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[MrHaugen]

I ran into a couple of problems when importing some new music.

1. I have somehow managed to change the "filename" and "filename (path)" in the library to G:\\ insted of G:\ like newly imported files paths ends up as. This is probaly the reason why almost all my files in my library is added again when I set auto import on my G drive. I have tried Find and Replace tool to change from G:\\ to G:\ but it fails on evry single file. Even when I try to change both "filename" and "filename (path)" at the same time. Any ide as to why I can't do this?

2. When I tried to restore, I copied all the files in C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Application Data\J River\Media Center 12\Thumbnails\{3D9001D8-3433-4F9C-ADA7-78528E9687E8}\Normal (v3) in a hope that the thumbnails would not have to be rebuild. It failed... Is there another approach to this?

[MrHaugen]

Edited alot of text, and the subject it self, to reflect my new discoveries.

[JimH]

You could experiment on a small library, but I believe the G:\\ and the G:\ are the same.  This is because a single backslash is a special character, so it requires a double backslash to get the first one recognized as an ordinary character.

You probably have to do G:\\\\ to get what you the G:\ that you want.

Sorry -- this must sound like gibberish.

[MrHaugen]

You kinda lost me at the second line there, but I'm with you on the special character and that MC need a second backslash to recognize it.
I'm not sure that this is the case here though.

- Of my 14 500 tracks 700 of them have G:\ in Filename and Filename (path). This is newly imported files. The rest of the old tracks have the double backslashes (G:\\).
- When I import new files, they allways end up as G:\
- When auto import is running I allways end up with about 28 300 tracks. Wich is about the double, except from the newly imported files.
- I updated all my tracks with the library data, so they should be consistent
- Hence my conclusion: Auto Import do not work properly with double backslashes in the Filename and Path (all tracks PLAY just fine..)

I have tried an one album, to replace double with single, and on another album to replace single with double backslashes. Also tried to replace with \\\\ as Jim mentioned. Nothing worked...

- First the Information box appears with the message that G:\\ was replaced with G:\ x number of times
- Both paths in the library is actually changed, and the Confirm Library Changes box appear. But the messagebox only mentions that the "Filename" tag is changed
- After hitting Yes on the confirmation box, the Tagging Error box appears, and all the changes is reverted

Is there any other approaches to this problem?

[Alex B]

You could try the following:

1. Inside MC, switch the auto-import tool off

2. Outside MC, move all folders & files from G:\[your basepath]\ to G:\X\[your basepath]\

3. Inside MC, use the Find and Replace tool for changing G:\[your basepath]\ to G:\X\[your basepath]\

4. Inside MC, use the Find and Replace tool for changing G:\\[your basepath]\ to G:\X\[your basepath]\

If the step 4 worked,

4. Move all files from G:\X\[your basepath]\ to G:\[your basepath]\ with MC
        or
    Move the folders from G:\X\[your basepath]\ to G:\[your basepath]\ outside MC and after that fix the library paths inside MC.

Try first a few files and be careful that you use the correct amount of backslashes in the find and replace strings.

[Alex B]

Actually, a simplified version could work as well (if MC can move files that have \\ in the path):

1. Switch the auto-import tool off

2. Select the files that have \\ in the path

3. Move the files from G:\\[your basepath]\ to G:\X\[your basepath]\   (with the Find and Replace tool)

If the step 3. worked,

4. Move the files from G:\\X\[your basepath]\ to G:\[your basepath]\   (with the Find and Replace tool)

Try first a few files and be careful that you use the correct amount of backslashes in the find and replace strings.

[MrHaugen]

Thanks a lot Alex! You're simplified suggestion worked great!
I tried to replace/move more of the path my self, but did not think that it was necessary to move it to another base path... When I think about it it does make sense though. With the \ and \\ interpreted relativly similar, it's not so strange that you have to move it to a new path for MC to understand that it's a totally new path. Thank god I had all my artists under Albums folder. If I had it directly under root, this might have been a HUGE job.

After the Auto Import, I now have 4000 more tracks, and all of them seems to have the old tags Someone have probably managed to delete a portion of my library at a party or something. A little scary. On site and off site backups will be updated after this for sure. Gonna start an automatic schedule backup soon as well, or some kind of sync. Super Flexible File Syncronizer works remarkebly well.

[Alex B]

Thank god I had all my artists under Albums folder. If I had it directly under root, this might have been a HUGE job.remarkebly well.

