: [Artist] - [Album]

- Untick the directories part.

(Tools > Library Tools > Fill Properties From Filename...)

[Alex B]

Naturally the previous procedure can only fill the unedited old Artist and Album tags. You need to fix the needed fields manually since you already made the corrections to the audio files. Otherwise you could have tagged the image files at the same time.

Each audio file has a separate link to the image file. You may want to make the "Image File" field visible in this new view scheme for seeing the actual link.

If you like to fix the image file names too, you need to relink the cover art files after that. (first: Image > Remove Cover Art, then: Image > Quick Find In File / Cover Art Directory).

[NickM]

AlexB - many thanks.

Roll on an album centric option in MC12...

nick

[JustinChase]

This would probably work for many of us:

1. Import the images
2. Make a new view scheme without a media type restriction and add the "Preset: Disc Location" view item
3. Select the root "music" folder in the tree (under this new view scheme)
4. Search: [Media Type]=[Image]
5. Select all
6. Fill Properties From Filename, Directories: [Artist]\[Album]   or  Filename: [Artist] - [Album]

Naturally, some corrections would be needed, but for example in my media library the directory option would handle at least 95% of the tags correctly. The filename option would make 100% correct tags since I have always used the default [Album Artist (auto)] - [Album] rule for cover art names.

I think I understand the above, but I'm still not sure how it will help me remove unused cover art files.

I made the mistake of having MC look for cover art, and it added lots of covers to my directory, most of which were not right.  I just want to remove everything that's not being used.

I think the above will let me tag the image files to match the artist - album format, but lots of covers still won't be a good match, since albums with weird characters are converted to something more filename friendly, like AC/DC goes to AC_DC for example.

Once i have the images named correctly, or mostly, how do I figure out which ones aren't used, and remove just those?  I have corrected many errors in names and therefore lots of artwork is close, but not right.

Thanks for any guidance on this one.  I almost forgot how much of a PITA the cover art can be.