Library referencing one file in several places

[TJOHO]

I'd want the library database to reference the same track (the same physical file) wherever it appears - kind of taking the Advanced Duplicate Find & Fix script further.

Now, if I have the same track in both an album and a compilation, there are many disadvantages to that:

1. I have to take care to only play one of them to keep play history and thereby ratings by autorate scripts consistent.
2. Various AutoDJ stuff, shuffling, radiofreemonkey etc. could select the wrong track according to 1. (e.g. playing the compilation track while I always play the album track).
3. Waste of space. Not a big problem, but annoying nonetheless.

or if I delete the compilation track, there are other disadvantages, such as not being able to play the entire compilation without creating a new compilation playlist that recreates it using a mix of the ones left on the compilation and the ones on various albums I own (confused yet?).
Also, there would be annoying gaps in the track list when the compilation shows in for example MonkeyRok (yes, I'm a control freak).

Now, if under Duplicates, there was some option like "consolidate tracks" or something, it would be great if you could consolidate the library references to point to only one physical file and delete the other unnecessary physical file(s). The file would still be referenced as belonging to both the album and the compilation.

Maybe to take things further, it would be great if the play history etc. followed the physical file, so that, whether u looked at track X in compilation A or album B, it would have the same play history and rating.

Of course, I have no idea if this is possible at all. Just wishing.

[Teknojnky]

What you are referring to is the concept of hard/soft linking a single physical file to multiple filenames.

This has been discussed couple of times, and while it sounds great in theory (saving disc space), it can easily turn into a management headache.

Via windows and NTFS file systems, it is possible to create such hard links but they will have to be done and managed outside of mediamonkey (see the above referenced wiki link).

And while it would be great to have support for managing hardlinks in MM, I suspect that is a bit too low level system to see any time soon.