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Topic: How does Foobar update its database? (Read 2883 times) previous topic - next topic
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How does Foobar update its database?

Can anyone tell me how Foobar updates its database?  I thought every time the program was run, it rescanned the library and checked for updated tags in Windows Explorer.  That does not seem to be the case.

I have been using another music player a long side Foobar, called MusicBee.  MusicBee has an option in the preferences called 'don't update file modification time when saving tags.'  I like this feature because I like to know when I originally ripped a file, added the artwork, added comments, etc.

With this file checked in MusicBee, all the songs I edit are changed.  The modification date is the only thing not changed.  The files are updated perfectly in Windows Explorer.  In Foobar however, the tags do not change.  The album art updates, but not things like album name, track #s, artist name, etc.

Can anyone help me?

Thanks

How does Foobar update its database?

Reply #1 –
Foobar2000 uses the file size and the modification time to detect whether a file changed. If the tag update does not change the file size and you instruct MusicBee to preserve the modification time, foobar2000 will not reload the tags automatically. However you can use the "Reload info from files" menu command to manually reload tags wihtin foobar2000. You could also let MusicBee update the modification time and use the creation time to track when you ripped the file.

How does Foobar update its database?

Reply #2 –
the last modified timestamp is a windows convention that should not be messed with. if you've modified a file, the last modified timestamp should be updated so that other well programmed, respectful programs can make use of it. if you choose to hide the fact you've modified the file then you absolutely deserve the experience you are having.

if you want to keep track of when you acquired/ripped certain files, you should use custom tags rather than abuse last modified timestamps in a way they were never meant to.

How does Foobar update its database?

Reply #3 –
Quote from: deathcoreRULES on
I have been using another music player a long side Foobar, called MusicBee.  MusicBee has an option in the preferences called 'don't update file modification time when saving tags.'  I like this feature because I like to know when I originally ripped a file, added the artwork, added comments, etc.

Quote from: marc2003 on
if you want to keep track of when you acquired/ripped certain files, you should use custom tags rather than abuse last modified timestamps in a way they were never meant to.

I know that it's not exactly the same, but in addition to what marc suggested, you can use foo_playcount to track when a file was first added to your music library (starting when the plugin is first installed, of course).

How does Foobar update its database?

Reply #4 –
Quote from: foosion on
Foobar2000 uses the file size and the modification time to detect whether a file changed. If the tag update does not change the file size and you instruct MusicBee to preserve the modification time, foobar2000 will not reload the tags automatically. However you can use the "Reload info from files" menu command to manually reload tags wihtin foobar2000. You could also let MusicBee update the modification time and use the creation time to track when you ripped the file.

Thank you very much foosion.  "Reload info from files" worked perfectly.


Quote from: marc2003 on
the last modified timestamp is a windows convention that should not be messed with. if you've modified a file, the last modified timestamp should be updated so that other well programmed, respectful programs can make use of it. if you choose to hide the fact you've modified the file then you absolutely deserve the experience you are having.

if you want to keep track of when you acquired/ripped certain files, you should use custom tags rather than abuse last modified timestamps in a way they were never meant to.

I deserve the experience I am having?  Wow, I don't even know how to respond to this.  Someone must be having a bad day.


Quote from: Zarggg on
Quote from: deathcoreRULES on
I have been using another music player a long side Foobar, called MusicBee.  MusicBee has an option in the preferences called 'don't update file modification time when saving tags.'  I like this feature because I like to know when I originally ripped a file, added the artwork, added comments, etc.

Quote from: marc2003 on
if you want to keep track of when you acquired/ripped certain files, you should use custom tags rather than abuse last modified timestamps in a way they were never meant to.

I know that it's not exactly the same, but in addition to what marc suggested, you can use foo_playcount to track when a file was first added to your music library (starting when the plugin is first installed, of course).

Zarggg I do use foo_playcount, thank you for the suggestion.  When I first tested "Reload info from files" on an album with no plays, it reloaded the tags correctly but changed the "date added to library" to the current date.  I then tested it on an album with 1 play on each track, as well as ratings, and it did not change the "date added to library."

Thank you for the help.