Help with File Monitoring / Scans

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musicmafia
Posts: 8
Joined: Sat May 23, 2015 9:45 pm

Help with File Monitoring / Scans

Post by musicmafia »

Sorry if this has been answered but I searched and couldn't find an answer. I keep @ 60K flac files on a 2TB external drive. I am new to MM and can't figure out how to set the file monitoring to do what I want.

Obviously with that many files I dont want an entire folder scan every time on startup. So I tried continous monitoring and it doesn't pick up new files added to the drive while MM was not in use.

Is there any way for MM to simply add just the new or changed files since the last time MM was run, without scanning 2TB of files?
Lowlander
Posts: 56491
Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2003 5:53 pm
Location: MediaMonkey 5

Re: Help with File Monitoring / Scans

Post by Lowlander »

No, continuous monitoring requires MediaMonkey to be running and is the only way to prevent rescanning everything.

Note, that many here use a separate new files folder and only scan this folder, then use Tools > Auto-Organize or Tools > Options > Auto-Organize to move files into the main library (often after making sure tags are in order).
musicmafia
Posts: 8
Joined: Sat May 23, 2015 9:45 pm

Re: Help with File Monitoring / Scans

Post by musicmafia »

Lowlander wrote:No, continuous monitoring requires MediaMonkey to be running and is the only way to prevent rescanning everything.

Note, that many here use a separate new files folder and only scan this folder, then use Tools > Auto-Organize or Tools > Options > Auto-Organize to move files into the main library (often after making sure tags are in order).
Lowlander, Thanks for your reply. Sorry to hear that. With such a large collection the re-scans are quite annoying and the workaround seems like a hassle. Maybe I will get used to it. If not I can always go back to Winamp :cry: I guess every program has it's pros and cons. Thanks again.
Lowlander
Posts: 56491
Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2003 5:53 pm
Location: MediaMonkey 5

Re: Help with File Monitoring / Scans

Post by Lowlander »

That's why I use an incoming folder like many others. Additionally for me it's needed as I tag, listen and rate songs prior to adding them to the main Library (and AutoPlaylists derived from that).
dtsig
Posts: 3588
Joined: Mon Jan 24, 2011 6:34 pm

Re: Help with File Monitoring / Scans

Post by dtsig »

I'm with Lowlander .. this is exactly how I have done it for years. Keeping new files separate from your "library" may seem like a hassle but it really is a nice flow. This is similar to a lot of lows in industy like manufacturing. Get the new bits into the system so you know that they are there and you can track them (watch/listen to) but not into the final location until all tags are correct and you are happy with the sound/audio. And this way you don't have to rescan. If this is *the* reason to go back to winamp then .. doesn't seem like a good enough reason to me. I was with winamp a long time but really .. compared to mmw it is a childs toy (though ground breaking don't get me wrong).

Also, hopefully wwm 5 will have a proper 'service' that does more than just streaming. Will just have to wait for that.
Where's the db and ini stored
Reporting Bugs
Where tags are stored

Not affiliated with MediaMonkey ... just a RABID user/lover
DTSig
MMFrLife
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Joined: Fri Oct 26, 2012 9:04 pm
Location: MM Forum

Re: Help with File Monitoring / Scans

Post by MMFrLife »

It's what I do too. I even have a micro part of my folder structure (w a TEMP title header) dedicated to this sorting.
I add them after the session from that structure and can use them however until I want to sort them to destination
outside of MM with MM running and continuous monitoring.
MM user since 2003 (lifetime lic. 2012) "Trying to imagine life without music gives me a headache"
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Please take a moment to read the bottom of the linked page to support the one and only - ZvezdanD! (the "originator" since 2006).
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musicmafia
Posts: 8
Joined: Sat May 23, 2015 9:45 pm

Re: Help with File Monitoring / Scans

Post by musicmafia »

this is probably easier than it sounds but i'm an old school guy with very limited tech knowledge in the digital realm. i'm certainly not dissing MM. i know this is about my own limited tech savvy! the best programs with the best features tend to require a little more knowledge and learning curve. i'm a newb who usually is stuck with programs that are the "easiest" versus the "best". after hearing everyone rave about Foobar I tried that a couple years back and was completely lost in space haha. i just read MMFL's post and i don't think i understood any of the terms, that's how little i know.

