Library management

[RMJFlack]

I suspect one can go a long way with Windows explorer (showing all the relevant columns) and right-click Edit ID Tag.
But its also good to be able to see the complete song list (ie ravelling all folders together). Also my Library is split across 3 main top level folders.
Sort of like iTunes.
Whats the best program for this? Is this one of PerfectTunes functions?

And - regarding PerefectTunes ... can it be told to ignore specific class(es) of duplicates, specifically mp3 down-conversions of FLAC files for iTunes?

[Spoon]

Re: Library management

PerfectTunes will not (currently)

If you wish to exclude files then it is best to have them in a location which is not indexed by perfecttunes.

[garym]

Re: Library management

PerfectTunes will not (currently)

If you wish to exclude files then it is best to have them in a location which is not indexed by perfecttunes.

for example, I keep my lossy versions of FLAC files in a separate location.

x:\music\FLAC\ARTIST\ALBUM\tracks....
x:\music\lossyONLY\ARTIST\ALBUM\tracks...
x:\lossycopy\ARTIST\ALBUM\tracks...,

In LMS, I tell it my music directory location is x:\music. this picks up FLAC files and any files where I have lossy only. For itunes, I point it at x:\lossycopy as my directory. So it picks up all those files. And then I "add folder" to itunes library and point to the "x:\music\lossyONLY" location. So when done, squeezeboxes play FLAC where I have them and lossy where that's all I have. Itunes has a complete copy of everything in lossy. And I get no duplicates in either LMS or iTunes.

[RMJFlack]

Re: Library management

AHA. Neat idea using two 'higher level' folders, although SBS (=LMS?) accepts multiple folders.
And I assume you do not 'use iTunes' in LMS?
Currently I do (Ive only just started making the FLAC library), its pretty convenient for playlists etc.
If not 'using iTunes' then I guess playlists have to be exported to a playlists folder so SBS can pick them up?

[garym]

Re: Library management

AHA. Neat idea using two 'higher level' folders, although SBS (=LMS?) accepts multiple folders.
And I assume you do not 'use iTunes' in LMS?
Currently I do (Ive only just started making the FLAC library), its pretty convenient for playlists etc.
If not 'using iTunes' then I guess playlists have to be exported to a playlists folder so SBS can pick them up?

yes, LMS (logitech media server) is the newer version of SbS. And I've been using SbS/LMS since before they allowed multiple folders (that's a recent improvement). I do NOT use integrate itunes. The only thing I miss with that is auto playlists from itunes. But instead, I use Erland's plugins (dynamic playlists and sql playlists) that give me interesting smart playlists, or the newer SMARTMIX plugin that uses the same "engine" that pandora uses to create auto random playlists for me using either my own music library, spotify or mog tunes, or a combination of the two. For "fixed" playlists, I just create these for LMS (or you can export to m3u from itunes and import these into SbS/LMS. but I don't really use many fixed playlists.

I really only use itunes now for loading up iphones/ipads/ipods. I do my home listening with LMS and many squeezeboxes and on the computer at work I use foobar2000 as my player.

[RMJFlack]

Re: Library management

Took a quick look at those plugins... I guess I have to read up on how they are used. So far Im a pretty unsophistiated LMS user.
Where can I find "plugins for dummies"?
One problem of course with iTunes generated playlists is that they will always point to the lossy versions of tracks. LMS would only know about the lossless version. LossyOnly is not a problem as both programs look at the same folder.
I guess one can go into the m3u file and brite force change the relevant containing folder name.

btw - thank you for all the helpful suggestions!

[garym]

Re: Library management

not sure there is a plugins for dummies. but these are pretty self explanatory once installed. but maybe the easiest one to use is to simply install SMARTMIX plugin. Then, play a song, and (in the LMS webGUI) click on the song name, then on the left panel one of the items you see halfway down the screen is "play song mix" or "play artist mix", then smartmix will take over and create a smart playlist. It only adds 5 or 10 songs at a time, but can go on forever....

(note, you can also invoke smartmix from ipeng for iphone controller or squeezeplay or other LMS controllers you might be using).

and yes, one reason I don't bother with itunes playlists, is that itunes is using my lossy files and those aren't the ones I'm listening to at home.

[garym]

Re: Library management

I guess one can go into the m3u file and brite force change the relevant containing folder name.

if everything is same about file names and directory structures (which they should be), you can simply open the m3u file in a text editor, and search and replace in bulk to change, say,

"x:\music\lossy"

to

"x:\music\flac"

[RMJFlack]

Re: Library management

So to summarise (want to be sure I have this right before I get too far down the yellow brick road)

"use iTunes" => playing games with "ticked" to avoid LMS picking up both versions of lossless tracks; can use iTunes for playlists, BUT LMS will point at lossy versions; can use iTunes to "manage" the lossy only library
"dont use iTunes" => no issue with duplicates; bit more work to make recreate playlists for LMS BUT they will then point to lossless versions where available

Next step is to try a couple of experiments starting with the one you suggest perhaps.

[garym]

Re: Library management

So to summarise (want to be sure I have this right before I get too far down the yellow brick road)

"use iTunes" => playing games with "ticked" to avoid LMS picking up both versions of lossless tracks; can use iTunes for playlists, BUT LMS will point at lossy versions; can use iTunes to "manage" the lossy only library
"dont use iTunes" => no issue with duplicates; bit more work to make recreate playlists for LMS BUT they will then point to lossless versions where available

Next step is to try a couple of experiments starting with the one you suggest perhaps.

I think correct on the "use itunes" above, but not sure I completely follow you. bottom line, once you start doing FLAC files, etc. you'll be much happier just moving away from the "use itunes" option in LMS/SbS. But we're way off topic from dbpa now. Probably should open a thread on forums.slimdevices.com to get into more discussion on use of itunes integration, use of plugins, etc. I post over there too....

[Fmulvey]

Re: Library management

Hello -

I have R14.4 and just updated PerfectMeta subscription. Can I scan my existing library to update album art. I have ~9,000 songs and a small fraction have the album art shown in the "Edit ID Tag" Many have album art in a folder. WMP shows the album art but it is not consistently embedded in each track.

Is there a way to scan the library and update the album art? Every discussion seems to be around CD Ripper. I haven't had CDs since I ripped them all and sold theme to Media Play in 1999 or so....

Thanks!

[Spoon]

Re: Library management

>Is there a way to scan the library and update the album art?

See PerfectTunes in the beta section of this forum

[Fmulvey]

Re: Library management

Thanks for responding - I'm not adept at this - Is it possible?

Where?

Forum - dbPoweramp - Beta Tesing:Test Pre Releases - then where??

Sorry....

[Fmulvey]

Re: Library management

Okay - found PerfectTunes download and it is scanning the library - I'll provide status in 4 hours....

[Fmulvey]

Re: Library management

Just got to the end of Perfect Tunes Listening, hung up with 2 seconds remaining for the last 15 minutes. Should I end it? Is there a long wrap up process at the end?