running out of time and patience for MP3s

[kudah440]

Hi BYOAC people, long time no post.   

The juke/console monster is physically about halfway done.  I cant finish and put in the buttons or keypad until i figure out which software im using... and this is my problem.
Im not sure if its because im new at it, or im trying to do something difficult but im having a lot of problems.

I ripped about 200 CDs with WMP9 and put them in my music folder for this project.
I had tested out DWjuke... and it worked great with about 10 CDs so the plan was built around it.  Time to finish the building and button things up, then SURPRIZE!  When i loaded 200 CDs dwjuke will blink and shut down every time it attempts to load the database.

I have a suspicion it could be the ID3 tags, but i spend enough hours fighting with it so i decided to try other programs.

However....  Nothing that uses the Winamp will load the cover art... not one.

so out of about 10 or 12 (free ones to fit my nonexistant budget) I cant get any to work, and it seems a different reason for all of them. these are just some of the problems with the ones i would like to fix.  (And yes ive been all over the FAQ sections)

After the DW... my favorite was the SK, it works well with my button controls, but I cant get it to load cover art...

Cant get the multijuke past the config screen  (no button assigned to accept, and no library loaded)

And there is not one that has worked so far... so I think i need a direction.  I have so many different problems going that i dont know which one to attack so i need a direction.  My degree is in hardware, but not as much a programming guy...

Anyway... could be venting, could be pleading, you decide, but i think i just need a direction because for 2 weeks Ive been researching the forums and trying things that have been posted in here over the years, but im not making any progress other than finding out which one aggrevates me faster. lol

Please let my wifes juke be finished so i can go back to work on my mame... hehe

[Space Fractal]

First the coverart problem:
Typical need to been called folder.jpg (and some can use cover.jpg) and is placed in the folder where the album is. That should works in all software, since Media Player use that too. Don't include a coverart in the mp3 tags itself, none of these application read that.

I pretty sure Sk-Jukebox would read that, if you do that too. It a cool application too and remember it coverarts works that way too.

The id3 problem:
There exits applications to fix these id3 tags which (tagscanner, id3-TagIt 3) typical because they are in different id3v2 versions and crash applications (including MultiJuke, which can't like 2.4 tags), why I only re commered to use id3v2.3. I known my crash on id3v2.4 tags in MultiJuke/MultiFE, and might cause same issue with other software as well. I personal doesn't like when they break compatible with each new versions, why I only re-commered to use id2v2.3 tags. So check your tags which versions they use.

The MultiJuke button: (I am the author of this app)
There is no button to accept, you should just hide the config (TAB), and then MultiJuke should automatic load the library after you have configure and setup your library in the config (read the help screen how to navigate there).

If it still not show any, press F5 to refresh them again.

If still not show any libraries, a library file might been broken (saved a empty library) and need to been delete and have some technical problems in MultiJuke too. So I re-commered to delete them (they are in library folder) and try again. Some of these problems should been fixed in MultiFE, which is a newer version of MultiJuke with MAME launcher inbuilt (but can been hided).

You can use my forum, if you still have technical problem.

[Barry Barcrest]

A Fairly easy way to check your tags would be to download the freebox demo and run the config against your music. As my software relies on the tags you will see where your tags might be giving you errors. Basically it populates a listview with basic tag details for each album it finds and would make your job a little easier in identifying the rouge tags.

[Ian]

Or you wont have to do any of that and the jukebox software nordbeat can scan all cover art (it just has to be in a picture format), and you can adjust your tags in the program, and arrange what album goes where. It can do pretty much everything, and is almost impossible to crash. If you are having issues, I would check it out.

[Barry Barcrest]

Or you wont have to do any of that and the jukebox software nordbeat can scan all cover art (it just has to be in a picture format), and you can adjust your tags in the program, and arrange what album goes where. It can do pretty much everything, and is almost impossible to crash. If you are having issues, I would check it out.

Maybe the fact he's looking for something free is why he hasn't tried that. He should be able to use SK or Space Fractals jukebox if he fixes up the tags. Tag And Rename is the way to go with fixing the tags but it sounds like he needs an easy way to locate the invalid tags.

EDIT:
I have attached the latest version of the freebox config for you. It uses Lave Lars album cover code to get album covers off the internet once you have scanned your database in. It might be of some help in sorting out your tags. I do suggest using Tag & Rename to sort out your tags though, the 30 day trial should be long enough for you to get them fixed, that will even get the album art and tag info off amazon should you know the artist and album name so you don't really have to do as much work.

[kudah440]

Thanks for the replies... Im looking forward to trying again when i get home tonight

heres another silly random addition to the question.

In the my music file, the folders all have a picture displayed on the front of the folder.  They seem to work with WMP fine, but not for Winamp... does this mean I have to put a new pic in there for Winamp (for the juke to use)?

[Barry Barcrest]

Thanks for the replies... Im looking forward to trying again when i get home tonight

heres another silly random addition to the question.

In the my music file, the folders all have a picture displayed on the front of the folder.  They seem to work with WMP fine, but not for Winamp... does this mean I have to put a new pic in there for Winamp (for the juke to use)?

That is probably because the files placed there by WMP are hidden. folder.jpg and albumart.jpg's. Some applications, mine included don't look for hidden files. You could open up each folder.jpg and save it under a new name so it's not hidden.

