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[crisp]

Hi

The other day I accidentally deleted a load of audio files from my WD MyBook while trying to back up to another EHD.

I was unable to recover the files so I backed up the JR library so I could re-rip the CDs and restore the tags.

I've started doing that but, randomly, I'm getting the message "The file could not be found" on some of the re-ripped albums. BEFORE I restore the library, JR finds them with no problem. It's only AFTER I restore the library that they fail. Of course, the file path is identical both times.

I've searched past threads for advice and scanned the wiki but I'm still stumped. Before I accept defeat and simply re-do all the tags as well as re-ripping the CDs (three months' worth!), is there anyone here who can suggest a solution?

[crisp]

PS I've noticed that for the problem albums the date imported and date modified are the last ones recorded by the backed-up library, not the latest ones (i.e., yesterday). Could this be having an effect?

[~OHM~]

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[~OHM~]

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[~OHM~]

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[blgentry]

I'm a little confused by the issue.  Since you deleted a bunch of files, I would expect MC to say "hey I can't find that file" since it's gone.  But you're saying that you have re-ripped some of these files.  I'm confused about when MC says it can't find them because you're talking about "MC can see them before I restore, but not after".  Very confused.

I can say this:  If you want to keep all the tags you had entered for the files you are re-ripping, you definitely need to have an MC Library (database) that knows about those songs (files).  So a Library backup that was saved before the incident happened.

I've recently replaced a few files myself in an existing Library and followed advice I found in the wiki AND a thread linked from the wiki:

http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Re-Rip_and_preserve_tags

The key concepts for me:

1.  Turn off auto import.
2.  Rename the files you are going to replace to just a track number.  That way it's very easy to get the file name exactly correct.  Use Rename, Move, and Copy tool in Update Database mode for this.
3.  Rip your new files to a temporary location and name them as just track numbers.
4.  Put the new files where the old ones were, using these new simple file names (just track numbers).
5.  Run Update Tags (from Library) to write the Library tags to the new files.
6.  Run Update Library (from Tags) for completeness.

You can rename the files back to something more sane when you're done if you want.  I did.  You should probably turn auto import back on too, if you use it.

Brian.

[crisp]

Brian, thanks for your reply.

The problem is confusing to me too. The file paths haven't changed. I'm re-ripping to the same My Book using the old file names. Playback failure occurs after I restore the library.

I made a library backup after the files were wiped but before re-importing and that's the backup I'm using to restore. I turned off auto-import at the beginning of this salvation process.

Your suggestion to name files with just a track number sounds like a promising start. Unfortunately I simply can't figure out how to work the Rename, Move, and Copy tool to do this. Can you elaborate please? Otherwise I could perhaps scrap the re-rips I've done and start again using only track numbers in the metadata -- would that work just as well?

Thanks!

[crisp]

"Otherwise I could perhaps scrap the re-rips I've done and start again using only track numbers in the metadata -- would that work just as well?"

Just tried it with one disc -- doesn't work I'm afraid

[crisp]

Right, I think I have identified the problem but still need help fixing it please.

I did the obvious thing and followed the prompt: "check that the filename in the library matches the filename on disc".

It seems the unrecognised files are those where the tags in the library don't match those on the files.

Now apparently all I need to do is run "update tags from library" except it won't let me do this. The prompt reads "1 files updated (1 failure). I've tried running "update library from tags" too: same thing.

Anyone?

[blgentry]

Your suggestion to name files with just a track number sounds like a promising start. Unfortunately I simply can't figure out how to work the Rename, Move, and Copy tool to do this. Can you elaborate please?

First, here's a link to a pretty darned good article from the wiki showing how to use this tool:

http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Rename,_Move,_and_Copy_Files

I'll give you the quick step by step that I'm hoping will work for your situation.  This is designed to rename files, leaving them in the directories they are already in, and turning the file names into just a track number and an extension.  So 01.flac, 02.flac, 01.mp3, 02.mp3, etc.

Highlight a group of files you want to work on.  One album is a good test for this.  Of course you probably want to pick an album that is one of the ones you want to re-rip.

1.  Open the Rename, Move, and Copy tool.
2.  In the top pulldown list, choose Update database to point to new location.  Since your files are gone, we are going to change the database record and not try to move the files.  Since there are no files to move!
3.  Uncheck Directories.
4.  Check Filename.
5.  In the filename rule enter:  [Track #]
6.  Make sure find and replace is unchecked.
7.  Look in the preview pane to the right and make sure that the renames it is going to do look correct.  If they aren't, double check everything and try again.
8.  If it all looks correct, press OK to do the rename inside the database.

Brian.

[blgentry]

Right, I think I have identified the problem but still need help fixing it please.

