Additional Tagging & Reporting Tools

[hiccup]

I can do Harry Potter too, if pushed.  

I never heard of that writer, what works is he known for?

(yeah, tough crowd here ;-)

[Messiaen]

...nobody noticed it, though this bug existed from the beginning. it's fixed.

I had run into it a few times, but I just figured it was me doing something wrong (or out of order), and since it always went away after a few clicks I didn't think of reporting it.

There used to be (?) a bug where if I edited a preset multiple times which was assigned to a hotkey, every time I saved it the number of "left" slots would go down.  I could never reliably reproduce it, so I left that off the list too.  You may have accidentally fixed it with all your recent refactoring, as I haven't run into it for awhile.

i've copied this function from ASR, and kept "private" declaration instead of changing it to "public", so the function was invisible to mb. it's fixed.

Yep, all good now, thank you very much.

[boroda]

Every now and then I do get a particular sense of glee at how someone else expresses an idea in English... say, for example, in the Auto-Library UI there's a lovely option which says "Calculate aggregated functions and save them to tags..."  The problem is, while I think I fully understand what that means, I'm not entirely sure, and I love the wording so I don't want to change it - though if ever there were options people might "be a little bit scared of" they'd for sure be worded just like that one.    It makes me smile every time I see it though I know 99% of users would be confused by the nature of combining words like "aggregate" and "function".

firstly you are welcome (of course, not only you, but also phred & hiccup) to suggest better english wording for any plugin function/option. "Aggregated function" is just literal translation from russian to english of a professional term from database world. i actually don't know what is the correct english term for this concept.

secondly, what do you (and, also, phred and hiccup) think about renaming "update all"/"update new" buttons to "install all"/"install new"?

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i'm now in the middle of changing the entire structure of the plugin package. Downloadable .zip (Additional-Tagging-Tools_latest.zip, Additional-Tagging-Tools_beta.zip or Additional-Tagging-Tools_YYYY-MM-DD.zip depending on situation) will contain inside "ASR Presets" folder, file README.TXT, and another real plugin .zip (always Additional-Tagging-Tools-Plugin.zip). users must manually extract downloadable .zip (1st level .zip) to some folder (e.g. desktop).  README.TXT must contain the following instructions (it's a beta version of instructions ):

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INSTALLATION

Open MusicBee menu: Edit> Edit Preferences> Plugins. Click button "Add Plugin...", browse to the folder where file "Additional-Tagging-Tools-Plugin.zip" is located and open this file. Close preferences. Open MusicBee menu: Tools> Additional Tagging & Reporting Tools> Advanced Search & Replace. Click button "Update All", browse to the folder where file "Additional-Tagging-Tools-Plugin.zip" is located and open subfolder "ASR Presets" to load all predefined presets. To configure plugin, open MusicBee menu: Edit> Edit Preferences> Plugins. Click button "Configure" under "additional tagging & reporting tools" header.


UPDATING PLUGIN

Open MusicBee menu: Edit> Edit Preferences> Plugins. Click button "Disable" under "additional tagging & reporting tools" header. Restart MusicBee. Open MusicBee menu: Edit> Edit Preferences> Plugins. Click button "Add Plugin...", browse to the folder where updated file "Additional-Tagging-Tools-Plugin.zip" is located and open this file. Close preferences.

Updating ASR presets:

Open MusicBee menu: Tools> Additional Tagging & Reporting Tools> Advanced Search & Replace. Click button "Update All" to install all new predefined ASR presets and reinstall all old predefined ASR presets or click button "Update New" to install only predefined presets, changed by developer since last time you installed predefined presets by either of two methods. "Update New" action won't reinstall any deleted by you predefined presets. Predefined presets can't be edited for real, but you can "customize" them, i.e. adjust a few available for changing options. Both installation commands will ask you if you want to update customized predefined presets (if any) and lose your adjustments or to skip updated by developer, but customized by you presets.


UNINSTALLATION

Open MusicBee menu: Edit> Edit Preferences> Plugins. Click button "Uninstall" under "additional tagging & reporting tools" header. MusicBee will delete all automatically created files (e.g. settings), but you will need to close MusicBee and manually delete file "mb_TagTools.dll" and  and subfolder "ru" from "Plugins" folder. "Plugins" folder is located in MusicBee application folder if you are using portable MusicBee and in folder "%AppData%\MusicBee" if you are using installer version of MusicBee.

