Easy Migration

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tom stearns
Posts: 46
Joined: Tue Feb 09, 2010 7:36 pm

Re: Easy Migration

Post by tom stearns »

Lowlander wrote:Right click the offending files > Remove in MediaMonkey.
Cannot do. Can't "right click" or any any way manipulate these links. I have learned that M4A is an Apple format so obviously poisonous to Win10. Difficulty/impossibility of clearing M4A files from Windows O/S machines is a recognized problem with no apparent fix. Somehow I have been successful in deleting the original downloaded M4A's from my external HDD but they are apparently embedded in my Media Monkey library and not responsive to usual Windows file commands.

I begin to think my only hope is to do another fresh install, delete all existing MM.DB files from wherever they exist, and then Rescan my external drive to import all the files anew without the M4A corruption. This will destroy all my metadata editing and all my playlists, I guess. Any suggestions for streamlining/simplifying the process?

Don't bother to analyze the uploaded M4A file--if it is Apple format it clearly won't run on Win10 and is "foreign" in my environment.
Lowlander
Posts: 56465
Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2003 5:53 pm
Location: MediaMonkey 5

Re: Easy Migration

Post by Lowlander »

That makes little sense to me. You're saying you can't get the Context menu to show on M4A files in MediaMonkey? Just selecting the file and using the Delete key then? Or removing the Folder(s) containing them from the Location node (node any files in those folders would be removed.
tom stearns
Posts: 46
Joined: Tue Feb 09, 2010 7:36 pm

Re: Easy Migration

Post by tom stearns »

Lowlander wrote:That makes little sense to me. You're saying you can't get the Context menu to show on M4A files in MediaMonkey? Just selecting the file and using the Delete key then? Or removing the Folder(s) containing them from the Location node (node any files in those folders would be removed.
Yes, correct. And I agree it makes no sense. I've found, with your encouragement, that if I persevere through multiple cycles of Ctr-Alt-Delete I can highlight a track, "Delete" it with the keyboard key, and over a period of anywhere from 5 seconds to 40 seconds the file will disappear. Using this brute force method I have been able to purge the M4A files.

The files on my external drive appear to be in the correct ie FLAC format and I have been able to "Play in Media Monkey" one of these as a test. It was imported, played properly and has been added to the Choral playlist.

I should report that early on, before I knew the problem came from the M4A format I complained to Hyperion that this format was unplayable in Media Monkey and they responded by providing the same music in FLAC format which is what is now in my external drive.
Lowlander
Posts: 56465
Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2003 5:53 pm
Location: MediaMonkey 5

Re: Easy Migration

Post by Lowlander »

Feel free to capture this in a debug log (step 4b) and attach the log to a Support Ticket: http://www.mediamonkey.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=69
tom stearns
Posts: 46
Joined: Tue Feb 09, 2010 7:36 pm

Re: Easy Migration

Post by tom stearns »

Lowlander wrote:Feel free to capture this in a debug log (step 4b) and attach the log to a Support Ticket: http://www.mediamonkey.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=69
I've gone thru the manual and looked in FAQs but I see nothing on Debug Log. How do I collect this?
Lowlander
Posts: 56465
Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2003 5:53 pm
Location: MediaMonkey 5

Re: Easy Migration

Post by Lowlander »

As indicated in the link (step 4b): http://www.mediamonkey.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=69

So download and run DBGView, download and run the debug version of MediaMonkey, reproduce your issue, save log in DBGView and attach log to Support Ticket.
tom stearns
Posts: 46
Joined: Tue Feb 09, 2010 7:36 pm

Re: Easy Migration

Post by tom stearns »

Lowlander wrote:As indicated in the link (step 4b): http://www.mediamonkey.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=69

So download and run DBGView, download and run the debug version of MediaMonkey, reproduce your issue, save log in DBGView and attach log to Support Ticket.
Lowlander, this problem never seems to go away, does it? Your steadfast support and help is much appreciated but I grow weary of the process. There must be an easier way!!

Another approach which appeals to me would be to do a fresh install of Media Monkey on a computer which does NOT have any of the present database or configuration files in the Users>App data path, then Scan the entire external drive to generate a new, fresh, supposedly non-corrupted database. It will mean I lose all my metadata corrections--probably a weeks's work--and playlists but will get me a "clean" install. Do you concur?
Lowlander
Posts: 56465
Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2003 5:53 pm
Location: MediaMonkey 5

Re: Easy Migration

Post by Lowlander »

You can do the same with a Portable Install on your existing PC. You can also use File > Clear Database on the existing installation.

Metadata should be retained as by default it is saved to the files (in most cases). Playlists however would be lost (can be exported using Tools > Scripts > Export All Playlists).
tom stearns
Posts: 46
Joined: Tue Feb 09, 2010 7:36 pm

Re: Easy Migration

Post by tom stearns »

Lowlander wrote:You can do the same with a Portable Install on your existing PC. You can also use File > Clear Database on the existing installation.

Metadata should be retained as by default it is saved to the files (in most cases). Playlists however would be lost (can be exported using Tools > Scripts > Export All Playlists).
OK; I like your last suggestion. To review ir: Your theory (and mine) is that the problem is now embedded in the database file (which includes the playlists) so if I Clear Database and then Rescan the entire 1TB of external drive I should be good to go.

Q: Is it possible the problem is embedded in the Playlists? I've already Exported them and, if I recall the instructions correctly they should be copied back into the database file after the re-scan if I wish to attempt to run them again (?)
Lowlander
Posts: 56465
Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2003 5:53 pm
Location: MediaMonkey 5

Re: Easy Migration

Post by Lowlander »

I doubt it (it's just a list of files), do make sure you have rid the PC of your problem files as otherwise any Playlists pointing to them would reimport.

I suggest you keep a copy of the old database. This way you can always revert to it if you need.
tom stearns
Posts: 46
Joined: Tue Feb 09, 2010 7:36 pm

Re: Easy Migration

Post by tom stearns »

Lowlander wrote:I doubt it (it's just a list of files), do make sure you have rid the PC of your problem files as otherwise any Playlists pointing to them would reimport.

I suggest you keep a copy of the old database. This way you can always revert to it if you need.
Well, as a point of curiosity I have a folder titled Playlists which contains an export of the playlists which I did on the 7th of October. It measures close to 42MB

I have the same list of Playlist titles nude on the drive which was done today and it totals around 1.2MB. This suggests some immense corruption in the foldered list.
Lowlander
Posts: 56465
Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2003 5:53 pm
Location: MediaMonkey 5

Re: Easy Migration

Post by Lowlander »

Playlist files generally are fairly small, so maybe some media files found their way into that large folder too.
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