ML2 Album Art query

[ACTCMS]

What is the order of precedence when ML2 searches for album art between 'folder/default', 'embedded' and the various tag readers? Is it the same order when config is doing a scan and when ML2 is playing?

I'm using 6.7 downloaded from the wiki. I'm getting much better success with album art than ever before, but I've still got a few problems. Because my mp3 collection is so big, it's difficult to be precise about the problems, so I'm going to set up a small test library to investigate further...

[psycik]

MP3Filename.jpg - for mixed directories where every file is from whereever

Folder.jpg or cover.jpg or default.jpg in the directory

AlbumName.jpg in a directory, so again could be a mixed directory, or you don't want to use the default ones above - I should probably move this above the defaults.

Then the UltraID3 reader if used and if an MP3

Finally the TagLib reader, again, if there.

[ACTCMS]

MP3Filename.jpg - for mixed directories where every file is from whereever

Folder.jpg or cover.jpg or default.jpg in the directory

AlbumName.jpg in a directory, so again could be a mixed directory, or you don't want to use the default ones above - I should probably move this above the defaults.

Then the UltraID3 reader if used and if an MP3

Finally the TagLib reader, again, if there.

Thanks, that will make a lot easier to find out what I've done wrong...

As far as order of preference goes... this would suit me...

1. ForceAA.jpg - this forces a specific image for all MP3s in a folder containing a 'personal' compilation
   
2. MP3Filename.jpg - this would allow overriding of any AA embedded in the TrackTag
   
3. TrackTag - (whichever TagReader) this is the closest AA to the track
   
4. AlbumName.jpg - picks up anything else in the album not caught above
   
5. Folder(etc).jpg -picks up anything else in the folder not caught above

I haven't considered how much impact this would have on scan times, etc...

Anyway, it might be something to think about if you're stuck for something better to do - current OOP doesn't detract from ML2 in any way...

[psycik]

That order is probably similar to what I should look at anyway.

But why would you want the ForceAA for a "personal" compilation and not use AlbumName or Folder.jpg??

[ACTCMS]

But why would you want the ForceAA for a "personal" compilation and not use AlbumName or Folder.jpg??

I started off with points 3-5. This gives a reasonably elegant hierarchy where tracktag is prefered over album over folder.

Then I thought about compilation albums which might have all the tracks tagged with the compilation cover - point 2 would allow a simple override for individual tracks (without needing to edit the tracktag).

So having provided an override at the track level, it seemed logical to provide one at the folder level too - since using one of the existing 'default' names would break points 2 and 3 for those folders which already contain a default.jpg, I invented a new name.

Does that make sense?

(The eagle eyed among you will probably have noticed that in the case of a folder containing tracks from more than one album there is no specific override for a given Album, so maybe point 1 should be changed to ForceFolder.jpg and a ForceAlbumName.jpg added as point 1.5)

[psycik]

Album names only work if there is one. I found with some of my stuff, that it doesn't necessarily contain and album (off internet radio say). But I use the folder level images and if I'm really bored, some of the individual track ones.

I can add your forceFolder.jpg as a check if you wish. It's just another if statement - and it shouldn't change scan times noticeably.

[ACTCMS]

Album names only work if there is one. I found with some of my stuff, that it doesn't necessarily contain and album (off internet radio say). But I use the folder level images and if I'm really bored, some of the individual track ones.

I can add your forceFolder.jpg as a check if you wish. It's just another if statement - and it shouldn't change scan times noticeably.

To be honest, I probably wouldn't use ForceFolder... but it does make the 1-5 OOP more logical and complete.

When I suggested the 1-5 thing I was trying to figure out a way to get what I wanted (2-4) without upsetting everyone else's system - as you illustrate above, there are lots of combinations and permutations involved in album art...

[psycik]

Yeah there is. I'm surprised that winamp - one of the main mp3 players around has only just started doing it - i.e they've always had the tag based, but only just started with the folder.jpg, albumName.jpg etc. And how much it does seem to "add" to your music.

So I've been busily updating my album arts.

Word of advice though, don't let Windows Media Player anywhere near you collection as it seems to decrease the size of all you art files to 200 x 200 versions. Which on a media centre is a crap size.

[ACTCMS]

Anyway, now to the real problem which is that lots of my tag art doesn't display...

I created an album folder containing one track from 'The Dark Side Of The Moon' which has tagged art (shows up in several tag editors) and no .jpgs
I 'nuked' my library
I removed all my paths and collections
I added one path to the album folder and scanned
DB showed one track with 'hasart' checked
OKed config and started pvrx2
The track shows up in ML2, but no album art displayed.
I photoshopped a suitable sized jpg (just some text) and saved it in the album folder as 'The Dark Side Of The Moon.jpg'
I nuked and scanned and the DB showed the one track with 'hasart' checked
OKed config and started pvrx2 - photoshopped jpg displayed correctly.

I had a look at the logs - I can see the difference - I can't figure out why though... any ideas?

[psycik]

One thing may or may not be related but all these file

Code:

2008-01-25 23:33:14.750    VERBOSE    [1]    About to check file: C:\Program Files\devnz\gbpvr\plugins\Common\Amazon.dll
2008-01-25 23:33:14.781    VERBOSE    [1]    About to check file: C:\Program Files\devnz\gbpvr\plugins\Common\Amazon.XmlSerializers.dll
2008-01-25 23:33:14.812    VERBOSE    [1]    About to check file: C:\Program Files\devnz\gbpvr\plugins\Common\Interfaces.dll
2008-01-25 23:33:14.812    VERBOSE    [1]    About to check file: C:\Program Files\devnz\gbpvr\plugins\Common\policy.2.0.taglib-sharp.dll
2008-01-25 23:33:14.812    VERBOSE    [1]    About to check file: C:\Program Files\devnz\gbpvr\plugins\Common\taglib-sharp.dll
2008-01-25 23:33:14.843    VERBOSE    [1]    About to check file: C:\Program Files\devnz\gbpvr\plugins\Common\xUltraID3Lib.dll

I would get rid of from that common directory IF YOU ARE ON 1.1.5 if you are on 1.0.16 then leave them.

that policy.taglib-sharp I'd probably remove altogether. And that xUltraid3 I'd probably rename to ultraid3 and move to the musiclibrary2 directory.

Ok, I'll continue in the logs...