Messages

16

Questions / Re: Can anyone help me with “Best Practice” for Tag Separators….?

« on: October 26, 2021, 12:59:22 PM »

Thanks for the thoughts guys...

After tons of testing with Picard and Mp3tag and seeing the results in those programs and Windows Explorer and MusicBee, and seeing what seems to be standard convention, I've decided I'm going to do a Forward Slash Separator on all my standard tags, no spaces, and then do a Semi-Colon with a Space for my Genre's and multi-artists in the Artist Tag.
I'm using ID3 2.3...

This seems to be the best at displaying things properly, and what's most used and how.  I've tried every other variation and tags I could think to do, and there were often display issues.
I could just do ALL Semi-colon, but that doesn't seem standard atm, and I can always change the separators in the future if I need to.

Thanks all for being sounding boards... 

17

Questions / Re: Can anyone help me with “Best Practice” for Tag Separators….?

« on: October 26, 2021, 04:45:52 AM »

Thanks, ya, the forward-slash seemed to be the other most common...
It seems forward slashes tend to be used on the less common tags and semi-colons are used more on the more common tags like Genre and Artists.

I'll test the forward-slash with spaces also and see what it does.
Drives me nuts that there's no consistency...  It's like I hate that the "Date" isn't consistent either, the primary date should be when the song first came out by the artist, then we can have Album Date, and Remix/Remastered Date.  Those are the only primary dates we need, the most important one being the original release date.  But instead, most dates are Album release dates, and that ticks me off for those who might want to music of different years.

Anyway, ya, I'm using Picard also along with Mp3tag...  Going crazy, but thank you.  
Oh btw, I've discovered that Picard's Genre tag doesn't like certain separators, it won't show multi-genres if you like use a single slash or something, the semi-colon and backward slashes seem fine to it.

Oh, and I also discovered that if you use backslashes in Picard for Genre and Artist, and then open in Mp3tag, and even save, for some reason MusicBee and Windows explorer shows the backward slashes instead of semi-colons, as they do when you're "editing" the tags adding the backslashes with Mp3tag.
There's all kinds of weird crap, it's frustrating trying to figure it all out....

18

Questions / Can anyone help me with “Best Practice” for Tag Separators….?

« on: October 25, 2021, 11:53:02 PM »

So, as some know I'm trying to put together my music collection, so I've been reporting issues, suggestions, etc.
Part of this process is having my Tags etc. all correct, and in that process, I’m leaning thinking I should use backward Double-Slashes \\ as the separator for ALL Tags, but would all players etc. like that?

So, any value that has multiple entries I just use the double-slash.
So, Genres would be separated by double-slashes, as well as ALL other Tags, Artist, ISRC #'s, etc.
Or should I do something different, like use double-slashes for some and a forward single-slash / or semi-colon (, commas, etc. for others?

This has confused the crap out of me since ALL seem to be being used.

19

Plugins / Re: MusicBeeNeverSleeps - disable monitor power down when music is playing

« on: October 24, 2021, 12:06:06 AM »

BTW, over the last month or two since I've been using the last MusicBee beta at least, and I think the official release, MusicBee just having it "open" doesn't allow my computer to go to SLEEP.

So, I've noticed this many times (often nap)...  I don't know if it's supposed to, if it's a bug, a feature, but just reporting something I've noticed.
So, it's possible the Plugin isn't needed?

20

Bug Reports / Re: [Bug 3.4.9742] Artist images are ALL downloaded instead of using Embedded image.

« on: October 16, 2021, 10:00:52 PM »

Ah, okay...

Hope you add the support eventually, doesn't seem like it should take much since you already have the functionality with Album Covers, as well you have "Image Rotation" in the Track Information/Image Viewer below the playlist, so your program clearly sees and shows the Artist Image embedded within the file.

But, thanks for the program and your work on it, look forward to the feature one day being added.

Take care...

21

Bug Reports / [Bug 3.4.9742] Artist images are ALL downloaded instead of using Embedded image.

« on: October 16, 2021, 01:35:13 AM »

So far from what I can tell, there appear to be two bugs...  (also haven't tested the official release if this bug occurs)

1. Even though you have Artist Images tagged in the embedded music file, they are not being read/shown in Artist display view in the main panel.

2. When the online database finds no Artist image it simply uses the Album Cover for the file, rather than the Artist image that's in it.

The correct function should be Artist image is looked for in the music files, and it displays those.  If they find no artist image, then it looks online and downloads whatever is in the online database.  If no Artist image is found in neither the file nor online, then it uses the Cover image as the last resort.

