WMP Tag Plus - MPEG4, Vorbis and FLAC metadata support for WMP Options

[Tim De Baets]

Sorry, but no. Making a 64-bit version would require *significant* efforts and would take about a half year of work (combined with my full-time job). And as I previously stated:

Besides, I need to make a trade-off between the possible new features in WMP Tag Plus. Should I work on cool features (like album art support), or on features that will get noticed by only a small percentage of users (such as an x64 version)? Obviously, I prefer investing my valuable time in the first option.

Also, please refer to my previous post. Your scenario is unsupported anyway. Why not just run 32-bit WMP 11 in Windows 7's (virtualized) XP Mode?

[sleeplessinsale]

Wow. A miracle has happened.. with all my fiddling around, hacking, uninstalling this, installing WMP11 32-bit knowing it would fail, taking it off again and system restoring, then re-installing the codec for flac...

Abracadabra!

Flac tags are now editable for me in WMP 11 64 bit version on my Windows 7 64 bit system - YES.. WITH NO NEED FOR A PLUG-IN!?



It now looks like I have my perfect DJ dedicated laptop! yay!

[Tim De Baets]

Flac tags are now editable for me in WMP 11 64 bit version on my Windows 7 64 bit system - YES.. WITH NO NEED FOR A PLUG-IN!?

Tags are always editable in WMP's library, regardless of the format. However, if the format isn't supported by WMP, you can't use the Advanced Tag Editor and tags won't be actually read from/written to file. The fact that tags are only stored in the library means that you can lose them pretty easily (e.g. because of library corruption).

[sleeplessinsale]

As usual, you are right about that, I didn't realise..

I can't run my new laptop like you say because it doesn't support the technical requirements to run virtualisation.

So, I think my only realistic way forward is to develop a sound strategy/plan to maintain backups of my library. Which will be interesting as I don't even know where or how it's saved

[Tim De Baets]

You could back up the media library to an XML file with the Metadata Backup tool.

[WonderCsabo]

Any news on FLAC cover support?

This post has been edited by WonderCsabo: Dec 15 2011, 10:50

[Tim De Baets]

Cover support is in progress, but a new release definitely isn't within sight yet.

[Fabien]

Hello and happy new year!

I use WMP Tag Plus 1.2 with WMP12 + madFlac + Reclock in Wasapi exclusive mode and i face this issue:

I have an error with WMP between tracks: "the audio device is already used by another application".
In fact, when I use Exclusive mode, it seems that WMP is trying to load the next track just before the current track is over and the current Reclock instance is unloaded.
The result is 2 Reclock instances; one for the current track that doesn't close (WMC seems to go on reading it), and an instance for the next track that generate the error.

Problem seems to be related to the tag support plugin used for WMP. If i use latest extender with track time support, like WMP Tag Plus problem exists. But when i use older without time support everything is OK...

Could you have a look on it for your future release?

Thanks
FM

[Tim De Baets]

Is crossfading enabled in WMP? Does turning it off help?

Is it possible to use Reclock for formats that WMP supports by default (like MP3) as well? Does that work?

I'm not sure if Reclock allows this, but what if you remove madFLAC and use the Xiph.org DirectShow filters instead for FLAC decoding?

[Fabien]

Is crossfading enabled in WMP? Does turning it off help?

Is it possible to use Reclock for formats that WMP supports by default (like MP3) as well? Does that work?

I'm not sure if Reclock allows this, but what if you remove madFLAC and use the Xiph.org DirectShow filters instead for FLAC decoding?

- Crossfading is off
- yes it's possible to use reclock with every format
- i installed also codec from xiph and same issue

I guess it's a time calculation in the WMP tagger

[Tim De Baets]

- yes it's possible to use reclock with every format

... and do you get the same issue in WMP for e.g. MP3?

- i installed also codec from xiph and same issue

Simply installing the Xiph.org codecs might not be enough. You need to remove or at least disable madFLAC to be sure that the Xiph.org codecs are used instead.

[Fabien]

... and do you get the same issue in WMP for e.g. MP3?

I did not test MP3's because i only have FLAC files

Simply installing the Xiph.org codecs might not be enough. You need to remove or at least disable madFLAC to be sure that the Xiph.org codecs are used instead.

Before installing Xiph.org codec, i uninstalled madFlac.

Have a look on this thread, especailly last post: http://forum.slysoft.com/showthread.php?t=47065
I am not the only one to have same issue.

Thanks for investigation.

[Tim De Baets]

I did not test MP3's because i only have FLAC files

Please get a few MP3s, just to test with. It's not exactly hard to find them online or to generate a few yourself.

Another interesting test would be to temporarily disable WMP Tag Plus, by unchecking it in WMP's Tools - Plug-ins menu. The track times should just stay in the library. Then, please check if the same issue occurs with WMP Tag Plus disabled.

[Fabien]

Please get a few MP3s, just to test with. It's not exactly hard to find them online or to generate a few yourself.

Another interesting test would be to temporarily disable WMP Tag Plus, by unchecking it in WMP's Tools - Plug-ins menu. The track times should just stay in the library. Then, please check if the same issue occurs with WMP Tag Plus disabled.

Hi,

- i tested with MP3's & Reclock and it works well, no issue
- i disabled WMP Tag Plus via Tools->Plugins and played some FLAC files and issue is still there and i can still see the time last in library and time progress during playing track

Thanks for your support

This post has been edited by Fabien: Jan 10 2012, 20:55

[Fabien]

I have some news:

i deleted all my library and replace WMP Tag plugin with another tag plugin there: http://www.softpointer.com/download.htm
I reimport my flac files in WMP12 library.
This plugin WMPTagSupport11 allows to tag flac files except Year and Duration tags but it works well with reclock, no issue!
So it's good to know i can play without problem but now i don't have duration and year

Maybe it's a lead you can investigate.

