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

[wxdude]

Description:

This script is an update from the original earliest release date from discogs script written by yhsiugs. With his permission I have updated the script and started a new thread. Would like to thank Hagar and Cotto for their comments and testing in version 2.0. To other posters I have implemented many of the suggestions for version 3.0 of the script.

Download:

http://www3.telus.net/sowiakj/EarliestDate/EarliestDate3.0.1.164.mmip

What's New:

Version 3.0.1.164 - January 29, 2013
- Bug fixes
- Fixed object required bug due to malformed URL requests
- Fixed rate limits for Discogs and MusicBrainz not respected if no results found

Version 3.0.0.163 - January 24, 2013

- Added option to search MusicBrainz (MB searches are extremely fast and is the default on install)
- Added option to search by selected song(s)
- Added options to control displayed results
- Added option to use specific year (e.g. 9999) for searches with no results
- Added Play Next/Start Search button to UI
- Apply to album option moved to UI
- Searches Master releases from Discogs for results (allows for wider search)
- Added option to select number of Discogs Masters to search

• Each Master searched requires a call to the Discogs API, each call is seperated by 1 second to respect Discogs API terms.

- Added progress bar for Discogs searches (allows user to terminate)
- Added progress bar for multiple selection searches
- Results are sorted automatically (earliest to latest)
- Search performed only on music
- Added timing to respect API terms for Discogs and MB
- Various minor bug fixes


Version 2.0.0.123 - July 3, 2012

- Update panel look and feel
- New Option Sheet
- Added option to use 'Date' field instead of default 'Original Date'
- Added option to update entire album/series
- Added option to use Month/Day if available
- Added option to search only if selected date field is empty - can force search by clicking results dialog
- Added logic so automatic DB updates occur only if the selected date field is blank, and only for single songs
- Fixed bug where the previously searched song results were presented when panel made visible, not the currently playing song
- Fixed bug where auto-updates would not be applied if search date = earliest date found
- Fixed bug where artists with leading "The" would return zero results
- Use UpdateAll method to update DB, and tags as per user selection
- Results dialog shows name of album as well as artist and title and date
- Results header displays the number of results found and the total number of possible Discogs results. Will give some indication of usefulness.
- Current search info can be clicked to open a web page to your favourite music web service, using default web browser.

Usage

• Back-up your database!
• Install Earliest Date From Discogs
• Play A Song or Select Song(s) using MM
• Script will present a list of release dates for the currently playing song (user selectable up to 50)
• If panel is not visible after install click on View, then Earliest Date

Options:
Tools-->Options-->Library-->Earliest Date

- Search Earliest Date Using:
Self Explanatory. Can select either MusicBrainz or Discogs. Default on install is MusicBrainz.

- Maximum number of discogs masters to search
User selectable from 1 - 100 only if Discogs search enabled. Default on install is 15. The initial Discogs search searches for Master releases. For each master release the script will make another call to the API to search for the earliest date in the releases for that master. Each call to Discogs takes 1 second.

- Use 'Date' Field
Self explanatory. Script will update the "Date" Field instead of the "Original Date" field with the earliest date found from Discogs. (Default is OFF for 'Original Date')

- Include the Release Month/Day (if available)
If the month and/or day of the release is available from Discogs the script will display those values and use them for updates to the database. If this option is selected then a release date with a day and or month of release is more significant than one without. For example a release date of Dec 31, 2011 has priority over Dec 2011 and this has priority over a release date of 2011. (Default is ON)

- Search Discogs only if preferred date field is empty
Self Explanatory. Discogs search will only occur if the date field one chooses to use is empty. If this option is selected users can force a search by clicking on the results dialog that is presented in the panel. (Default is OFF)

- Search by selected song(s)
Allows user to search by selected songs in now playing, main window, or node. By turning this option on Automatic DB updates will be forced on too. (Default is OFF)

- Automatically update DB with earliest date found
If checked the database (and tags if the option is set) are updated automatically without user intervention. The script will pick the earliest date available for you. Automatic updates are forced if searching by selected songs.

- Automatically update only if preferred date found is earlier
If selected will only update DB if the preferred date found is earlier than any existing value. (Default is OFF)

- Use specified value for the preferred date if no results found
Allows user to select a value between 1000 and 9999 to use as a year if a search for the earliest date finds no results. Can be because there are no dates for that song, tags are incorrect, or internet connection is down. Default is OFF and "9999".

- Result Display Settings
Controls how the UI is shown. Because the dates found are now automatically sorted from earliest to latest the number of radio buttons displayed can be kept to a minimum. User is allowed to select between 1 and 50 results displayed. Default is 5.
User is also allowed to choose what information is displayed. Default is Artist - Album - Song along with earliest date. Artist, Album and Song can be turned off if so desired. Minimum test displayed is the Earliest Date.

