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Topic: APE Tags (Read 3760 times) previous topic - next topic
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APE Tags

Hello,

I used this guide to backup a CD of mine, and I would like to store more information about it, in the file. I would like Genre and Year at least, but I am wondering if I can just open this one .ape file in foobar and add the tags using it? Is this the best way to go about this?

Also, is this the best way to store my music for daily listening in one big file for each CD? It seems to me like it would be better for me to go ahead and just rip MP3's from this file since loading one big file all the time doesnt make much sense if I just want to hear one song right?

Thanks.

APE Tags

Reply #1 –
Read more about cuesheet and APL files. A cuesheet is a file that holds the information of where each track starts. You can use the cuesheet as well as APL files to access individual tracks inside the single APE file. Not only that you can tag them and replaygain them. You can also embed the cuesheet inside the APE file so that the APE file contains the track data.

Apart from that the choice between APE and MP3 is a choice between lossless and lossy. Surely lossless is perfect backup. But if you are only interested in everyday listening, rather than archiving, then use MP3 for smaller files.
The object of mankind lies in its highest individuals.
One must have chaos in oneself to be able to give birth to a dancing star.

APE Tags

Reply #2 –
Foobar can tag pretty much everything it can decode.  For formats that don't support tagging, it can force the use of APEv2, but this isn't the best idea.

I think the big exception is ALAC.

APE Tags

Reply #3 –
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Hello
Hi.  I am the author of that guide... for my sins.

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I would like Genre and Year at least, but I am wondering if I can just open this one .ape file in foobar and add the tags using it? Is this the best way to go about this?
You could just drag the APE file into foobar to do this - no problem at all - except that the PAR2 data will become redundant.  If you plan to use my batch files for further archiving it may be best to add these fields to the script itself.  Do you intend to use it on more CDs?  NB: I recently switched to REACT from my batch files.

I may be able to amend eac-enc.bat to receive genre and date info also for you.

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Also, is this the best way to store my music for daily listening in one big file for each CD? It seems to me like it would be better for me to go ahead and just rip MP3's from this file since loading one big file all the time doesnt make much sense if I just want to hear one song right?
The guide is intended for archiving CDs.  As you say, individual tracks are better for everyday playing.  If you are happy to have both then I would use foobar to create MP3s from the image, and use those to play, and store the APE image away in case your CD explodes.
I'm on a horse.

APE Tags

Reply #4 –
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You could just drag the APE file into foobar to do this - no problem at all - except that the PAR2 data will become redundant.  If you plan to use my batch files for further archiving it may be best to add these fields to the script itself.  Do you intend to use it on more CDs?  NB: I recently switched to REACT from my batch files.


What is REACT? If you want to edit the batch files that would be great, unless you plan on upading the guide for REACT? And yes, I do plan on backing up all my CD's this way once I figure this few issues out.

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The guide is intended for archiving CDs.  As you say, individual tracks are better for everyday playing.  If you are happy to have both then I would use foobar to create MP3s from the image, and use those to play, and store the APE image away in case your CD explodes.


Yes, this makes sense, I will make MP3's from them and then use those for listening and the others for archiving.

APE Tags

Reply #5 –
See the thread to find out about REACT.

See this post to see my REACT INI.

I also forgot to mention that I recently moved from APE to WavPack also.

We can either amend eac-enc.bat, or set you up with REACT.  I feel REACT is going to be easier to maintain, and also you will have the benefit of other users to help you, and not just me (or other DOS users).  However, as you have no doubt already just gone through a learning curve we could just amend the batch file for now... your call.

We can easily amend my INI to use APE, or create you a new one that will create both the image and MP3s in one go.  I guess we need to know what you like about my scripts and what you don't.  Do you need the PAR2 data, or the CSV log?
I'm on a horse.

APE Tags

Reply #6 –
NB: I have adapted tha last version of eac-enc.bat and eac-post.bat I had to accept genre and date info.

These new files will also additionally encode to scaled MP3 track files at the same time.  This is something I had done a while back, but never got around to posting to the website.  VCSkier was using a WavPack version I did for a while, but I think he uses REACT now also.

The process is as follows:
  • Use WaveGain to find scale value for LAME
  • Use SED to create a temporary cuesheet that points to the temporary WAVE
  • Use ACDIR to create MP3s using LAME by piping data from the WAVE
  • Encode to APE
  • Tag APE and embed cuesheet
  • Create PAR2 data
  • Verify APE
  • Create log file (CSV) entry
1-3 will only run if the "Use CRC check" checkbox is checked in the "External Compression" dialogue of EAC.  This way you can switch the MP3 creation on and off easily.

The batch files and all required apps can be found here.  For ease, please extract all files into your system32 directory* (on Windows 2000 this will be "C:\WINNT\system32", on Windows XP it will be "C:\Windows\system32").

Then replace the command line in EAC with this one:

Code: [Select]
/c eac-enc.bat %o %s %d "%a" "%g" "%m" "%y" DISCNO %cMP3%c

I have removed the ability to change the compression setting using the high and low quality radio buttons, as this was not really required and I needed the parameters.  If you choose to use these files you may want to amend the MAC compression setting of -C4000 (Extra High) to something else.  You may also want to amend the LAME command within the ACDIR command.  I can help with either of these.  The essence of the LAME command is currently:

Code: [Select]
LAME -V2 --vbr-new --ignore-tag-errors --add-id3v2 --pad-id3v2 --scale x.xxxx

I don't bother with ID3v2 normally, but as you are interested in genre I thought I should amend the command to use ID3v2.  I also use -V5 - but -V2 is the HA recommended setting.  Take a look at this wiki page for more info.
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* By storing the apps and batch files in your system32 directory they can be called from any folder by just using the filename - no path is required.  THis makes things so much easier when running from the command line.
I'm on a horse.

APE Tags

Reply #7 –
Synthetic Soul, thanks for those files. I have a few questions. Is the process the same as last time. Meaning, does it still generate all the .Par files and such? Also, what is WaveGain? Also, this one will automatically generate the MP3's at the specified Lame settings too?

I havent had a chance to actually run this through once but once I do I assume it will be quite clear.

Thanks.
 

APE Tags

Reply #8 –
Alright I looked over this and I think it would better if I just used REACT then instead of the batch files. So, basically what I am looking for then, is your Guide + genre + year + use lame to automatically encode them to Mp3's, im thinking V2 and then tag them too. Now if all this is possible do to automatically that would be awsome. Any tips?