A few questions from a new MM FAN and customer

[jboogygroove]

I have just joined so as to ask this question. I searched the forum,as well as google, for an answer/guide/solution and was unable to find one that adequately helped me in my dilemma.

I have media monkey 3 gold ( I Love it ). I have a large collection of 70,000+ tracks. Obviously on the initial scan there are the inevitable few thousand troublesome tracks that are tagged completely haywire. It is now time to go through the task of tagging and cleaning so as to make my library pretty and pristine ( I am anal bout this). I have searched for and downloaded various helpful scripts to achieve this, however I imagine the best "step one" is auto tagging via internet. Then cleaning up manually after that.

My dilemma:

I have my entire collection on an external 1.5tb drive. I have a pc hooked up to my entertainment center that will be handling all the audio playing duties 100% of the time. However I do not have internet access for this pc ( keeps it safe and its a custom built one anyway that I use for audio editing etc.). I have a laptop that I use for 100% of my internet activities. SO if I install Media monkey on laptop, connect external drive, scan drive, create library, then tag library via internet, then connect external drive to home entertainment pc ( where it will live), won't I lose all the tagging information I just gathered? AM I better off creating portable standalone on the external drive itself? Do I need to use some other amazing little known plug in or script? Will I lose all my additional script and plug in add-ons as well? Or will they simply need to be copy/pasted?

Beyond tagging are there certain add-ons, plug-ins etc. "everyone" has or uses that I would be lost without? IS there that certain output add on that"everyone" knows sounds the best? Know what I mean? I see I have made the right choice investing in media monkey, and I know it has a loyal rabid following. I now need to know all the little things someone setting up a first time library should know!!

HELP!!! lol I am eager to get my new setup actually "setup" but know better than to charge forth willy nilly. I would like to hear advice and tips so that I have a clear idea and process to create and maintain an amazing beautiful media monkey library that sounds and looks amazing that I will enjoy for years.

THANKS IN ADVANCE!!!

[rovingcowboy]

you tell your system to save images to the tags. make sure you have a format for the songs that allows to save the art to the tags. mp3, ogg, wma are ones i have at times got images in to their tags.

save all information in the tags of the songs by simpley doing this.

tag from web get all info correct,

1 select all songs in one big byte buster group if you have a huge cpu and mega tons of ram. other wise do.

2 go to the all accessible songs / files playlist.

which is made after you do your first scan of the hd.

then select all the songs in small groups so your small cpu or low ram system can byte it with out being bittin.

3 now go to the tools menu for its drop down menu on it click on advanced tag management on its side context menu click on sync tags. all the data you just put in your mm database by online tagging is then synced to the tags for those selected songs. this keeps all the info corrected in both the laptop and the songs tags on the external so now you need to use the control on the external to open monkey and set its option for updating tags only if time stamp has changed, then scan the hd again on it so it can adjust all the tag info in its database.

that should keep both monkey's databases on both machines in order.


plugins?

get the mp3pro and the mad plug in.

they should help in playing songs that might not play other wise.

then get the skins all the mm 3 skins is best that way you have a choice.

others use different plugins so they can tell you their likes.

[Rednroll]

Ya know, I've been trying to figure this out for the longest times. I have read all the documentation tutorials and then I always seem to run into some kind of gotcha where something doesn't make sense. The last time I thought I had this all figured out, all of a sudden my playlists would show up on one PC and then not the other one. Then they magically disappeared on both.

I decided to start over and here's what I did. First off, If you already have MM installed on one of your PCs, my advice would be to uninstall it and delete anything left over. Do a file search on MediaMonkey.ini and make sure it's not hanging around in your "My Documents" or "Users" folders.

Then do the following. I'll refer to them as PC1 and PC2. I'll refer to your external drive with your media as "Drive T:"
Assign External Drive Letter on PC1:
1. Plug in your external Drive on PC1.
2. Goto CONTROL PANEL>Administrative Tools>Computer Management, Then Click on "Disk Management", and Click on the External Drive.
3. Goto ACTIONS>ALL TASKS>Change Drive Letters and Paths, then click the "Change" button. Change the Drive letter to "T:". This will make sure that every time you plug in the external drive it will be assigned the same drive letter, and hopefully will be out of range of all other drives so they don't claim that drive letter.