EDIT:

To answer the folder.jpg attrib issue this is what you do:

If all files are in the My Music folder on WinXP:
1. Start a command prompt and copy+paste the blue text below into the command prompt window:
attrib /s -h -s +a "%userprofile%\My Documents\My Music\folder.jpg"
2. That should do it.

If your using some other version of Windows you'd just modify the path that's listed above as "%userprofile%\My Documents\My Music" to that actual path, e.g.; C:\Music\

Found that, i think WMP will set them back to hidden system files if you play the tracks through that though after you have unhidden them.

[kudah440]

ok, i ALWAYS go in to folder properties and select show hidden files. (just one of my obsessive traits)  But i have no idea where that pic is actually filed in these since i cant see the file... does that make sense?  In other words how do you find a file that WMP and windows dont have a problem finding... but you cant see anywhere?  Is it another level of hidden file that im not supposed to know about or are the underwear gnomes erasing it everytime i open the folder?

[Barry Barcrest]

ok, i ALWAYS go in to folder properties and select show hidden files. (just one of my obsessive traits)  But i have no idea where that pic is actually filed in these since i cant see the file... does that make sense?  In other words how do you find a file that WMP and windows dont have a problem finding... but you cant see anywhere?  Is it another level of hidden file that im not supposed to know about or are the underwear gnomes erasing it everytime i open the folder?

I think you also need to take the tick out of Hide protected operating system files. These images are also labelled as system files which is why you are still not seeing them.

[kudah440]

Great  you have now added a new check box for me to be obsessing over!

Really though...

I think you also need to take the tick out of Hide protected operating system files. These images are also labelled as system files which is why you are still not seeing them.

was my problem of not being able to see them (im just playing with them on my work computer now)... i wonder how thats going to affect the software... well for the first time in a couple of weeks i feel a slight glimmer of hope again...

Thanks

[Ian]

Or you wont have to do any of that and the jukebox software nordbeat can scan all cover art (it just has to be in a picture format), and you can adjust your tags in the program, and arrange what album goes where. It can do pretty much everything, and is almost impossible to crash. If you are having issues, I would check it out.

Maybe the fact he's looking for something free is why he hasn't tried that. He should be able to use SK or Space Fractals jukebox if he fixes up the tags. Tag And Rename is the way to go with fixing the tags but it sounds like he needs an easy way to locate the invalid tags.

EDIT:
I have attached the latest version of the freebox config for you. It uses Lave Lars album cover code to get album covers off the internet once you have scanned your database in. It might be of some help in sorting out your tags. I do suggest using Tag & Rename to sort out your tags though, the 30 day trial should be long enough for you to get them fixed, that will even get the album art and tag info off amazon should you know the artist and album name so you don't really have to do as much work.

Wow you are getting a bit touchy there barry, I was just trying to help. Sorry.

[Space Fractal]

That is different why I support cover.jpg (or png) as well folder.jpg (or png) because MS untended threat them as a hidden system files which I have never understand why they do that for no reason.

That because I have even seen some very annoying bugs in WMP which some times can replace a high resolution scan with thier own crappy resolution scan and then hide it as it was system file (I HATE that).

That propenty also why Nordbeat just scan for images and pick the first one which I guess it does. MultiFE should do the same trick. That make sure it pick up a image to been show. Good thing. You could also test that software out too.

For tags I also prefer a good tag tool, like that Barcrest or I recommered. They all good. MultiFE does not need any tags, if you have a good file mask. I recommered to use filemask rather than tags. If you use tags, make sure they is on id3v2.3).

[kudah440]

I only spent about an hour working on it last night, I  had places and appointments and what not and so on and so forth.  But I still havent made much progress.  I got to the point i can at lease see the pics in the folders....
I dont want to tie up everyones time and efforts, but i do have some basic MP3 questions though....

Why is everything in the music folder Read only (I can uncheck it, but it just rechecks it when i exit)
Why is the cover art that Windows puts in there such a pain to work with And since WMP is pretty much a standard item why dont more jukes use it? (i know thats probably a very nieve question, but i just wanna know)

Thanks everyone for taking to time to read my pleading... hopefully this weekend Ill have it to a point where I can take some pics and post
 

[Space Fractal]

Its a system folder which cant been deleted. Its pretty much like "My Document" which cant been deleted too. Howover you can still change any files or folders in that folder.

Most jukebox software use folder.jpg and pretty sure all named software use that too.

Some do more indepth search in the folder, because not all like WMP system or sometimes have problems with that with low resolutions coverarts. That why I in my software search for cover.jpg as well same filename as foldername (which Uncle'T Jukebox use, but its does read folder.jpg fine, even it not stated in the readme). Some software ever just use the first picture found in the folder....

If you want higher resolution coverarts then them windows use, use a coverart download application someware in this forum, Lave Laar have created (sorry if I spelled his username wrong).

[unclet]

Yeah, I think my software simply finds the first filename with an image extension (ie: jpg, gif, etc..) and uses that image as the album art.

[kudah440]

Ok, thanks everyone for your patience.

I GOT IT WORKING LAST NIGHT!


We used the config software (thanks again) to get about half the files and the other half i just opened and saved as cover.jpg
I still dont understand how it can be in the folder as folder.jpg but blurred out like a hidden file and not work...
But it works now and thats the important part.

Anyway, shes up and running in a mock up state, i was also working on the car amplifier problem and got it worked out last night too....soooo

I should have it finished up this weekend. 
Then there will be beer, oh yes, there WILL be beer.