Unfortunately, any plugin can't be uninstalled from Store version of MusicBee at the moment.

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can somebody suggest any corrections to installation/updating/uninstallation process and/or to english text (maybe there are some grammar/syntax errors or stammering/tongue-tie)?

[phred]

In advance of my offering English language suggestions, I've reread the last three pages and have some comments.
1- The "import" button: what does "shared" presets refer to? Would that be the same as -custom- presets?

2- Hiccup raises some good comments regarding the "Update New" and "Update All" buttons and the related tool tip referring to "load". Boroda's comment is that it's due to his English language skills. Which in my opinion are pretty damn good. I will work on this and get a feel for what word works best.

3- "Auto-apply ticked presets on startup". If these aren't applied at startup, then when do they get applied? If ticked, does ASR scan the user's entire library looking for criteria matching the preset? Does that slow down MB's startup when there's a large library?

4- Reply # 3959 - Boroda's proposed readme.txt file is a good idea and I'll will put my eagle eyes on it.

I hope to post my comments/suggestions on these, along with anything else I find, by the end of my day here.

[boroda]

phred, thanks for your response.

In advance of my offering English language suggestions, I've reread the last three pages and have some comments.
1- The "import" button: what does "shared" presets refer to? Would that be the same as -custom- presets?

"import" will import any asr preset(s) from an arbitrary folder (open file dialog supports multi-selection, so preset(s)). "shared" means "previously exported" by you (e.g. to back up) or by another user to share preset(s) with others. users are free to export any presets, but "shared" presets are suggested to be mostly custom presets, or they also can be customized predefined presets (users can't fully edit predefined presets, but most predefined presets have some adjustable options: all these <tag #>, <custom text #>).

i want to change all mentions of "custom presets" in the plugin to "user presets" to emphasize the difference between user presets and customized predefined presets.

2- Hiccup raises some good comments regarding the "Update New" and "Update All" buttons and the related tool tip referring to "load".

my current intention is to change the words "update" (in button names) and "load" (in tooltips of these buttons) to "install", e.g.: "install all" button with tooltip "install all predefined presets, and update installed predefined presets to the latest version".

3- "Auto-apply ticked presets on startup". If these aren't applied at startup, then when do they get applied? If ticked, does ASR scan the user's entire library looking for criteria matching the preset? Does that slow down MB's startup when there's a large library?

actually, this option is a rudiment from time, when ASR doesn't have auto-applying option on tag changes/adding new tracks to library/inbox. maybe i must remove this option at all, it's obsolete now.

using this option won't slow down mb startup if library is large, instead it will slow down mb responsiveness in general after startup (during some time depending on library size).

4- Reply # 3959 - Boroda's proposed readme.txt file is a good idea and I'll will put my eagle eyes on it.

the problem is that i very want to put readme in plugin zip, but placing another real plugin zip into downloadable zip is not very good idea. i don't know where and how to put/publish installation/updating/uninstallation instructions, so that they will attract attention, and won't be unnoticed by users.  

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very big problem is so called (by me   ) "aggregated functions" in ALR. i simply can't come up with a clear english name for them. they are not just "functions", because they return not a value calculated for a track, but an array of values calculated for some groups of tracks. typical "aggregated function" is mb native $Sum function, e.g. $Sum(<Time>,<Artist>) will show total duration of all tracks of track artist for every track in track list. i just don't know how to name these "functions".

[phred]

i'm now in the middle of changing the entire structure of the plugin package. Downloadable .zip (Additional-Tagging-Tools_latest.zip, Additional-Tagging-Tools_beta.zip or Additional-Tagging-Tools_YYYY-MM-DD.zip depending on situation) will contain inside "ASR Presets" folder, file README.TXT, and another real plugin .zip (always Additional-Tagging-Tools-Plugin.zip). users must manually extract downloadable .zip (1st level .zip) to some folder (e.g. desktop).  README.TXT must contain the following instructions (it's a beta version of instructions ):