BTW, I'm using ID3 2.3 to tag my files, and I've tried deleting/creating new libraries, deleting all files and all image thumbs in Music and in AppData, checked the images in Mp3tag, all have the correct Image tag designation, etc.

UPDATE: There actually may be "some" exceptions...?  ABBA was originally using the Album cover, but at some point it started using the embedded Artist image, yet for some reason none others that I can see so far obviously are?  Did it actually get automatically "uploaded" to one of the sites because THEY didn't have it and that's why it's all of a sudden using my embedded image, it's actually coming from them now?  This was also one of the things I found weird.  Initially, I didn't have Artist images in my files and I saw the program downloading them all, but there were SOOOO many artist images they didn't have, like for ABBA.  I found it weird for very common groups whatever sites you're using to download artwork for didn't have artist images.  I mean you know, how do they NOT already have an ABBA image?

Anyway, just one of the issues above, you see in the pic how Album Covers are being used, and yet each of these has an Artist image in them.  All the other images are downloaded from the internet, also not using the embedded Artist file.

22

Questions / Re: How to "Auto Embed" Artist pics auto-downloaded by MB...?

« on: October 13, 2021, 09:08:19 PM »

Hey all, with the help of Mp3tag, figured out how to Batch-add ARTIST images to MP3's....

Here's the solution.

1. create an ACTION "Import cover from file",
2. then select the folder/file directory in the first field (format string), replace a selected jpg with %artist%.jpg in the field (the file path should look like this C:\Users\yourusername\Desktop\Thumb\%artist%.jpg for example),
3. then select Artist in the next field (Import Cover as),
4. and then ensure you have all the files you want to add the Artist images into in Mp3tags window and they are selected, and run the Action.

You will have been able to "batch process" individual artist images, embedding them ALL for every MP3. As noted above, MusicBee created thumbs of every artist and put them in a folder under the artist name which made this easy to then use Mp3tag.

NOTE also that artist images MusicBee didn't find will NOT be in that folder, so you will have to edit those music files manually. You'll get an error for those missing images when you run the above Action.
Also, this action can be done with "other" image types, just change accordingly.

Thanks to both MusicBee and Mp3tag for making this easy...

Oh, and also feel free to use your favorite file size reducer to reduce the image sizes if you want.  MB saves them at 1,000x1,000 pixels.
I reduced them to what I like the cover sizes to be at 640 pixels.  The program I used was XnViewMP.

23

MusicBee Wishlist / Re: Feature Request... Make "Instrumental" music interpreted as NOT needing Lyrics.

« on: October 13, 2021, 01:39:06 AM »

If there's something you can actually point to as a "problem" in my speech, then I can correct it.

This addresses why people don't like your manner better than I ever could.

It's ok, plenty of people are socially awkward and don't know how to get along with other people. I'm just trying to help you understand what it is about you that annoys people so you can, like you said, correct the problem.  I hope you do.  I'm sure there's something useful you could offer the forum someday, and I hope we get there.

See, yet again you just post a personal attack rather than explaining "what I did wrong"....  A general statement of me having an "unbearably obnoxious manner" in your own words is NOT something I can correct.  I need "specifics".

Anyway, I wasn't at all what you claim, you and some others simply didn't like my views...  and then claim it's "me" that's the problem when it's actually some of you.
I know this for sure because I've done TONS of writing on forums in relation to politics, religion, and other subjects, so I'm well experienced in what I do and don't do, and for some magical reason ONLY HERE do I have a few people like you causing problems with me.  And this isn't even a political/religious forum.  So, maybe YOU need to think about how you're judging people?

You can't point out me doing anything wrong because you know I didn't, you and some others just don't like my suggestions, so you personally attack.  That's all people who have no substance do, they make their "target" the bad guy, when the so-called bad guy just shared his thoughts, not attacking anyone, not degrading anyone, professionally listing his views on a subject, in detail etc.

Pot meet kettle...  Everything you said of me actually applies to you.

One other thing, you falsely think it's "me" when even ZAK responded to phred unnecessarily giving me attitude in the 2nd post of this thread, the very first response.
I quote what Zak said: "I'm not sure why disagreeing with a wishlist request needs to be quite so harsh."

You see, "I" am not the problem here, I've done nothing like this, but others have, you, phred, hiccup, etc.
He was the one who was "obnoxious".... I in contrast did nothing, and you can't point such out either because you know I didn't.  You and some others just don't like me showing issues and some changes needed, and so you personally attack me.  I'm intruding on "your turf" so you gotta put me in my place.  How big of you.  

I come here and post about issues I've encountered with a program, you lot act like this is "The Days of our Lives", for some reason wanting DRAMA.
Lord of heaven....  ugh 

24

MusicBee Wishlist / Re: Change Formating Request... for "Bottom function Bar" and other UI things.

