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Topic: Need to organise mp3's into folders based on artist/album (Read 12905 times) previous topic - next topic
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Need to organise mp3's into folders based on artist/album

Hi, guys

I need a hand, with organizing my library into folders structured artist/album.... I have 45GB + worth of music (60% or so are already organized)

I have searched and know it should be an easy task, but for some reason im not finding the answers i need... 

I would like a program (preferably free) to go through and just sort the mess out from their tags...

Any help will be much appreciated. 

Thanks

Need to organise mp3's into folders based on artist/album

Reply #1
Check out mp3tag.


Need to organise mp3's into folders based on artist/album

Reply #3
Holy shiznick... you guys are quick!

I have used this program in the past for editing my tags, but must of missed the option....

I'll check it out again.. if anyone else has another opinion FIRE away..... 

Need to organise mp3's into folders based on artist/album

Reply #4
Ok..  .... i actually still had it installed... just open my songs with the program (7500ish) had a quick look there and couldn't really see and option...

Im not great with script... but could work it out if some one could give me a quick tute...

So all i really want, is to sort all my music into  a structure of artist then album using the id3/mp3 tags and i will be a happy chappy. 

And i may as will slip this in.... im looking to redo all my album's.. album art    as many were lost in a recent accident and it was never complete in the first place....
Which is the best program to do so... i would like something to gather fairly hi-res covers so i dont have to do it again.

Thanks so much guys

Need to organise mp3's into folders based on artist/album

Reply #5
You can include directory rules in the Convert > Tag - Filename tool's format string.

For example:

%genre%\%album artist%\%album%\CD$num(%discnumber%,1) - $num(%track%,2) - %artist% - %title%

would create a filename path like this:

Dance\DJ Ex\The Best of DJ Ex\CD2 - 11 - DJ Ex and the Extreme Dancers - Dancing Fool.mp3

Check the program help for detailed info and visit the Mp3tag forum for more tips.

Need to organise mp3's into folders based on artist/album

Reply #6
Whoah that was like 2 seconds..... 

So i just select all my files then push the "FILE NAME - FILE NAME" button and copy and paste in that code....? yeah?

And it will re-organize everything for me withing the same directory?

Thanks very much mister lion head dude... heh 



EDIT: deeeeerrp... re-read your post and it clearly state tag-file... so i guess i just give it a crack

cheers

Need to organise mp3's into folders based on artist/album

Reply #7
So i just select all my files then push the "FILE NAME - FILE NAME" button and copy and paste in that code....? yeah?

The tool name is exactly "Tag - Filename". You can find it in the Convert top menu. You may need to adjust the code to fit your file tagging and preferred folder structure.

Quote
And it will re-organize everything for me withing the same directory?

Yes. I suggest you to copy a few test files to a separate folder and experiment with them first.

Need to organise mp3's into folders based on artist/album

Reply #8
Ok more or less ready to go...

%genre%\%album artist%\%album%\CD$num(%discnumber%,1) - $num(%track%,2) - %artist% - %title%

Am i reading that.. as its going to sort into a (genre) folder first then album artist etc....

If i dont wont it to have a genre folder can i just delete that part and it will start at album artist?

... yeah that seems right ill give it a go... could you please give an opinion on my above question re: album art

"And i may as will slip this in.... im looking to redo all my album's.. album art laugh.gif as many were lost in a recent accident and it was never complete in the first place....

Which is the best program to do so... i would like something to gather fairly hi-res covers so i dont have to do it again."

Need to organise mp3's into folders based on artist/album

Reply #9
Yes, getting rid of the '%genre%\' string will ensure your first set of folders is album artist.

Album art: I've been using this downloader from sourceforge.  I've found a lot of the popular album (many are 953x953, but there's a lot of variation also).  I haven't found all my albums, but it's a good first stop IMHO.


Need to organise mp3's into folders based on artist/album

Reply #11
Looks good guys... Im currently using WMP11 for my playback and have been reading... it will replace folder.jpg files with 200x200 standard issue pics without warning....

I would like to aviod this if i can... seeming im going to length of gathering larger images.... how do i avoid this if with this program if i can..?

I read that embedding the album art stops this and will only add around 500mb for a 10000 song collection... can i set this program to embed my art?

Hopefully this will be my final question for the night

Thanks again

Need to organise mp3's into folders based on artist/album

Reply #12
Avoiding unwanted file overrides: set your folders (and everything in them) to 'Read-Only'  or use a different player.