I'm still trying to understand this. These questions come from my reading and re-reading your first draft of the readme. Once I get a clearer picture of how you're planning on packaging the zip, I'll be able to tackle the readme. My questions are as follows (you can simply answer by referencing to my question numbers.) Note that your answers (or my re-reading) my prompt more questions. :-)
1- Why will there be three versions? I can understand two: the stable .dll and the beta .dll.
2- Why the YYYY-MM-DD?
3- Will releasing a beta help you in producing the stable? You've never had a beta before. Or perhaps every release was a beta.
4- Is the name of the downloaded zip changing from mb_TagTools_latest to Additional Tagging Tools?
5- Each of the downloadable zips will consist of the Presets folder (as has been the case,) the RU folder, the readme, and another zip?? Why not just put the .dll without having it in a folder?
6- Will the downloadable zip always be named "Additional-Tagging-Tools-Plugin.zip"? Not "Additional Tagging Tools latest? Or ..beta? Or ...YYYY-MM-DD?

I've attacked the "Installation" section of the readme and depending on your answers to the above, I may be finished with it. My eyes are blurry and my head hurts, so I will continue this tomorrow.

[boroda]

1. "latest" is the latest stable version, but may require beta version of mb, "yyyy-mm-dd" may be (or may not exit at all) just some stable plugin versions for some specific mb (probably only stable) versions. "beta" is just some beta version of plugin. only "latest" will definitely exist.

2. it's simply the date of plugin version. it's much simpler for me to mark plugin versions by release date (not always simpler, but in most cases).

3. yes, but it's rare cases, when plugin is significantly updated, but not sufficiently tested.

4. yes

5. i've decided to put in downloadable zip only 2 files: readme.txt and mb_TagTools.zip. the latter will be structured as now. presets and ru folders will be inside mb_TagTools.zip as it is now.

6. only the name of the downloadable zip may be somehow changed, if the situation requires this.

-

actually, all this doesn't relate to translation. i've found out that even advanced users don't realize how to correctly install/update plugin and asr presets. i've tried to ask active plugin users, what "distribution model" (and hence, installation/updating process) they suppose to be more clear and easy. it's not the question of translation.

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about translation of readme. here is the latest readme version, but it's still not final. it would be helpful if you can suggest some corrections of english text.

--

PLUGIN INSTALLATION

Open MusicBee menu: Edit> Edit Preferences> Plugins. Click button "Add Plugin...", browse to the folder where file "Additional-Tagging-Tools-Plugin.zip" is located and open this file. Close preferences. Open MusicBee menu: Tools> Additional Tagging & Reporting Tools> Advanced Search & Replace. Click button "Install All", browse to the folder where file "Additional-Tagging-Tools-Plugin.zip" is located and open subfolder "ASR Presets" to load all predefined presets. To configure plugin, open MusicBee menu: Edit> Edit Preferences> Plugins. Click button "Configure" under "additional tagging & reporting tools" header.


PLUGIN UPDATING

Open MusicBee menu: Edit> Edit Preferences> Plugins. Click button "Disable" under "additional tagging & reporting tools" header. Restart MusicBee. Open MusicBee menu: Edit> Edit Preferences> Plugins. Click button "Add Plugin...", browse to the folder where updated file "Additional-Tagging-Tools-Plugin.zip" is located and open this file. Close preferences.

Updating ASR presets:

Open MusicBee menu: Tools> Additional Tagging & Reporting Tools> Advanced Search & Replace. Click button "Install All" to install all predefined presets, updating already installed predefined presets to the latest version, or click button "Install New" to (re)install predefined presets, created or updated by developer since last time you installed/updated them. If you have deleted some predefined presets, then they won't be reinstalled by "Install New" action. Predefined presets can't be edited for real, but you can "customize" them, i.e., adjust some available for changing options. Both installation actions  will ask you if you want to update customized predefined presets (if any) and lose your adjustments or to skip updated by developer, but customized by you presets.


PLUGIN UNINSTALLATION

Open MusicBee menu: Edit> Edit Preferences> Plugins. Click button "Uninstall" under "additional tagging & reporting tools" header. MusicBee will delete all automatically created files (e.g., settings), but you will need to close MusicBee and manually delete file "mb_TagTools.dll" and  and subfolder "ru" from "Plugins" folder. "Plugins" folder is located in MusicBee application folder if you are using portable MusicBee and in folder "%AppData%\MusicBee" if you are using installer version of MusicBee.

Unfortunately, any plugin can't be uninstalled from Store version of MusicBee at the moment.

