Flac naming convention., Best naming scheme. Options

[pedrot99]

Hey all,
I just posted on the dBp forum but wanted some additional opinions since this is not related to dBpoweramp even though that's what Im very happily using. I'm about 1/2 through ripping my 400+ CD collection to FLAC and have a quick question.

For non-multi or comp discs, I'm using Spoons default string.

After folder hierarchy, it is Track#-Artist-Track Name.flac

In the even tags get screwed up (I've heard of that happening) is there any wisdom to adding "album" to the file name. I have several songs that with multiple versions on different albums as well.

My buddy uses: Artist-Album-Track#-Track Name for EACH file.

His though is that if his folders or tags get screwed up, each song can still be easily sorted and reorganized.

I obviously wouldn't re-rip anything but it would seem there might be advantages to having each file with all pertinent info IN the file name. Maybe he (and I) am just over thinking as I usually do!

I'm curious of other peoples thoughts.

Thanks!

[JJZolx]

I've never had tags get messed up, but if it happened then I would do a restore from my library backup. I keep file naming to a minimum. For non-compilations, I only include track number and title. Artist and album names can be seen in the folder structure. For compilations, I add the artist name to the file name, since it's not found in the folder names.

Directories:
* non-compilations: %artist%\%albusm%
* compilations: ! Various Artists\%album%

(I name the compilation directory '! Various Artists' so that it sorts to the top of directory listings.)

File names:
* non-compilations: %track% %title%
* compilations: %track% %artist% - %title%

For example:

! Various Artists\Sounds of Wood and Steel\01 Russ Freeman - Larry's World.flac
! Various Artists\Sounds of Wood and Steel\02 Doyle Dykes - Nothing's Too Good (For A Friend).flac
Aaron Neville\Nature Boy\01 Summertime.flac
Aaron Neville\Nature Boy\02 Blame It On My Youth.flac

[garym]

I use identical scheme as 'JJZolx except naming compilations subdirectory as compilations rather than ! Various Artists.

[LosMintos]

In the even tags get screwed up [...] I obviously wouldn't re-rip anything but it would seem there might be advantages to having each file with all pertinent info IN the file name.

File and folder names are limited in their length, so one cannot store all meta data therein. Assume you would 'backup' some tags into the file/folder name, you will probably loose information in case of restore. Because file/folder names allow only limited letters/symbols (or you likely run into trouble if you use exotic symbols and are going to share your files via different operating systems and/or file systems). Moreover, one will probably change tags from time to time (constantly, I would say, think of error correction, ratings, playback statistics, additional information, whatsoever). I don't want to change file/folder names too, because this often messes up playlists etc. And it is just inconvenient.

By that, one has to do a real backup of the metadata and/or the collection itself. Discussion on that does not fit here, IMHO, it can be found anywhere online ... Just one hint: you can export metadata, only, and save it from time to time at a save location.

Nevertheless, I take care of a proper naming scheme and a hierarchically structure. I think my scheme is not so special to post all the details, I will just give one example for regular albums

CODE

$left(%album artist%,1)\%album artist%\%album%\%track% = %artist% = %title%.flac

After ripping I sanitize the folder/file name (e.g. remove all special chars) and then the file/folder name will _never_ change again, regardless of tags. I use the equal sign ('=') to separate different fields in the file name, because it's very seldom found inside the content of a tag field and by my knowledge it's compatible with a wide range of operating systems.

[pedrot99]

That's great guy...very helpful...thanks!

JJ...thanks for laying that out so cleanly.

Garym...are you saying that you do the same thing except your folder for compilation is simply named "compilations"? I think i prefer that to various artists too.

[garym]

Garym...are you saying that you do the same thing except your folder for compilation is simply named "compilations"? I think i prefer that to various artists too.

yes, folder is named: Compilations
(rather than Various Artists)

(and I use squeezebox stuff for playback, and in my settings there I also tell it to name my "compilation" as COMPILATIONS and those albums show up under the ARTIST menu as an item called Compilations (and I also have a setting to group my "compilation" albums together). I also use the COMPILATION field in my tags (set to 1) for all compilations.

I do something similar in foobar2000 with facets (I have a panel where I can select it to show Compilations in my artist/album listings (or not)

[Venyos]

Are you useing dpPoweramp to rip?

[eahm]

I use this scheme for everything:

%album artist%/[%date% - ]%album%/[Disc %discnumber%]/%tracknumber%. %title%

I also save the albumart/cover inside the album folder with different names: 600x600.ext or 800x800.ext or 1000x1000.ext or 1500x1500.ext

This post has been edited by eahm: Sep 9 2012, 00:26

[garym]

Are you useing dpPoweramp to rip?

Yes, dbpa for ripping to FLAC and any subsequent conversions to mp3.