In that case you probably could have used my first suggestion without including a "basepath" in the rule. I.e. you could have moved all files and folders from G:\ to G:\X\ (outside MC) and after that you could have quickly fixed the library.


Regarding to your thumbnail issue, you cannot preserve thumbnails when a library backup file is restored. The restore tool is designed to always clear the existing thumbnails to avoid "out of sync" problems.

The only way to preserve the created thumbnails is to close MC and backup the library files and the corresponding thumbnail files outside MC so that they are perfectly synced. You can restore the backed up files outside MC and on the next startup MC will use the files without knowing anything about what possibly happened after the files were backed up.

[MrHaugen]

The only way to preserve the created thumbnails is to close MC and backup the library files and the corresponding thumbnail files outside MC so that they are perfectly synced. You can restore the backed up files outside MC and on the next startup MC will use the files without knowing anything about what possibly happened after the files were backed up.

When you say backup of files outside MC you are thinking of copying library files and cover art without the MC backup tool right? All the .jmd files? I'll try that as soon as I have cleaned up my library. Just to have said it once again; why the heck you can't save the thumbnails with the backup tool is beyond me though.

I got one additional problem now! The 4000 albums added are mostly duplicates of my existing tracks Most of them was probably not deleted at all. I selected ALL library fields and compared them one and one. Not so supprisingly the Play conter, skip counter etc. are reset upon import. As well as modified import date and so on. Ratings etc are kept. The only thing I can see that is different than those things are the "Compression" field. My old tracks in library have "CBR (MPEG-1 Layer 3)" and the new ones have "CBR (MPEG-1.0 Layer 3)" data in the field. Maby it was the other way around? Is this enough to make the duplicates?
Can anything bad happen if I rename all my "CBR (MPEG-1 Layer 3)" to 1.0 with the search and replace tool? I'll try it on one album. Only problem is that this only represent 2800 of my 4000 tracks. So there is probably something else as well. This is certainly looking more and more like a nightmare.

Update:
I tried to do a Find and Replace, but the Compression field could not be selected. Instead I updated the library from file tags, and sure enough, the Compression fields changed from 1.0 to 1. I then enabled the auto import again, but the files on the album got duplicated again!
This time there are no difference in any fields except from the obvious ones.

Tried to do a normal import of the album as well, but it got duped there too. "Imported 12 new files. Updated 12 files that had external changes" it say. I really don't get this. Help with this one will forever be remembered!

[MrHaugen]

NO one knows how this duplicates can appear? I've exchausted all my ideas. I would really hate to import it allover and reset counters and dates.
Someone in J River have to have some knowledge of what can trigger a duplicate in the library?

[JimH]

If you just take one duplicate set, and compare the files, can you find anything different?  Location, for example?  Filename?

[MrHaugen]

If you just take one duplicate set, and compare the files, can you find anything different?  Location, for example?  Filename?

No. There is no difference to see, except the import date, skipped date, number skipped and played etc.
I have checked that the files is not actually duplicated on the disk. There is only in the library they are duplicated.
As I mentioned it's only the Compression field that is diffrent. An update from library to the file, or the other way around do not make any difference. The duplicates are still imported. Even though the Compression now is the same...

Her is an exported example of one track that is duplicated.

Code: [Select]