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new plugin version.

6 new functions to compare integer or fractional numbers are added:

$eq(num1,num2): determines if num1 is equal to num2, e.g. $eq(1.0,1) returns "T"

$ne(num1,num2): determines if num1 is not equal to num2

$gt(num1,num2): determines if num1 is greater than num2

$lt(num1,num2): determines if num1 is less than num2

$ge(num1,num2): determines if num1 is greater than or equal to num2

$le(num1,num2): determines if num1 is less than or equal to num2

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"update all"/"update new" buttons are renamed to "install all"/"install new". tooltips for these buttons (and some other buttons) are also changed. process of updating (i.e. reinstalling) of predefined presets is improved, some customization options (e.g. "auto-apply preset only if track belongs to playlist") of predefined presets are correctly and silently transferred to updated presets, if other customization options were adjusted by user (but only adjusted after updating plugin to this version), then plugin will ask user if he wants to keep current customized presets or to update customized presets anyway, losing these customizations, etc.

anyway, user can always copy any predefined preset to preserve it in case of any predefined preset reinstallation.

-

buttons ⌘ are removed from ASR and ALR.  

-

layout of ASR window is slightly changed. wording of some labels/buttons is changed.

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many syntax errors are corrected in ASR presets, but you must "install all" presets to update them, not "install new". or just copy 'asr presets' folder from plugin zip to 'mb appdata' folder, overwriting all files.

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https://www.mediafire.com/file/h2t08o9562efboi/mb_TagTools_latest.zip/file

[hiccup]

PLUGIN INSTALLATION

As a more general and undirected  observation:

Both 'installing' and 'updating' plugins to me seems something a lot of software doesn't have a tight grip on, and is very often confusing for users. For both novice and experienced ones.
Some software desire the user to load some zip file and the program will take care of the rest, some will require to extract a zip file and copy specific files to specific locations. etc. etc.

MusicBee certainly is no exception. It has an 'add plugin' button in its interface. But for AT&RT it should not be used?

Also, the fact that both MusicBee and AT&RT don't use the commonly known concept of 'beta' for their releases isn't helping much in making any of that easier for the common user.

Both MB and AT&RT have had functionality added and removed to align things to make them work properly, but how would any user (besides maybe some that have been close on following up on all this) know what is required?

Please take this as a crude observation at the spur of the moment.
Just saying this is something that could and should be improved on, while acknowledging I have no specific or useful proposals for that at this moment.

[phred]

actually, all this doesn't relate to translation. i've found out that even advanced users don't realize how to correctly install/update plugin and asr presets.

Thanks for answering my questions. I does indeed relate to the translation I'm doing on the readme because I need to what you're trying to do in order to make the readme as complete and understandable as possible.

i've tried to ask active plugin users, what "distribution model" (and hence, installation/updating process) they suppose to be more clear and easy. it's not the question of translation.

The way I install and/or update the plugin and the presets is to close MB > open the zip > drag the .dll to the plugins folder > drag the presets to the presets folder > restart MB.

Now going back to work on the readme. I may have something for you later tonight.

[phred]

@boroda...

I'm still having trouble with this statement from the "Updatng the ASR Presets" section.

NOTE: "Install New" will not reinstall any predefined presets deleted by you. Predefined presets can't be edited but can be "customized." For example, adjusting some criteria of a predefined preset will result in a "customized" preset. Both installation commands will ask you if you want to update the customized preset(s) (if any) and lose your adjustments, or to skip those updated by developer, but customized by you.

Specifically the sentence that is underlined. To me it means that
the user can update the customized preset(s) -AND- lose the adjustments the user made
OR
skip the developer updated presets but update the ones the user customized

If the user makes adjustments to a preset, it can be updated but the adjustments are lost. Are the adjustments lost or saved/imported/updated? Perhaps "discarded" is a better choice of words if in fact the adjustments get saved/imported/updated first.

[boroda]

"install new" gives 2 options:

1. the user can update the customized preset(s) to latest version from developer (if modification date of latest preset > modification date of installed preset) -AND- lose the adjustments the user made (this concerns only situation, when date of latest preset > date of installed preset). 2. or user can skip updating of such customized presets (but update not customized presets to latest version anyway, because it's safe).

modification date of predefined presets is not changed on preset customization. the fact of preset customization is tracked by other means.

if user really edit preset, then preset modification date is changed. but users can edit only user presets, not predefined. user presets can't be somehow affected by predefined presets updating.

