Set-Up for Ripping

[mville]

Re: Set-Up for Ripping

2) I'd like two Profiles; one for Non-classical, one for classical following the formats below: (I realize these are somewhat "non-standard.")

Non-Classical: genre > album &*8211; Disc no. > artist > composer
Classical: genre > album &*8211; Disc no. > composer > artist

Examples of Album with disc number:

The White Cliffs of Dover &*8211; Disc 1/2
The White Cliffs of Dover &*8211; Disc 2/2
Rigoletto &*8211; Disc 1/2
Rigoletto &*8211; Disc 2/2
Dean Martin Love Songs &*8211; 1/1

3) I do not want to use Compilations in either.

4) I'd like an appropriate maxlength on both

Even though I've repeatedly read the help notes in dbpa, the logic/syntax of Naming Strings escapes me, and I am most appreciative of your help in creating them. What should I use to achieve the above results?

It is just not possible to answer the above, given the information supplied, which is either lacking the understanding that you need to define both the file path and filename in CD Ripper OR is simply incomplete.

Please describe exactly, the folder AND filename structure you desire for Non-Classical and Classical CDs.

[mville]

Re: Set-Up for Ripping

I put "%Userprofile%\AppData\Roaming\dBpoweramp" into my Internet Explorer browser as suggested, then clicked on genre.txt, and the genre list appeared on screen. Then I edited directly on that screen. I am using Windows 10.

Please explain where it is suggested:
I put "%Userprofile%\AppData\Roaming\dBpoweramp" into my Internet Explorer browser

I suspect you misunderstand something here.

[Dat Ei]

Re: Set-Up for Ripping

File explorer, not internet explorer!


Dat Ei

[garym]

Re: Set-Up for Ripping

Garym, mville, thanks for your posts. I'm glad to learn that it is possible to automatically append the disc no. at the end of the album name.

The Naming scheme I've arrive at is as follows:

1) I'd like genre as my top level in all cases.

2) I'd like two Profiles; one for Non-classical, one for classical following the formats below: (I realize these are somewhat "non-standard.")

Non-Classical: genre > album &*8211; Disc no. > artist > composer
Classical: genre > album &*8211; Disc no. > composer > artist

Examples of Album with disc number:

The White Cliffs of Dover &*8211; Disc 1/2
The White Cliffs of Dover &*8211; Disc 2/2
Rigoletto &*8211; Disc 1/2
Rigoletto &*8211; Disc 2/2
Dean Martin Love Songs &*8211; 1/1

3) I do not want to use Compilations in either.

4) I'd like an appropriate maxlength on both

Even though I've repeatedly read the help notes in dbpa, the logic/syntax of Naming Strings escapes me, and I am most appreciative of your help in creating them. What should I use to achieve the above results?

Don

pop:

[MAXLENGTH]240,[genre]\[album] Disc [disc]-[disc_total]\[artist]\[composer]\[track]-[title][]

classical:
[MAXLENGTH]240,[genre]\[album] Disc [disc]-[disc_total]\[composer]\[artist]\[track]-[title][]

Be sure when you copy these in that there is no space at beginning or end of string.
note that for disc no. I have to use a dash rather than / to show disc 1/2, etc. as "/" can't be used in a file name.

Also note that the pop music string seems very odd to me. Instead of having all the albums of an artist grouped together, they will be scattered all throughout your file listing. I'd recommend this instead:

[MAXLENGTH]240,[genre]\[artist]\[album] Disc [disc]-[disc_total]\[composer]\[track]-[title][]

or even better:

[MAXLENGTH]240,[genre]\[artist]\[album] Disc [disc]-[disc_total]\[track]-[title]-[composer][]

[mville]

Re: Set-Up for Ripping

Also note that the pop music string seems very odd to me. Instead of having all the albums of an artist grouped together, they will be scattered all throughout your file listing. I'd recommend this instead:

[MAXLENGTH]240,[genre]\[artist]\[album] Disc [disc]-[disc_total]\[composer]\[track]-[title][]

or even better:

[MAXLENGTH]240,[genre]\[artist]\[album] Disc [disc]-[disc_total]\[track]-[title]-[composer][]

In the pop music (non-classical) example, if the artist and/or composer differs for each track, the tracks will still be created in individual folders, which is not only a little bizarre but maintaining the library will be very difficult. It is important that the OP understands this.