« on: October 13, 2021, 01:25:53 AM »

Nothing but personal attacks...  Not going to bother to respond.  I gave my views in a professional way, I get nothing but personal attacks.

Enjoy your lives.  Heaven forbid anyone contradicts your opinions.

25

Questions / Re: How to "Auto Embed" Artist pics auto-downloaded by MB...?

« on: October 13, 2021, 12:08:00 AM »

Thanks for the info...  Ya, not finding any "auto" method for the Artist Art.

I am trying to see if I can get the Album Art Downloader dev if he will add the ability to download and auto-embed the Artist Art with his program like it does for Album Art.
Manual seems to the the only way I'm finding so far...  LOL

As to "auto" adding of tags and such, I hope so, I do know I disabled a bunch of stuff in settings when I first installed, some of it seemed to be "auto" stuff, but maybe it all was "temporary" as you were saying and I was just scared ****less my tags would get edited like happened with MediaMonkey even though I did the same, disabled anything auto.  LOL.

Thanks again....  

26

Questions / [RESOLVED] How to "Auto Embed" Artist pics auto-downloaded by MB...?

« on: October 12, 2021, 08:58:50 PM »

UPDATE... See the Solution below...     https://getmusicbee.com/forum/index.php?topic=35646.msg194924#msg194924

So, haven't cared about Artist pics yet, but now I want my MP3s to be complete with both Front Cover and Artist pics, so was wondering how I get the Artist pics also embedded by MB?

Also, when I get them embedded MB won't go and "still" download and display them right?
I saw some talk about this in 2018 on the forum that someone's Artist pics were being overwritten by MB, for "display" anyway.  Has this been fixed?
One reason I ask is because "some" of the images I'll want to change, so I don't want MB displaying another image.

Further, I would like to request that MB needs a "function change" in that NOTHING should be "automatic" unless we've manually set the setting to do so in Settings.  Why?  Because I had a serious problem with MediaMonkey in which even though they have a section in which you can set what tags are updated or not, and I set those settings, MM STILL downloaded and literally REPLACED all my tags.  And they said it's "designed" to do this....

I was just trying to update Lyrics, and they said that on "save" ALL tags will be updated according to their database....  This was absolutely terrible, and I was trying to prevent just that in Settings, and had I not had a backup of my music files that hadn't been "fully" touched, I would have been in deep ****, manually fixing every single mp3, some 3,500, which I had already spent over a 100+ hours doing so manually using MusicBrainz Picard and Mp3tag...

Anyway, the reason I mention this is when I went into Artist Display in the Main Panel, and previous Theatre mode or whatever, I noticed Artist images were being "auto-downloaded".  Now, it's good it's not "imbedding" them at least into the files, but something else should be done for auto-stuff, which will save some resources too.  For example, if we want to use the Artist display, there could be a "note" at the top which indicates we need to activate auto-download for Artist Images in Settings.

Anyway, bottom line is I'm looking to embed Artist images into the song files.  I noticed MB downloaded them all when I went to that view.  Can I do that with MB, or is there another recommended method to do this by "auto"?  Auto's fine for me in this particular instance for those particular empty "tags".
Thanks

P.S. Forgot to mention that I know about the Settings for Artwork retrieval and saving/embedding.
My big question is if I enable that, "what" Artwork is the program actually downloading and updating?
I don't want my Cover Art touched, or other Image tags, I just want to add the missing "Artist" Artwork?

27

MusicBee Wishlist / Re: Feature Request... Make "Instrumental" music interpreted as NOT needing Lyrics.

« on: October 12, 2021, 06:31:21 PM »

I wish people wouldn't take things so "personally"...  I ran into a problem, would like solutions.  That's all.  Thank you for your support.

I think the resistance to your posts has more to do with your unbearably obnoxious manner than the actual content. Don't take it "personally."

Peoples imagination are not my problem...  There has been nothing "improper" in my posts.  I have remained completely professional, simply relaying issues I've encountered.
Period.  If there's something you can actually point to as a "problem" in my speech, then I can correct it.  Otherwise, I'm simply stating my experience, nothing more nothing less.
Addressing issues doesn't automatically translate into "unbearably obnoxious"....  If you think so, then point out the actual statement I've made which classifies as such?

So, they can take my words "personally" but I shouldn't their personal attacks?  It's just like your statement here, you made a personal attack, addressing nothing of substance related to the thread.
But I have a thick skin, others however clearly need to stop reading into things, there was NOTHING ever "personal" in my posts here.  They are simple issues and facts.  Period.
I get people don't like others intruding on their territory, but some people need to think on if that's the proper response to people coming in peace with issues they encounter.   That is all.

