organizing removable drives

[psychoadept]

Related to this: http://getmusicbee.com/forum/index.php?topic=20392.0

This has happened twice now:

I moved the files to the SD card, no problem there.  I figured, since they're not on an organized drive, I could at least organize them manually.  When I use the Move to Organized Folder command, instead of the manual organize window it opens the Auto-Organize settings, but only with Audiobooks showing (they're in the Audiobooks node).

So I tried to add a rule for organization on the SD card (E:), and get the error message that I can't use the drive as a root folder for my library.  I close the window.  Then, when I open the auto-organize settings via preferences, my auto-organize settings for Music are completely gone, replaced with blank Music auto-organize setting for E:.

I've been able to recover my settings with the .bak file, but it's a little bit of a heart-stopper.  

[Steven]

When I use the Move to Organized Folder command, instead of the manual organize window it opens the Auto-Organize settings, but only with Audiobooks showing (they're in the Audiobooks node).

how did you do that? Move to Organised Folder should be disabled for portable devices and hotkey just opens the normal manual organise dialog

edit:
Maybe a screenshot where MB has opened the auto-organise dialog might help

[psychoadept]

No, I have a bunch of files in the Audiobooks node of my library, but they are located on an SD card that is seen as drive E:\ by Windows.  I'm doing these operations from my library's Audiobooks node.

If that didn't make sense, I'll get you the screenshot tonight

[Steven]

that makes sense

[Steven]

I am not able to reproduce the bug. Are you using v3.1 or v3.0?
When you say you tried to add a rule for organisation on the E:, could you describe those steps some more eg.
i assume the "send to organised folder" dialog started with the rule for your C: drive - did you then change c: to e: and then click the ... button on the "to folder field" or did you click the "Add Drive" button and cancel that dialog when you got the "can't use the drive as a root folder" error message?
For me what happens is when i open the library preferences auto-organisation setup, a rule is a created for audiobooks E: but it is blank for the "to folder" and "naming template". All other rules are still there

So I tried to add a rule for organization on the SD card (E:), and get the error message that I can't use the drive as a root folder for my library.  I close the window.  Then, when I open the auto-organize settings via preferences, my auto-organize settings for Music are completely gone, replaced with blank Music auto-organize setting for E:.

[psychoadept]

or did you click the "Add Drive" button and cancel that dialog when you got the "can't use the drive as a root folder" error message?

It was this, and I'm pretty sure I set it to audiobooks rather than music before I tried to apply it, too.  Plus I put in my audiobooks template, which isn't too complicated but maybe that contributed.

I'll check the version and post the template when I get home.

[psychoadept]

I was on 3.1.6174.  I updated to 6186 just now and can't reproduce the issue.  I'll keep an eye on it.

Meanwhile, how can I get these files organized?

[Steven]

Meanwhile, how can I get these files organized?

the manual organiser is the only way i think (File/ Organise Files)

[Steven]

i have made a change for the next v3.1 update so if you follow the steps i described, MB will no longer create a null entry for the incomplete drive mapping. I cant say for sure that was related to the initial bug reported

[psychoadept]

Meanwhile, how can I get these files organized?

the manual organiser is the only way i think (File/ Organise Files)

I tried that, but I still get the auto-organize window, not the manual organization.

[Steven]

You are right. So long as the files are in the library the auto-organise dialog will appear. I might make the change to remove the restriction on mapping a portable drive. The risk being the portable drive letter changes at a later date.
Is there a particular reason the files need to be in the library eg. you could remove them from the library and manually organise via the computer folder node

[psychoadept]

I might make the change to remove the restriction on mapping a portable drive. The risk being the portable drive letter changes at a later date.

Yes, please.  A drive letter change can be fixed by remapping.  Maybe you could give a warning when someone maps a removable drive, telling them how to remap the drive letter.

Is there a particular reason the files need to be in the library eg. you could remove them from the library and manually organise via the computer folder node

I guess I can, I'm just in the habit of keeping everything in the library. It makes syncing and organizing a lot smoother.  I'd really like to keep them auto-organized.

I suppose I could install MB portable on the sd card and create a library just for these files, but that seems like overkill.

[Steven]

i removed the portable device restriction for auto-organisation but i also had to make changes in a couple of places for the library organisation handling for such files. I have tested it but i suggest you keep an eye on the first few times to make sure it is organising as expected

http://musicbee.niblseed.com/V3_1/MusicBee31_Patched.zip

[psychoadept]

So far, so good.  Thank you!

[psychoadept]

I've been doing a lot of editing on these files (filling in dates, standardizing titles, etc), and now they've disappeared from my library.  I fought with them for quite a while last night, rescanning folders and moving things from the inbox, etc, and finally got them to show up again in my audiobooks node.  But now they're gone again.  All 600+ files.  Not in the library, audiobooks, or inbox.  A search won't find them.  The only places I see them are in portable devices and an auto-playlist I made based on folders (because I'm comparing the library copies with the originals on my external drive).

Specifically, here's a sequence of steps I just did:

* Dragged all 620 files to the Audiobooks node (from the playlist): nothing shows up
* Rescanned for files: MB says 620 files added to the inbox, inbox count reflects this.  but if I actually go to the Inbox, the file count is the same as without them, and a search will not find them.
* Looked at the auto-organize rule for E:\ and made a change: nothing shown in the auto-organize preview.
* I deleted the playlist and rescanned again, and was then able to re-add the files to audiobooks from the inbox
* Then I recreated the same auto-playlist, and the files disappeared from audiobooks.
* It seems like the playlist is part of the problem, but this isn't entirely conclusive, because I was able to get the files back in place at one point last night without deleting the playlist, so... ?

Any ideas?


Edit: Also, there are some files which I originally converted to 320k (from WAV), and then I reconverted from the original file to a VBR file and used the Replace command to switch for the 320k version. But every time I reload the playlist (the one using folders rather than the library), they say 320k again.  As soon as I recan the file, it shows the correct VBR, but it never sticks.  Reload the playlist and it's 320k again.  This has been across many restarts of MusicBee.  I've also removed the files from the playlist and restored them a few times.  I've even recreated the playlist from scratch.