Re: How Do I Re-Rip My Library Without Losing My Tags?

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The file names aren't based on the tag names by default in Windows Media
Player. They're based on the track name as identified when the track was
ripped. If you change the track name in WMP, the file is not, by default,
renamed - unless you took specific action to turn on the option to rename
your tracks according to your rip settings. And even then, I'm not sure it
will rename existing files but I am not in a position to test; I don't want
my library trashed by the process. I'll have to try it when I have more time
to create an appropriate backup and test.

If you haven't edited the default track name from the Microsoft/AMG
database, then my program will handle it. If you have edited them, you
could, after ripping again, edit the file names of the ID3 tag backups
created by my software so that the filenames match the track file names
except for the file extension but that could be a slow tedious task.

There has to be some common and consistent piece of identifying information
on a track and in the data. I chose to use the file name. That means my
apps are dependent on the file names. Remember, these are utilities I wrote
for myself and have shared here. Windows Media Player, on the other hand,
has a more robust - in some cases - track identification mechanism by using a
unique identifier based on the Microsoft/AMG database. I didn't use their
identifier for a couple reasons:

First, it may not always be available if the track wasn't originally ripped
or identified by WMP - and I use iTunes for ripping so that is the normal
case in my library.

Second, there are sometimes problems because WMP decides that your track is
"Track A" and you know it is "Track B". At times, the only way to convince
WMP that your track is actually not "Track A" is to remove the identifiers
that point to the Microsoft/AMG database.

So, file name became the logical key for me.

--
Dale Preston
MCAD C#
MCSE, MCDBA


"Mike McCollister" wrote:

Dale,

Thanks for the information. I'll check out your backup programs. Just one
question, if I re-rip the songs there will be cases where the file names
will be different since they are based on tags. Will your program be able to
handle this?

Thanks,

Mike

"Dale" <dale0973@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:7B6EAEA9-070B-4F9E-90D7-A8A131E0E6C0@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Use my MetaData Backup and ID3 Tag Backup programs to backup the metadata
and
the tags. As long as you maintain the same file structure and file names
when you rip again, you can restore the saved metadata and ID3 tags after
you
rip your files.

Metadata Backup:


http://www.dalepreston.com/Blog/2007/03/windows-media-player-metadata-backup.html

ID3 Tag Backup:

http://www.dalepreston.com/Blog/2007/01/removing-id3-tags.html

Dale
--
Dale Preston
MCAD C#
MCSE, MCDBA


"Mike McCollister" wrote:

I have a library of 200+ CDs that I have ripped at 192 kpbs MP3. I've
edited
many of the tags and modified many of the album covers. Is there a way to
re-rip my library to 320 kbps MP3 and keep my tags and album art without
WMP11 getting tag information from the Internet?

Thanks,

Mike



.

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