Install MediaMonkey on PC1
1. Choose to install to a specific location and install it to the external Drive "T:/MediaMonkey"
2. Choose to not scan your computer for media files during the install process.
3. Register MediaMonkey
4. Find the file "MediaMonkey.ini", it should be located in T:\MediaMonkey\All Users\Application Data\MediaMonkey directory.
5. Move that file to T:\MediaMonkey

Edit MediaMonkey.ini file
1. Open the "MediaMonkey.ini" file in NotePad or Wordpad.
2. Find the location that says [System]
3. Change TempDir, CacheDir, PreviewDir so that they're assigned to Drive T:
Should look like below:
TempDir=T:\MediaMonkey\All Users\Application Data\MediaMonkey\Temp\
CacheDir=T:\MediaMonkey\All Users\Application Data\MediaMonkey\VirtualCD\
PreviewDir=T:\MediaMonkey\All Users\Application Data\MediaMonkey\Previews\
4. Add the following line below "PreviewDir", so MediaMonkey looks here for it's Database file.
DBName=T:\MediaMonkey\All Users\Application Data\MediaMonkey\MM.DB
5. Save the MediaMonkey.ini file.

Change MediaMonkey internal preference settings.
1. Start MediaMonkey
2. Goto TOOLS>OPTIONS
3. Click on "Virtual CD & Preview"
4. In the Virtual CD Directory change to:
T:\MediaMonkey\All Users\Application Data\MediaMonkey\VirtualCD\
5. In the "Previews" Directory box, change to:
T:\MediaMonkey\All Users\Application Data\MediaMonkey\Previews\
6. Click "OK" to apply changes.

Setup PC2
Assign External Drive Letter on PC2:
1. Plug in your external Drive on PC2.
2. Goto CONTROL PANEL>Administrative Tools>Computer Management, Then Click on "Disk Management", and Click on the External Drive.
3. Goto ACTIONS>ALL TASKS>Change Drive Letters and Paths, then click the "Change" button. Change the Drive letter to "T:".

Install MediaMonkey on PC2
1. Choose to install to a specific location and install it to the external Drive "T:/MediaMonkey"
*Note: Be careful, MediaMonkey automatically enters a directory path of "MediaMonkey" for you. You should just click on the T: drive and make sure it's installing to the exact same directory of "T:/MediaMonkey", where you installed it on PC1.
2. Choose to not scan your computer for media files during the install process.
3. Register MediaMonkey
4. Make sure an additional MediaMonkey.ini file did not get created in the install process.
5. Goto T:\MediaMonkey\All Users\Application Data\MediaMonkey directory and if there is an additional MediaMonkey.ini file there.....then delete it. This will ensure MediaMonkey uses the MediaMonkey.ini that should still be located in the T:\MediaMonkey folder.

Scan for MediaFiles to put into the MediaMonkey Library
1. Start Media Monkey
2. Goto the Tree View and click on "My Computer".
3. Browse to your external Drive where your media files are located.
4. Right Click on the Drive and select "Add/Rescan Tracks to Library"
5. Select All the folders on your external drive you want MediaMonkey to scan for media files by checking them"
6. Select "OK". Media Monkey will now scan those specific folders and add all the media files to the MediaMonkey Database.

You should be able to move the external drive to both PCs and run Media Monkey on either PC and everything "should" be the same now. This is what I finally did and it has worked out much better than all the other use SQL Lite, edit the MM.DB file...etc...etc. stuff. After the 3rd time of messing around and pulling my hair out....this is what I finally came up with and so far....so good.....fingers crossed.

Once you get all that done.....then run MediaMonkey and go to work with the AutoTag feature by selecting songs and hitting "CNTRL+L". I find AMAZON Canada works the best when using the auto tag feature. At least it did for my music library.

[Rednroll]

that should keep both monkey's databases on both machines in order.

Trying to manage 2 different MediaMonkey Databases is a nightmare just waiting to happen if you ask me. Been there done that.

I suggest you do what I suggested and install MediaMonkey onto the same portable drive you keep your Mediafiles located. That ensures the same MediaMonkey database is being used for both PCs and theres' no need to worry about sync issues and things being different between the 2 different database info on both PCs.

[jboogygroove]

wow!!! I appreciate the prompt replies and helpful information!!! I don''t think I have ever posted a question to a forum and got such quick replies. Sounds like its gonna take some work, but I know it is gonna be worth it when it is done. I value everyone;s input so far and look forward to more replies. I am stoked to go to work this weekend to create my ideal media situation and get my library kickin finally!!!

