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Shell extension/property handler problem and request
Hello,
I came here to complain about the way that dBpoweramp Windows Shell Extension/Property Hanlder works. The main problem is with RATING value. Normally, Windows internal property handler for mp3 files writes rating not as just straight values which are number of chosen stars, but use specific let's say "encoding". So for example 5 stars means that value written in tag is "99", 4 stars means that value written in tag is "75" and so on. As far as I know it is called "popularimeter" and for mp3 files it is stored in POPM flame of ID3 tags. Unfortunately, for FLAC files dBpoweramp writes just numbers corresponding to the number of stars clicked in Explorer. And this is currently huge problem for me which has a story behind, and the beginning of further problems and complaints about dBpoweramp.
The story goes like this: I was looking for property handler for FLAC files. I found "AJD FLAC Property Handler" which was OK. But I wanted more - I wanted property handler for AIFF files. I was told, that dBpoweramp offers such property handler and I installed it. I was told that I can choose whether I want to still use AJD or dBpoweramp property handler for FLAC files. I looked into configuration dialog and I set checkboxes. And here we have first problem. dBpoweamp offers "Exclusions list" instead of normal list where you choose what you want to enable rather than disable... I left FLAC unchecked as I thought that this means it wouldn't be enabled... This is very tricky and I think it SHOULD be changed. This dialog should show options to enable given property handlers and not to "left them disabled". This is very bad behavior - it seems that dBpoweramp is relatively aggressive with installing every functionality that it can handle, regarding of what user have currently installed in his system and it causes a mess. But this is not the end. I figured out what is going on after some time and I tried to disable FLAC property handler in dBpoweramp but with no results. Whatever I checked or unchecked, Explorer used always dBpa property handler for FLAC files... Another RealPlayer? But OK, I gave up. I decided that property handler provider is not the most important thing - it should just work.
But here we have 2nd problem. dBpa property handler uses "YEAR" field instead of "DATE" field to store Windows Explorer property "Year of release". I was mad, but I decided to REBUILD MY WHOLE LIBRARY (which is quite large) and use YEAR field instead of DATE field. I changed this in EVERY FILE on my PC. I started using DATE field for "Exact date" - consisting of year, month and day. And then I realized third problem, the one with rating... I edit metadata mostly in foobar. And I continuously have problems with RATING field. I have to fill it differently for FLAC files and differently for mp3 files - still make mistakes. I could try to curse dBpa property handler for FLAC files, but this will require that I rebuild my library again to its previous state and I remember how many problems it generated for the first time... So I think you have achieved your goal... I am stuck with dBpa.
In this case I require and officially request that this broken behavior with RATING will be fixed and for every supported files dBpa will add values like it is done in ID3 "popularimeter" frame. This will be additionally consistent in way that AJD FLAC Property Handler works. And it will make values of RATING tag consistent for all file types.
EDIT:
Nice. Today I updated dBpa from 14.3 to 14.4. Now I see that despite my settings to disable both FLAC and MP3 property handler from dBpa, they both are working. Very nice. Good software. F***ng recommended. Thank you.
I came here to complain about the way that dBpoweramp Windows Shell Extension/Property Hanlder works. The main problem is with RATING value. Normally, Windows internal property handler for mp3 files writes rating not as just straight values which are number of chosen stars, but use specific let's say "encoding". So for example 5 stars means that value written in tag is "99", 4 stars means that value written in tag is "75" and so on. As far as I know it is called "popularimeter" and for mp3 files it is stored in POPM flame of ID3 tags. Unfortunately, for FLAC files dBpoweramp writes just numbers corresponding to the number of stars clicked in Explorer. And this is currently huge problem for me which has a story behind, and the beginning of further problems and complaints about dBpoweramp.
The story goes like this: I was looking for property handler for FLAC files. I found "AJD FLAC Property Handler" which was OK. But I wanted more - I wanted property handler for AIFF files. I was told, that dBpoweramp offers such property handler and I installed it. I was told that I can choose whether I want to still use AJD or dBpoweramp property handler for FLAC files. I looked into configuration dialog and I set checkboxes. And here we have first problem. dBpoweamp offers "Exclusions list" instead of normal list where you choose what you want to enable rather than disable... I left FLAC unchecked as I thought that this means it wouldn't be enabled... This is very tricky and I think it SHOULD be changed. This dialog should show options to enable given property handlers and not to "left them disabled". This is very bad behavior - it seems that dBpoweramp is relatively aggressive with installing every functionality that it can handle, regarding of what user have currently installed in his system and it causes a mess. But this is not the end. I figured out what is going on after some time and I tried to disable FLAC property handler in dBpoweramp but with no results. Whatever I checked or unchecked, Explorer used always dBpa property handler for FLAC files... Another RealPlayer? But OK, I gave up. I decided that property handler provider is not the most important thing - it should just work.
But here we have 2nd problem. dBpa property handler uses "YEAR" field instead of "DATE" field to store Windows Explorer property "Year of release". I was mad, but I decided to REBUILD MY WHOLE LIBRARY (which is quite large) and use YEAR field instead of DATE field. I changed this in EVERY FILE on my PC. I started using DATE field for "Exact date" - consisting of year, month and day. And then I realized third problem, the one with rating... I edit metadata mostly in foobar. And I continuously have problems with RATING field. I have to fill it differently for FLAC files and differently for mp3 files - still make mistakes. I could try to curse dBpa property handler for FLAC files, but this will require that I rebuild my library again to its previous state and I remember how many problems it generated for the first time... So I think you have achieved your goal... I am stuck with dBpa.
In this case I require and officially request that this broken behavior with RATING will be fixed and for every supported files dBpa will add values like it is done in ID3 "popularimeter" frame. This will be additionally consistent in way that AJD FLAC Property Handler works. And it will make values of RATING tag consistent for all file types.
EDIT:
Nice. Today I updated dBpa from 14.3 to 14.4. Now I see that despite my settings to disable both FLAC and MP3 property handler from dBpa, they both are working. Very nice. Good software. F***ng recommended. Thank you.
. I hope our IT team will take your opinion into account in case of software audit 
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