in the simplest of terms, will this work for a newbs and dummies:
set to continuous monitoring
scan new files to a separate "new files" folder
open MM
cut/paste the new files into my main monitored folder while MM is open?
Last edited by musicmafia on Fri May 29, 2015 3:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Lowlander
Posts: 56491
Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2003 5:53 pm
Location: MediaMonkey 5

Re: Help with File Monitoring / Scans

Post by Lowlander »

Yes, any file movements done on continuous monitored folders will be picked up if MediaMonkey is running. If you always leave MediaMonkey running you can bypass the new folder and directly add files to a monitored folder.
MMFrLife
Posts: 2894
Joined: Fri Oct 26, 2012 9:04 pm
Location: MM Forum

Re: Help with File Monitoring / Scans

Post by MMFrLife »

musicmafia wrote:So I tried continous monitoring and it doesn't pick up new files added to the drive while MM was not in use.
Is there any way for MM to simply add just the new or changed files since the last time MM was run, without scanning 2TB of files?
If you have MM running and File Monitoring with continuous scanning you can add directly. Continuous Scan is just a
quick read to detect changes. It's not like you're constantly re-adding your library each time. It just detects the changes
that are made and makes situationally appropriate additions/modifications to the library/database file.
musicmafia wrote:in the simplest of terms, will this work for a newbs and dummies:
set to continuous monitoring
scan new files to a separate "new files" folder
open MM
cut/paste the new files into my main monitored folder while MM is open?
That will work too. But it's only an idea if you want some time to further process your tracks before moving them to their final destination.
Also, you don't need to cut and paste inside MM if you don't want to (just have it running). You can drag and drop from explorer window to
explorer window. I use the quad paned, multi-tab Q-Dir to do stuff outside of MM.
Last edited by MMFrLife on Fri May 29, 2015 4:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
MM user since 2003 (lifetime lic. 2012) "Trying to imagine life without music gives me a headache"
Top 2 scripts: RegExp Find & Replace (e.v.) and Magic Nodes (e.v.) ZvezdanD's scripts site
Please take a moment to read the bottom of the linked page to support the one and only - ZvezdanD! (the "originator" since 2006).
MMW 4.1.31.1919; 5.0.4.2690 || back it up...frequently!
|| software for power users: "Q-Dir" (free alt. to explorer) and file/folder renamer: "ReNamer" (den4b)
"The absurd is the essential concept and the first truth"
😜
musicmafia
Posts: 8
Joined: Sat May 23, 2015 9:45 pm

Re: Help with File Monitoring / Scans

Post by musicmafia »

MMFrLife wrote:
musicmafia wrote:So I tried continous monitoring and it doesn't pick up new files added to the drive while MM was not in use.
Is there any way for MM to simply add just the new or changed files since the last time MM was run, without scanning 2TB of files?
If you have MM running and File Monitoring with continuous scanning you can add directly. Continuous Scan is just a
quick read to detect changes. It's not like you're constantly re-adding your library each time. It just detects the changes
that are made and makes situationally appropriate additions/modifications to the library/database file.
musicmafia wrote:in the simplest of terms, will this work for a newbs and dummies:
set to continuous monitoring
scan new files to a separate "new files" folder
open MM
cut/paste the new files into my main monitored folder while MM is open?
That will work too. But it's only an idea if you want some time to further process your tracks before moving them to their final destination.
Also, you don't need to cut and paste inside MM if you don't want too (just have it running). You can drag and drop from explorer window to
explorer window. I use the quad paned, multi-tab Q-Dir to do stuff outside of MM.
thanks for the clarification!

yes, i meant cut/paste files in explorer so that looks like an easy workaround for me :)
musicmafia
Posts: 8
Joined: Sat May 23, 2015 9:45 pm

Re: Help with File Monitoring / Scans

Post by musicmafia »

Lowlander wrote:Yes, any file movements done on continuous monitored folders will be picked up if MediaMonkey is running. If you always leave MediaMonkey running you can bypass the new folder and directly add files to a monitored folder.
thanks! :)
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