Skip to main content ↑ ↓

Notice

Please note that most of the software linked on this forum is likely to be safe to use. If you are unsure, feel free to ask in the relevant topics, or send a private message to an administrator or moderator. To help curb the problems of false positives, or in the event that you do find actual malware, you can contribute through the article linked here.
Topic: Library 'Consolidation' (Read 6114 times) previous topic - next topic
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Library 'Consolidation'

To be precise, automated library consolidation.

Sure, foobar has the 'move, copy, rename' stuff, but let me give you a description of a certain circumstance, where that's a lot more effort than what I want:
  • I download music from the INTERNET. Let's say, for the sake f argument, that it's Amazon MP3 that I download from.
  • Wherever I download it from gives me a '*.zip' or '*.rar' with my music in.
  • I extract my music to Music\%Artist%\%Album%\
  • Everything is fine and dandy.

Now multiply this procedure by 20 or so per day (for the sake of argument; this is not a topic about the amount of music I download). The extracting and typing becomes very time consuming.

With foobar, we have been lucky enough to have 'Watch Folders' for a hell of a lot longer than iTunes users, who now have to extract to the folder 'Automatically add to iTunes', but what we have not had is this feature:

If I drop my files in 'Automatically add to iTunes', it doesn't just add my files to iTunes, iTunes reorganises them into my actual music library, whereas foobar would leave them there and read them.

In effect, iTunes is getting books you've just bought and putting them on an alphabetised bookshelf, whereas foobar leaves them on the sideboard you first pout them down on.


In short (tl;dr): I would like a plugin/script/anything that reorganises my watch folder FOR ME, so I can extract to my watch folder, and have it sort itself out on its own. It's not hard to do this manually for one or two albums, but - as I said - increase the load significantly, and it becomes tiresome.

ANY help would be greatly appreciated.

(Also, I KNOW how to use the search function, and only found this mildly related topic: http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index....showtopic=50475)

Thank you in advance.

Library 'Consolidation'

Reply #1 –
I personally don't like software to think for me, it never thinks what I do.

Library 'Consolidation'

Reply #2 –
Two related discussions that I remember from the forum:
- make command based on custom actions (aka "job control" in virtualdub/megui and similar) which basically would be command queue
- associate actions with playlist name

also foo_new_file_stamper_mod, can execute action on items added to media library, but only one action which probably won't help you in what you want

Library 'Consolidation'

Reply #3 –
Quote from: MC Escher on
I personally don't like software to think for me, it never thinks what I do.

That's why I was wondering if someone could tell me how to tell it how to think 
I hate iTunes with an unabashed passion, but am currently using it anyway!

Library 'Consolidation'

Reply #4 –
This feature has been deliberately left out from foobar2000; some people hate that iTunes does this.

Library 'Consolidation'

Reply #5 –
Quote from: 2E7AH on
Two related discussions that I remember from the forum:
- make command based on custom actions (aka "job control" in virtualdub/megui and similar) which basically would be command queue
- associate actions with playlist name

Okay, wouldn't this put the tracks/albums into playlists rather than altering their file location, though?
Please explain?

Library 'Consolidation'

Reply #6 –
Quote from: foosion on
This feature has been deliberately left out from foobar2000; some people hate that iTunes does this.

I am aware this is probably the case, and in fact I hated it myself in iTunes, because it put it all in somewhere like Music\iTunes\iTunes Music\Your iTunes Music\Yo, you've got iTunes, and here's your music\APPLE\Roaming\LocalData\iTunes\Buy and iPod\ .... or something similar, but I prefer to have it all sorted out for things like playing Audiosurf, and whatnot, and my general OCD
 

Library 'Consolidation'

Reply #7 –
if you really had OCD, you wouldn't be so bothered by the simple task of manually sorting and tagging your music collection...

Library 'Consolidation'

Reply #8 –
-create a "temp" folder and an autoplaylist to watch it
-create "file operations" preset using title formatting. basic example

%album artist%\%album%\%tracknumber% - %title%

-drop files into folder and the autoplaylist will be populated. highlight files>right click>file operations> move to > PRESET NAME

Library 'Consolidation'

Reply #9 –
Quote from: garbanzo.bean on
if you really had OCD, you wouldn't be so bothered by the simple task of manually sorting and tagging your music collection...

my thoughts exactly, which is why i tag & check EVERYTHING before it goes in exactly the correct place in my music folder (otherwise i cant sleep at night)

it would however be interesting to see what people can come up with, even if i wouldnt use it myself.

