I'm finally actually writing in the .ini file and seeing what output I get. I do have some questions:

1. How do I get REACT to tell EAC to create a wav file using the best input and output options, and at the same time create aac files?

2. If I have wavs that i want to convert to aac, how do I tell it to use specific wav files already on my hard drive?

3. Junon was telling me that sequential naming is possible, but I can't figure it out. I would like REACT to name each directory sequentially:
001-ArtistName
002-ArtistName

So when 001-AnyArtistName is used, REACT will automatically name the next folder 002-AnyArtistName.

Thanks

1. Have you given up on the idea of using FLAC? Are you ripping to a WAVE image or one WAVE per track? I'm not sure that REACT is set up to rip to WAVE tracks and keep them. I suppose you would just have to move them before they are deleted.

Let's say that you wanted to rip to FLAC and AAC. In this case you would Set FLAC=1 and NeroAac=1 under the [UserTrackFormats] section of the INI. When you pressed F4 REACT would create both FLAC tracks and AAC tracks in the folders specified by TrackDir_Flac and TrackDir_AAC under the [UserOutputNames] section of the INI.

As I say, for WAVE tracks it's actually a little more complicated, so I'd rather you confirm first.

2. If you have existing WAVEs you would like to convert you can use EAC, but a better option would be to use NeroAACEnc on the commandline, or foobar. EAC/REACT's forté is ripping and processing.

3. I actually think that this is quite tricky, and I wonder about the logistics of it. Would you be planning to rip your discs in alphabetical order? If not, it seems like it could be a bitch to skip to a certain album. I can't believe that your stereo does this - it's bizarre.

I have devised some code that could be put into your CFG to do it.


This code will utilise a text file it will create in the REACT directory, "counter.txt", to store the current counter value. To use the formatted value you would use the DOS variable %counterString%, e.g.:

In REACT.ini:


In REACT-track.cfg:

So, you'd put the top CFG code somewhere near the top of your CFG to create the %counterString% variable. Then, before you try using %TrackDir_AAC% - which is set using TrackDir_AAC in the INI file - the second piece of code will replace "XXX" with the value of the counter.

A little convoluted, but I fail to see a better option at the moment.

Well, the problem I have with FLAC is that it has to be converted back to wav before it can be recoded back to a compressed format, which means even more of a problem than suing REAC /EAC to convert from a wave file alone.

I can't even figure out how to get EAC to compress from wav, except individual files and then without naming correctly. So yes, REACT/EAC is hard to use if you are not ripping from the disk in the first place.

It is bizaare how my JVC car stereo needs the folders named, I agree, and a total bitch too. I suppose that they had no way of alphabatizing the folder contents without a more robust hardware CPU. Let's jsut drop teh auto 001. 002 naming for now. What I need to do is as you say--create the folders alphabetically. Then I can go back and batch rename them 001Axx, 002Bxx and so on.

So I see how to set up the ini file and I've done it. I can get it to write from CD to FLAC, but it won't create A self contained commented ini file.an aac file. It creates the directories, and says no errors, but there is no file in the directory.

Also, you now what would be SUPER nice and probably prevent 90% of the problems people like me have? I commented ini file. Each line could be commented with an explanation of what the variables are, such as compression tags, etc. Then everything would be in one file. I know when I use to set up server side scripts, cgi, java, vb, etc., the scripts that had their command files commented out with all the necessary variables, it was very easy to plug those in fast and get real results w/o having to bother the net admins.

So you would ahve something like this throughout the ini file or a comment.ini file that we could bring up side by side:

I'm using the only part I understand well enough to give an example:
[UserTrackFormats]
Flac=0
COMMENTED OUT LINE: "0"= off / "1" = on for each encoder. <--of course everyone know this but you get my point. In the actual compression settings, each setting could be given also, all the way down the line for each variable.
Wavpack=0
LameMP3=0
NeroAac=1
iTunesAac=0
OggEnc2=0


I realize making this "comment_ini.ini would take some time, but I think it would go a long way to create much needed clarity for this file and settings.

