Additional Tagging & Reporting Tools

[jan_axhell]

1. immediate workaround:

[...] you can use the column browser to filter current view, then export the entire library by chunks, using several steps. then combine all chunks in e.g. MS Excel.

I don't understand this part: where do I do that? in your plugin? In Musicbee?

2. time-consuming (for me) solution:

i could add the option to export LR reports without displaying preview, immediately to file.

No hurry, but that would be mostly welcome and in general probably an enhancement for anyone using the plugin.

[hiccup]

included help files updated:

That help file looks nice.



I am asuming it should show when clicking 'Help…' here?:



But that triggers an unexpected error.
Which is probably because the .chm file is not present in the plugin folder.

Which brings me to something that I believe has been discussed before, but I think still needs some improvement:
How to install and/or update AT&RT?

The plugin's start post at the forum only says this:
Copy the file "mb_TagTools.dll" from the archive "mb_TagTools_latest.zip" to MusicBee "Plugins" folder

The restriction of doing that is that neither the help file, nor any presets are directly available.

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Another way to add the plugin that will be more in the line of what a user might expect he should be doing is by adding it through:
Preferences > Plugins > Add plugin…

That is not explained though.
B.t.w., will that have a different result from copying the dll manually?
Will the latter option perhaps provide better support for uninstalling the plugin? (also removing other related files and folders)

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Then there is a more elaborate explanation on the Plugins webpage.
But there it says:

Plugin adding/updating/removing
Extract the content of the downloaded archive to a temporary folder of your choice. See the "README FIRST!" file inside this folder for instructions on adding/updating/removing the plugin.

But, the recent version does not have a README FIRST! file in the downloaded archive?

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I can imagine a user wanting to add the plugin completely, including presets and help files being available from the beginning.
Is that possible, and is it explained somewhere?

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Disclaimer:
I know I can find answers to these questions by doing some searches on the matter, and of some I already know the answer. And experienced users will be able to figure these things out.
So please do not invest your time in answering these 'questions' of mine one-by-one.
I am only approaching this from the possible viewpoint of a new user, and I can imagine things are not that clear and obvious to them.

So, cut to the chase:  I think it would be good if both the start post, and the help file had some clearer and more complete instructions on how to install, update and remove AT&RT?


Another thought:
What would be nice, but I have no idea if that's even possible: when using the 'Add plugin…' option, it asks if you want to also import all available presets or not?

[boroda]

1. immediate workaround:

[...] you can use the column browser to filter current view, then export the entire library by chunks, using several steps. then combine all chunks in e.g. MS Excel.

I don't understand this part: where do I do that? in your plugin? In Musicbee?

in MB. forget it because:

2. time-consuming (for me) solution:

i could add the option to export LR reports without displaying preview, immediately to file.

No hurry, but that would be mostly welcome and in general probably an enhancement for anyone using the plugin.

i've already done this. see my recent posts (and download the latest plugin version).

[boroda]

I am asuming it should show when clicking 'Help…' here?:



But that triggers an unexpected error.
Which is probably because the .chm file is not present in the plugin folder.

yes, .chm files must be extracted to plugin folder like all other files in archive. i thought it's obvious.

Which brings me to something that I believe has been discussed before, but I think still needs some improvement:
How to install and/or update AT&RT?
...

there are two .zip files: "official stable FULL package" which is available for download from add-on page and "mb_TagTools_latest.zip" which doesn't contain readme.txt or any instructions (for experienced users only). i thought you should know this.

[jan_axhell]

i've already done this. see my recent posts (and download the latest plugin version).

Tried now: thicked Hide Preview, launched Preview, but when it finished, it just said: "Preview is not generated, nothing to save".
Do I have to set/thick something else?

[boroda]

LR works exactly the same way if "hide preview" is checked or isn't (except for showing preview). try to uncheck this option to see what's happening. does current (maybe filtered) view contain any tracks?

[jan_axhell]

LR works exactly the same way if "hide preview" is checked or isn't (except for showing preview). try to uncheck this option to see what's happening. does current (maybe filtered) view contain any tracks?

