Totaltracks in FLAC

[mville]

Re: Totaltracks in FLAC

No, I am not confusing filenames with tags.

OK, so that I can understand more, please can you explain your comment from your earlier post?:

On the contrary, I have seen the 1.01 method used enough times that it would seem to be "standard"

Where have you seen this method used?

[evasv]

Re: Totaltracks in FLAC

No, I am not confusing filenames with tags.

Spoon, could you please clarify what is possible within Asset like I asked in post *18?

[mville]

Re: Totaltracks in FLAC

But I think what is "non-standard" for the tracknumber tag is debatable. Or have I missed a tagging guide somewhere that dissuades the use of non-numerical signs? On the contrary, I have seen the 1.01 method used enough times that it would seem to be "standard" - but of course that doesn't mean that it always works flawlessly.

I really think you are confusing filenames, that may contain 1.01 OR 1-01 etc. with the disc and track tags that are being used in the Naming string to build the filename.

In my Naming string, I generally use [disc].[track] [artist] - [title] to create my filenames, where:
disc = 1
track = 01
artist = David Bowie
title = Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud
which creates the filename of 1.01 David Bowie - Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud

So, to confirm, the 1.01 is being built from the disc and track tags. I have never seen situations where track contains the values that you have stated in your previous post to Spoon.

[evasv]

Re: Totaltracks in FLAC

Spoon:

I've been listening to the Gurus here and they are quite convincing. I haven't decided yet which way to go. In the meantime, could you tell me what is possible within Asset? Will Asset accept "non-standard" values in the tracknumber tag to make tracknumbers like these examples:

A01
1/01
1.01
1-01
1_01
1;01


And - just as important - are the discnumber and totaldiscnumber tags desirable or even required for Asset to work properly?

[evasv]

Re: Totaltracks in FLAC

I hear your warnings! I may have to reconsider this... Future problems is what I wanted to avoid in the first place.

But I think what is "non-standard" for the tracknumber tag is debatable. Or have I missed a tagging guide somewhere that dissuades the use of non-numerical signs? On the contrary, I have seen the 1.01 method used enough times that it would seem to be "standard" - but of course that doesn't mean that it always works flawlessly.

As for further testing in the car, it will be another week before my boyfriend & the car are back from skiing vacation so it will have to wait. But I am quite convinced that the disknumber tags are the problem.

[Dat Ei]

Re: Totaltracks in FLAC

I am a little bit concerned about this, but isn't it a relic from the DOS years? Is it really a concern these days?

Especially on embedded systems you'll never know what kind of OS and filesystem the manufactures use. FAT is still around.

What happens on your car hifi if you have the tags disknumber and totaldisknumber in the metadata and all files of the multidisc album in one folder? How des the car hifi system order the files? Will the car hifi play the files at all?

My car hifi system is four years old, but I never had any problems with the tags. The files are just displayed and played in alphabetical order.


Dat Ei

[mville]

Re: Totaltracks in FLAC

Again: try to put all files in one folder and use a naming like "1-01 xxx", "1-02 yyy", "2-01 zzz" and keep the metadata in your sourcefiles.

I agree (and is what I do with my multi-cd albums).

Trying to shoehorn non-standard track and disc tags into your files is, IMO, nonsensical. It isn't even certain that the problem with the car player lies with the track and disc tags.

[evasv]

Re: Totaltracks in FLAC

Modern player can not only handle the disknumber and totaldisknumber tags without problems, they can and will use it.

I had problems in the car as I described above. The car is 2 or 3 years old I think.

It is easier to delete metadata during the conversion for a specific player than to create it afterwards.

I agree, it's tedious to add these tags afterwards. On the other hand, since I experienced trouble, I'm still hesitating to have the discnumber tags.

Aside I would try to avoid points for delimiting different parts of the file names. They might be a cause for problems (points were usually meant to delimit name and extension).

I am a little bit concerned about this, but isn't it a relic from the DOS years? Is it really a concern these days? Actually, I've seen the 1.01 principle used by others many times and that's why I just copied it. But it's good to be safe, so maybe a dash as you suggest would be better. Unfortunately I already use a dash in my automated naming scheme so maybe I should avoid dashes too... I will figure something out though.

[Dat Ei]

Re: Totaltracks in FLAC

Modern player can not only handle the disknumber and totaldisknumber tags without problems, they can and will use it. So if you have that metadata in your source files, you're on the safe side for what ever may come and for whatever reason and for whatever player you will convert your source files into your destination files. It is easier to delete metadata during the conversion for a specific player than to create it afterwards.

Aside I would try to avoid points for delimiting different parts of the file names. They might be a cause for problems (points were usually meant to delimit name and extension).

From my experience: player tried to use the metadata or they used simply the filenames (in that case the naming "1-01 xxx" or "01-01 xxx" would give you the right order of tracks too).


Dat Ei

[evasv]

Re: Totaltracks in FLAC

Again: try to put all files in one folder and use a naming like "1-01 xxx", "1-02 yyy", "2-01 zzz" and keep the metadata in your sourcefiles.


Dat Ei

But I want to avoid metadata for the discnumber tag so that it never ever can be misinterpreted. Why do you think it is necessary to have the discnumber tag?

[Dat Ei]

Re: Totaltracks in FLAC

Again: try to put all files in one folder and use a naming like "1-01 xxx", "1-02 yyy", "2-01 zzz" and keep the metadata in your sourcefiles.


Dat Ei

[evasv]

Re: Totaltracks in FLAC

In what way does the car not handle multi-discs well, please describe?

When browsing for albums, the car player presents double-CD's as two CD's even if they have the same album tag. So it must read either the disknumber tag or the folder names - I'm guessing the tags since it says Disc 1 and Disc 2, even though my folders are named CD1 and CD2.

... also, are your multi-cd albums in a single folder, with all tracks having the same album tag OR are they in separate folders with differing album tags?

My multi-cd albums are in separate folders with the same album tag. I want to change that to a single folder though, with file numbering 1.01, 1.02 etc.


Point is that I don't want to have any future problems with this if I change the car or the software. If players and servers accept dots (or slashes or letters) in the track tag that would be a nice solution for me.

My reasoning is that since I want multi-cd albums to be treated as single albums, a simple solution would be to have all tracks in the same folder with the same album tag and filenames like 1.01 - Back in the USSR.flac ... 2.01 - Birthday.flac, and the track tag set to 1.01 ... 2.01 etc. Then the disknumber tag would be redundant and could be deleted. No risk of software misinterpreting the tag since it isn't there.

[mville]

Re: Totaltracks in FLAC

All was well until I played the FLACs in the car (which is actually my boyfriend's). That player doesn't handle multidiscs well, so the safest way is to not have disknumber and totaldisknumber in the metadata.

In what way does the car not handle multi-discs well, please describe?

... also, are your multi-cd albums in a single folder, with all tracks having the same album tag OR are they in separate folders with differing album tags?

[evasv]

Re: Totaltracks in FLAC

Dat Ei & mville:

All was well until I played the FLACs in the car (which is actually my boyfriend's). That player doesn't handle multidiscs well, so the safest way is to not have disknumber and totaldisknumber in the metadata. If they are present I would have to delete them before playing in the car. I'm looking for a solution that will work universally.

Are there any downsides with having dots, slashes or letters in the track tag?

[mville]

Re: Totaltracks in FLAC

I may have to reconsider then. One problem though is that I use my FLACs in my car too where I don't have Asset. Don't wanna have the problem with re-tagging for the car.

What re-tagging problems are you referring to?