New tag system not tagging multiple files
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The new tagging is brilliant. Thankyou! I can't wait to be able to search using a similar 'button style' layout which I'm guessing is what you have in mind.
When I highlight more than one audio file though and try to add tags I get the following error message:
"AudioFinder cannot save the Metadata entry for the item "(null)" because is missing. It may have been moved, renamed or deleted outside of AudioFinder. Is the file offline?"
I assume this is a bug? Or is there another way to tag multiple files that I'm overlooking? -
Yes, that was a bug. I just fixed it:
http://www.iceduadio.com/AudioFinder5.dmg
note: I didn't change the version number because it only has one change. The release notes will says it 5.4.5b -
Great thanks. I have couple of questions though:
1. I noticed that after tagging several files, only one of them shows its tags in the tags column in the browser. You have to highlight each file one at a time to see their new tags updated, or restart AudioFinder. Minor glitch. I don't care but I thought you might like to know.
2. Much more important!: If you highlight two or more files (each having different tags already attached) and try to add another tag, the original tags get deleted. This makes it impossible to batch tag files. You'd have to have a different set of tags for every combination (which could potentially be hundreds) and then somehow find particular groups of files to match each particular set and save them.
3. Seems like a delete tags button might be handy. At the moment it's easy to clear all the tags on a group of files (with different tags) by clicking twice on a new tag in the metadata window. This is fine now but it won't work if you rectify the issue in question 2.
ta -
1. I'll look into that.
2. I debated how that should work. There are arguments for it to work either way. One could argue that keeping existing tags is not a good idea. I'm undecided about that.
3. Yes, I can add a clear tags button. -
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3. Works great!
2. Allow me to try to convince you (aka beg):
I've tried but I can't picture a situation where having the tags appended instead of deleted would be a problem for anyone. The new clear button takes care of when you do want them deleted!
My collection's at the stage where I'm ready to start tagging. Before I bought AF I'd just started the process in iTunes using a script that allows you to append words in the comments section of files. iTunes was great for this but it's choking on the number of files and It doesn't play rex files which make up a large part of my collection. Of course there's also the awesome features AF has that iTunes doesn't : )
I've been buying sound libraries for nearly 10 years. I own about 200,000 samples. They each require a different sets of a tags. Of course some files would share the same tags but still the number of combinations of tags will be huge. As you can imagine trying to collate these file into groups according the set of tags that you'd like them to have would be a nightmare and in the end I think it'd be insurmountable. The only other option would be to tag files one at a time which would of course be insane.
I'd argue that the ability to append tags is crucial. Without it the potential of the system is very limited. -
the problem is it can only append and not remove any already set tags.
for instance two files are selected:
file one is tagged: choir voice
file two is tagged: voice
the user clicks to add choir, so now both files look like this:
file one is tagged: choir voice
file two is tagged: choir voice
now they decide not to use choir and unselect it. the problem is the choir tag is sticky and will remain for both because there is no way for AudioFinder to know which of the two had choir to start with. this creates a big disconnect between the way a single selection works and a multi-selection.
therefore I've made the behavior you've request option. try this beta:
http://www.icedaudio.com/beta.zip
on the top right, click the "Append" button to get that. -
Ah yep. I was picturing when multiple files were selected that all tags combined would show up in the metadata and that clicking on one would deselect it from the files it was attached to. But this is obviously not how it works. Anyhow...
Thankyou!! The append option is perfect. Giving it a run through now. Seems to be solid.
I'm glad I didn't start before you added the new system. It's so quick. You've saved me many hours of work. Will definitely be donating in the future. -
If all the Tags showed up combined wouldn't that be confusing as well? The problem is you have items with mixed states and there's no obvious way to display that. Imagine say you want to add the Tag "Voice" to a selection of 5 Tags. You select 5 Tags and one already has Voice Tagged. If it showed the combined state it would have to select Voice which would mislead you into thinking all 5 had the Tag Voice instead of 1. There's no obvious or simple way to do multi-selections.
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I agree. I should have been clearer in that first paragraph. I was explaining my misunderstanding, not questioning the way it's set up. I should have written "But this is obviously not how it works AND I realise now if it did it would create other problems". : )
The new system has led me to more feature requests though! (Please bare in mind I have no expectations that you'll implement anything I suggest but it never hurts to ask). I noticed that assigning star ratings to multiple files deletes all current tags. Would be great if there was a way to assign stars without affecting the other metadata.
Since I started using AF I've been keeping a list of what I think could be small improvements to workflow. I'll post when I have a chance.
Cheers. -
The rating thing was actually a bug. I've moved the Star Rating control to the Tags panel where it belongs because Tagging/Rating are similar actions.
http://www.icedaudio.com/beta.zip -
Cool. Thanks. That works really well.
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