Author Topic: Musicbee deletes Folder.jpg files  (Read 15531 times)

redwing

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If you have folder.jpg and only one mp3 file with an embedded artwork (which is different from folder.jpg) in a folder, then what picture does the folder show for you?

I think you will see the embedded artwork because your artwork retrieval settings put embedded over folder.jpg.

Now go to the settings (Preferences> Tags (1)> Edit List) and put folder.jpg first and click on "Rescan Artwork" button.
Then the folder will now show folder.jpg instead.

It's not because the thumbnail browser reads folder.jpg but as I said it simply shows the primary artwork of the first file in the folder.

If you open artwork tab of tag editor (Edit) of the file now, you will see the order of the two artworks has changed now and it shows folder.jpg as a primary artwork. Thus the thumbnail browser now shows the picture for the folder.
Last Edit: May 31, 2019, 09:36:45 AM by redwing

MTOakey

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redwing, Thanks for the link for download.

If you have folder.jpg and only one mp3 file with an embedded artwork (which is different from folder.jpg) in a folder, then what picture does the folder show for you?

In that thumbnail column for my 17 directories/folders,,, it shows that embedded, and if I swap positions putting folder over embed, then every song in the folder shows the sam folder.jpg INSTEAD of their respective embedded art.

I gotta leave Embedded on top.
When I click on a song {and even when I don't}, I want to see the embedded art, the Album cover for that song...
not the custom art I have chosen for the containing folder {folder.jpg}.

It's not because the thumbnail browser reads folder.jpg but as I said it simply shows the primary artwork of the first file in the folder.

That last part is the problem, and so is the first part.

If, as all you say, a folder should only contain 1 artist/album, then that folder would have a certain picture on it, thumbnail, and then each track from that album should have a different picture for the particular song it represents. And that is all I'm doing, just that my albums have 2000 or more songs in them, each.

When "Folder name" is chosen for the organization of that column of data, then the "folder.jpg" in each folder SHOULD be what is displayed.
And each individual song SHOULD display, everywhere it shows up, the "embedded art".

That is all I'm expecting/asking.

redwing

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Yes, I understand you want to display an embedded art for each song while showing only one picture for each folder.
But that's not possible.
Because it always shows the primary artwork of the first file in the folder, if you change sort by column say from title to artist, then the folder picture changes to the new first file's.

Best option would be using Grouping instead of Folder as I suggested before. Then it shows a unique picture for each grouping item while showing embedded artwork for each song.

If you have to use Folder, then you could place a dummy mp3 file with a folder picture embedded in each folder solely for displaying folder thumb. Then name the mp3 file properly so that it will be a first file in the folder by your usual sort by setting.

MTOakey

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Au contraire mon redwing it IS possible and I have it being done on my MB. I have posted the screengrab above proving it so. My problem is that MB is making this unwanted change to the Harmony of my desires.

And as I said before if I use grouping, the EXACT opposite happens, I do see the "folder.jpg" for each folder, but then every song in that folder shows the "folder.jpg".

If you have to use Folder, then you could place a dummy mp3 file with a folder picture embedded in each folder solely for displaying folder thumb. Then name the mp3 file properly so that it will be a first file in the folder by your usual sort by setting.

Now THAT's something I hadn't thought of, that would work, it would just through off the song count... not sure how MB would handle a non-mp3 masquerading as a .mp3 .... but I could produce a bunch of multi-second .mp3's and do that just to try it out.

Thanks.

redwing

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And as I said before if I use grouping, the EXACT opposite happens, I do see the "folder.jpg" for each folder, but then every song in that folder shows the "folder.jpg".

First, you should place embedded over folder.jpg in artwork retrieval setting. Or just untick folder.jpg if you're gonna use Grouping instead. And click on "Rescan Artwork" button.
Then copy a folder picture and move your mouse over the grouping item on the thumbnail browser> right click> Paste Artwork.
It should show a unique grouping thumb and various embedded artwork for each song.