Library 'Consolidation'

Reply #10 –
What I do is drop all new stuff into an "Incoming" folder (with an autoplaylist monitoring it). Then once I'm done with whatever initial processing I want to do (replaygain, removing embedded album art, etc.), I have a File Operations preset that moves everything into my main music library file structure, completely sorted, no fuss no muss.

And it's not an appreciably different amount of work for me if it's one song (or album) or fifty in that folder. Not saying it'll work for you, but it does work quite well for me.

Library 'Consolidation'

Reply #11 –
Quote from: MC Escher on
I personally don't like software to think for me, it never thinks what I do.


And if the files are not tagged, "Automatically add to iTunes" is a disaster.

Library 'Consolidation'

Reply #12 –
Quote from: hendos43 on
Okay, wouldn't this put the tracks/albums into playlists rather than altering their file location, though?
Please explain?

Why?

1. I only mentioned related discussions, but I imagine, assuming existence of such feature, you could easily make preset that could also move your files in folders based on their tags (file operation preset action), at the end of whatever actions you use on your new files
2. Actions associated with playlists could be another implementation of above (not that I like the idea better, but it was also mentioned by new foobar user, and I can't find the thread)

Library 'Consolidation'

Reply #13 –
Quote from: marc2003 on
-create a "temp" folder and an autoplaylist to watch it
-create "file operations" preset using title formatting. basic example

%album artist%\%album%\%tracknumber% - %title%

-drop files into folder and the autoplaylist will be populated. highlight files>right click>file operations> move to > PRESET NAME

this. in fact, you can even assign the file ops preset to hotkey so all you have to do is 'select all' then hit a key and viola your files are where you want them.

Library 'Consolidation'

Reply #14 –
Thanks everyone, you've been great! Here's the solution I settled on, based on your help, for anyone reading this thread and wondering the same thing as I was.
  • Create a sub-directory within your watched library (I created C:\Users\<Username>\Music\foomusic)
  • Create an autoplaylist to watch that folder:
    Code: [Select]
    Query Pattern: %path% IS *foomusic*
    Sort Pattern: %date added%
  • Then created a File Operations > Move preset:
    Code: [Select]
    Destination folder: C\Users\<Username>\Music\
    File name pattern: %Artist%\%Album%\%Tracknumber%. %title%

    (Save the preset)
  • Now, when I extract my music to \foomusic\, all I have to do is select everything in my autoplaylist and go File Operations > Move > 'Sort That Sh*t Out!'


Thanks again everyone, 'Solved'

Library 'Consolidation'

Reply #15 –
Quote from: randal1013 on
Quote from: marc2003 on
-create a "temp" folder and an autoplaylist to watch it
-create "file operations" preset using title formatting. basic example

%album artist%\%album%\%tracknumber% - %title%

-drop files into folder and the autoplaylist will be populated. highlight files>right click>file operations> move to > PRESET NAME

this. in fact, you can even assign the file ops preset to hotkey so all you have to do is 'select all' then hit a key and viola your files are where you want them.


Haha, I did this immediately after, and set it to CTRL+`

Library 'Consolidation'

Reply #16 –
Hmm I can't find Add New AutoPlaylist menu :X

Library 'Consolidation'

Reply #17 –
D.Sync: Library > Search > enter query > ... > Create Autoplaylist

Library 'Consolidation'

Reply #18 –
Quote from: hendos43 on
Quote from: randal1013 on
Quote from: marc2003 on
-create a "temp" folder and an autoplaylist to watch it
-create "file operations" preset using title formatting. basic example

%album artist%\%album%\%tracknumber% - %title%

-drop files into folder and the autoplaylist will be populated. highlight files>right click>file operations> move to > PRESET NAME

this. in fact, you can even assign the file ops preset to hotkey so all you have to do is 'select all' then hit a key and viola your files are where you want them.


Haha, I did this immediately after, and set it to CTRL+`



I've just changed my Move To path to

Code: [Select]
$if2(%album artist%,%artist%)\%Album%\%Tracknumber%. %title%


This won't matter to anyone, apart from people looking through these forums trying to find a solution to the problem (that has been solved).

The reason I did this, is that it deals with 'Various Artists' tags much better, provided it is the album artist, and not just the artist.

Library 'Consolidation'

Reply #19 –
$if2(%album artist%,%artist%) == %album artist%

perhaps you should just update your notes, instead reviving month old thread for nothing