The use of Album Artist instead of Artist would help a little, but does not solve the issue of differing composers.

[garym]

Re: Set-Up for Ripping

In the pop music (non-classical) example, if the artist and/or composer differs for each track, the tracks will still be created in individual folders, which is not only a little bizarre but maintaining the library will be very difficult. It is important that the OP understands this.

The use of Album Artist instead of Artist would help a little, but does not solve the issue of differing composers.

I couldn't agree more. This will produce a very bizarre organization (with all those subfolders for each composer). I assume he understands that on a popular music album there could be many different composers (and each of these tracks will be in a different subfolder). Of course this is likely less of a problem with classical music. But that's why I suggested the alternative where the composer is simply tacked on to the end of the file name rather than a folder being created.

He's asked for some version of that organizes by album > artist > composer a few times in the past. So now I've given him that option. My STRONG advice is for him to rip a few classical and nonclassical (especially with differing track composers) and see what these new naming strings produce. He may see that it creates a big mess. Or it may be just the thing he wants.

[mville]

Re: Set-Up for Ripping

I couldn't agree more. This will produce a very bizarre organization (with all those subfolders for each composer). I assume he understands that on a popular music album there could be many different composers (and each of these tracks will be in a different subfolder). Of course this is likely less of a problem with classical music. But that's why I suggested the alternative where the composer is simply tacked on to the end of the file name rather than a folder being created.

He's asked for some version of that organizes by album > artist > composer a few times in the past. So now I've given him that option. My STRONG advice is for him to rip a few classical and nonclassical (especially with differing track composers) and see what these new naming strings produce. He may see that it creates a big mess. Or it may be just the thing he wants.

Yes, indeed.

The other puzzling part in all this is the OP understands the following:
genre > album - Disc no. > artist > composer

and then claims to not understand the logic/syntax of Naming Strings, the Naming equivalent to the above being:
[genre]\[album] - [disc]\[artist]\[composer]

when the two strings are almost identical.

[dbarnby]

Re: Set-Up for Ripping

Yes, indeed.

The other puzzling part in all this is the OP understands the following:
genre > album - Disc no. > artist > composer

and then claims to not understand the logic/syntax of Naming Strings, the Naming equivalent to the above being:
[genre]\[album] - [disc]\[artist]\[composer]

when the two strings are almost identical.

------
garym, Dat Ei, mville:

Thank you for your responses they were helpful. I'm on vacation and will return in a week; then I'll get back to this ripping.
dbarnby

[garym]

Re: Set-Up for Ripping

------
garym, Dat Ei, mville:

Thank you for your responses they were helpful. I'm on vacation and will return in a week; then I'll get back to this ripping.
dbarnby

enjoy!

[dbarnby]

Re: Set-Up for Ripping

I've performed the experiments you suggested and learned a lot.
My thinking about how I want to organize my File Explorer has advanced considerably. Before I propose an explicit naming string sequence, I'd like to run my current thinking by the Forum because I want to benefit from your critique.

I'm certain that what I propose is non-standard; that is, it will probably not be the way any of you would do your own music; so what I am looking for is really a double check on my concept to insure I am not overlooking any crucial considerations and creating a disastrous mess. Don't hesitate to tell me if I'm off-base somewhere.

As you know, I first think of my music in terms of genre. Secondly, I find I then tend to think in terms of albums (like in the old days I'd group all my jazz albums together, my symphonies together, etc.) After that I would search through the albums in a desired genre to find the album I wanted to listen to.

Since my music Player allows me to organize/search my music in two ways: by folder (File Explorer) and by tags, it would seem I can retain the old approach, and at the same time enjoy the power of tagging. That is:
Search for albums by way of their folders
Search for artist or composer by way of tags

1) Folders

As I understand it, the File Explorer folder organization serves two functions:

First: it allows me find a given CD for the purpose of Library "maintenance," e.g.
I may want to delete a CD.