Bizy

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Thanks guys, for coming back to the topic ;-)
(I'm one of those guys, just rĂ©ading the post or... I thought so...  
In the mean time, Redwing has most clearly answered my question:

Quote
Yes, I understand you want to display an embedded art for each song while showing only one picture for each folder.
But that's not possible.
Because it always shows the primary artwork of the first file in the folder, if you change sort by column say from title to artist, then the folder picture changes to the new first file's.

Best option would be using Grouping instead of Folder as I suggested before. Then it shows a unique picture for each grouping item while showing embedded artwork for each song.

If you have to use Folder, then you could place a dummy mp3 file with a folder picture embedded in each folder solely for displaying folder thumb. Then name the mp3 file properly so that it will be a first file in the folder by your usual sort by setting.

This is a clear answer to one of the things I was/am struggling with:

Quote
I look for the cover of the original singles (and have them as primary picture, without rotation).
At the same time I would like to see the album cover in Music Explorer.

As far as I can see, that's impossible when all tracks have their own art.
The only thing I could think of up so far is:
having the album cover as primary picture in the first track.
(coz that seems to be the picture that shows up as album picture - temporary conclusion)
https://getmusicbee.com/forum/index.php?topic=28661.msg159499#msg159499

Guess, I'll use some 3s silent tracks at the beginning of some folders.
Thanks for that suggestion, Redwing.

b.
Full installer Version 3_4_7805
Portable Editon 3_4_7805 P
OS: Windows 10 Home Edition

MTOakey

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Everyone, I tried 1 second and 3 second file length, didn't work, MB still chose a different real mp3 to use it's embedded art to replace my "folder.jpg" sitting in the folder.
Then I tried 7 seconds and THAT worked. I have been dumping files in there all day, rebooting MB, and even trying to edit a few songs from inside MB, and the correct {for my purposes anyway} file has not changed/remains unchanged. I named it "0Secular.mp3" but that wasn't enough... I had to completed the fraud by naming it "0Secular - A Placeholder.mp3" and tag it for Artist/Title/Album as 0Secular/A Placeholder/A Placeholder  so now, no matter how MB looks at the file, it is the very first one in the list. It works for me... but 5 years to get to this? Really?
Last Edit: June 01, 2019, 04:15:30 AM by MTOakey

redwing

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@Steven;

I tried with a zero-byte mp3 file with an artwork embedded and MB imports it to the library, shows the artwork and everything seems working fine.
But thumbnail browser shows it as a thumb for folder name only when the folder contains just that file. If there is another real mp3 file, it ignores the zero-byte file and shows the real mp3 file's artwork instead. What needs to be done to the file for MB to show its artwork as a folder thumb even when it's with real mp3 files? (ignore tracks less than a certain size option is disabled in the library settings)

MTOakey

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redwing & Bizy, a "zero byte" file is not going to work if a 3 second real .mp3 didn't work, imho.

Don't get me wrong, I would LOVE if this got fixed,,, but the use of the 7-second .mp3 works, when tagged correctly AND named correctly {also can be set to "exclude from playing - Full Ban"}...
otherwise it won't work ...  
So you'll have a real .mp3, fully tagged and named correctly, set to not ever play, and the "thumbnail viewer" as you call it, will show IT's embedded art - being the same art as what I choose for the containing folders custom icon art to begin with.

I have my "ignore tracks" set at 10k.

I would really rather that this issue just got fixed.

redwing

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I would really rather that this issue just got fixed.

There's nothing to fix as it's working as expected (except the zero-byte files' behavior that I don't understand).
Of course you can always post a wishlist item, but thumbnail browser's showing a first song's artwork is not a bug but a feature.