[boroda]

PLUGIN INSTALLATION

As a more general and undirected  observation:

Both 'installing' and 'updating' plugins to me seems something a lot of software doesn't have a tight grip on, and is very often confusing for users...

i agree about "installing"/"uninstalling", i must change them to "adding"/"removing". but i don't think that word "updating" may be confusing. i already avoid the word "upgrading".

[phred]

Here's my third draft on a readme file for the ASR plugin. Comments, corrections, and clarifications welcome.

ADDING THE PLUGIN
1- Download the appropriate ZIP file and remember where you saved it.
2- Open MusicBee. From the menubar > Edit > Edit Preferences > Plugins > Add Plugin...
3- Browse to the folder where file "Additional-Tagging-Tools-Plugin.zip" is located and open this file. Close the Preferences window.
4- Open MusicBee. From the menubar > Tools> Additional Tagging & Reporting Tools> Advanced Search & Replace > Click Update All > browse to the folder where file "Additional-Tagging-Tools-Plugin.zip" is located and open subfolder "ASR Presets" to load all predefined presets.
5- To configure plugin, open MusicBee. From the menubar > Edit > Edit Preferences> Plugins > Additional Tagging & Reporting Tools" > Configure.

UPDATING THE PLUGIN
1- Open MusicBee. From the menubar > Edit > Edit Preferences > Plugins > Additional Tagging & Reporting Tools > Disable > Close and restart MusicBee.
2- Open MusicBee. From the menubar > Edit > Edit Preferences > Plugins > Add Plugin... > browse to the folder where updated file "Additional-Tagging-Tools-Plugin.zip" is located and open this file. Close preferences.

UPDATING THE ASR PRESETS
1- Open MusicBee. From the menubar > Tools > Additional Tagging & Reporting Tools > Advanced Search & Replace.
2a- Click the "Install All" button to install all predefined ASR presets. This installs all predefined presets and will update to the latest version any preset(s) that have already been installed.
OR
2b- Click the "Install New" button to (re)install predefined presets which were created or updated by developer since last time you installed or updated them by either of two methods.

IMPORTANT NOTE: "Install New" will not reinstall any predefined presets deleted by you. Predefined presets can't be edited but can be "customized." For example, adjusting some criteria of a predefined preset will result in a "customized" preset. Both installation commands will ask you if you want to update the customized preset(s) (if any) and lose your adjustments, or to skip those updated by developer, but update only those customized by you. For example, User A customizes a predefined preset and shares it with User B. User B makes a change to it and shares it back to User A. User A selects "Install New" and User B's changes will replace User A's customized preset. Thereby discarding (or removing) User A's original changes.

REMOVING THE PLUGIN
1- Open MusicBee. From the menubar > Edit > Edit Preferences > Plugins.
2- Additional Tagging & Reporting Tools > Uninstall. MusicBee will delete all automatically created files (e.g. settings). You will need to close MusicBee and manually delete file "mb_TagTools.dll" and the subfolder "ru" from "Plugins" folder. The "Plugins" folder is located in MusicBee application folder if you are using the portable version of MusicBee. If using the installer version of MusicBee, it's in the folder folder "%AppData%\MusicBee".

Unfortunately no plugin can be uninstalled from Store version of MusicBee at the moment.

[hiccup]

UPDATING THE PLUGIN
1- Open MusicBee. From the menubar > Edit > Edit Preferences > Plugins > Additional Tagging & Reporting Tools > Disable > Close and restart MusicBee.
2- Open MusicBee. From the menubar > Edit > Edit Preferences > Plugins > Add Plugin... > browse to the folder where updated file "Additional-Tagging-Tools-Plugin.zip" is located and open this file. Close preferences.

Is this indeed the necessary procedure?
So you can't just overwrite the mb_TagTools.dll with a newer version? (with MB closed of course)

[phred]

Is this indeed the necessary procedure?
So you can't just overwrite the mb_TagTools.dll with a newer version? (with MB closed of course)

According to the readme texts boroda has posted over the previous two to three pages, yes. I cleaned up what he wrote somewhat.

BUT! I overwrite the DLL -and- the presets when a new version is released and never had an issue.