MediaMonkey replaces all tag separators whenever it modifies files.

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superluig164
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MediaMonkey replaces all tag separators whenever it modifies files.

Post by superluig164 »

This is the most frustrating thing.

Anytime MediaMonkey tags any file, it goes through all the fields and replaces all the separators with \\. I use / as my separator, but regardless of that, why does it retroactively change them? I want my separators to be /, and MediaMonkey is not my only media player. Sure, they show up as / in MediaMonkey, but as soon as I view the file in any other player it's messed up. Either it'll show \\ (and not count multiple artists properly, because my separator is set to /) or, in the case of Poweramp, \\ gets completely wiped out and displays as a space which is really annoying.

I posted about this way back when MMW5 first came out to the public, and I was told it was fixed. I just updated and it is not fixed. Can y'all please figure this out?

Disclaimer: I only use mp3 files. No idea if this affects other file types.
Erwin Hanzl
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Re: MediaMonkey replaces all tag separators whenever it modifies files.

Post by Erwin Hanzl »

I am using the SEMICOLON character ; and have no problems with it.
Not even in HELIOS or POWERAMP.

MM4 and MM5 only allows ONE character as separators: ; | \ /
MP3Tag cooks a different soup.
Also, I noticed: MP3Tag links similar fields, e.g. YEAR and OriginalYEAR (2017\2017)

https://www.mediamonkey.com/wiki/WebHel ... Fields/5.0
Last edited by Erwin Hanzl on Sun Feb 13, 2022 3:44 am, edited 5 times in total.
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Barry4679
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Re: MediaMonkey replaces all tag separators whenever it modifies files.

Post by Barry4679 »

superluig164 wrote: Sat Jan 22, 2022 7:08 am I posted about this way back when MMW5 first came out to the public, and I was told it was fixed. I just updated and it is not fixed. Can y'all please figure this out?
The was some qualification about the fix that they were able to achieve. What MiPi said to you was:
MiPi wrote: Wed Sep 29, 2021 1:04 pm ... format ID3v2.3 does not officially allow storing multiple user defined strings. So it is quite mess, as each application stores it differently (e.g. MP3Tag uses zero byte as separator there, but this separator is defined in v2.4 and in v2.3 should not be used at all). I will fix it for ID3v2.4 (default), but leave it as it is for older ID3v2.3 (there is no right option and I could not ruin it for those who used it before)
Did you check whether you were using ID3v2.4 tags?
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MiPi
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Re: MediaMonkey replaces all tag separators whenever it modifies files.

Post by MiPi »

superluig164 : no, MM5 does not change separators to "\\" at all (it is probably only the way how some other application shows multiple values, e.g. MP3tag), we use standard way of storing multiple strings to the tag. For default ID3v2.4 in MP3s these are values separated by zero byte. We cannot affect how other applications show this standard multi-value tag.
MiPi
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Re: MediaMonkey replaces all tag separators whenever it modifies files.

Post by MiPi »

In case you want really store "/" character to the single value tag, choose some other character as separator of multiple values in MM5, e.g. standard semicolon. Then string "artist1/artist2" will be stored as is as one single-value tag. Only in this case MM5 will handle "artist1/artist2" as one artist, so it is not ideal.
superluig164
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Re: MediaMonkey replaces all tag separators whenever it modifies files.

Post by superluig164 »

So why is it that every other application handles it the way I am saying, but none other handles the way you say?

When MediaMonkey overrides the separator, Poweramp displays a space, and MP3Tag displays \\. In previous versions of MM if I set my separator to /, MediaMonkey would use that separator. No questions asked. Now you're telling me that I cannot choose the separator? I should just take a hike, even though no other program supports whatever stupid method you guys have decided to use in MM5? And if I decide to use a workaround (change the separator in MM to something else) then MM will not be able to separate the artists/genres?

How ridiculous is that? Software is written for the user. If your software works in a way that impedes other software AND the user, then you're doing something wrong. I don't care what version of ID3 tags I'm using or not using, the point is that MM changes something so that the individual artists and genres only count as such in MM, and nowhere else. And if it's using a newer version of ID3 that's the problem, why can't I choose not to use said new version? I download new files and tag them.

Could you at least not add a switch to continue to use the defined separator as the separator for those who want it, and leave it off by default? I guarantee I'm not the only MM user who uses other programs and has issues with this.
MiPi
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Re: MediaMonkey replaces all tag separators whenever it modifies files.

Post by MiPi »

superluig164 wrote: Fri Feb 11, 2022 10:38 pm So why is it that every other application handles it the way I am saying, but none other handles the way you say?

When MediaMonkey overrides the separator, Poweramp displays a space, and MP3Tag displays \\. In previous versions of MM if I set my separator to /, MediaMonkey would use that separator. No questions asked. Now you're telling me that I cannot choose the separator? I should just take a hike, even though no other program supports whatever stupid method you guys have decided to use in MM5? And if I decide to use a workaround (change the separator in MM to something else) then MM will not be able to separate the artists/genres?