Bizy

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I tried a 10 sec empty file.  With embedded album art.  Banned from playing, first in row.  All other tracks have 'single art'. 
Works fine :-D

Thanks, MTOake (and others) for contributing to finding this workaround.
Full installer Version 3_4_7805
Portable Editon 3_4_7805 P
OS: Windows 10 Home Edition

MTOakey

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redwing,
... but thumbnail browser's showing a first song's artwork is not a bug but a feature.

Well, maybe some people think it is a feature, but maybe it ought to/could be selectable as to showing the FOLDER ART or the first song art, when "FOLDER name" is chosen in the Header menu ... then we would NOT have to spend 5 years struggling and waiting for someone to figure it out, and someone else to mention using a 7-second blank file to trick MB to do what it ought to do in the first place, correctly. {FOLDER thumbnail browser NOT first SONG in folder thumbnail browser} otherwise, it is just an annoyance. {bug}

IF, as someone has mentioned earlier, I should have songs organized by Artist and/or Album and those "groups" should be in separate FOLDERS {representing the Albums/Artists or songs}, THEN, I would STILL EXPECT MB {or ANY other audio software} to show me the art for the FOLDER and NOT the first song in the folder, no matter how many or few songs were in said folder.

Which now brings me to the "ALL MUSIC" portion of our discussion ...
At the very top of the "FOLDER name" column is a "placeholder" named aptly enough "All". This "All" has no picture to it, save the built in one declaring that is has no picture associated with it, the infamous grayed/subdued triangle with dots on joints... when the folder containing ALL my music, and also aptly named "My Music", indeed has a "Folder.jpg" and a "folder.ico" contained within... which is ALSO different from ALL the other pictures/icons/art contained inside it.

So, all I am saying is, "IF there exists a "Folder.jpg", THEN use IT, ELSE, use (something else/first file art)" wherever the Folder is viewed". {that's actually the exact programming language that could be used, of sorts}.

That's all. Really.


Last Edit: June 02, 2019, 09:35:31 PM by MTOakey

hiccup

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then we would NOT have to spend 5 years waiting for someone to figure it out...

It took you 5 years to figure out (with lots of help from forum members) to get some idea what was actually bothering you with artwork and how Musicbee is handling it.
So I am not sure who you think you are speaking for when you say 'we'?

Also, most other forum members that have 5 years experience have learned that if they have valid requests or sensible suggestions, the wishlist board is  a fantastic opportunity to use for formulating a coherent request.

I challenge you to name just one company or other software product that matches it's response and speed of action.

Yes, people with attitudes like yours annoy me.
Sorry to the other members for spoiling the atmosphere.

Rant closed.

MTOakey

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hiccup, NO, it took me less than 30 minutes, 5 years ago, to figure out that something was wrong... it then took the 5 years for someone to POST about the suggestions one evening... and it took longer to create the file and test it then it will take to fix the bug.

No one back then ever mentioned about posting to any wishlist, and why would they, I was looking at it as a bug, and it seemed, to me anyway, those who did post were doing the same but could not reproduce it.

So Thank You, and the others who have now mentioned that, but such as Steven has already stated "(he) isn't going to waist any more time on this issue", why would I do so ???

I have ALREADY named several Companies who I work with AND respond almost immediately to bug reports and such requests. And I'll name one other who has just contracted me, LYFT, for "User Interface Analyst", they of course do have a very large team of Programmers, so it's kinda like apples and oranges there.

Sorry {not really} if my Military attitude of "If you are going to do something, do it right, the first time, or make it right as soon as possible" annoys you, but if you don't have anything else constructive to contribute, loosen up your panties and keep your consternations to yourself.





hiccup

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but if you don't have anything else constructive to contribute, loosen up your panties and keep your consternations to yourself.

Since you ask, I do have two suggestions.
- Learn to search a forum.
- Learn the differences between the concepts of 'a question', 'a bug' and 'a request'.

Oh and a third suggestion:
Using words like 'guns', 'military' 'snowflakes' and 'panties' is quite odd, unproductive and off-topic on a forum that is intended for people that assemble here because they enjoy music and MusicBee.