Batch conversions of WMA lossless to Flac - preserve tags

[prpixel]

Re: Batch conversions of WMA lossless to Flac - preserve tags

I'm curious. First ripping to lossy (Yes, I did that too, over 5,000 CDs). Second ripping to Lossless? If that's true, why the 3rd rip?

First rip to lossless with DRM turned on. Second rip to Lossless with DRM turned off. Third rip because music hard drive failed and backup misplaced by wife while cleaning. Now you understand why I multiple backups. On average 2500 CD's, still doesn't equal your 10K.

[garym]

Re: Batch conversions of WMA lossless to Flac - preserve tags

Re-ripping would take months! I've done it three times, but never again.

I'm curious. First ripping to lossy (Yes, I did that too, over 5,000 CDs). Second ripping to Lossless? If that's true, why the 3rd rip?

[prpixel]

Re: Batch conversions of WMA lossless to Flac - preserve tags

got it. at least this is a one time job!

Yes! I figure actually time sitting at the computer and deleting directories, copying the hi-res FLAC files manually and fixing the few mistakes is going to be 4-5 hours. Well worth the $39 cost of the software. Re-ripping would take months! I've done it three times, but never again.

[garym]

Re: Batch conversions of WMA lossless to Flac - preserve tags

got it. at least this is a one time job!

[prpixel]

Re: Batch conversions of WMA lossless to Flac - preserve tags

did you use the DSP "delete source file" or something similar. Look at the DSPs. I thought there was something that would do away with the empty directories left behind. Although I thought you were going to convert from the WMA to a NEW location where you had the FLAC, and keep the old WMA, at least for now. So why would you have empty directories??

Yes, I'm using DSP "Delete source file". However, there are some hidden Windows Media Player files in each directory, so batch converter will not delete them. I'm actually converting from "my music" directory to an external HD. Reasoning being is that I have about 200 albums, purchased online, that are hi-res FLAC. Batch Converter is set to only convert WMA files so it's skipping the Flac albums. So, I look in each directory and if it is "empty", I delete it. If not, I cut and paste it over to the external HD. I have three additional copies of the WMA files. When the conversion is done, I'll replace two copies with the FLAC version and I'll keep a copy just in case I ever need to access the original files again. External USB drives are cheap, and I never want to re-rip these again.

The computer has been running for about 9 hours now and I'm just starting the E's. I figure it should be done around 10 am Friday. It's been going pretty smoothly. Sometimes it divides up albums if there are guest artist. Other than that, no problems yet.

[garym]

Re: Batch conversions of WMA lossless to Flac - preserve tags

Ran a test last night on 5 Albums. It took about 6 minutes to process them. I had to play around with directory structure; the first time it grouped 3 albums from one artist into one folder. So, got that figured out and it did copy of metadata and album artwork. The one thing that it won't do is delete the old directories because they still contain that "junk" from WMP. So, it looks like a lot of time deleting old directories. I think that I'm going to do the conversion in small batches, that way I can go back and clean things up before continuing. Doing 2800+ albums, with conversion on 2600+, is going to take a few weeks.

did you use the DSP "delete source file" or something similar. Look at the DSPs. I thought there was something that would do away with the empty directories left behind. Although I thought you were going to convert from the WMA to a NEW location where you had the FLAC, and keep the old WMA, at least for now. So why would you have empty directories??

[prpixel]

Re: Batch conversions of WMA lossless to Flac - preserve tags

Ran a test last night on 5 Albums. It took about 6 minutes to process them. I had to play around with directory structure; the first time it grouped 3 albums from one artist into one folder. So, got that figured out and it did copy of metadata and album artwork. The one thing that it won't do is delete the old directories because they still contain that "junk" from WMP. So, it looks like a lot of time deleting old directories. I think that I'm going to do the conversion in small batches, that way I can go back and clean things up before continuing. Doing 2800+ albums, with conversion on 2600+, is going to take a few weeks.

[garym]

Re: Batch conversions of WMA lossless to Flac - preserve tags

Missed that. Did the trick and now I can see those hidden files. It's three different sizes of album art, a thumbs.db file and a desktop.ini file.

Thanks,

yes, that "junk" was created by windows media player.

[prpixel]

Re: Batch conversions of WMA lossless to Flac - preserve tags

That's not the same as enabling viewing of hidden system files. Look down the list a bit (in your image)....see where it says "Hide protected operating system files"? You need to uncheck that.