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes" ?>
<MPL Version="2.0" Title="Audio">
<Item>
<Field Name="Filename">G:\Albums\Paul McCartney\All The Best\01 - Paul Mccartney - Jet.mp3</Field>
<Field Name="Artist">Paul McCartney</Field>
<Field Name="Album">All The Best (UK Version)</Field>
<Field Name="Name">Jet</Field>
<Field Name="Band">Paul McCartney</Field>
<Field Name="File Type">mp3</Field>
<Field Name="Genre">Rock</Field>
<Field Name="Date">33970</Field>
<Field Name="Comment">Truth-in-packaging regulations are strained to the breaking point--some previous work with a former band was pretty darn "best" too--but if we're talking about Macca the Singles Artist, this compilation does highlight the many sides of a celebrated melodist, bandleader, and hit-maker--from the banalities of "My Love" to the electrifying buzz of "Jet". It won't win any stylistic cohesion awards, and followers will miss album tracks like "Picasso's Last Words" and "That Would Be Something". But All the Best collects the more popular Wings hits and throws in some necessary rarities ("C-Moon", one of many great B-sides that McCartney has thrown away), star duets (former friend, now-Fabs copyright-holder Michael Jackson on "Say Say Say"; Stevie Wonder on the inevitable "Ebony and Ivory"), live cuts (an un-Chipmunked "Coming Up"), and soundtrack odds and ends, like the freaky Bond theme "Live and Let Die". --Don Harrison</Field>
<Field Name="Bitrate">128</Field>
<Field Name="Image File">INTERNAL</Field>
<Field Name="Media Type">Audio</Field>
<Field Name="Last Played">1161631716</Field>
<Field Name="Rating">1</Field>
<Field Name="File Size">4268032</Field>
<Field Name="Duration">249</Field>
<Field Name="Number Plays">1</Field>
<Field Name="Track #">1</Field>
<Field Name="Date Created">1189850728</Field>
<Field Name="Date Modified">1223912799</Field>
<Field Name="Date Imported">1158439856</Field>
<Field Name="Replay Gain">-7,2438797950744629</Field>
<Field Name="Peak Level">0,8369500041007996</Field>
<Field Name="Intensity">4</Field>
<Field Name="BPM">128</Field>
<Field Name="Album Gain">-7,2438797950744629</Field>
<Field Name="Complete Album">0</Field>
<Field Name="Sample Rate">44100</Field>
<Field Name="Channels">2</Field>
<Field Name="Bit Depth">16</Field>
<Field Name="Compression">CBR (MPEG-1 Layer 3)</Field>
<Field Name="Tempo">None</Field>
<Field Name="Replace">No</Field>
<Field Name="Live">No</Field>
<Field Name="Sub Genre">Classic Rock</Field>
<Field Name="Audio Rating">2</Field>
<Field Name="Artist Rating">2</Field>
<Field Name="Album Rating">2</Field>
<Field Name="Skip Count">1</Field>
<Field Name="Last Skipped">1202588133</Field>
<Field Name="Use Bookmarking">Default</Field>
<Field Name="Stack Top">-1</Field>
<Field Name="Stack View">0</Field>
</Item>
<Item>
<Field Name="Filename">G:\Albums\Paul McCartney\All The Best\01 - Paul Mccartney - Jet.mp3</Field>
<Field Name="Artist">Paul McCartney</Field>
<Field Name="Album">All The Best (UK Version)</Field>
<Field Name="Name">Jet</Field>
<Field Name="Band">Paul McCartney</Field>
<Field Name="File Type">mp3</Field>
<Field Name="Genre">Rock</Field>
<Field Name="Date">33970</Field>
<Field Name="Comment">Truth-in-packaging regulations are strained to the breaking point--some previous work with a former band was pretty darn "best" too--but if we're talking about Macca the Singles Artist, this compilation does highlight the many sides of a celebrated melodist, bandleader, and hit-maker--from the banalities of "My Love" to the electrifying buzz of "Jet". It won't win any stylistic cohesion awards, and followers will miss album tracks like "Picasso's Last Words" and "That Would Be Something". But All the Best collects the more popular Wings hits and throws in some necessary rarities ("C-Moon", one of many great B-sides that McCartney has thrown away), star duets (former friend, now-Fabs copyright-holder Michael Jackson on "Say Say Say"; Stevie Wonder on the inevitable "Ebony and Ivory"), live cuts (an un-Chipmunked "Coming Up"), and soundtrack odds and ends, like the freaky Bond theme "Live and Let Die". --Don Harrison</Field>
<Field Name="Bitrate">128</Field>
<Field Name="Image File">INTERNAL</Field>
<Field Name="Media Type">Audio</Field>
<Field Name="Rating">1</Field>
<Field Name="File Size">4268032</Field>
<Field Name="Duration">249</Field>
<Field Name="Track #">1</Field>
<Field Name="Date Created">1189850728</Field>
<Field Name="Date Modified">1223912799</Field>
<Field Name="Date Imported">1223912845</Field>
<Field Name="Replay Gain">-7,2438797950744629</Field>
<Field Name="Peak Level">0,8369500041007996</Field>
<Field Name="Intensity">4</Field>
<Field Name="BPM">128</Field>
<Field Name="Album Gain">-7,2438797950744629</Field>
<Field Name="Complete Album">0</Field>
<Field Name="Sample Rate">44100</Field>
<Field Name="Channels">2</Field>
<Field Name="Bit Depth">16</Field>
<Field Name="Compression">CBR (MPEG-1 Layer 3)</Field>
<Field Name="Tempo">None</Field>
<Field Name="Replace">No</Field>
<Field Name="Live">No</Field>
<Field Name="Sub Genre">Classic Rock</Field>
<Field Name="Audio Rating">2</Field>
<Field Name="Artist Rating">2</Field>
<Field Name="Album Rating">2</Field>
<Field Name="Use Bookmarking">Default</Field>
<Field Name="Stack Top">-1</Field>
<Field Name="Stack View">0</Field>
</Item>
</MPL>

I can't see any problems here.

