folder.jpg shares vs database

[PC_Pal68]

rtv,

This app should save in the imges in \thumbs\music\folder and not \thumbs\music\artist ??

If the image should go in thumbs\music\folder because the image represents only a folder and not the "full" directory, what would be the use then of thumbs\music\artist ?

I am using the classic Music\Atist\Album\Tracks; perhaps for someone using a different format ???

Tx again for your help.

----------

UPDATE:

rtv,

So far I haven't go it to work.

Is there any reboot / rescan involved in the process ?

Everything seams to be working as you plan except for the "Paste rename with F2". If I select the pic once copied in the thumbs\music\folder F2 will not paste anything.The copying part with the clic does work since I can paste the file name (number) to notepad. I've tried different approch: rename + F2 and rename + paste with context menu (or ctrl + v). The "rename and paste" works. I then remove the .jpg manually from the file name, but the image still does not show in a Artist View (only see icons).

Is the F2 renaming just a straight forward paste or will it add info to the db ?

There is probably something I am not doing right but can't figure what:

folder choice ?? rescan ?? pasting / renaming / ?? F2 ??

I don't mind doing a sreencast (with/without audio) so you can see my workflow.

I'll give it another shot tonight.

Regards.

[rtv]

Originally Posted by PC_Pal68

So what you are saying is that MP right now, cannot add images if their isn't any media file in that folder?

Is that something that can be change/corrected?

This has been the purpose of the tool...
However I am "fixing" the way MP creates those thumbnails which are mainly used for shares view.
You can test my progress with next SVN. This should already detect all folder.jpg files in your directories configured for scanning.

Needs some tweaking still to detect other image types without decreasing performance, etc but in general it should work now.

Btw: for database views I kindly repeat myself - either:
- live with the 4 pic album preview collection thumbs
- put your own <artist>.jpg files into the thumbs\artist dir
- use the audioscrobbler artist art downloader to do that automatically

[PC_Pal68]

Btw: for database views I kindly repeat myself - either:
- live with the 4 pic album preview collection thumbs
- put your own <artist>.jpg files into the thumbs\artist dir
- use the audioscrobbler artist art downloader to do that automatically

I think I understand. The small programme and the SVN are not going to help me. I've install the latest svn and it does scan the folder.jpg that are alone in a folder. These images are add to \thumbs\music\folder but do not show in db view to represent an artist. To do so, I need to place all the artist images (called folder.jpg) in thumbs\music\artist and rename the image file: artistname.jpg

Right ?

rtv,

Tell me what is the advantage of adding the lone folder.jpg files to the db (in \thumbs\music\folder). If the images do not show in db view, and they already appeared in share view, what is the purpose of all this? Perhaps I've missed something or maybe you have something in mind further down the road that I can't/don't understand.

Meanwhile, I will try to find a batch renaming software that would rename a file with the same name as it's own folder + file extension filter (.jpg) ?!?!?!?!? Seams like a long shot.

[PC_Pal68]

I've downloaded a free prog: Advance Renamer. It seamed "powerfull" enough to do the renaming job I need. It does parent renaming. Good thing. Il be able to batch rename all my artist's folder.jpg to artistname.jpg and them save the image files to \thumbs\music\artist.

I just thought of one thing. I actually might not want to directly rename the files.Perhaps I should keep a copy of folder.jpg. It works fine in shares and who knows if MP will use those "artist folder.jpg" in db view correctly in the futur.

What I really want is to copy + rename to new location. So I need the <NameDir> fonction but I also need the fonction that would enable me to copy and specify the new dir or path. It doesn't look like Advance Renamer will enable me to copy and rename or to change the dir of the "newly named files".

So bassically I want:

- foler.jpg to stay where they are
- rename <NameDir> and copy/save the "newly named files" in thumbs\music\artist.

I'm not sure I'll find a "all in one" solution that will enable me to do all of this. Can someone think of a process or workflow (involving perhaps multiple prog) that would result in what I am looking for?

Regards.

[coopers]

Hey, I wrote a script that maybe will help you.

The script is not nearly as fancy as rtv's application - I suggest running the .bat file I have put with it on the dos cmd window, so that if it complains you can see the errors.

Basically the script takes two argumenst - the path to your music folder top level, and the path to your MP thumbs dir. So, you will need to edit the .bat file if the paths I have in there don't match yours.

Then the script just runs, it copies any FOLDER.jpg files it finds inside the "1st level" of directories (which should be your artist directories) to the mp thumbs folder, and renames them the right thing. So, when you view the db artists, hopefully the jpgs will appear correctly for you in MP.

The source code of the script is in the .py file, if you're interested in looking at what it really does.

hope it helps, it seems to have worked for me!
The rar is attached.

[PC_Pal68]

Coopers,

This sounds like a perfect fit. I was holding on the rename fonction. This script sounds much better. I will give it a try in a few days and report back.

Thank you for your help.

[rtv]

Sorry coopers - this is already working in the latest SVN build

As long as you've got the option to use all (*.png / *.jpg) covers enabled MP will use them when importing shares. In addition it will not only use images for the first level but ALL levels where covers are found.

Example:
.\Music\Rock\AC/DC\AC/DC - 1992 - Live\01 - Ac-Dc - Thunderstruck.mp3

You can have a genre image like this:
.\Music\Rock\Rock.png or .\Music\Rock\folder.jpg

You can have an artist level image like this:
.\Music\Rock\AC/DC\AC-DC band image.png or .\Music\Rock\AC/DC\folder.jpg

etc...

[coopers]

Cool... so how does MP know what format your directories are?

I mean, when you set it up like:
music/genre/artist/album

vs music/artist/album

vs music/genre

vs music/album

etc?

Can you tell MP what your directory format is?


edit: And that's fine, the script is short, and I've been wanting to learn python.

[rtv]

Originally Posted by coopers

Can you tell MP what your directory format is?

No - MP assumes that cover art is placed there on purpose - if you put a Britney Spears image in your "Hard Rock" directory it will still trust you

[coopers]

Yeah sure.

But what I really mean, is that people have different ways to organize the music dir. So when MP is populating it's database, how does MP tell the difference between a structure like:
music/artist/album, and
music/genre/album?