AFAIK, the downloader doesn't imbed art, but mp3tag might help you there.  Haven't played around with that part of it.

Need to organise mp3's into folders based on artist/album

Reply #13
Thanks mate... i though i setting them to read only but didn't really know if they needed to be set open for any other reason.... guess not 

had a quick play with Album Art Downloader but am running into a error when i click on the files "the directory name is invalid" im not really sure which one its refering to so i didn't touch anything...
I can send you the details if you would like.... but im pretty sure it something simple?!

Need to organise mp3's into folders based on artist/album

Reply #14
I get that error with URLs sometimes to and usually just ignore it by clicking 'Continue'.  Usually, I just find an image I like (amazon or cover-paradies are the only one I search these days), and right-click/save as...

Need to organise mp3's into folders based on artist/album

Reply #15
Hmmm... i cant seem to get album art downloader working for me.... could you or someone else give me an alternative? 

What are the top three album art programs at the moment?

thanks guys 

Need to organise mp3's into folders based on artist/album

Reply #16
Note that Mp3Tag does not use %artist% as a substitute for %album artist% in the script in case there's no %album artist% present in the tag.

Here's my "Tag -> Filename" script, maybe it's of use to you:
Code: [Select]
$if(%album artist%,%album artist%\,%artist%\)%year% - %album%\$if(%disc%,CD %disc% - ,$if(%discnumber%,CD %discnumber% - ,))$num(%track%,2) - $if($eql(%album artist%,Various Artists),%artist% - ,)%title%


It works for all major scenarios in my collection, so I don't have to choose from the drop-down list:
  • folder structure consists of three parts: 2x directories & 1x file. There's no redundant information saved in any three of them. First directory contains artist info, second directory contains album info, and the file name contains track info.
  • (if present) saves multiple disc info into the file names
  • (if present) uses album artist for the first directory
  • (if present) saves multiple artists in the file name if album artist is "Various Artists" (i.e. a "pure" compilation, if album artist is a real artist but some tracks were credited for another artist then this info is not saved into the file name.
  • pads track numbers less than 10 with a leading zero for better filesystem sorting
As a secondary script for when I have changed the track titles of an already "treated album" and I want to update the file names, I just use the last part (file names):
Code: [Select]
$if(%disc%,CD %disc% - ,$if(%discnumber%,CD %discnumber% - ,))$num(%track%,2) - $if($eql(%album artist%,Various Artists),%artist% - ,)%title%


Other additions could be to add more $if clauses:
  • in case there's no %year% don't write "%year% - "... you get the idea
  • or in case there's no album info (%album%), always include %artist% in the filename instead of creating an artist and album sub-directory.
But actually I don't have any need for that, because I almost solely have mp3s ripped from albums. And those mp3s that are not, I don't rename them anyway nor do I edit their tags.

Need to organise mp3's into folders based on artist/album

Reply #17
Thanks for the info... i tried it out and was getting a runtime error mid way through.... 

I've decided that all i want is to have it structured as "album/track#, artist, title..."

Thats all i really need and now i'm faced with the problem of mp3tag leaving the old folders and album art in "my music" directory.  and i want to clean that mess up!

Could someone let me know what script i need to put in there, to just copy the files to a different drive... and start over in a completely new directory...
Once thats done i'll delete the old "my music" folder and move the new 'sorted' version back in... and every thing should be apples !?

Or is there an easy alternative i'm missing!? heh   

Need to organise mp3's into folders based on artist/album

Reply #18
EDIT: I just undid my last run through with mp3tag.. and it left its empty folders behind so i used the date created tab to delete them.

That got me thinking... is there a program/way that i can display folder size (data) then i would be able to click the tab "sort by size" and delete the folders that are more or less empty..? Mp3tag left a few songs behind due to some directory error, so i will just eliminate any folders which have less than a MB within which should account any folder which has album art and not songs. Give me your opinion or alternative.

Thanks guys.


Need to organise mp3's into folders based on artist/album

Reply #20
thanks mate that should solve my problem! 

Need to organise mp3's into folders based on artist/album

Reply #21
You might want to take a look at Jaikoz Tag Editor (http://www.jaikoz.net)

It shows your tag data in a spreadsheet type format including the folder and filename, with loads of  options to make renaming files and folders very easily, it also has a Download Album Art from Internet to embed your album art in your mp3s.

cheers Paul