I've done exactly as usual: selected Music in MB -> All (34.950 albums) -> ATT -> Library Reports -> selected my preset -> Hide Preview -> Preview -> after about a minute 100% of scan is reached -> nothing to save.
I have now launched it again without Hide Preview, it will take about 20 mins, but most likely will crash.

EDIT
After 20 mins it reached 99%, then:

Code

MusicBee v3.5.8698.34385D  (Win10.0), 25 lug 2024 21:07:

System.OutOfMemoryException: Generata eccezione di tipo 'System.OutOfMemoryException'.
   in System.Windows.Forms.Control.MarshaledInvoke(Control caller, Delegate method, Object[] args, Boolean synchronous)
   in System.Windows.Forms.Control.Invoke(Delegate method, Object[] args)
   in MusicBeePlugin.LibraryReports.applyOnlyGroupingsPresetResults(String[] queriedFiles, Boolean interactive, Boolean filterResults)
   in MusicBeePlugin.LibraryReports.executePreset(String[] queriedFiles, String[] excludedFiles, Boolean interactive, Boolean saveResultsToTags, String functionId, Boolean filterResults, Boolean forceCacheUpdate)
   in MusicBeePlugin.LibraryReports.previewTrackList()
   in MusicBeePlugin.PluginWindowTemplate.serializedOperation()
   in System.Threading.ThreadHelper.ThreadStart_Context(Object state)
   in System.Threading.ExecutionContext.RunInternal(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state, Boolean preserveSyncCtx)
   in System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state, Boolean preserveSyncCtx)
   in System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state)
   in System.Threading.ThreadHelper.ThreadStart()

[boroda]

you are right. my bad, haven't tested saving to file itself. hiding preview must not be the problem, but obviously there is some excessive check in the code if the preview table is empty (the real data is stored in local variables, not in the preview table). i'll try to fix this issue till tomorrow.

[boroda]

yes, it was just excessive and unnecessary check. i've removed it (there is already check for real data):

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

[jan_axhell]

yes, it was just excessive and unnecessary check. i've removed it (there is already check for real data):

Yes! It worked! Just one minute of scan and then I could export the full CSV file.
Thank you for sorting this out!

[boroda]

happy to help 

small LR improvements, e.g. option "hide preview" is saved to settings (it doesn't relate to specific preset, it's global):

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

[boroda]

New 8.2 release for both MB 3.5 and MB 3.6. The only difference in functionality is that you can't omit end VT function parameters simply by putting closing parenthesis earlier, when the plugin is used with MB 3.5. It's full plugin package (includes readme.txt, Segue UI fonts (required only for Win7), etc.).

https://www.mediafire.com/file/dm3rhfze89n3qwi/Additional-Tagging-Tools-Plugin.zip/file

[hiccup]

1. case changing VT functions are amended. note that their new syntax is incompatible with old syntax:

$SentenceCase(string,upper_case_words,sentence_separators)
$TitleCase(string,lower_case_words,upper_case_words,word_separators,lower_case_between_chars_opening_list,lower_case_between_chars_closing_list,lower_case_after_chars)

Only a  brief test:

$TitleCase(<Title>)
$TitleCase(<Title>,,,,,,)
$TitleCase(<Title>,"a an",,,,,)
$TitleCase(<Title>,"a an",,,"(",")",)

all fail?

[boroda]

place ` between commas. unfortunately MB doesn't allow to use completely empty parameters. Steven was going to rewrite VT function parser (this concerns native MB VT functions either), but i don't know if new parser supports empty parameters.

p.s. see help file, "virtual tag functions" section for current VT functions implementation.

[hiccup]

place ` between commas. unfortunately MB doesn't allow to use completely empty parameters.

Ah yes, I'm sorry.
I should have known that (and I already did that previously)

Just wondering:

$SentenceCase(<Title>)
will work without any additional parameters

$TitleCase(<Title>)
doesn't work without additional parameters

Maybe it should?
It could be helpful for users that want to keep it simple without delving into these additional options?