Lost all metadata in database

[ssurf]

I had to rename a folder containing about 300 files that I've been tagging over the last few days. I also had to rename a couple of files in the folder. Now all the tags that was in the database are not showing. Is MM smart and maybe kept a backup of the database somewhere to protect me from users like me? or some sort of undo. Or are all my tags that was in the database lost forever? These were all wav files, the tags that was stored with the files are still there.

[rovingcowboy]

renamed the folder? you did that out side of mediamonkey didn't you?

shame..

okay just rename it back to what it was. that should do the trick and let monkey find it again.

then use mediamonkey's auto organizer feature on the tools menu to move all the files to a new folder.
he will beable to keep track of them that way.

you also more likely renamed the files from out side of monkeys control too,
didn't you? then you better rename them back so he can find them too.

[ssurf]

Well there are other programs than MM, and in this case all files were linked inside another prg. which wouldn't have been able to find the files if I had renamed in MM. I'm gonna request an option to auto-backup the database.

[ssurf]

Surely I'm not the first to have done something like this.

[ssurf]

Ok tried the above, it dosen't work. looks like it's all gone. I backed up the entire mediamonkey folder about 20% into this project, how can I get those 20% back?

[rovingcowboy]

Well there are other programs than MM, and in this case all files were linked inside another prg. which wouldn't have been able to find the files if I had renamed in MM. I'm gonna request an option to auto-backup the database.

wow there are other programs? i only use mediamonkey to play and organize my music but playing it in winamp also has been done even renaming in other programs can be done. use the option in mediamonkey that says to let monkey update or rescan files that have a changed time stamp. this will allow other programs to edit the file cause when you do it will change the time stamp just as long as the title is not changed then monkey can find it and adjust his tags in the database. if the title is changed then you have to rescan the folders to find them as they will be treated like new song files by monkey.
moving songs to different folders will mean you do it with monkey or you then rescan the folder and find the new songs / same songs with different local url. then you just delete the ones that are grayed out by monkey in his files to edit node under his library node you will find one for duppy files. just make sure they are true duppies or you can use the one that is for dead links but also again make sure they are truely dead links.

but with all that the only thing to do now is rescan the songs in the new folder now if they are there and treat them like new song files with new playcounts and re tag them all.
yes its possible you are the first and only one to do this rename and editing and moving with another program and then get it messed up in monkeys database, in the way that you did it. if you can't find the songs even on a rescan then i can only think of you having to go back to the start and rerip them or load them from your older backup

[nohitter151]

Well there are other programs than MM, and in this case all files were linked inside another prg. which wouldn't have been able to find the files if I had renamed in MM. I'm gonna request an option to auto-backup the database.

There's a script (ingeniously called "Backup", which does exactly that, along with other settings).

[ssurf]

.... or load them from your older backup

Do I just replace the new MM.DB with the old in my current mediamonkey folder?

Great that there is a script called backup. I will definitely install it. But wouldn't it have been easier if that feature came standard with MM. That MM automatically backed up the data base, then if you didn't want that you could turn it off in your preferences.The fact that a script called backup exists, shows that there was a need for it. The difference between this feature not being default as opposed to others is that the consequences are dire. IE 8 hours (or whatever) of tagging out the window.

Just to be clear. I take responsibility. I was the hand behind the mouse on that tragic afternoon when my tags departed to the other side. But I think it could have been avoided if the programmers had anticipated a situation like this (not trying to slam anyone, Just constructive criticism). Let the countdown begin to the next person who does something like this, only to find out it could easily have been fixed had there been a default backup feature. But anyways thanks for the help.

[rovingcowboy]

i was talking about reloading the song files from your backup cdroms of your files.

you did back up the files didn't you? i always put files on backup cdroms. i got about 3 gb to do again.

i put them in monkey edit the tags and then sync the tags then i back up the files. then i take them out of the folder i called not backed up and put them in the proper location on the hard drives.

and start with a empty temp music folder again. i thought everyone did back up cdroms? i also back up the database each time i back up the song files so i have an current db on the cdrom too.

[ssurf]

i was talking about reloading the song files from your backup cdroms of your files.

you did back up the files didn't you? i always put files on backup cdroms. i got about 3 gb to do again.

i put them in monkey edit the tags and then sync the tags then i back up the files. then i take them out of the folder i called not backed up and put them in the proper location on the hard drives.

and start with a empty temp music folder again. i thought everyone did back up cdroms? i also back up the database each time i back up the song files so i have an current db on the cdrom too.

Sure, I didn't loose the audio files themselves thank god. I didn't loose the tags that are stored with the wav files just the ones that were in the DB. Now I have a backup of the MM.DB although it's a little older but some of my lost tags should be in there. My question is do I just replace the latest MM.DB with the old backup MM.DB and restart MM to get those initial tags back?

[Benn]

Yeah, just overwrite the old DB when MM is closed.

[ssurf]

Ok thanks, will try and see how that works.

[Lowlander]

But wouldn't it have been easier if that feature came standard with MM. That MM automatically backed up the data base, then if you didn't want that you could turn it off in your preferences.The fact that a script called backup exists, shows that there was a need for it.

First of all the developers have chosen to leave many features to developers, this is a conscious choice as it keeps the program lighter. Backing up the database is not necessarily important for many users as the tags are saved in the files themselves. This leaves playlists as the main problem, but that would be an issue if the database is lost or corrupted.

Auto-backup would be bad as well (I wouldn't mind the feature being integrated, but it should be off) for users who have large database. I have an 800MB database and little hard drive space on my machine and as such wouldn't appreciate auto-backup being disabled by default.

For future, also try to have tags saved to the files themselves, so that when you move them outside of MediaMonkey the tags are available when you scan them in again.

[ssurf]

Ok let me suggest a compromise. How about a quality auto backup feature was included with MM. The user would be promoted upon installation weather he want to enable or disable, along with a short explanation as to why this my be a good idea for beginners, and a bad one for pros. It would only take 5-10 seconds once and you'd never have to worry about it again. But for those 5-10 seconds maybe a disaster could be avoided. Beginners are less likely to have huge databases and once they become more experienced they could switch off the the feature.

I'm currently using the script backup 5.1 which seems to work good. I have opted for the manual backup feature in this script though and placed a shortcut button in the tool bar. This way the DB is not touched if I just open and close MM and use it to for listing to music. But when I'm ready to do a bunch of tagging I can hit the auto back button every 15 minutes or so. Maybe there is a better way. I have only just installed it and I couldn't find any manual for it.

For future, also try to have tags saved to the files themselves, so that when you move them outside of MediaMonkey the tags are available when you scan them in again.

Totally get what you're saying! The problem is as I tried to explain earlier, that I use MM to tag wav files that are inside project folders of different DAW programs there are thousands of these files and they are all LINKED inside projects files to be played back in the whatever DAW program they belong to. Converting them to a different format would be a nightmare. Plus some DAWs don't even handle formats like flac or wavpack. But they all handle wav, so moving between them is easier. Hope that explains it.