How ridiculous is that? Software is written for the user. If your software works in a way that impedes other software AND the user, then you're doing something wrong. I don't care what version of ID3 tags I'm using or not using, the point is that MM changes something so that the individual artists and genres only count as such in MM, and nowhere else. And if it's using a newer version of ID3 that's the problem, why can't I choose not to use said new version? I download new files and tag them.

Could you at least not add a switch to continue to use the defined separator as the separator for those who want it, and leave it off by default? I guarantee I'm not the only MM user who uses other programs and has issues with this.
I think you completely missed the point and still don't understand how thinks work, even though I was trying already to explain it. MediaMonkey is not author of the standard, how tags are written to the MP3 file, we just use format how it was defined, so all applications can understand and use it. We did not decide to use some proprietary format, we use standard ID3. Multiple values are saved to tags as defined by standard. And separator is not saved to the file at all, never was (in case it should be interpreted as multiple values). Separator is visual way, how to display multiple values in application. So if you save "artist1/artist2" and have separator of multiple values set as "/" in MM5, than it is saved as two artists "artist1" and "artist2" to MP3 (or other formats), in ID3v2.4 it means it is saved as two values separated by zero byte. When reading tag, MM5 then reads these two values and display them with separator set in Options. Other tagging application can use different separator to display such values, e.g. MP3Tag by default uses "\\". When you tag your file with string "artist1/artist2" in MP3Tag, where multiple values separator is "\\", it is saved as ONE artist, not two separate artists. You can set multiple values separator in MM5 to "\\" too, then your artists will be always saved as one "artist1/artist2" artist. But then you will see it as one artist with name "artist1/artist2" everywhere, it could not be handled as 2 artists.
superluig164
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Re: MediaMonkey replaces all tag separators whenever it modifies files.

Post by superluig164 »

MiPi wrote: Sat Feb 12, 2022 4:51 pm When you tag your file with string "artist1/artist2" in MP3Tag, where multiple values separator is "\\", it is saved as ONE artist, not two separate artists. You can set multiple values separator in MM5 to "\\" too, then your artists will be always saved as one "artist1/artist2" artist. But then you will see it as one artist with name "artist1/artist2" everywhere, it could not be handled as 2 artists.
Then howcome when it's done the "proper" way (as you say it) it shows up with no separator at all in Poweramp?

Why is it that when I fix it myself in MP3Tag, I face NO issues in Poweramp OR MediaMonkey?

And why is it that I never once had this issue in MM4, despite it being (presumably) the same?
MiPi
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Re: MediaMonkey replaces all tag separators whenever it modifies files.

Post by MiPi »

superluig164 wrote: Sat Feb 12, 2022 7:55 pm Then howcome when it's done the "proper" way (as you say it) it shows up with no separator at all in Poweramp?
It is question for authors of Poweramp, I don't know whether and how they support multiple values in one tag now. As I know, in the past they did not support them at all, they simply read the first value only.
superluig164 wrote: Sat Feb 12, 2022 7:55 pm Why is it that when I fix it myself in MP3Tag, I face NO issues in Poweramp OR MediaMonkey?
Because the value "artist1/artist2" is saved as one artist in MP3Tag (they have "\\" as multiple values separator). Poweramp then reads this one value and displays. MediaMonkey has separator setting in Options-Library-Fields-"Split multiple-valued fields with". In case you have "/" there, then MM interprets value "artist1/artist2" set during editing tags as two values, "artist1" and "artist2", exactly as defined by the setting in options.
superluig164 wrote: Sat Feb 12, 2022 7:55 pm And why is it that I never once had this issue in MM4, despite it being (presumably) the same?
I can only guess, maybe you had default "; " as multiple values separator there? So when saving tag, "artist1/artist2" does not contain this separator, so it was saved as one artist too.
Ludek
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Re: MediaMonkey replaces all tag separators whenever it modifies files.

Post by Ludek »

MiPi wrote: Sun Feb 13, 2022 2:26 am
superluig164 wrote: Sat Feb 12, 2022 7:55 pm And why is it that I never once had this issue in MM4, despite it being (presumably) the same?
I can only guess, maybe you had default "; " as multiple values separator there? So when saving tag, "artist1/artist2" does not contain this separator, so it was saved as one artist too.
Maybe it is ID3 v2.3 versus ID3 v2.4 issue? This is configured in Options > Library > Tags & playlists > Tags
and maybe he has v2.3 in MM4 while v2.4 in MM5?
MiPi
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Re: MediaMonkey replaces all tag separators whenever it modifies files.

Post by MiPi »

Ludek wrote: Mon Feb 14, 2022 1:14 pm Maybe it is ID3 v2.3 versus ID3 v2.4 issue? This is configured in Options > Library > Tags & playlists > Tags
and maybe he has v2.3 in MM4 while v2.4 in MM5?
You're right, I forgot, that in ID3 v2.3 there was the silly separator "/" for multiple values in tag (So AC/DC was quite problem to save as one value). So the easiest solution is switch back to ID3 v2.3 in Options - Library - Tags & playlists - Store MP3 files properties using: "ID3v2.3 tags", and this will work the same like in MM4.
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