Issues with changing track numbers when editing ID Tags

[centurymantra]

I have a number of discs that were ripped prior to using dbPoweramp as my program of choice and I have been adding ID tags to these few discs as opposed to re-ripping. This works fine with the exception of the track numbers. I can't seem to get these to register properly. When playing these albums on my Sonos system, it simply arranges the tracks in alphabetical order, ignoring the track numbers I have added. I have tried labeling them with just the number, as well as doing it in the x/xx format (ie. 1/10, 2/10, 3/10, etc.) to no avail. I tried using the x/xx format when I noticed other ripped discs listed as such.

Any ideas for me...?

This is in WAV format, BTW.

[Spoon]

Re: Issues with changing track numbers when editing ID Tags

And discs ripped with dBpoweramp are in correct order? I am guessing it is more to do with the filename have track number first.

[BrodyBoy]

Re: Issues with changing track numbers when editing ID Tags

I have a number of discs that were ripped prior to using dbPoweramp as my program of choice and I have been adding ID tags to these few discs as opposed to re-ripping. This works fine with the exception of the track numbers. I can't seem to get these to register properly. When playing these albums on my Sonos system, it simply arranges the tracks in alphabetical order, ignoring the track numbers I have added. I have tried labeling them with just the number, as well as doing it in the x/xx format (ie. 1/10, 2/10, 3/10, etc.) to no avail. I tried using the x/xx format when I noticed other ripped discs listed as such.

Any ideas for me...?

This is in WAV format, BTW.

How are you editing your metadata? WAV is problematic for many editors, and for Sonos playback (in terms of metadata, not audio). Honestly, I'd really suggest you try one of the commonly used lossless codecs like FLAC or ALAC.....you'll find that the audio quality is indistinguishable from WAV, while the metadata is much, much easier to work with.

[garym]

Re: Issues with changing track numbers when editing ID Tags

do a batch convert of the older wav files to [arrange audio] dsp. This will just rename files. have it automatically put the track number (with two digits) in front of track name in the file itself, i.e: "01 - Come Together", "02 - Something", etc. this doesn't touch the actual audio content of the wav files.

[centurymantra]

Re: Issues with changing track numbers when editing ID Tags

I need to become more familiar with the Batch Converter at some point, and will make a point of learning how to use it's functions. That could be helpful for things like this.

Basically, I have a bunch of albums, cassettes and some CDs that have no ID Tags. I can go in and manually add artist, title, etc. and everything is recognized - except for the track number. I just cannot get this to work, so there must be something I am missing. I can resort to adding the number into the actual song name in the ID tag, but this is a bit of half-assed work around and then the songs do not display properly when viewing the library by track title.

When entering from scratch onto a completely blank slate, how should I enter the track number in order for this to display properly?

[garym]

Re: Issues with changing track numbers when editing ID Tags

I need to become more familiar with the Batch Converter at some point, and will make a point of learning how to use it's functions. That could be helpful for things like this.

Basically, I have a bunch of albums, cassettes and some CDs that have no ID Tags. I can go in and manually add artist, title, etc. and everything is recognized - except for the track number. I just cannot get this to work, so there must be something I am missing. I can resort to adding the number into the actual song name in the ID tag, but this is a bit of half-assed work around and then the songs do not display properly when viewing the library by track title.

When entering from scratch onto a completely blank slate, how should I enter the track number in order for this to display properly?

what program are you using to edit the tags of your files (the manual editing you're doing)? Are you right clicking on the file, choosing "edit ID Tag" and trying it from there (this is dbpa's manual tag editing)

[centurymantra]

Re: Issues with changing track numbers when editing ID Tags

what program are you using to edit the tags of your files (the manual editing you're doing)? Are you right clicking on the file, choosing "edit ID Tag" and trying it from there (this is dbpa's manual tag editing)

Yes, that is what I am using.

[garym]

Re: Issues with changing track numbers when editing ID Tags

and you've tried to enter "1", "01" and "1/N" and selected "OK" when done and nothing shows up? Install mp3tag (yes, works with other than mp3) and load up an album, select all the tracks, then select tools > auto numbering wizard and let it renumber the tracks. Does this work?

http://download.mp3tag.de/mp3tagv258setup.exe

[centurymantra]

Re: Issues with changing track numbers when editing ID Tags

and you've tried to enter "1", "01" and "1/N" and selected "OK" when done and nothing shows up? Install mp3tag (yes, works with other than mp3) and load up an album, select all the tracks, then select tools > auto numbering wizard and let it renumber the tracks. Does this work?

http://download.mp3tag.de/mp3tagv258setup.exe

Cool...thanks for the tip. I will give this a try. It really does seem odd. It just seems that dbPoweramp MUST be coding something that I'm missing. It may have to do with the Sonos interface, but still must relate to something that is missing. I know that WAV is not known for ID tag versatility, but it has been working just fine for me. Every CD that I've ripped with the program displays perfectly and all ID tags are 100% perfectly organized within the system.