Second: it allows my player to search and play my CD library by way of the hierarchy I've established in the folder naming string.

This suggests to me that I can organize my CD's in the File Explorer in a pretty simply way: Genre > Album &*8211; Disc No > Track/song number and name > (followed by little or no further detail).

Doing this will allow me to look for albums within each genre just as in the old days. There would be no need to include artist or composer in the naming string (other than that which may be inherant in the album title). Does this make sense?

(Note: I might, however, want to include artist or composer, along with the track title, just for additional information or curiosity, however this would not result in additional sub-folders.)

I believe this approach should take care of a great deal of my selection needs to find a CD (album).

2) Tags

When I want to search by artist (for non-classical) or composer (for classical) I can readily do so by searching on those tags which are assigned to tracks during ripping so as to provide filtering by those parameters.

One of the basis of this two-pronged (folder and tag) approach it seems unnecessary to include artist and/or composer in the folder structure for either library maintenance or music selection. Once one has found the desired album, further detail seems unnecessary (or am I missing something here?).

Further, with the simple folder structure described in (1) above (genre > album > track), I should be able to use a single naming string for both classical and non-classical, because the classical-nonclassical distinction can be indicated by the genre; I've mentioned before my thought of preceding all my classical genre with a "C," and non-classical genre with an "N."

Does this approach work? Am I crippling my system or capabilities in any way?

Once I'm certain that I have these concepts correct (or corrected with your help), I'll define for further Forum comment what I hope will become my operational naming sequence.

Thanks,
dbarnby

[Dat Ei]

Re: Set-Up for Ripping

Does this approach work? Am I crippling my system or capabilities in any way?

Yes, that will work, but it will have a lot of surprises for you. And from my point of view you will cripple your system.

This suggests to me that I can organize my CD's in the File Explorer in a pretty simply way: Genre > Album &*8211; Disc No > Track/song number and name > (followed by little or no further detail).

What will happen if you have two different albums of the same genre, both called "Greatest Hits"? What will happen in case of multiple genres of an album?


Dat Ei

[garym]

Re: Set-Up for Ripping

One can organize one's files in many different ways. You should organize your names and tags in a way that makes sense to you. There are no rules assuming the computer operating system can read your data and file names and your player works with such tags/names.

For nonclassical, you seem to want:

[MAXLENGTH]240,[genre]\[album] - Disc [disc]\[track] - [title][]

If you want artist included at very end, use:
[MAXLENGTH]240,[genre]\[album] - Disc [disc]\[track] - [title] - [artist][]

for classical with composer at end:

[MAXLENGTH]240,[genre]\[album] - Disc [disc]\[track] - [title] - [composer][]

*if you are using album artist instead of artist in every tag, you can replace [artist] above with [album artist]

[dbarnby]

Re: Set-Up for Ripping

Dat Ei, I am interested in your comments.

A) You asked: "What will happen if you have two different albums of the same genre, both called 'Greatest Hits'"?
I have two thoughts:
1) I assume the full names would be different, i.e. "Greaterst Hits of Elvis" and "Greatest Hits of the 60s," and that that would make the needed distinction.
2) If there were a collision of names, wouldn't that happen no matter how one arranged the naming string?

B) You also asked:
"What will happen in case of multiple genres of an album?"
Wouldn't this also happen no matter how one arrange the naming string?

I'm not sure what aspects of my proposed approach is causing the possible confusions you mention, nor do I see a way to fix it.
Would you please elaborate further. If I'm missing something here I's like to identify it.

Thank you,
Don

[dbarnby]

Re: Set-Up for Ripping

Thank you Garym; I think I'm getting pretty close to GO.

dbarnby

[dbarnby]

Re: Set-Up for Ripping

Hi Dat Ei:

Also, in yesterday's reply you said: "Yes, that will work, but it will have a lot of surprises for you. And from my point of view you will cripple your system."
It will be helpful to me if you indicate what sorts of "surprises" would be in store for me, and in what way the system will be crippled.

Thanks, dbarnby