At the top could be a short explanation of what REACT does and how to use it with EAC:
e.g., Use react o control EAC for ease of operation. To use react, use the F keys as outlined below, after the ini file is created as you want it. Alternately you can, etc., etc. and I can't write anymore because I don't understand it enough to cdontinue.

A self contained commented ini file. What do you think?

BTW what is the compression setting for LAME and Nero aac for the next quality setting higher than 128? I think I will use that setting. I think it's 160kbps for MP3, but whatdoes that transfer as for the REACT ini file?

Last, how do I tell REACT to STOP deleting my wav files when I tell EAC to compress them? Yes, Delete Wav after compression is unchecked in EAC.

Thanks Soul.

FLAC can decompress at about 120x realtime; two minutes of music will decompress in around a second. The main benefit (after filesize) is that you can tag the FLAC file, which you can't do with a WAVE. If your FLAC has tags it's a lot easier to convert to tagged lossy files than from an untagged WAVE.

I don't use EAC to convert from WAVE (when EAC has not just created that WAVE) but I understood that you could just drag a file onto the EAC main window. This isn't going to do much if you are set up for REACT though I think, as REACT will be expecting the other parts that are normally available, like log file, etc. I would use foobar to convert already existing WAVE files.

Do you have NeroAacEnc in the /REACT/tools directory? If not get it at the following address:

http://www.nero.com/nerodigital/eng/Nero_Digital_Audio.html

Yeah, possibly. Anyone is welcome to create one.

Under [UserSettings] in your INI you should see lines like:


This is where you specify the encoding options. For LAME I would recommend using a VBR preset. For ~160kbps you could try:


I'm not overly familiar with the Nero AAC encoder , but you would need to change the command to something like:


Have a play with the -q value to find a bitrate range that you like. IIRC 0.42 is around ~128kbps.

For this you need to delve into the CFG. In REACT-track.cfg you need to look for the lines:


... and stick REM in before the DEL to comment it out.

OK Soul.

I read everything you said. The CFG file looks like an old DOS file with "REM" etc. Anyway, I may play around a bit more, but I really don't have the time to spend hours figuring out all this, especially things like what tag (.45, etc.) relates to bits etc. . I have work and other things pressing, and I need to get the files done for my enjoyment for upcoming travel.

Can you recommend any software that has a nice GUI and can do what I want it to do, something like Audiograbber, but updated? BTW, I think Audiograbber will work with Nero and iTunes aac encoder. You just have to set the command line parameters in the command line box. However, I'd contemplate buying a very nice GUI ripper/encoder. I jsut really don't have the time to figure out several different programs and the tags plus old DOS commands. I mean after all, it's 2007--lol. It was fun in 1983.

I will try one thing however. I'll try using EAC w/o REACT to get the FLAC files and WAV files perhaps, since EAC is suppose to be the most accurate ripper.

Last, are you saying that if I convert to FLAC I can create lossy files from them with some program? I really do like the FLAC options of tagging plus size. It's just a matter of useability for me at this point.

I actually got it working. I really do want to keep using this combination. I guess at this point it would be nice to have a template to work with, if you could help there I'd be in your dept forever--but you probably won't get any gold or anything for me. I'll just be in your debt--lol. What I want is to create the FLAC. ,mp3, and aac using Nero encoder at 160kbps, just to make sure its transparent. And I know you said you would use the VBR option, but what about CBR just to make sure the music is as good as it can be? I can do all of the paths and things like that. I just can't find all of the compression tags to figure it out. Feels like I'm trying to write without access to the words of the language.

I just want the directory structure to look like this, which I have:
Artist-Album (in caps, which I don't have)
So what I have now I think is this:

REACT creates the directory structure like this, as I ahve messed with it:
ACC
Artist-Album

So there are no subdirectories for each artist, jsut a new directory, e.g.:
/Love and Rockets-Express
/Love and Rockets-Whatever
and so on.

I actually let it name teh songs from the database, and that is really cool.

As far as going back and renaming each folder with the 000 numbering for my car stereo, that can be done after wards with my explorer shell, which is X2. It's fast and not really a problem.

I actually jsut changed teh albuma nd artist to caps in EAC and it worked. Is that how I should be doing it?

Thanks again Soul, you rock.


I'll post a new thread REQ a commented ini file and see if there are any takers.