[Alex B]

This is a wild guess, but the problem could be caused by the so called "deleted files database". MC has a database section that is normally hidden. When a file is deleted from the library it is not immediately fully removed. It is just marked as deleted and after that it does not appear in the standard view schemes. Later on, depending on your auto-import settings, it may be fully cleared from the library if also the disk file has been removed. Here are some old threads about this "deleted files database":
http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=28266
http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=29216
http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=30238

Are you using a library that had at some stage these same files duplicated because of the "\\" issue? I.e. did you just delete the excess files before or after fixing the double-backslashes? If these files are still in the hidden database section possibly the auto-import tool now incorrectly marks the files as imported when it founds them on the disk.

[Alex B]

When you say backup of files outside MC you are thinking of copying library files and cover art without the MC backup tool right? All the .jmd files? I'll try that as soon as I have cleaned up my library. Just to have said it once again; why the heck you can't save the thumbnails with the backup tool is beyond me though.

You would need to backup the library folder and the thumbnail cache folder outside MC. The thumbnails are not the same as cover art.

I'd welcome a new backup feature that would make a snapshot of the library files and the thumbnails, but only as an option that could be set when the manual backup tool is used. The thumbnail cache can be quite big.

[MrHaugen]

This is a wild guess, but the problem could be caused by the so called "deleted files database". MC has a database section that is normally hidden. When a file is deleted from the library it is not immediately fully removed. It is just marked as deleted and after that it does not appear in the standard view schemes. Later on, depending on your auto-import settings, it may be fully cleared from the library if also the disk file has been removed. Here are some old threads about this "deleted files database":
http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=28266
http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=29216
http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=30238

Are you using a library that had at some stage these same files duplicated because of the "\\" issue? I.e. did you just delete the excess files before or after fixing the double-backslashes? If these files are still in the hidden database section possibly the auto-import tool now incorrectly marks the files as imported when it founds them on the disk.

I thought of the deleted files my self today. Used the ~d=a search to look on all the database enteries. And as I feared there was 28 900 items there. This is almost the double of my music library (not counting my series etc). It's around the number that got doubled when I ran import or Auto Import before I fixed the "\\" problem. At one point I sorted the files on Imported date, and deleted some thousand files. I'm pretty sure this was before I fixed the "\\" problem.

If I select the "Do not import files previously deleted from the library" no new files are imported. I am quite possitive there are several albums missing from my library, so this is really not a good choise. It's pretty obvious that most files they have been deleted at some point. It's just so damned strange that only 3000 files behaves like this.
Is there a way to get ridd of this deleted files for good? Could not find a differance in any of the library fields I had open.

[Alex B]

Is there a way to get ridd of this deleted files for good?

Did you check the linked threads? I explained a solution that is based on several smartlists in those threads.

Alternatively the following should work:
1. Disable the auto-import tool.
2. Remove the duplicates. (Can you now restore a library that does not have these duplicates visible in normal views?)
3. Move all files to a different basefolder by using one of the tools inside MC.
4. Check the old location outside MC and move the possibly remaining folders to the new location
5. Run the auto-import tool with all maintaining options enabled (but don't add the new location to its folder list. You should not import anything new before the library is cleaned for good). The tool should be able to clean the deleted files db because also the disk files are gone now.
6. Do the ~d=a search. Did the step #5 work? If not or not fully, repeat the step #5. Did it work now?

[MrHaugen]

Did you check the linked threads? I explained a solution that is based on several smartlists in those threads.

Yes. I read it all. Must have read a bit to fast. Got thrown of by all the view schemes and smart lists.

I moved all mye current library files, followed by the 35 GB of music left, and ran the Auto Import on the whole base folder.
1400 new tracks! Most of them with the ratings intact, as I wrote the data to the external files. So simple, yet so elegant
Have a few hundred more to rate than I would like, but it beats the hell out of all the alternatives I can think of.

Thanks a lot Alex! You saved my day once again.