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Topic: Not Recognizing Semi-Colon as Seperator (Read 4041 times) previous topic - next topic
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Not Recognizing Semi-Colon as Seperator

When I have The GodFather insert tags such as:
Code: [Select]
%TONES% : Literate; Intimate; Wry; Angst-Ridden; Earnest; Witty; Intense; Cathartic
it will display it as a single line.

If I manually backspace a semi colon and then rewrite it, foobar will properly recognize the entire string as separate tags.
I've tried searching for a solution and the only thing I could find was someone saying that you need to use \\ in mp3tag but that didn't work for me either.

I'd really rather not manually type in semi-colon's for my entire library so if someone could give me some advise I'd be incredibly appreciative.

Not Recognizing Semi-Colon as Seperator

Reply #1 –
There is a misunderstanding here.

In the actual tags which are written to the files, multiple values are not separated by semicolons, but other means, depending on the tag format. In the Properties dialog of foobar2000, the semicolon was chosen as an arbitrary separator to allow users to indicate multiple values. In Mp3tag, \\ is used instead. Your tagging application might use a completely different symbol, or other means like multiple lines, or might not support writing multiple values at all. Your tags contain literal semicolons, which, when read from the files, do not indicate multiple values.

You can split those tags into real multiple values using the masstagger component.
  • Select tracks in the playlist, right-click, choose Tagging, Manage Scripts.
  • Under actions, choose Add, Split field by separator.
  • In the dialog that opens, set Field name=TONES, Separator=;.
  • Verify the preview and press Run.

Not Recognizing Semi-Colon as Seperator

Reply #2 –
That clears it up, thanks a lot!

Re: Not Recognizing Semi-Colon as Seperator

Reply #3 –
I had the same problem and this worked for me as well.  I have to wonder though, why do I need to manually split the field?  Doesn't the semicolon imply that the field should be split automatically?  I don't see any reference to this anywhere, but it seems that that is the expected behavior.

Re: Not Recognizing Semi-Colon as Seperator

Reply #4 –
There's a setting for that in the advanced preferences. You can add the name of your tag to this setting. Then, I believe the semicolon will be recognized as a value separator when saving.
Preferences > Advanced > type "multivalue" in the filter at the top, the setting is "Multivalue fields".
X
And you don't need to use Masstagger (anymore). In the track properties window, you can right-click on a tag > Split values...

Re: Not Recognizing Semi-Colon as Seperator

Reply #5 –
Quote from: xsdaver on
Doesn't the semicolon imply that the field should be split automatically?
No – that's the point.  The value separator inside the actual tag depends on the specific syntax for the field in question and the tagging format.

In FB2K, entering a semicolon in a tag entry field which supports multiple values tells it to parse semicolons as separators, which then get translated into whatever the tag format requires (ditto "\\" in MP3Tag).  Just reading a semicolon in an existing tag implies no such thing.

Question: If there are semicolons in a tag deliberately, and then you want to add another (or even add another value), doesn't that create a problem?  It seems to me MP3Tag's "\\" is better.
It's your privilege to disagree, but that doesn't make you right and me wrong.

Re: Not Recognizing Semi-Colon as Seperator

Reply #6 –
Quote from: fooball on
Question: If there are semicolons in a tag deliberately, and then you want to add another (or even add another value), doesn't that create a problem?
Then you will need to use $meta to format value(s) as you want.

Re: Not Recognizing Semi-Colon as Seperator

Reply #7 –
Quote from: Terence on
There's a setting for that in the advanced preferences. You can add the name of your tag to this setting. Then, I believe the semicolon will be recognized as a value separator when saving.
Preferences > Advanced > type "multivalue" in the filter at the top, the setting is "Multivalue fields".
[attach type=thumb]36246[/attach]
And you don't need to use Masstagger (anymore). In the track properties window, you can right-click on a tag > Split values...

I tried the Preferences setting and it did not appear to work - I still have labels listed as label1; label2.  Using the split values in properties does work as expected.  I'm on v2.24.3 x64.

Re: Not Recognizing Semi-Colon as Seperator

Reply #8 –
After playing around a little more, it appears that on newly entered properties the field is split automatically.  Previously entered fields are not split automatically and have to be done manually.

Re: Not Recognizing Semi-Colon as Seperator

Reply #9 –
Quote from: xsdaver on
After playing around a little more, it appears that on newly entered properties the field is split automatically.  Previously entered fields are not split automatically and have to be done manually.
Yes, this is intentional. Only upon manual tag editing actions (Properties dialog, masstagger actions, and a few auto-tagging components), your files and their tags are "physically" altered. But you can batch-edit/fix as many files as needs in one go, so this should not cause much work.
 

Re: Not Recognizing Semi-Colon as Seperator

Reply #10 –
Quote from: xsdaver on
After playing around a little more, it appears that on newly entered properties the field is split automatically.  Previously entered fields are not split automatically and have to be done manually.
I think that's what I said above.
It's your privilege to disagree, but that doesn't make you right and me wrong.