Missed that. Did the trick and now I can see those hidden files. It's three different sizes of album art, a thumbs.db file and a desktop.ini file.

Thanks,

[BrodyBoy]

Re: Batch conversions of WMA lossless to Flac - preserve tags

Using 8 cores, DBp is taking about a minute per album. So, 2600+ WMA Albums should take about 44 hours. I'll have to make sure sleep and hibernate are turned off.

Ooops....I read 2600 "tracks" at first. Still, I bet it'll go pretty fast.

[BrodyBoy]

Re: Batch conversions of WMA lossless to Flac - preserve tags

Enable viewing of hidden files is turned on.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]573[/ATTACH]

That's not the same as enabling viewing of hidden system files. Look down the list a bit (in your image)....see where it says "Hide protected operating system files"? You need to uncheck that.

[prpixel]

Re: Batch conversions of WMA lossless to Flac - preserve tags

I would also backup the WMA files, before proceeding.

Yes, I have four copies of the WMA files. I plan to pick up another portable external drive to store a copy of the WMA files just in case I need them Later. Then I'm going to replace all my other copies with the FLAC files. I have one copy on my music server, a copy on my main computer, a backup in the closet and a backup off site. I've had to re-rip three times and don't want to do it again.

Cool...sounds like that issue's resolved. WMP keeps several different-sized copies of the cover art, if I recall correctly. That may explain why there are so many hidden files. They are still hidden, incidentally, because you also have to enable viewing of hidden system files (in Folder Options).

Enable viewing of hidden files is turned on.

Yeah, that should work. Be careful when automatically deleting source files...thoroughly test your ripping protocol on a small batch or two to make sure everything is working as expected. But once you're confident in your setup, dBp should make quick work of converting and relocating all those files.

Yes, I plan on doing a few test before pulling the big trigger. Using 8 cores, DBp is taking about a minute per album. So, 2600+ WMA Albums should take about 44 hours. I'll have to make sure sleep and hibernate are turned off.

Sorry for double post.

Thanks again,

[prpixel]

Re: Batch conversions of WMA lossless to Flac - preserve tags

Cool...sounds like that issue's resolved. WMP keeps several different-sized copies of the cover art, if I recall correctly. That may explain why there are so many hidden files. They are still hidden, incidentally, because you also have to enable viewing of hidden system files (in Folder Options).

Yeah, that should work. Be careful when automatically deleting source files...thoroughly test your ripping protocol on a small batch or two to make sure everything is working as expected. But once you're confident in your setup, dBp should make quick work of converting and relocating all those files.

Yes, I plan on doing a few test before pulling the big trigger. Using 8 cores, DBp is taking about a minute per album. So, 2600+ WMA Albums should take about 44 hours. I'll have to make sure sleep and hibernate are turned off.

Thanks again,

[mville]

Re: Batch conversions of WMA lossless to Flac - preserve tags

As far as Filtering is concerned: if I do a batch convert, selecting only WMA files, tell it to preserve the directory structure on a different drive and delete each folder after processing, it should convert and move all my files to an external drive, correct? I have some FLAC and a ew MP3's that should be left behind. Then I could just merge the two directories and be done.

I would also backup the WMA files, before proceeding.

[BrodyBoy]

Re: Batch conversions of WMA lossless to Flac - preserve tags

I've already turned on view hidden files under Control Panel->Folder Options->View. This doesn't show the hidden files in each directory. There seams to be 6 hidden files in each Album directory. When I right click on an audio file and select "edit Tags" I can see the track/album information but no album art. I suspect that the album art is in a separate jpeg file. I played around a little last night and turned on "Folder.Jpeg Preserve" and that did copy over the artwork on my test album.

Cool...sounds like that issue's resolved. WMP keeps several different-sized copies of the cover art, if I recall correctly. That may explain why there are so many hidden files. They are still hidden, incidentally, because you also have to enable viewing of hidden system files (in Folder Options).

As far as Filtering is concerned: if I do a batch convert, selecting only WMA files, tell it to preserve the directory structure on a different drive and delete each folder after processing, it should convert and move all my files to an external drive, correct? I have some FLAC and a ew MP3's that should be left behind. Then I could just merge the two directories and be done.

Thanks for all the help,

Yeah, that should work. Be careful when automatically deleting source files...thoroughly test your ripping protocol on a small batch or two to make sure everything is working as expected. But once you're confident in your setup, dBp should make quick work of converting and relocating all those files.