I did the obvious thing and followed the prompt: "check that the filename in the library matches the filename on disc".

It seems the unrecognised files are those where the tags in the library don't match those on the files.

Now apparently all I need to do is run "update tags from library" except it won't let me do this. The prompt reads "1 files updated (1 failure). I've tried running "update library from tags" too: same thing.

It sounds like MC can't read or write the files.  I suspect that either:

1.  The files are not in the location you think they are.  Is the drive letter the same?  Is every element of the directory structure the same?  Screen shots of both MC's view showing file names and a screen shot of explorer showing the file names would be helpful as a double check.
2.  The files or directories are read only or otherwise not readable.  Not sure how your permissions, users, network, etc are set up.  I'm just guessing here.

I'm unsure what you mean by the tags don't match.  Are you comparing the tags with an external tagger compared to MC's old tags from it's library or something?  Either way, it shouldn't matter.  MC should be able to write tags to any supported file type that it can see.

Good luck to you.

Brian.

[crisp]

Thanks Brian.

Before you posted I found this thread:

https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=98575.0

I ran the same as the OP there: copied a problem album to the desktop, imported it to JR and ran "update tags from library". It sort of worked: the tags didn't actually change but the prompt said successful, so JR can at least read the file and thinks it changed it.

So I wonder if there might be a permissions issue with the My Book.

(Re: the tags don't match, what I mean is that where I have changed the metadata generated by the CDDB the file can't be recognised. If the CDDB metadata was unchanged, the files plays fine.)

[crisp]

PS I just tried the Rename, Move and Copy Files procedure -- very clear instructions; thanks.

I did it on a disc I hadn't yet re-ripped, then re-ripped it and restored the library. Same playback issue, unfortunately. Just thought you should know.

[blgentry]

PS I just tried the Rename, Move and Copy Files procedure -- very clear instructions; thanks.

I did it on a disc I hadn't yet re-ripped, then re-ripped it and restored the library. Same playback issue, unfortunately. Just thought you should know.

"Restored the library".  Doesn't your Library currently have all of your deleted albums in it?  It should.  Why are you restoring several times?  In my mind, what you want to see is all of your old albums that you accidentally deleted in MC's database, but with a red minus symbolnext to them, which indicates that MC can't see the file that should be there. Then, as you re-rip them and tell MC to update, they should become good playable songs again and the red minus should disappear.

I'm unclear about your local versus NAS test.  I guess one way to do this would be to put a new album on the NAS and then import it.  Then change some tags in the library and force it to write to the file with Update Tags (from library).  If that failed, it would indicate to me that the NAS is read only.  Have you tried a simple import of a single re-ripped disc?  That might be instructive.

Brian.

[crisp]

""Restored the library".  Doesn't your Library currently have all of your deleted albums in it?  It should.  Why are you restoring several times?  In my mind, what you want to see is all of your old albums that you accidentally deleted in MC's database, but with a red minus symbolnext to them, which indicates that MC can't see the file that should be there. Then, as you re-rip them and tell MC to update, they should become good playable songs again and the red minus should disappear."

Hi Brian

Thanks for your patience. The library does have all the deleted albums in it. The problem is not that the library won't restore but that once it has the re-ripped music won't necessarily play.

However what you say here suggests my approach might be wrong.

Here's what I'm doing:

1) Re-ripping a disc (or several) to the My Book. I'm using the same folder name as before.

2) Running auto-import. This brings the albums in with the CDDB metadata.

3) Running restore library from the back-up. This brings in the custom metadata I created.

My problem is then that the files often do not play. The exception seems to be when the custom tags are no different than the metadata generated by CDDB (although I may be wrong here).

I'm not seeing the red minus symbols.

Thanks again

[crisp]

"I'm unclear about your local versus NAS test.  I guess one way to do this would be to put a new album on the NAS and then import it.  Then change some tags in the library and force it to write to the file with Update Tags (from library).  If that failed, it would indicate to me that the NAS is read only.  Have you tried a simple import of a single re-ripped disc?  That might be instructive."

Just tried this -- good idea.

Interestingly on both copies (My Book and desktop) the prompt read "no failures" but the tag (an easily readable title change) failed to stick.

I really don't know what's going on!

[crisp]

I just tried something else, with interesting results.

I had a track by Zoot Sims called How Long Has This Been Going On? In JR it had the ? at the end, on the filename it didn't. It wouldn't play. I added the ? manually to the file in My Book Get Info and it played.

I tried another track on a different album where the artists were separated by an ampersand in the filename and an "and" in the JR tag. It wouldn't play before whereas when I changed & to "and" it did.

So I could just go through and manually change these details and it wouldn't be so much of a fuss as redoing all the tags. But it would be nice to be able to run a report to do this task and I'm still worried that Update Tags (from library) isn't working.

