Suggestion: add support for FLAC tags in "multirename"

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dsperber
Posts: 221
Joined: 28.03.2010, 01:35

Suggestion: add support for FLAC tags in "multirename"

#1 Post by dsperber » 03.01.2020, 05:48

FLAC has it's own native tagging system which is identical to that of Vorbis. They are called alternately "FLAC tags" and "Vorbis comments". It is the only tagging system required and guaranteed to be supported by FLAC implementations. These FLAC tags ARE NOT ID3 TAGS USED FOR MP3 FILES, but all the same fundamental fields present in MP3 tags (i.e. ID3v1 and ID3v2) are also present in FLAC tags.

==> I would like to suggest that support for the main FLAC-tag data fields be added to the dropdown list of fields available for "multirename", in order to be able to use it for a music collection of both MP3 and FLAC files like I do, which probably is not at all uncommon. In fact some users may only have FLAC or MP3, but supporting both tag types in "multirename" seems very useful.

I have recently made use of the incredibly powerful and easy-to-use "multirename" function. I used it to rename zillions of old pictures stored in many folders, taken by old iPhone cameras and DSLR cameras, renaming them to show camera name as well as shooting date/time, followed by the original image file name. This made the folder collections now finally usable. Renaming based on EXIF data fields is superbly useful.

I also used "multirename" to insert the 2-digit track number in front of thousands of MP3 files ripped years ago but without track number in the external file name (which was simply the track title). Thus when the folder (i.e. the album) was played, songs were played in pure alphabetical order by song title, rather than in the original track number sequence as found on the CD. Mass-renaming them to insert the 2-digit track number (in the MP3 tag) in front of the song title solved the problem.

I actually have the same issue of course for my own personal collection which has a mixture of both MP3 and FLAC files. I would like to rename all music files in my collection (currently about 7600, of which about 1800 are FLAC and the rest MP3) to force the track number into the high-order position of the external file name, precisely so that they would play back in CD-track sequence. But I can't use FCXE "multirename" as it only supports MP3 tags (i.e. ID3v1 and ID3v2).

==> Seems like a reasonably simple enhancement to add reading FLAC tags (i.e. Vorbis comments) and include the same main fields as are available for MP3.

Many thanks for an amazing product.

dsperber
Posts: 221
Joined: 28.03.2010, 01:35

Re: Suggestion: add support for FLAC tags in "multirename"

#2 Post by dsperber » 22.01.2020, 10:49

I see that in 811/812 there was an improvement made to "multirename" to add an additional EXIF (camera lens) field to the set of available items to be used.

I don't know if my previous request for adding support for FLAC tags (like MP3 tags) is being considered or worked on at the moment, but I would like to at least re-submit my request for this enhancement.

As I previously explained, having MP3 tags (for music files) and EXIF tags (for camera photos) is a FANTASTIC and FABULOUS feature to be part of "multirename". As it turns out the metadata tags for FLAC files (which are actually Ogg Vorbis "comments", and not ID3 tags) are really just as important and useful for potentially being used by "multirename" for FLAC files as ID3 tags are for potential use in renaming MP3 files.

In my own situation I would like to perform a mass rename on my music collection to inject 2-digit numeric track number at the start of each external file name in my music collection. I have about 7000 MP3 files (which can be mass renamed today, extracting 2-digit track number from the ID3 tag) and 1800 FLAC files (which today are unsupported for mass rename). It's clearly impossible to do this renaming manually, so thanks almighty for "multirename" in FCXE... if only FLAC tags were also supported.

So I once again submit my request for enhancing "multirename" to recognize FLAC tags just as it recognizes MP3 tags.

Many thanks for considering my request.

dsperber
Posts: 221
Joined: 28.03.2010, 01:35

Re: Suggestion: add support for FLAC tags in "multirename"

#3 Post by dsperber » 04.02.2020, 22:22

An update on my objective of doing a mass-rename of my music collection (which consists of files in BOTH MP3 AND FLAC format) in order to insert "track number" into the front of external file name. As previously stated, FCXE already includes perfect mass-rename functionality but only for the ID3 tag metadata present in MP3 files. There is currently no support for FLAC tags (i.e. actually Ogg Vorbis comments), and I had suggested that this additional FLAC tag functionality be added to the multi-rename feature.

Hopefully, the value of this enhancement is apparent and will be made available in some future release of FCXE.

But in the meantime, my own research has now discovered that this very sought after capability (to rename external file names based on internal tag fields, for both MP3 as well as FLAC) already exists in the MP3Tag product I already use to do tag maintenance on my music collection files. So I can use it to accomplish my objective, even though I would prefer to have used FCXE because of its excellent user interface for this task.

I also discovered another product named TagScanner (which I found earlier during my research before learning that there was a "Convert" feature present in MP3Tag, which is actually what they call "mass-rename"). I have no interest in making use of this program when I'm already so comfortable and familiar with MP3Tag and now see that it will do what I want. But I did want to pass along mention of at least this second product that can also handle the mass-rename task I want to perform.

So, now that "the urgency and pressure is off" I will remain patient and hopeful that Marek receives my suggestion with a positive view, and eventually implements the enhancement I need. But in the meantime, I will now use MP3Tag immediately in order to accomplish my mass-rename goal for my MP3 and FLAC music files.

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