[BrodyBoy]

Re: Issues with changing track numbers when editing ID Tags

and you've tried to enter "1", "01" and "1/N" and selected "OK" when done and nothing shows up? Install mp3tag (yes, works with other than mp3) and load up an album, select all the tracks, then select tools > auto numbering wizard and let it renumber the tracks. Does this work?

http://download.mp3tag.de/mp3tagv258setup.exe

Does mp3tag edit .wav files now? Last time I looked, it wouldn't even load .wav files.

[garym]

Re: Issues with changing track numbers when editing ID Tags

Does mp3tag edit .wav files now? Last time I looked, it wouldn't even load .wav files.

perhaps not. I don't use wav files (and, as an aside, I'm amazed anyone does given they provide no additional benefits but have lots of negatives)

[BrodyBoy]

Re: Issues with changing track numbers when editing ID Tags

perhaps not. I don't use wav files (and, as an aside, I'm amazed anyone does given they provide no additional benefits but have lots of negatives)

Yeah, I re-checked a bit ago. Like other tag editors, mp3tag doesn't do .wav files. And I completely agree with your sentiments.....I just don't see any scenario where .wav is preferable.

Again I suggest to the OP: I know you'd find FLAC or ALAC easier to work with. For music you've already ripped to .wav, Music Converter can make very short work of converting them to one of the other lossless codecs. (And you can certainly save & archive those .wav files, if you want...though there's no real need to do so. You can convert easily between lossless codecs, so you can convert back to .wav anytime.)

[centurymantra]

Re: Issues with changing track numbers when editing ID Tags

I understand there is heated debate over the folly of choosing WAV over FLAC. When I started this process, the nitpicking audio purist in me spurred me to decide on WAV as an "exact" copy of the files for archival purposes, esp. in light of the fact that storage space is, in this day and age, a non-issue. I understand this may be pointless, and have since become more familiar with FLAC and realize it is an excellent choice of format that allows more versatility. Fact of it is - I have already ripped a LOT of discs in WAV and will probably continue in this way for uniformity. All the ID tags, indexing, etc. work perfectly and without a hitch in my Sonos system so I don't see FLAC providing me with any functionality that I need or don't already have. FLAC conversion may happen at some point...but not now.

That being said, I'd still like to be able to simply get the track numbers to register properly for editing my un-tagged WAV files, but I suppose I may simply convert the few discs, LP transfers, etc. that are in un-tagged WAV format to FLAC to make this happen.

Still...to keep the conversation on topic, if anyone can give me an solution to the problem, that would be most appreciated!

[BrodyBoy]

Re: Issues with changing track numbers when editing ID Tags

I understand there is heated debate over the folly of choosing WAV over FLAC. When I started this process, the nitpicking audio purist in me spurred me to decide on WAV as an "exact" copy of the files for archival purposes, esp. in light of the fact that storage space is, in this day and age, a non-issue. I understand this may be pointless, and have since become more familiar with FLAC and realize it is an excellent choice of format that allows more versatility. Fact of it is - I have already ripped a LOT of discs in WAV and will probably continue in this way for uniformity. All the ID tags, indexing, etc. work perfectly and without a hitch in my Sonos system so I don't see FLAC providing me with any functionality that I need or don't already have. FLAC conversion may happen at some point...but not now.

That being said, I'd still like to be able to simply get the track numbers to register properly for editing my un-tagged WAV files, but I suppose I may simply convert the few discs, LP transfers, etc. that are in un-tagged WAV format to FLAC to make this happen.

Still...to keep the conversation on topic, if anyone can give me an solution to the problem, that would be most appreciated!

It's nothing to do with folly, or with that "audiophile" debate......it's just a matter of practicality. The fact is that .wav files are harder to work with than other lossless codecs. Ideally, you want to ensure that the metadata is accurate prior to ripping because editing later is prone to issues and failures, as your current predicament illustrates.

I think your best solution is to do a google search for tag editors and find one that can edit .wav files.

[garym]

Re: Issues with changing track numbers when editing ID Tags

It's nothing to do with folly, or with that "audiophile" debate......it's just a matter of practicality. The fact is that .wav files are harder to work with than other lossless codecs. Ideally, you want to ensure that the metadata is accurate prior to ripping because editing later is prone to issues and failures, as your current predicament illustrates.

I think your best solution is to do a google search for tag editors and find one that can edit .wav files.

agree. Ease of tagging/standard tagging method read by all players, etc. is the key benefit of FLAC. But the OP should keep in mind a valuable aspect of FLAC vs WAV that is often overlooked. FLAC files contain self checking data within the file that allows one to, for example, copy all your files to a backup drive, and then run [TEST CONVERSION] in dbpa, or "verify integrity" in foobar2000, or even a command line flac program to automatically test all your files to make sure there has been no corruption in any of the files. WAV files do not have this built in ability.