[crisp]

Right, I've worked it out.

When I originally imported the files some of the tagging I did changed the filename (name) -- as it's called in JR. When I re-ripped the files the original name was applied. That's why JR couldn't recognise the file.

I've gone into a few files in JR, copied the filename (name) from the left-hand panel and pasted it over the "Name & Extension" in the relevant file in My Book. Plays perfectly.

So I don't need to update tags from library but update filename from library -- and I can't see that there's a feature to do that. Still, even if I have to do all the copying and pasting manually at least I have a way of restoring my music and retaining the tags.

[blgentry]

Ok, mystery seems to be solved:  It's the file names.

The solution is simple:  Rename all of the affected files, in the JRiver Database, to be track number only.  Also configure the ripping program you are using to rip to track number only.  That way you can be really sure the file names will match.  Don't worry:  When you're done you can easily rename all of the files to have the song name as part of the file name.  Or album or artist or any combination.  That's one of the beauties of JRiver and it's rename, move, and copy tool.

Try this on an album or two first.  Then once you have it working, you can rename a whole bunch of albums at once if you want to.  Just select what you want and run the rename tool on it.

The update database should absolutely work, no problem.  Prove it to yourself though.  Select an album's worth of songs, and use my instructions to rename all the files to track number only.  When you're done, look at those songs in a view that shows you details, including file name.  You should then see that the file names are all numbers like 01.flac, 02.flac, etc.  If that works, you should be all set to then re-rip your tracks as track numbers only.

Once you've ripped an album and put the tracks in the proper folder, I would still do Update Tags (from Library) and then Update Library (from tags).  That will guarantee that JRiver writes those tags and reads what it needs to identify the files.  I have recent experience with this and it worked flawlessly for me.

Note that there is NO reason to auto import OR restore the database with this method.  As long as the songs you are working on are in your current database, you're all set to begin using the methods I've outlined for you.

I'll be curious to hear your results.  I wish you good luck. 

Brian.

[crisp]

Fantastic advice, Brian -- many thanks once again.

I've tried this on an album already ripped and it works OK. I'm assuming it's OK to leave the filenames as 01.flac, 02.flac, etc? As long as I run update tags from library it will write the library tags to the files? (Also, I guess that then running update library from tags is to double-check?)

However, re your comment "When you're done you can easily rename all of the files to have the song name as part of the file name.  Or album or artist or any combination.  That's one of the beauties of JRiver and it's rename, move, and copy tool." How is that done?

[blgentry]

I've tried this on an album already ripped and it works OK. I'm assuming it's OK to leave the filenames as 01.flac, 02.flac, etc? As long as I run update tags from library it will write the library tags to the files? (Also, I guess that then running update library from tags is to double-check?)

Glad to hear that worked for you.  Yes it's ok to leave the file names as just numbers if you want.  The Update Library (from tags) is a step I'm not 100% sure about.  I know this:  If you are ripping to a different format (like replacing MP3 files with FLAC files for example), the update library step gets that new format.  It might do something else when you're replacing files with the same format; I'm not sure.  I just know it was part of the instructions I read on how to replace files and *keep all the same information*.  It's a fast step, so I did it on all of mine.

However, re your comment "When you're done you can easily rename all of the files to have the song name as part of the file name.  Or album or artist or any combination.  That's one of the beauties of JRiver and it's rename, move, and copy tool." How is that done?

Let's pretend that you're like me, and you like to have your file names start with the track number then an underscore, and then the song name.   To rename them, here's the outline:

1.  Select files to be renamed.  This can be a few songs, a whole album, or many many albums at once.
2.  Open Rename, Move, and Copy tool.
3.  In the top pulldown list, select Rename.
4.  Uncheck everything except for Filename.   Make sure Filename *is* checked.
5.  In the Filename Rule enter:  [Track #]_[Name]
6.  Look at the preview to make sure it looks right.
7.  Press OK to do the renames.

Note that you can rename the directory structure also if you want to.  If your library is kind of a mess with it's directory structure, you can have the tool build directories based on Artist, Album, etc.  The article in the Wiki gives an example or two of how to do that:

http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Rename,_Move,_and_Copy_Files

As always, test these types of things on a few files first, then move to several and finally do as many at once as you are comfortable doing.

Brian.

[crisp]

Thanks Brian.

I've just renamed and re-tagged successfully all the re-ripped files following your excellent instructions. Next I'll re-rip the rest of the discs but with the metadata stripped out to make the process easier.

You've been a big, big help with this issue, saving me a lot of work -- I can't thank you enough.

Best wishes

Chris

[blgentry]

Glad to hear it's going well!  Keep up the good work and let us know if you run into any more issues.

Good luck Chris. 

Brian.