28

MusicBee Wishlist / Re: Change Formating Request... for "Bottom function Bar" and other UI things.

« on: October 12, 2021, 06:24:40 PM »

Okay, so people can't take constructive criticism...  What's new.

So hiccup...  I've stated my observations, and further, I can't be called a "liar" or speaking "falsely" since my statement had qualifications.
I originally stated I quote: "Also, I checked out your skins and basically, NONE of your dark skins have the Play Group on the right side, so that didn't work for me.
But again, thanks for trying to help."

So, the word "basically." would include skins that just didn't work well, being all one color, no proper contrasts, etc....  As well, the words "so that didn't work for me" also addresses flaws I saw with your skins.   I wasn't trying to say you had no buttons on the right side with dark skins, I was saying that they had issues and were not usable for me.  I could have been a little more clear in my statement to not confuse you, but it is what it is.
Since you discounted my statement with a "list" of your skins, I then explained what was wrong with each one of them, why they didn't work (save what I said might work), in other words WHY I said what I said.

Anyway, you can take what I've said "negatively" if that's what you like to do in life, or you can improve from my observations.  I explained what worked and what didn't work and WHY.  This is not "personal" for me, I professionally explained the problems, you and others choose to engage in personal attacks.

Simple...  Enjoy.  My statements still stand because I've explained in "detail" what's problematic about the default skins per my OP etc.
Others here, all they've done is just say "that's your opinion or preference, and you suck for having such"....  Well, those aren't arguments.
I've addressed "functional problems" in what I've stated....  If none of you can't understand the difference between functional issues and "preferences" then okay, whatever.

And to repeat myself again, the Progress Bar being FAR TOO CLOSE to the bottom border of the player, and is so small that it's hard to click on, ARE "functional problems".

I'm dealing with issues here...  Sure, I mentioned some "preferences" also which btw are also functional in nature (i.e. being able to "see" what's going on, i.e. what's playing)  But, those were secondary issues, not the primary issues I was addressing.
I get I'm intruding on your "home", and you don't like it, but my being the only one speaking out doesn't make a non-existent issue.  I've explained in DETAIL WHY they are issues, so you can understand those points, or choose not to.

29

MusicBee Wishlist / Re: Feature Request... Make "Instrumental" music interpreted as NOT needing Lyrics.

« on: October 11, 2021, 05:22:44 AM »

Instrumental is an obvious one, but it would be nice to include things like Spoken Word, Classical, Score etc. too.

At least two of these three will or can have lyrics?

But if somebody does have a system where his genre tags imply a song having lyrics or not, these genre tags will not get lost with a new library or database, and a virtual tag can easily be used and re-implemented to achieve something like this.

So to me personally, same as phred, I don't see added value in it.

1. Yes, this would be a potential problem...  Using the tags can be "imperfect".
So, that's one reason why I'm looking for ideas and solutions on this...

2. Yes, the solution phred provided is a solution that should work.
But, as has also been discussed, are there ways this can be done automatically, so instrumental files can just be ignored?
Genre tags might not be the solution especially since they can be imperfect and mean different things.

So, what about a "custom tag" solution that's made "standard" in the industry, and then MusicBee or any other program can use it to "ignore" those files?

30

MusicBee Wishlist / Re: Feature Request... Make "Instrumental" music interpreted as NOT needing Lyrics.

« on: October 11, 2021, 05:16:15 AM »

-1
A request which would only waste Steven's time. You already know there's a check box for 'no lylrics' so I suggest using it.

I'm not sure why disagreeing with a wishlist request needs to be quite so harsh.

Besides that, as some whose library is about 25% instrumental, I think this would be useful so:
+1

The easiest way is to allow users to specify Genre values that should automatically be considered as having no lyrics.
Instrumental is an obvious one, but it would be nice to include things like Spoken Word, Classical, Score etc. too.

This wouldn't be difficult to implement and doesn't require users to tag all every single instrumental track.
It also removes the potential for that information to be lost when creating a new library or database.

Yes, this is what I was looking for as to "ideas" on how we could get this to work.

This is what I was thinking as well...  We of course would have to make sure our tags are "correct".
But, a simple check by the "Show Files with Lyrics" function should be able to be implemented, for it to "ignore" the files which have those classifications/tags.

I'm coming at this as someone who's putting together his collection, and this is something I ran into using MusicBee that would be helpful.
So, I posted the request...

I wish people wouldn't take things so "personally"...  I ran into a problem, would like solutions.  That's all.  Thank you for your support.