Better Music Import (PLEASE!!)

[a06lp]

Steven,

I know you're busy as hell, but I am really hoping that you could give this a look (PLEASE!!!).

This is a request to make the music ID3 tag importer BETTER:

Basically, if all my mp3's are in one folder ("Music"), my databases never
are able to be the way I want.
It seems that the only way to get XLobby happy is to sort them into "Music\Artist\Album\Track".
Unfortunately, I hate this directory structure on my system.

Having a single directory (with no subdirectories) containing all of my mp3
files shouldn't affect how XLobby reads the id3 tags.
I should still be able to sort Artist>Album>TrackNumber-TrackName without any problems, since I am NOT checking "use directory structure" on the import screen, and I AM checking ID3 import.
But for some reason, when I do this, my DB becomes:
Various Artists > Various Albums > (One large list of ALL my songs)

But, again, this makes no sense, since it should not be looking at my
directory structure AT ALL!!!

TESTS:
(Note: These tests were conducted using the Music importer; Import type: ID3; View: Artist > Album)
I then performed a number of tests to figure out what made the importer sort my music this way:

1) When I make a new folder, "testmusic", and put one mp3 in there, it is
correctly tagged in the db: Linkin Park > Reanimation > KRWLNG

2) Adding more songs from the same album (by the same artist) to the
"testmusic" folder, I still get correct tagging: Linkin Park > Reanimation >
(list of tracks)

3) Adding another song by Linkin Park to the "testmusic" folder, but from a Different album, results in this: Linkin Park > Various Albums > (list of tracks)

4) Adding other artists to the mix, I get stuck with: "various artists" > "various albums" > (list of all tracks)

Could you PLEASE implement/fix this so that all my mp3 files can be in one directory on my HDD, but still be sorted Artist > Album > TrackNumber > TrackName?!
In other words, the importer creates a database for each mp3 file, and when I tell the database to sort, say %artist%>%albumname%>%tracknum%>%tracktitle% it will sort correctly - no matter if the files are al in one directory (as I have), or if they are sorted into subdirectories.

This would not ruin anyone else's databases, since, as long as your mp3's are properly tagged, this will keep them sorted properly.

It also adds the benefit of being able to keep your music files sorted on your hard drive one way, and being sorted in XLobby another way.

(For a good example of a program that does this well, see Meedio - it's the one feature I REALLY miss!)

Thanks so much!

[chipsahoy]

i have a similar file structure to a06lp and id like to see this too

[stevenhanna6]

I have a stupid question, if you guys are dumping all your files into one directory how do you label your cover art? or do all your mp3s have embedded cover art?

And if I do add this kind of import ALL of your id3tags have to be perfect so I can figure out what the artist and album names are.

[a06lp]

I have a stupid question, if you guys are dumping all your files into one directory how do you label your cover art? or do all your mp3s have embedded cover art?

And if I do add this kind of import ALL of your id3tags have to be perfect so I can figure out what the artist and album names are.

Steven,
Thanks for taking the time to read my request.

Yes, all my mp3's have embedded album art.
I use MediaMonkey to tag my files, and when album art is chosen, you get the choice of saving the art to directory or tag - I always save it to tag (this way if i move the song, the art stays with it!).

I know all my mp3's would have to be properly tagged for this to work - and I always properly tag them! it's a good habit to have, and maybe this new import feature will encourage others to sort their mp3's too!

Maybe you could add it as an option in the import, so those of us with perfect tagging can use it, and those without perfect tagging can use the current way.

Thanks again, steven!!!!!!

[stevenhanna6]

would this work for you....if I do a check and if folders you want to import have no subdirectories at all....I could then assemble the albums based off the tags and artist. Would only work if you have no subdirectories in the place you dump your mp3s.

[Colby]

I dont think thats a very good solution Steven. If I downloaded 1 track, not a whole album and added it to my existing music folder w/ album directories, I would still want that particular mp3 to have album info and cover etc, from its id3 tag. Why doesnt xlobby import with id3 if id3 is checked? why does there have to be directory structure anyway?

[stevenhanna6]

the directory structure is needed incase peoples tags are messed up, so I can say each directory is an album and then go from there. I guess what I need to do for this new situation that you guys want is show the "folder" options that is only avaialbe for non id3 imports....I will show that and then you can check off "Folder Ignore" so folders mean nothing. Now that should satisfy everyone.

[a06lp]

I have to agree with Colby here.

I think the tags should ALWAYS override the directory structure. Dir structure shouldnt matter, AT ALL, (imho) unless you select "directory structure".

Even if people sort their music into subfolders, it may have nothing to do with tagging.

Ex: Music\Wife\song.mp3

Maybe i make a folder for all my wife's songs, and a folder for my brother's songs, etc.

ID3 should always be the fields used for sorting.

[edit]
posted a bit too late.
yes, have one option where folder structure matters, and one option where it means nothing at all (and all the fields are filled in from id3 info)

[Colby]

So steven does that mean, you cant have both as in my scenerio? All my music is in dir now, but in the event I wanted to add an individual song does that mean it wouldnt get an album, or my folders info would be wiped from the db? I want my cake and eat it too please.

[a06lp]

@Colby, Steven:

How about this:

ALL music imports automatically search directories, and subdirectories.

Then on the import tab, the user selects if they want to enter info into the XLobby database:
1) From FOLDER STRUCTURE
or
2) From ID3 TAGS.

This way, your music can be all in one folder, or even in subdirectories, and you can still have the database fields from either way.

[stevenhanna6]

ok well I've finished coding everything and it looks like its working, so we just have to agree on what colby brought up...I have added a check box to "ignore folders" for the id3 import template.

So colby wants both, a folder is an album and sometimes its not an album? that could be a little trickier to code....but what would be the conditions to say this folder is an album and this other folder is not an album....a folder with a speacial keyword?

[stevenhanna6]

well I have to take off so I'll just upload what I have and a06lp can test it, we can figure out the "have your cake and eat it too" issue later.

http://www.xlobby.com/xlobby2screentest.zip

[Colby]

A folder would be an album usually, unless
A. Subfolders exist.
Music/Artist/Albumname/.mp3=ok
Music/VariousArtist/Soundtracks/Albumname/*.mp3=no
B. Folder doesnt fit the import template.
If you import Genre>Artist>Album/*.mp3
Then a mp3 is found under genre/*.mp3 use id3
If you import Artist>Album/*mp3
Then any mp3 found above artist = id3 albumname extract. etc.
C. it was a folder named recycler or any system folder.

* If an individual mp3 is not in a folder (top layer of root music dir) it should use id3 tag for album info, only if It does not belong into the proper folder existing in the directory. Meaning: if I clone a track from an album, and put it in C:music, it should get its albumname from the folder not the id3 tag since the album exists.


Actually Steven do what you want, this is all philosophical to me, I would never use it personally. I use Artist>Album import.

[dalanik]

Well the easiset way would be to have 2 options (and a couple of suboptions):

* Use Id3 tags
with user defined string i.e. %1 %2 %3 where %1 is genre %2 artist, etc.

* Use Folder structure
this would ignore id3 tags (except for song name) and use folders to get %1 genre, %2 artist etc, as defined in folder structure string i.e. %1 %2 %5 where %1 genre %2 artist %5 song

Hope it's not to complex?

D.

[a06lp]

well I have to take off so I'll just upload what I have and a06lp can test it, we can figure out the "have your cake and eat it too" issue later.

http://www.xlobby.com/xlobby2screentest.zip

Steven,

You're a mircale-worker! This works perectly for me. Thank you so much!!

XLobby Forever!