Converting format adds duplicate tracks to library!

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Giarc
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Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2005 10:31 pm
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah

Converting format adds duplicate tracks to library!

Post by Giarc »

If I select an album, then select a few tracks, and then click "Convert Audio Format" and go through the process to say convert from MP3 to WAV, the new WAV files are automatically added to my album. Now I have duplicates of each track in the track list, one MP3 and one WAV! This happens even if I convert the tracks to a completely different folder. Is there any way around this behavior?

If I choose to replace the original files, then it makes sense to update the library. However, if I am creating new files in a different format for some purpose, it does not make sense to add these files as duplicates in the album. Then I have to go in and manually delete all the WAV files from the library.
tbessie
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Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2006 3:50 am

But they are NOT duplicates

Post by tbessie »

They are *not* duplicates. They are the same song, yes, but in a different format, so they are not duplicates. They represent different files.

If you don't want to replace the files, perhaps you are suggesting that there should be an option to "remove originals from library if conversion successful" or something like that?

I myself have two copies of my CD collection -- the originals (as FLAC files, saved on an external drive), and the MP3 versions, saved on my main drive. I want them both available to me, because I may want to manage them separately... why would I want to forget of the existence of an original just because I created an MP3 version? It surely would annoy me if MM just automatically assumed I wanted to forget about the originals.

But perhaps you can suggest they add the option to remove the originals after the conversion (even if they are in a different folder), or just remove them from the library (but not delete them).

Then again, you can always just delete them from the library after you've converted them, couldn't you? Takes but a second.

- Tim
Giarc
Posts: 76
Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2005 10:31 pm
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah

Post by Giarc »

tbessie: They certainly *are* duplicates as far as I'm concerned. I don't care if the new listings represent different files. If I convert all the tracks in an album, now every time I play that album each song will be played TWICE. That certainly seems like duplication to me, and I don't know why anyone would want that.

And no I am NOT suggesting that there be an option to remove the original items from the library. That wouldn't even make sense. I never said anything to imply that I wanted to "forget" about the originals. The original listings which refer to the the original MP3 files should of course stay there. I'm saying that just because I create some new WAV files off of these MP3 files, new items referring to these WAV files should not be automatically added to the library mixed in with the original songs.

The "Convert Audio Format" tool could be used for various reasons. I was looking at using it to create some volume leveled WAV files that I can then burn to a CD because the "Level volume" option in the burning wizard is not working. Once I burned the CD, I would simply delete the WAV files. Or someone may have lossless format files that they want to convert to MP3 for archiving purposes. In any case, when someone uses the conversion wizard to create some new files, it makes no sense to assume that the user wants these new files to be automatically added to their library in addition to the original tracks.
Teknojnky
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Post by Teknojnky »

Giarc wrote:tbessie: They certainly *are* duplicates as far as I'm concerned. I don't care if the new listings represent different files. If I convert all the tracks in an album, now every time I play that album each song will be played TWICE. That certainly seems like duplication to me, and I don't know why anyone would want that.
Your right, most people would not want songs played twice. However as noted below, there are many different reasons why folks would want to convert.. and some may WANT duplicates of different encoding types/quality.
And no I am NOT suggesting that there be an option to remove the original items from the library. That wouldn't even make sense. I never said anything to imply that I wanted to "forget" about the originals. The original listings which refer to the the original MP3 files should of course stay there. I'm saying that just because I create some new WAV files off of these MP3 files, new items referring to these WAV files should not be automatically added to the library mixed in with the original songs.
There is already an option on convert dialog to replace the converted files.
"Convert track(s), replacing the originals"
"Convert track(s) to new destination"
The "Convert Audio Format" tool could be used for various reasons. I was looking at using it to create some volume leveled WAV files that I can then burn to a CD because the "Level volume" option in the burning wizard is not working. Once I burned the CD, I would simply delete the WAV files. Or someone may have lossless format files that they want to convert to MP3 for archiving purposes. In any case, when someone uses the conversion wizard to create some new files, it makes no sense to assume that the user wants these new files to be automatically added to their library in addition to the original tracks.
My personal suggestion is to use "Convert track(s) to a new destination", for example \Converts\, then you can remove these converted files from the library easily by going to libray\location\converts and remove them library in one fell swoop after your done burning or whatever your use is.
tbessie
Posts: 405
Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2006 3:50 am

Ahhh, I see

Post by tbessie »

Sorry about that, I think I transposed your meaning -- I read quickly, and thought you were creating the MP3s from the WAVs, not the other way around, and assumed that meant you wanted to keep the MP3s, not the WAVs.

So you're creating the WAVs to use for some other purpose (eg. burning your CDs), and don't want them added to the library... then a checkbox that says "Add converted files to library" would be in order?

- Tim
Giarc
Posts: 76
Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2005 10:31 pm
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah

Post by Giarc »

Teknojnky wrote:There is already an option on convert dialog to replace the converted files.
"Convert track(s), replacing the originals"
"Convert track(s) to new destination"
I am converting the tracks to a new destination. I don't want to replace the originals, so I don't know what your point is here.
Teknojnky wrote:My personal suggestion is to use "Convert track(s) to a new destination", for example \Converts\, then you can remove these converted files from the library easily by going to libray\location\converts and remove them library in one fell swoop after your done burning or whatever your use is.
Thanks for the suggestion, that would make it easier to delete the new library items. However, I don't think they should be added to begin with. It makes no sense to assume that I want the new files added to the library.
tbessie wrote:So you're creating the WAVs to use for some other purpose (eg. burning your CDs), and don't want them added to the library... then a checkbox that says "Add converted files to library" would be in order?
Yes, a checkbox would be great. I should be able to choose if the new files are added to the library or not, although I don't know why anyone would want to do that anyway. If they did, they could simply scan the new folder. I was just hoping that there was already some way to prevent the new files from being added to the library that I didn't know about.
Guest

Post by Guest »

I'm having the same problem. I am ripping CD's to FLAC in one directory and then converting to MP3 in another directory. The conversion is fine except that I get two MP3 copies, one in the MP3 directory and one in the FLAC directory. Is there an instruction I've missed in setting up the conversion?

As a newcomer to MM (convert from MusicMatch), can I just say how good the program is.
Teknojnky
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Joined: Tue Sep 06, 2005 11:01 pm
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Post by Teknojnky »

Are you sure your getting two copies of MP3's?

You WILL get 2 entries, one will be for the original file and another for the new converted file.

Currently MM adds the new files to the library and there is no way to turn that off. If you don't want two entries you must manually remove one of them from the library (be careful not to delete from hardrive as well).
Guest

Post by Guest »

Thanks for the advice Teknojnky. At least I know I'm not doing anything wrong and it's no great hassle to delete the unwanted entries.
tralla
Posts: 75
Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2003 1:18 pm

Post by tralla »

Hi all,

same nuisance here: I have my CDs in the database and want to rip some of them to MP3. I do *not* want to duplicate the entries in the database - there should definitely be some checkbox or option to turn this off.

Cheers, Tralla
Teknojnky
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Joined: Tue Sep 06, 2005 11:01 pm
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Post by Teknojnky »

tralla wrote:Hi all,

same nuisance here: I have my CDs in the database and want to rip some of them to MP3. I do *not* want to duplicate the entries in the database - there should definitely be some checkbox or option to turn this off.

Cheers, Tralla
Use the Virtual CD if your going to catalog your CD's and want to keep local mp3 copies of all or some of the tracks.

Check out help file regarding virtual cd.
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