[rovingcowboy]

thats cause us monkeys are friendly ones

[Rednroll]

wow!!! I appreciate the prompt replies and helpful information!!! I don''t think I have ever posted a question to a forum and got such quick replies. Sounds like its gonna take some work, but I know it is gonna be worth it when it is done. I value everyone;s input so far and look forward to more replies. I am stoked to go to work this weekend to create my ideal media situation and get my library kickin finally!!!

LOL!!! I felt sorry for you. When I 1st started using MediaMonkey I had the exact same question. I don't want anyone to have to go through the same growing pains I had to go through. If you do a search on my username, you will probably find my 1st post ever which was titled "2 PCs, 1 Music Library,Multiple playlists, 1 iPod??". I got some good advice and got to read a lot of tutorials, but in the end, I started all over and what I posted above is what I came up with on my own and so far has been my best solution.

[pushpull]

I also have a computer attached to my stereo system and if you are like me and crank it I have found the following plugin useful.
http://www.winamp.com/plugins/details/143238
I recently tested it on the latest version MM I have which I believe is 3.1.1 and it works. It will monitor your phone line, if you still have a landline or voip connection run through a SIP, and you have the option to turn the volume down, mute or stop MM. It will even display caller ID info if your modem has the ability. Another thing I do is control the computer through my home network using the WAWI plugin available here and via a VNC connection. This works great if you are away from the stereo but have a computer near by. Phone rings, music stops, tell your boss your still too sick to come into work, hang up, connect to the stereo computer and crank up the tunes!!! What more can anyone ask for? Oh yeah, an ice cold beer might be nice!

[sistegraf]

Thanks to Rednroll for his detailed instructions, they worked like magic and resolved the problem.

I´m going to try and go one step further and try to make my setup exactly as I want it. Here is what I´m going to try:

Currently as per Rednroll guide MediaMonkey.ini, MM.DB database, Temp, VirtualCD and Previews directories reside in the external USB "T:\" hard disk drive along with all the installation files.

I changed the external hard drive from one computer to another. Ran MediaMonkey, added tracks, edited tags, added playlists and everything worked in both computers. This setup will work perfectly to move the library between my work and home computers and if I want to edit something at home it will mirror exactly at work and vice versa.

Now, at work, I want the "T:\" hard disk drive where everything lives including music files (100GB), to be accessible in the network so I don´t have to connect the drive to the computer that I use the most during the day. So basically I´m going to:

1. Uninstall MediaMonkey from computer 1 (the one that does not have the USB "T" drive connected).
2. Re-install MediaMonkey at computer 1 and add a mapped drive that points to the "T" drive in the network.
3. Modify MediaMonkey.ini to point to where the relevant files and directories reside in the mapped drive.

Do you think this setup will work?
Once installed, if I add or edit any file or playlist will it update in computer 2 and home computer?

Thanks for your help.

[Rednroll]

Thanks to Rednroll for his detailed instructions, they worked like magic and resolved the problem.

I´m going to try and go one step further and try to make my setup exactly as I want it. Here is what I´m going to try:

Currently as per Rednroll guide MediaMonkey.ini, MM.DB database, Temp, VirtualCD and Previews directories reside in the external USB "T:\" hard disk drive along with all the installation files.

I changed the external hard drive from one computer to another. Ran MediaMonkey, added tracks, edited tags, added playlists and everything worked in both computers. This setup will work perfectly to move the library between my work and home computers and if I want to edit something at home it will mirror exactly at work and vice versa.

Now, at work, I want the "T:\" hard disk drive where everything lives including music files (100GB), to be accessible in the network so I don´t have to connect the drive to the computer that I use the most during the day. So basically I´m going to:

1. Uninstall MediaMonkey from computer 1 (the one that does not have the USB "T" drive connected).
2. Re-install MediaMonkey at computer 1 and add a mapped drive that points to the "T" drive in the network.
3. Modify MediaMonkey.ini to point to where the relevant files and directories reside in the mapped drive.

Do you think this setup will work?
Once installed, if I add or edit any file or playlist will it update in computer 2 and home computer?

Thanks for your help.

I'm not sure about the network drive and how well it will work. The thing about MediaMonkey, what I learned is that within the database it stores the physical hard drive's ID. So the ID of a hard drive always stays the same no matter what drive letter assignment the PC assigns to it....but the MediaMonkey.ini file and Preference settings contain actual Drive Letter assignments....I see this as a conflicting problem. I understand why MM does it this way in regards to the database so it doesn't get things confused if you plug in multiple drive devices and the drive letter gets assigned to something different, since the drive ID will not change.

