[REQ] Moving music files out of library

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Ckerch
Posts: 17
Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2020 12:07 pm

[REQ] Moving music files out of library

Post by Ckerch »

I searched and could not find any post referring to moving music to an archive directory and out of the library.

What I tried
I highlighted a group of files in the "All Tracks" option and under the tools menu, use "Auto-organize files" . I then specify a path I want to move the files along with selecting the option to delete empty folders. MM does move the files to the archive directory but adds that folder to the location under Entire Library>Location section.

I can right click on the folder under location and choose to remove but that does not help.

The only way I have found is the delete the entire library and rescan it choosing only the music library folder. There seems like there should be an easier way.
Lowlander
Posts: 57416
Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2003 5:53 pm
Location: MediaMonkey 5

Re: Moving music files out of library

Post by Lowlander »

Are the files being Auto-Organized already in the MediaMonkey Library? If so, they remain in the MediaMonkey Library.
Ckerch
Posts: 17
Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2020 12:07 pm

Re: Moving music files out of library

Post by Ckerch »

Lowlander wrote: Mon Feb 14, 2022 3:39 pm Are the files being Auto-Organized already in the MediaMonkey Library? If so, they remain in the MediaMonkey Library.
The files being Auto-Organized are in the MediaMonkey Library.
I do not listen to some of the music anymore so my intent is to move them out of the current Library and place them into a archive folder that is outside the library.
Lowlander
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Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2003 5:53 pm
Location: MediaMonkey 5

Re: Moving music files out of library

Post by Lowlander »

Auto-Organize (Files) can't do that. It can move files, but it can't remove them from the MediaMonkey Library while moving the files.

I recommend using Collections, so you can hide certain files (by Path for example) while still having them in the MediaMonkey Library.
Ckerch
Posts: 17
Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2020 12:07 pm

Re: Moving music files out of library

Post by Ckerch »

Lowlander wrote: Mon Feb 14, 2022 4:18 pm Auto-Organize (Files) can't do that. It can move files, but it can't remove them from the MediaMonkey Library while moving the files.

I recommend using Collections, so you can hide certain files (by Path for example) while still having them in the MediaMonkey Library.


I should have mentioned, the music files are on a DLNA (NAS) server. That way I can play music from multiple players (i.e. Sonos, tablets running MM android app ..etc) . With this configuration, the PC version of MM is not always running. I don't believe ( will need to confirm) the collections cannot be saved to the DNLA server where Sonos could use them. This is the reason I was working at the file level. It seems that the collections is a filtering capability within MM only .

Thank you for the suggestion.
Lowlander
Posts: 57416
Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2003 5:53 pm
Location: MediaMonkey 5

Re: Moving music files out of library

Post by Lowlander »

Yes, but you wanted to remove the files that were moved from the MediaMonkey Library. Instead of removing you can have them filtered out automatically on moving the files. So you'd still move the files as before.
Ckerch
Posts: 17
Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2020 12:07 pm

Re: Moving music files out of library

Post by Ckerch »

Lowlander wrote: Mon Feb 14, 2022 7:24 pm Yes, but you wanted to remove the files that were moved from the MediaMonkey Library. Instead of removing you can have them filtered out automatically on moving the files. So you'd still move the files as before.
Good point.
I was thinking of either Auto-organized or collections and not using both capabilities.
This should do the trick.

Thanks for the feedback
Rob_S
Posts: 1014
Joined: Wed Mar 10, 2021 1:53 pm

Re: Moving music files out of library

Post by Rob_S »

Should not "send-to, folder move" work reliably for this exact functionality??

If the file is moved to an "unscanned" location, it should be deleted from the library

I tried this, however it currently does not work some of the time. It seemed to work on my hardrive, but not when moving files on a memory card.
Using V2024 LATEST alpha or beta build on Windows 11, HP laptop, managing 13k tracks
Lowlander
Posts: 57416
Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2003 5:53 pm
Location: MediaMonkey 5

Re: Moving music files out of library

Post by Lowlander »

No, once a file is in the MediaMonkey Library MediaMonkey updates the files in the Library when moved, no matter which method.
yarguy
Posts: 395
Joined: Mon Apr 09, 2012 8:34 am

Re: Moving music files out of library

Post by yarguy »

Couldn't this be done with two pretty simple steps?

1. Move files to a non-monitored location with Auto-organize.
2. Delete files from library but not from computer (one of the options of the Remove function)

The files will have to be highlighted to move them and will remain highlighted after the move so Remove can work easily.

As long as Sonos monitors the new location it can play the files even if they are not in MM.
Ckerch
Posts: 17
Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2020 12:07 pm

Re: Moving music files out of library

Post by Ckerch »

yarguy wrote: Tue Feb 15, 2022 12:42 pm Couldn't this be done with two pretty simple steps?

1. Move files to a non-monitored location with Auto-organize.
2. Delete files from library but not from computer (one of the options of the Remove function)

The files will have to be highlighted to move them and will remain highlighted after the move so Remove can work easily.

As long as Sonos monitors the new location it can play the files even if they are not in MM.

The problem I was having is when you use Auto-organize and move files to a different directory, that directory automatically gets added to the library folder location list. So even though you move the files, it still stays in your library and MM will scan that new added folder from now on.

Using the collections will allow me to filter it out so even though it is the library I will just filter it out.

The DLNA only points to the original music folder so Auto-organize works great for that because it moves it out of the the original folder.

Thanks for the feeddback
Lowlander
Posts: 57416
Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2003 5:53 pm
Location: MediaMonkey 5

Re: Moving music files out of library

Post by Lowlander »

Ckerch wrote: Tue Feb 15, 2022 1:05 pmMM will scan that new added folder from now on
Scanning should not happen when you move files to a different location. It merely moves the files and updates the Paths in the database. What is scanned is controlled by Add/Rescan Files and locations aren't automatically added when new ones are created.
Rob_S
Posts: 1014
Joined: Wed Mar 10, 2021 1:53 pm

Option to relocate files, and remove from library

Post by Rob_S »

As discussed in a current topic in the looking for help subforum, it would be useful to be able to archive songs outside of the current library in on single operation.

Most useable way I can think up on short notice would be to provide this within the send-to:

Folder - copy keep both (not sure why one would want this??)
Folder - copy keep only original in library (same as sync - since the copy is not added to the library??)
Folder - move and retain in library
Folder - move and remove from library

Not sure about which of the the first two is needed most or at all. There might be a more elegant way to set the options ..

Another possibility might be to add a property to each file being current or archived, and the option to display all tracks current only, or all tracks including archived tracks in a different color or format, so some or all could then be unarchived easily.
Using V2024 LATEST alpha or beta build on Windows 11, HP laptop, managing 13k tracks
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