Files Organization

For topics that don't quite fit anywhere else...
User avatar
mojofilter
Posts: 981
Joined: Mon Apr 19, 2021 6:31 am
Has thanked: 41 times
Been thanked: 174 times

Re: Files Organization

Post by mojofilter »

I understand that if people don't have a database (99% don't), they have to categorize their collections on hard drives by directory and sub-directory and sub-sub-directory etc. and use Windows Search or a program such as Everything (this freeware program is tons better than Windows Search. It writes an index file of everything on your drives, so instead of having to search for an item, it reads the index first so the results displayed are instant, and it updates every time you add or delete or change a file.)

But having the database saves me having to categorize on disk. I have folders for Albums, Singles, 78s, and RMW. CATraxx does the rest. On the walls, all my albums are alphabetical by artist in release order, with compilations and soundtracks at the end, the 45s are alphabetical by year in release order, I wrote the first three letters of each artist name in the upper right corner, like BEA or McC or each storage sleeve, and the CDs are alphabetical by artist in release order with compilations at the end.

Not to mention the thousands of hours I've spent tagging sound files that were downloaded as Track01, Track02. or Artist or Titel Unbekannt, or D1T1 , or random characters that Windows can't interpret. I'm still doing it.

I couldn't be one of those many, many collectors I've talked about this with for twenty years, who have no idea what's in their collection or where to find it. For so many, it's like climbing Mt. Everest, and they're at the very bottom, and it's too daunting for them to even start. When they lose a drive, they don't even know what they lost. :: shudders ::
Eye. Eyesore a girl in my dreams.
User avatar
alphabeatles
Posts: 1322
Joined: Fri Feb 19, 2021 10:44 pm
Has thanked: 98 times
Been thanked: 166 times

Re: Files Organization

Post by alphabeatles »

mojofilter, I was wondering what happens within your database if you move items around on the hard drives? Do the links break?

On the Mac, I use DiskCataogMaker to keep track of what is where on multiple drives, and can search for any item. Even Finder searches work.

Otherwise if I need to check out some whether I have some White Album track or wish to hear a set, I can navigate through the computer directories in the Finder easily enough to get to it (and one advantage of the Mac is you can use columns, not just icons and straight lists).
User avatar
mojofilter
Posts: 981
Joined: Mon Apr 19, 2021 6:31 am
Has thanked: 41 times
Been thanked: 174 times

Re: Files Organization

Post by mojofilter »

Yes, if I move files to another drive, the links break. But there's a function to link the sound files to the new directory... although I must not be able to figure out how it works. If I go to an album entry, delete all the links to the tracks, and then link them to the new directory, they will appear to have updated links. But if I go to Track View and look up a song on that album, it will still have the link to the old file that was moved. I am still having to fix them manually, which is why this is taking so long. I lost three drives in 2017, and even though the new storage drives have the same directory names and folder names, it won't find the same file path that it used to. Hit 'play' on a file and nothing happens until I re-link it to the new location. I will have to go to the forum for users of CATraxx and ask about that.
Eye. Eyesore a girl in my dreams.
User avatar
alphabeatles
Posts: 1322
Joined: Fri Feb 19, 2021 10:44 pm
Has thanked: 98 times
Been thanked: 166 times

Re: Files Organization

Post by alphabeatles »

Yow!
Neal Nollie
Posts: 157
Joined: Wed Feb 17, 2021 6:25 pm
Has thanked: 15 times
Been thanked: 3 times

Re: Files Organization

Post by Neal Nollie »

alphabeatles wrote: Wed Jun 30, 2021 8:51 pm
Neal Nollie wrote: Wed Jun 30, 2021 8:10 pm alphabeatles
Hi i have a question for you
What is this vinyl rip
(1986 sealed BC-13 Blue Box, vinylwall)
I have a rip of the 1978 Bc-13 but have never come across 1986 rip thats in your list.
Any info?
Cheers Neal
I don't have art for this one, but here is info on the cut:

A (YEX 126-3-1-3-1 HTM)
B (YEX 127-4 4)
Hi
do you have the full 1986 box set or just the 1986 a hard days night?
aslak
Posts: 299
Joined: Wed Jun 09, 2021 6:54 pm
Has thanked: 36 times

Re: Files Organization

Post by aslak »

Hi,

I thought I might put in my twopennyworth. I recognize myself in a lot of these comments. I've sort of got a system built up over the years - from paper to digital folders (Artist - yyyy (if applicable or possible) - title (description) - format (FLAC, DVD, MP3 etc) - source (Beatlegdb, Dime etc etc)) BUT it's not a database and relies a lot on memory and 'knowing' where I'd store something. This is complicated by the fact that I used to burn stuff to CD & DVD (crates of the stuff loosely stored in order in the loft but inaccessible) before I went digital.

I've had various HD crashes and losses and the most recent bad one absolutely screwed up my Dylan collection just as I was doing a proper back-up and cataloguing. Thanks to the kindness of a fellow Dylan collector over at WTRF, I am rebuilding it but one of the key things this kind soul has shared with me is a shareable version of THE Dylan database (Lossless Bob, where every recording/item has a unique one-up number) which is in Excel and editable/searchable etc. I can now work out what I've lost, what gaps I've got and what I also never knew about. I've also started using Everything and it works really well and quickly to show what's in the specified folder or drive and can be exported to Excel too.

What strikes me for the Beatles is there is no established (centralized) equivalent database, or is there ? It's obvious as a newbie to this site that's there's far more out there than I knew/know about. Getting very Donald Rumsfeldian here (known unknowns, unknown knowns etc) but does someone have a Beatles database that they can share? (Please).

Just a thought.
Cheers
A
User avatar
r9453
Posts: 264
Joined: Wed Apr 21, 2021 3:16 pm
Location: Woolgoolga

Re: Files Organization

Post by r9453 »

A Beatleg equivalent of LB would be a fine idea. LB is based on the principles established at https://etreedb.org/ where there is already a (rudimentary) Beatles database. A lot of work has gone into the LB database, I've been a follower and contributor since 2003. Currently there are more than 15,000 recordings listed. The LB software is free to use, you can build a database for any artist from scratch.

I notice the banner at the top of the page says: Beatleg Database Forums.

I'm not sure if that's a hangover from the old BZ forum. The words Beatleg and Database are right up there bold as brass. So, maybe it's a reasonable topic for discussion.
Bob Dylan
LB Cloud
User avatar
WilliamShears
Site Admin
Posts: 368
Joined: Mon Feb 15, 2021 6:16 pm
Location: Here
Has thanked: 16 times
Been thanked: 19 times
Contact:

Re: Files Organization

Post by WilliamShears »

r9453 wrote: Fri Jul 02, 2021 4:26 pm
I notice the banner at the top of the page says: Beatleg Database Forums.

I'm not sure if that's a hangover from the old BZ forum. The words Beatleg and Database are right up there bold as brass. So, maybe it's a reasonable topic for discussion.
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2

Stay tuned…
User avatar
Track06
Posts: 631
Joined: Wed Feb 17, 2021 12:21 pm
Has thanked: 68 times
Been thanked: 118 times

Re: Files Organization

Post by Track06 »

r9453 wrote: Tue Jun 29, 2021 8:49 pm
Track06 wrote: Tue Jun 29, 2021 8:18 pm I use characters like !
Is that with folder names for use with Search?
Folder names. Windows search treats all of these as if they where one (search for"=", get !"§$%&/()=?..... as results).
Post Reply