The way that it's suggested in other tutorials if you're moving your media files from one HDD to another is that you use something like SQLite to edit the MM.DB file and change the drive ID if you move your media files to a different hard drive which would obviously have a different drive "ID". I say F**k that noise if you still have both Hard drives available. There's a better and easier way to do this so the database does not get corrupt and MM tracks all the changes within the Library and you don't need to use another program. Here's my suggestion.....and is what I would do if I was you, where you're going to move all the media files to a different HDD...a network drive in your case.

Moving Media files to a different HDD
Run MM with both drives connected and from within MM's browser view, copy the media files from the original HDD to the new HDD using simple drag and drop. Simple drag and drop within MM's browser view will copy the files to the new HDD location. Also the copying within MM will cause both instances of each file to be present within the current Library view. At this point if you want to "remove" the original HDD media files from the Library then go to the Library Node and right click on the Media Files on the original HDD and select "Remove". MM will then prompt you and ask you if you want to either "Delete from the Library" or "Delete from the Library and Computer". So now you have an option if you just want them removed from showing up in the Library view or if you want them removed from the library and also deleted off the original HDD.

Basically, instead of using Windows Explorer to move your media files....you use MM to do the same task. Once, you've done that you can now go to your other PC and scan the network drive for the media files you just moved there if you need to.

[Rednroll]

I still have one small problem which I'm currently scratching my head over with my original method I outlined.

My entire suggested method was so I could work on either my home PC or my work PC and have everything remain consistent within my Library and media files and be able to sync to my iPod from either PC.

Here's what I'm seeing now that I can't quite figure out. I add new media files to the portable drive "T:" on my home PC and when I add the media files the Library gets updated and shows these new media files on my home PC. Now I take my portable drive, which should be using the same Library database file, the same MediaMonkey.exe, the same MediaMonkey.ini file. Yet when I plug my portable HDD into my work PC and then run the MediaMonkey.exe located on that portable drive, my Library does not show the new media files I added on my home PC. So I end up having to right click on the drive and select "Add/Rescan Tracks to Library" for the changes to show on my work PC. So if the Library info is truly all stored within the MM.DB file....why the heck would I have to Rescan the hard drive on my work PC to see the changes I made on my home PC?

[rovingcowboy]

monkey sounds like he wants confirmation from both hard drives.

[Rednroll]

monkey sounds like he wants confirmation from both hard drives.

You lost me on that one??? There's only one hard drive, which is a portable hard drive that gets moved between 2 PCs.

The exact setup is outlined in my 1st post in this thread.

[rovingcowboy]

okay if monkey is wanting to have the work computer scan the changes then some were along the line the work computer monkey took ownership of the files on the hard drive, and will not show the stuff on the other computer until he gets the okaydokey from the first computer.

that is what it sounds like.

[Rednroll]

okay if monkey is wanting to have the work computer scan the changes then some were along the line the work computer monkey took ownership of the files on the hard drive, and will not show the stuff on the other computer until he gets the okaydokey from the first computer.

that is what it sounds like.

Clear as mud. Okay let me back up just to make sure that we're on the same page. Both computers are not connected to the same drive at the same time...like a network drive setup. Because, that's kind of what it sounds like you're describing.

So anyways here's exactly what I'm doing. I have MM installed onto a single external/portable USB hard drive and I did this install to that external drive on 2 separate PCs. On that same HDD is my entire music collection.

So currently let's say I rip a new CD to my music library on my "Home" PC. I have the external USB hard drive connected to my home PC, I rip the CD to MP3 to the external hard drive. Within the MM Library Node view on my Home PC the new media files show up within the Library nodes. Now I close out MM and then disconnect the portable HDD from my home PC.....shut off my home PC and go to work.

At work, I connect the portable HDD. I browse to the folder on the external HDD which has the MediaMonkey.exe program. I double click that to launch MM. Now when I browse to the library view it does not show the new media files that I just ripped to the external HDD which showed on my Home PC. Now from what I understand is that the Library information is all stored within the MM database file (ie MM.DB) Both PCs are reading the same MM.DB file but not connected to the external drive at the same time.....yet both PCs reading the same MM.DB file do not show the same information.

Media Monkey seems to be storing Library information somewhere else besides the single MM.DB file which is common to both PCs......otherwise I can see no other explanation as to why their Library views would be different.

It's the same Monkey being run on both PCs, it's the same MM.DB file on both PCs, it's the same MediaMonkey.ini file being used on both PCs, it's the same Media files on both PCs, because it's all on the same portable HDD being transported between 2 different PCs.