Thanks

ps: i found another plugin wich works also: WMP Tag Support Extender (http://wmptagext.sourceforge.net/) but no duration & year tag also

This post has been edited by Fabien: Jan 11 2012, 22:49

[Tim De Baets]

I have installed Reclock on my own Windows 7 system yesterday and could quickly reproduce the issue with FLAC files. Even after completely uninstalling WMP Tag Plus, the issue was still occurring which leads me to believe that my plug-in isn't the cause, but rather the track times in the library. And there's not much that can be done about those - without the track times, seeking won't work either (this is in fact one of the reasons why the plug-in was developed in the first place).

- i tested with MP3's & Reclock and it works well, no issue

For MP3 files played in WMP, I couldn't get Reclock to be used. How exactly did you get this to work?

i deleted all my library and replace WMP Tag plugin with another tag plugin there:

You're of course free to use whichever tag support plug-in you like, but please note that both other plug-ins haven't been updated for a long time and probably won't be updated ever again. I can also speak from personal experience that the authors of those plug-ins have stopped providing any support.

Another problem with the Softpointer plug-in is that it doesn't seem to write the changes made in the library to the FLAC files themselves (at least not when I tested it a while ago). If the changes aren't written to file then you can easily lose them all again, for example, when WMP's library gets corrupted.

[Fabien]

Hello,

for MP3's, i just open with WMP12 and reclock runs, very simple.

I agree with you, maybe it's a reclock issue and you are right others plugins are not up to date but what can i do?

[Tim De Baets]

I might have found something. Please make sure that WMP is closed, then open the Start Menu, type regedit in the Search field and press Enter. In the Registry Editor, navigate to the following path, depending on your Windows edition:

Windows 7 32-bit: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Multimedia\WMPlayer\Extensions\.flac
Windows 7 64-bit: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Multimedia\WMPlayer\Extensions\.flac

There, double-click the Runtime entry (it should be originally set to 7), change the Value data to 6 and click OK. Then start WMP again and check if you still experience the issue.

[Fabien]

Thanks Tim! Your trick works like a charm You solved the issue! What is this reg value?

This post has been edited by db1989: Jan 13 2012, 22:11

Reason for edit: removing pointless full quote of above post

[Tim De Baets]

The Runtime registry entry tells WMP which technology to play FLAC files with (it also exists for all other multimedia file types that can be played by WMP). See this page for more info.

The 'normal' value that gets set by WMP Tag Plus and most FLAC codecs is 7, which means that FLAC files must be played with DirectShow. In case just a FLAC DirectShow filter (like madFLAC or the Xiph.org filter) is installed, that is also the correct value. However, it seems that with Reclock, a value of 6 is also supported and even works better. 6 means that WMP should use the Windows Media Format SDK for playing FLAC files, just like it does for MP3 and WMA.

It's probably a good idea to report this to the author of Reclock, so he can update his filter to set the correct values automatically.

[omissis]

Hi all
I posted my problem elsewhere but hadn't been able to get a workaround to it, so excuse me anybody who read the other post, because I'm pasting it there

Win7 x64 machine there, using WMP12 x86
I installed the FLAC media foundation codec,a real nice alternative because doesn't install as a DSF but rather as a simple codec, and, most of all, gets rid of the annoying seekbar problem;after that I installed the WMP Tag Plus plug in, wishing to tag my few FLAC files; though that I'm experiencing the fact that my FLAC files can't be added to the media library, let alone be tagged.
Now I can't relate the problem to the WMP itself, I know I first installed the FLAC 1.2.1b frontend, then the FLAC mf, then the WMPTag plus; now I uninstalled the FLAC frontend but nothing changed : I can't add FLACs to th MEdia Library nor tag them via Windows Explorer despite the WMPTag plus is correctly pluged in.
Can anybody help me get around this problem?
many thanks

Max

[Tim De Baets]

WMP Tag Plus only adds tagging support to WMP - for tagging FLAC files in Explorer, an additional property handler needs to be installed.

Please make sure that the FLAC files really aren't in your library, possibly under a different artist (or even Unknown) or in a different section of the library (such as Other media). Also, please try manually dragging them from Explorer into the library in WMP.

[omissis]

Hi Tim
I can't add the files by using the right-click option, and in WMP I seem I can't drag'n'drop them into the library; I 'll try with more flacs and let you know if the flacs are corrupted (seems not, WMP can read them seamlessly)

[omissis]

Hi again Tim
I uninstalled then reinstalled wmpt+ and it seems I can add the flacs only if i manually drag and drop them twice in the media library...could you try and reproduce the environment (WMP x86 on an x64 Win7 Home Premium + MF-FLAC) and tell me if it's just me who's having the problem?
Also , can there be conflicts with wmpt+ if I install the "flac property handler" for managing tags via Windows Explorer?
Thx for replying...
Max

[Tim De Baets]

It doesn't really sound like your issue could be caused by WMP Tag Plus and/or MFFLAC. I'm suspecting a more general issue with WMP's library. Are your FLAC files located in one of WMP's library locations (Organize - Manage libraries - Music)? I suggest that you try resetting the media library by following my instructions in this thread. Note that resetting the library will make you lose all current play counts, and possibly ratings too.

Also , can there be conflicts with wmpt+ if I install the "flac property handler" for managing tags via Windows Explorer?

No, WMP Tag Plus will be used in WMP and the property handler will be used in Explorer. However, I recommend that you wait with installing the property handler until the library issue is fixed, just to be sure.