Sorting in folders

[simoncn]

(14-05-2014 10:15)jes Wrote:  I think I read previously that 2.3 is the most-widely accepted standard, with 2.4 not universally implemented, so I thought that sticking with 2.3 is the safest option. It looks that Mp3tag has 2.3 as its write default. I have not researched the 2.3/2.4 issue in great detail, but I am open to any suggestions.

I have read this too, and it might be true that there is more audio software in the world that supports 2.3 than 2.4. However, I have never come across any software that I wanted to use that didn't support 2.4 as well as 2.3.

Some random examples:

(servers) MinimServer, Asset UPnP, JRiver, iTunes
(rippers/converters) dBpoweramp, JRiver, iTunes
(taggers) Mp3tag, Metadatics, puddletag, JRiver, iTunes

This is off the top of my head. I'm sure there are many more in all cateogries.

[jes]

I have been busy updating all the artist tags from 'First Name Last Name' to 'Last Name, First Name' to make use of the Artist.reverseName.display.index tag option.

I noticed a peculiar behaviour when I use the '/' character in the artist tag. MinimServer always replaces '/' with ', ' in the ARTIST index, with separate entries in the ALL ARTISTS index. Two examples:

1) 2 artists: 'Steve 1Abbott' and 'Bruce 1Cameron' (I use the 1s on purpose). They are entered in the Artist tag as '1Abbott, Steve/1Cameron, Bruce'. MinimServer displays them as '1Abbott, Steve, Bruce 1Cameron' in the ARTIST index (the first is incorrect, the second is correct), and correctly as 2 entries "Steve 1Abbott' and 'Bruce 1Cameron' in the ALL ARTISTS index. This looks like a MinimServer bug in the ARTIST index by ignoring the Artist.reverseName for the first artist before the '/'?

2) The artists of another song are 'Peter Maffay & Carlton/Engel'. Entered as 'Maffay & Carlton/Engel, Peter' in the artist tag, MinimServer should display them as 'Peter Maffay & Carlton/Engel'. However, it comes up as 'Maffay & Carlton, Peter Engel' in the ARTIST index, with 2 artists in ALL ARTISTS 'Maffay & Carlton' and 'Peter Engel'. It appears that I can't use '/' in this instance and should replace it with another character.

What is your take on the correct usage of '/'?

[simoncn]

(24-05-2014 06:10)jes Wrote:  I have been busy updating all the artist tags from 'First Name Last Name' to 'Last Name, First Name' to make use of the Artist.reverseName.display.index tag option.

I noticed a peculiar behaviour when I use the '/' character in the artist tag. MinimServer always replaces '/' with ', ' in the ARTIST index, with separate entries in the ALL ARTISTS index. Two examples:

1) 2 artists: 'Steve 1Abbott' and 'Bruce 1Cameron' (I use the 1s on purpose). They are entered in the Artist tag as '1Abbott, Steve/1Cameron, Bruce'. MinimServer displays them as '1Abbott, Steve, Bruce 1Cameron' in the ARTIST index (the first is incorrect, the second is correct), and correctly as 2 entries "Steve 1Abbott' and 'Bruce 1Cameron' in the ALL ARTISTS index. This looks like a MinimServer bug in the ARTIST index by ignoring the Artist.reverseName for the first artist before the '/'?

2) The artists of another song are 'Peter Maffay & Carlton/Engel'. Entered as 'Maffay & Carlton/Engel, Peter' in the artist tag, MinimServer should display them as 'Peter Maffay & Carlton/Engel'. However, it comes up as 'Maffay & Carlton, Peter Engel' in the ARTIST index, with 2 artists in ALL ARTISTS 'Maffay & Carlton' and 'Peter Engel'. It appears that I can't use '/' in this instance and should replace it with another character.

What is your take on the correct usage of '/'?

It sounds like you are using ID3v2.3 tags. The ID3v2.3 specification defines '/' as a separator character for mutiple values, so your files are currently tagged with two separate Artist values for both 1) and 2).

Which tagging program are you using? If you are using Mp3tag, you can change the tag format to ID3v2.4 and use \\ as the separator for multiple tag values. This will treat '/' as a normal character in all cases.

Problem 1) looks like a MinimServer bug, as you thought. I think I know what's causing it and I'll fix it in the next update. Thanks for reporting this problem.

[jes]

Yes, I decided to stick with v2.3 rather than go to v2.4. Now that I am aware of the '/' issue, I can work around it (thankfully, I do not have any AC/DC songs). Does '/' apply to all the various tags or are there some where it is ignored (title, album perhaps)? I am looking forward to the next update to fix the reverse name bug.

[simoncn]

(25-05-2014 07:09)jes Wrote:  Yes, I decided to stick with v2.3 rather than go to v2.4. Now that I am aware of the '/' issue, I can work around it (thankfully, I do not have any AC/DC songs). Does '/' apply to all the various tags or are there some where it is ignored (title, album perhaps)? I am looking forward to the next update to fix the reverse name bug.

The special treatment of '/' in ID3v2.3 applies only to the Artist, Composer and Lyricist tags.

[jes]

Is it possible to get MinimServer to replace '/' with ' & ' instead of ', ' for multiple artists, i.e. 'Steve 1Abbott & Bruce 1Cameron' instead of 'Steve 1Abbott, Bruce 1Cameron'?

[simoncn]

(25-05-2014 13:40)jes Wrote:  Is it possible to get MinimServer to replace '/' with ' & ' instead of ', ' for multiple artists, i.e. 'Steve 1Abbott & Bruce 1Cameron' instead of 'Steve 1Abbott, Bruce 1Cameron'?

You can do this for the Artist index by using the indexFormat setting described in this section.

This isn't a replacement for '/' (except in the particular case of some ID3v2.3 tag values). It's a custom separator between multiple Artist values.

[jes]

I tried Artist.indexFormat={$artist^^^/} and it seems to work. Why do I need 3 ^? Is it possible to combine the tagFormat for index and display, similar to .index.display? Or do I use another entry Artist.displayFormat={$artist^^^/}?

[simoncn]

(26-05-2014 06:34)jes Wrote:  I tried Artist.indexFormat={$artist^^^/} and it seems to work. Why do I need 3 ^? Is it possible to combine the tagFormat for index and display, similar to .index.display? Or do I use another entry Artist.displayFormat={$artist^^^/}?

You need 3 ^ because the syntax is ^prefix^suffix^separator. In your case, the prefix and suffix are both null.

If you want the same format for display, you need a separate displayFormat setting.

[simoncn]

(25-05-2014 07:09)jes Wrote:  I am looking forward to the next update to fix the reverse name bug.

The bug fix is now available in update 30.