Issues:

There are a few.....

- Script uses the old Discogs API endpoints. Will need to parse JSON when the XML endpoints are turned off by Discogs.

[Vyper]

Looks good!

This is going to be a REALLY dumb question but why does the song have to be playing and not just selected? It wouldn't be possible to do this if it weren't?

If it's a long or really technical answer, don't bother, I'll take your word for it.

[wxdude]

Only real reason is that is how the original script worked.

Should be able to search on selected song as well. Will look at adding that to the next version.

[Vyper]

That would be way cool.

[richiefinger]

I have just used the new version and left it running over night and no cint overflow messages. Excellent.

Excellent work. Thanks so much for taking this script on and improving it.

Would it be possible to add something to the chosen field if nothing is found. I use 9999 in my original date field if I have searched but found nothing?

Would it be very hard to use alternative sites to discogs to find earliest date ?

[wxdude]

Would it be possible to add something to the chosen field if nothing is found. I use 9999 in my original date field if I have searched but found nothing?

Should be able to add an option to do that for you.

Would it be very hard to use alternative sites to discogs to find earliest date ?

Looking at using the MusicBrainz API as well. Either as an option or as a new script based on this one.

[richiefinger]

OK Thanks. Much appreciated, I hope what I've asked for is something that will appeal to more than just myself.

I've been playing with the script using "previews" of tracks. I noticed this was mentioned in the previous thread but I thought I would update what I have found here.

I have tried using various length previews. 5,10 and 15 seconds. 15 seconds is normally enough length of time for the script to complete it's search and enter data for the tracks that I've been using.
I have had the following results:
When the script finds no date for the playing preview, it plays to the end of the preview and moves on to the next preview in the list. NO PROBLEMS.
When the script finds a date, It enters the data OK but then does 1 of 2 things:
1. It enters the data and then stops. It does not go the next track on the list. OR
2. It starts to play the preview at a super slowed down speed, effectively stopping. If you forward to the next track it will start to work OK again until it enters a new date.
Sometimes an error appears "Y script out of range"

I'm not fussed about using previews. I'm just using them to calculate the dates automatically whilst I'm not at the PC and at a quicker speed than playing in real time.

Would it be possible to have an "auto" mode where the track skips to the next track when data is found/not found? I don't know if that is even possible?

[Blutarsky]

Wonderful script mate have been waiting for a while to get such a script.

How do you apply the new date? I get a checkbox list, however I can't "apply" the change..... thanks

[Blutarsky]

Ok I wasn't using the date field in place of the original date! Perfect!!!!

A few suggestions:
- you could offer a maximum number of results
- would it be possible to query at once multiple tracks?

[Blutarsky]

- add an option to halt discogs querying? Maybe you could halt on user selection; this would need parsing user input between each result....

[wxdude]

A few suggestions:
1 - you could offer a maximum number of results
2 - would it be possible to query at once multiple tracks?

First off glad you like the script, as for your suggestions...

1. Yes and no. The maximum number of results I can return is 20. This is a function of the XML endpoints used in Discogs. On my to-do list is to actually query to the maximum number of 20 and present the 10 earliest dates found. To get the maximum number of results I would need to re-write the script to use the JSON endpoints. I don't know much about JSON parsing, and JScript in general. This one is on my to learn list.

2. It is possible to do multiple queries, but you would overwhelm the API and would most likely result in Discogs blocking your IP for some period of time. Would also have to modify the script to search on selection rather then the currently playing song. Searching by selection is on my to-do list.

The way the script works is it searches for all releases of a Song by Artist. With those results it then searches each release for a date, and then determines the earliest date found. The current script accesses the API at least once (no results) to a maximum of 11 times. With some artists having songs on literally hundreds of releases, to present the maximum number would quickly surpass the stated API request limit of 1 per second (60 per minute). The same principle applies for multiple queries.

The current Discogs API has limited search options which is why it has to be done this way. Would be nice if one could sort the results by release date but this has not been implemented in the Discogs API (yet).

- add an option to halt discogs querying? Maybe you could halt on user selection; this would need parsing user input between each result....

You can halt Discogs querying by closing the Earliest Date panel. To reopen the panel go to View --> Earliest Date, and the script will start to run on the currently playing song, or at least the last song played. I could add an option button in the panel to pause/start, which I'll add to the to-do list also.

[Blutarsky]

Thanks again.

For example on an 8 results list, you may accept the thirs result, no need to wait the tenth. Clicking on the third result, should apply the new date and halt query. Faster

[Blutarsky]

Do you plan any Muscibrainz querying?

[wxdude]

Do you plan any Muscibrainz querying?

The MusicBrainz API appears to have more search option and sorting options and it is on list. Not sure yet whether it will be an option or new script....

[Blutarsky]

MusicBrainz has a far superior accuracy in earliest date.