Earliest Release Date v3.0.1 (2013-01-29)

[Scottes]

I've been working on a Python script to query MusicBrainz to get the earliest release date. I've hit a snag which makes me wonder if it's going to be 100% accurate. The problem that I hit is with the song "Blue Monday" by New Order. The correct answer is 1983, when the single was released. I have yet to programmatically retrieve that answer. Even when searching MB by hand, drilling down the band's releases, it requires some effort to find that correct date. I have not yet been able to produce an advanced query that lists that on the first page of results.

It's certainly in the MB database: http://musicbrainz.org/release-group/26 ... 2745799aec
But finding that in a query has eluded me.

If you manage to create a query to find it, please let me know. I may be missing something completely.

[Blutarsky]

Long awaited script Scott.... will this be a new plugin for MB?
Wonderful if possible to refresh a whole library!

[Scottes]

Well, I have been working on a script to do what wxdude has already done, change MediaMonkey dates to earliest release dates. I'm just using MusicBrainz instead of Discogs - mainly because I didn't know wxdude's script even existed.

If wxdude figures out how to query MusicBrainz for this info, then I'd love to know. If I'm actually successful then I'll certainly let people know. So far it's been a bit tricky.

[Scottes]

This was bugging me a bit, so I went digging again, and I think I found the answer to my "Blue Monday" issue, and maybe the better way to search MusicBrainz for earliest release dates...

By hand, I queried for the Artist and Song, narrowed down to either Album releases or Single releases.
Blue Monday AND artist:New Order and type:album OR type:album
A.K.A.
http://musicbrainz.org/search?query=Blue+Monday+AND+artist%3ANew+Order+and+type%3Aalbum+OR+type%3Aalbum&type=recording&method=indexed&limit=100

This query got the song on page one, and parsing the output finds the correct earliest release date of 1983. Yay.

Theoretically, the "types" should also include Soundtrack and Live and EP and the list goes on. Basically, avoid Types like Compilation and Live which are very unlikely to contain Earliest original Release Dates.


Now I just have to translate this into my Python script. wxdude, if you're using Python let me know if you want my code snippets to save a little time.

[Hagar]

You deserve major kudos.

Now for a little wonder can you do this.

When I have the script docked to the right of Mediamonkey, the search results are hidden off screen if it is a long file name. Any chance of getting them to wrap?

Cheers

[wxdude]

the search results are hidden off screen if it is a long file name. Any chance of getting them to wrap

Unfortunately not. Radio buttons do not allow for multiline text. I could add options for what is displayed though to make the text shorter. Right now the radio button text is written as Artist-Album-Title, Year. I could add options to turn on/off the Artist, Album, and/or Title.

Now if I could just find time to work on it.....

[Darryl_Gittins]

I hate asking dumb questions but I can't figure out how to make this one work. IT looks cool, and it appears to have installed correctly (I can open the options sheet for the script) but the script doesn't work. IT does not update the date or the original date for any song. I play the song, and nothing changes. I don't see anything in the MM UI to activate the script or force it to update the date fields (which are blank). Sorry to be dumb.

[Darryl_Gittins]

Ugh. Found it after much poking around. On the View menu, click to select "Earliest date". Then the Earliest Date box appears in the panels on the right - above the "Now Playing" box.

[gpzbc]

I'm glad you got it figured out.

[wxdude]

New version 3.0 is available. Please see first post for link to download, or Tools - Extensions - Find Updates

Changes include:

• Musicbrainz Search
• Search by selection
• Automatic sorting of release dates
• Several new options to control UI
• Apply to album option moved to UI

Please see first post for details.

Enjoy, and let me know if there are any problems.

[gpzbc]

Thank you for updating this script. I am anxious to try it out. Unfortunately, the first post does not contain the updated version. Am I missing something?
Thank you.

[wxdude]

Thank you for updating this script. I am anxious to try it out. Unfortunately, the first post does not contain the updated version. Am I missing something?
Thank you.

A typo in the link that was my fault. Fixed, and link should work now.

[BKKKPewsey]

It is - just downloaded

[gpzbc]

Thank you!

[San23]

This was bugging me a bit, so I went digging again, and I think I found the answer to my "Blue Monday" issue, and maybe the better way to search MusicBrainz for earliest release dates...

By hand, I queried for the Artist and Song, narrowed down to either Album releases or Single releases.
Blue Monday AND artist:New Order and type:album OR type:album
A.K.A.
http://musicbrainz.org/search?query=Blue+Monday+AND+artist%3ANew+Order+and+type%3Aalbum+OR+type%3Aalbum&type=recording&method=indexed&limit=100

This query got the song on page one, and parsing the output finds the correct earliest release date of 1983. Yay.

Theoretically, the "types" should also include Soundtrack and Live and EP and the list goes on. Basically, avoid Types like Compilation and Live which are very unlikely to contain Earliest original Release Dates.


Now I just have to translate this into my Python script. wxdude, if you're using Python let me know if you want my code snippets to save a little time.

Hi Scotts,

I am looking for a script to do the same. Can you share your script with me?

-San