Database Tagging Problems

[tommyfs]

Have MM5 Build 5.0.4.2693 with 1800+ FLAC files. I use Desktop PC (C:\ drive for apps and D:\ drive for data) for all new and updated files. MM5.db is on C:\. When I transfer new and updated and MM5.db to my working (for music gigs) laptop PC (C:\ only), of course all files are grayed out. Then I apply "Update Moved/Missing Files" to the batch, only 405 of the 1800 have their path changed to C:\. The path of the rest remain with [DATA]\Users\tsoca\Music.....! Need help to fully understand tagging tools. Using "Update Location Of Files" doesn't appear to change a thing. Please advise. Thanks.

[Lowlander]

You should use re-assign drive instead, unless the Paths have changed between the 2 PCs.

[Rob_S]

Lowlander, it seems to me, the path has clearly changed from [DATA]\Users\tsoca\music to C:\xxx\music

Or do you just mean the relative paths after Music should be unchanged in both locations?

Once again, this seems to point to a need for a better user interface to find missing music on new or different PC without damaging the rest of the database.

[Lowlander]

Yes, Path has changed so Locate Moved/Missing Files will need to be used instead.

Make sure you select all files that need updating and then add all location(s) that the files are in to look for them.

[tommyfs]

Allow me to explain step-by-step. Once I copy the new (updated) mm5.db to the working laptop PC and open MM5, all files are grayed out with path shown as [DATA]\tsoca\Music\etc. I highlight all the files. Then select "Locate Moved/Missing Files". The resulting dialog box shows 5 check boxes: Tom, C:\Windows, D:\RECOVERY, plus 2 other locations which are not pertinent. Pls notice that the D; drive shown is not "[DATA]" and this "node" does not contain any of the music files. But if I drill down thru "Tom\Music" all my folders (containing all 1800 song files show up. Check-marking "Music" checks the boxes for the folders. Selecting OK scans the selections and reveals: Files in new locations - 400 files with Path = C....; Files Unmoved - 0 Files; Unlocatable files - 1400 files with Path = [DATA].... ! To me, no surprise since D:\RECOVERY is not D:\DATA. BTW, I never had this problem prior to the new Build. Any ideas as to what's going on?

[tommyfs]

BTW, I can change the path to C:\Users\Tom\Music etc. manually one file at a time using Properties/Location.

[Lowlander]

Did you do duplicate analysis on the the original computer/

[tommyfs]

No, not that I know of. After 7 years with MM, I'm still learning. What would your suggestion do for the file structures, Drive naming, etc.? How would that work with my 2 PCs, one with a C:\ drive and the other with a C:\ and D:\ drives?

[Lowlander]

The easiest in this scenario is to use the same Path between the 2 PCs, as then you can use re-assign drive (it fixes drive instead of individual files.

[tommyfs]

I must admit I'm uncomfortable with the proposed solution, after reading the Wiki articles on "Organizing Files and Folders" and the warning that one wrong move can result in the DB losing connection with the files. As an alternative - what would rebuilding the DB do, on my working PC, which has only a C:\ drive available? Pls recall that the DB shows that the files are of 2 paths: 400 files show C:\ and 1400 show [DATA]. In addition, many of the files in C:\ are linked to different files in the Library; ie, it plays a wrong song.

[CrashMonkey]

Lowlander, it seems to me, the path has clearly changed from [DATA]\Users\tsoca\music to C:\xxx\music

Path and Drive are changed. So only changing the drive won't resolve it. So it also needs to locate /moving missing files to update paths.

Yes, Path has changed so Locate Moved/Missing Files will need to be used instead.

Make sure you select all files that need updating and then add all location(s) that the files are in to look for them.

However, i have btw used this option in the past, but locating/missing files are not always found if you only select the drive where it is on. Search won't find them.
Sometimes i really need to give up the full path where the actual files are, c:\bla\bla\music\ instead of saying, it is on the c: drive, good luck finding the music files in the subfolders.
Perhaps OP has this issue aswell.

[Rob_S]

So maybe for OP the answer is not to transfer the database at all. It stores basically three things - tags & art, playlists, and statistics

Just make sure tags and optionally art are embedded, sync files using some type of file manager like Total Commander, add/rescan the destination to update its database. This is what I do to keep my collection on several pc's.

Non embedded art files can by synced along with the tracks themselves if preferred, add-rescan should find them.

If I want to copy over a playlist, I can export and re-import since the relative paths are the same.

I don't care about statistics such as playcount, these would be independent for each PC, reflecting that location only.

Maybe some day MM will have the ability to sync to another PC over network connection, including all of the above.

Another way of course is to store music and database on a portable drive, and plug it in to whichever PC wants to use it. If always on the same network, then it is even easier to use external storage referenced by both PC's

[tommyfs]

Thanks to all who offered ideas. Simplest method seems to be as Lowlander proposed: Use same path between the 2 PCs. To reiterate, I use Desktop PC (C:\ drive for apps and D:\ drive for data) for all new and updated files. MM5.db is on C:\. My laptop PC has only C:\ drive, where the same folders and files reside. Here’s what I believe will work:

1. On the Desktop PC, create a new folder string under C:\ resulting in “C:\Users\Tom\Music”. This would exactly match the existing path, on the Laptop PC, in which all music folders and files reside
.
2. On the Desktop PC, use the “Update Location of files…” tool, which would result in a dialog box with these entries where the existing folders and files are on the path “D:\Users\tsoca\Music”.

Old drive: HD – D:[DATA}, ID=14DD-E279
Old path: D:\Users\tsoca\Music
Old location: 1800 media files + 7 playlist files…
New path: C:\Users\Tom\Music
New location: 0 existing + 1800 missing files
Check the box “Copy files”

3. Select “Update” should copy all files and folders from D: path to C: path. Hopefully, MM5.db will be updated with that change.

4. Copy the changed MM5.db from the Desktop PC to the laptop PC.

5. Open MM5 on the laptop PC and run “Locate moved/missing files…” , which should enable the program to connect with the database.

6. If this works, delete all files and folders on Desktop PC D: drive

7. If there are additional actions to be taken or corrections to be made, please spell them out for me. I need this working for 8 Christmas gigs I have in December.

[Rob_S]

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong here, but even after doing all this, your database may not automatically find all the files on the second computer because the drive ID might be different, so you will still have to reassign drive. MM5 uses drive ID and not just drive letter to locate files.

Just out of my own curiosity, why do you feel you need to copy the database, when you can just re-scan the updated files to get matching tag information? If you have a large number of playlists that you update in first PC and want to use on the second one, then that would explain it.

Does your C: drive on your source PC have sufficient free space to hold a complete set of files?

[tommyfs]

Thanks for your input, Rob.
1. As to reassigning drive, I'm unsure of what that involves. Please detail this for me.
2. Add/rescan on my source (Desktop) PC often leaves several fields empty after I have updated some files. My fear is that after rescanning the target (Laptop) PC, I'll have to fill in those missing fields again. But after my gig today, I'll give it a try.
3. Yes, I've got plenty of room on the source PC's C:\ drive.