From ba15707b292d827bdce732e7713b26fae3f75c74 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Alex Bennee Date: Wed, 14 Jul 2010 15:57:06 +0100 Subject: EasyTag 2.1.1 --- doc/EasyTAG_Documentation.html | 612 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 612 insertions(+) create mode 100755 doc/EasyTAG_Documentation.html (limited to 'doc/EasyTAG_Documentation.html') diff --git a/doc/EasyTAG_Documentation.html b/doc/EasyTAG_Documentation.html new file mode 100755 index 0000000..300421b --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/EasyTAG_Documentation.html @@ -0,0 +1,612 @@ + + + + + Documentation for EasyTAG + + + +

EasyTAG

+

Contents:

+ +


+

1. Presentation and steps:

+

1.1. Description (based on the last version + 1.99.9 for GTK2):

+

EasyTAG is a utility for viewing and editing tags for MP3, MP2, +FLAC, Ogg Vorbis, MusePack and Monkey's Audio files, and based on a +simple and nice GTK+ interface making tagging easier.

+

With the tree browser, select quickly the directory to search for +supported files (with or without including sub-directories). All files +found are displayed in a main with a variable background colour to +show, in one glance, the files in the same directory.

+

A second useful view mode, organizes the files by artist and by +album to have a quick look to all the artists of your collection, and +all albums for each artist.

+

The interface displays basic file informations taken from the file +header, like bitrate or duration. With the interface, you can as well +edit common tag fields as : title, artist, album, year, track number, +genre and comment which were available into ID3v1.1 and ID3v2.3 tag. +But you can also edit specials ID3v2.3 fields like : disc album, +composer, original artist/performer, copyright, URL, encoder name and +attached pictures.

+

Three differents scanners allow you to tag automatically from the +filename, rename the file and directory from the tag, and process +fields (for example to change the case). The first two scanners use a +preview to avoid any mistakes and help you when using or creating yours +own patterns.

+

If necessary you can use one of the both CDDB modes to fill yours +tags with FreeDB servers. First, the automatic way tries to identify +the selected files with the correct CDDB album. Else, a manual search +lets you to search any word in the CDDB database to identify yourself +the right album.

+

Also, you can load the content of a simple TXT file (containing +filenames) to set name of each file.

+

Mass tagging is available with the scanners, but also with buttons +to apply a field to all other selected files (small button on the right +of each field).

+

To prevent mistakes, the undo and redo functions assist the user to +recover the last changes.

+

The files collection can be export to a play list for Winamp or +XMMS.

+

With the search window, look for the requested files.

+

After the various operations over the files, those who were changed +and need to be saved are displayed in red in the list of files.
+

+
+

The program depends on the following libraries:

+ +

1.2. Basics steps of tagging/correcting tags:

+

EasyTAG offers three different “main” ways to tag or rename yours +files: manually, automatically with the scanner or automatically with +CDDB. Below is a description of each one.
+But note that for better tagging (when tags are empty for example), the +program prefers files classed by albums, than all the files in a same +directory.
+Also, it is important to know that the program works only with the +selected files in the list. So when saving, using the scanner, using +the “small buttons” and so on, only the selected files are affected, +except when typing manually in one field.

+

1.2.1. Manually:

+

Some conditions to use this mode:

+ +

If you have only some albums to tag, this mode is very easy to use. +Indeed, you have to type directly and manually the strings into each +field.
+Of course, when working by albums, some values as the album name, the +year and the genre are the same for all files. So for fastest tagging, +use the “small buttons” on the right of each field, to set this value +to all others selected files in one click.
+The genre can be selected from the list (list of ID3 genres), but you +can also type your own one.
+The year field, offers also a little improvement, because you need to +type only the last numbers. The other part will be filled automatically +according the current century and decade. For example, typing only ‘4’ +will display ‘2004’, and ‘94’ will display ‘1994’.
+To number tracks quickly with the format xx/xx, use the first “small +button” with a sharp to renumber automatically the file according its +position in the list (so the order of files is important). Then the +second “small button” set automatically the number of files.
+For an efficient handling, to pass from one field to the next one, just +press the enter key. The tab key gives focus to the “small button” +corresponding to the field. The keys PageUp and PageDown permit to jump +respectively to the previous and next file.
+To attach a picture to the file, just select the image file (JPG or +PNG) with the “+” button (in the picture tab), or Drag&Drop +directly the picture file in the zone.

+

1.2.2. Automatically with “Fill Tag” + scanner:

+

Some conditions to use this mode:

+ +

The “Fill Tag” scanner uses a pattern to associate words in the +filename and directories with the tag entries. By this way, the tag +fields can be completed automatically by pressing the “green” button in +the scanner window or the toolbar. If the tag is partially completed, +use the option “Overwrite fields when scanning tag” in the “Scanner” +tab of the “Preferences” window, to replace all fields by the new +values.
+
+Each code correspond to a field, following theses rules :

+

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
+
Strings associated with code:
+ 		Will fill the field:
+
%a
+ 		Artist
+
%b
+ 		Album
+
%c
+ 		Comment
+
%p
+ 		Composer
+
%r
+ 		Copyright
+
%e
+ 		Encoded by
+
%g
+ 		Genre
+
%i
+ 		None! (used to ignore a string)
+
%l
+ 		Number of tracks
+
%o
+ 		Original artist
+
%n
+ 		Track
+
%t
+ 		Title
+
%u
+ 		URL
+
%y
+ 		Year
+

+


+
+Note : to avoid mistakes, it is recommended to use a code only one time +in the pattern. +Of course, like when tagging manually, only the selected files are +processed by the scanner.
+You can use the defined patterns in the list, or write yours own +patterns to correspond to the format of yours file names and +directories.
+To avoid mistakes when selecting the right pattern, or writing it, a +preview shows immediately the results before to apply the pattern.
+If you need some help with the different codes, press the “Help” button +(the lifebuoy) to display the legend of each code.
+Also, if you want to save yours own patterns, edit or sort then, by +pressing the “Mask” button an little editor will be shown on the +scanner window.
+
+Below an example of use of patterns : +

+
+

a) the following filename :

+

“/mnt/MP3/EVANESCENCE – Fallen (2003) – +Rock/01. Going Under.mp3”

+

b) with the pattern :

+

“%a - %b (%y) - %g/%n. %t”

+

c) you will fill the tag with theses strings :

+ +
+

1.2.3. Automatically with CDDB:

+

Some conditions to use this mode:

+ +

To use tagging with the CD database, two modes are available. +First, privilege the automatic search, but if it fails to identify the +album, try with the manual search.

+

Automatic Search

+

This mode generates the CddbID from the audio files to request the +database. So select all files of the album (and only them) in the right +order (same order of the CD) and press the “Search” button.
+All the corresponding albums found in the CD database are listed below. +Select a line to display the tracks of this album on the right.
+Finally, to fill the tag, select the interesting lines in the last list +and press the “Apply” button.

+

Manual Search

+

If none album was found with the previous method, your last chance +is to try a search using words (words supposed to by in the artist +name, album name or track name). This search returns the same results +of the search service on the freedb.org site. And may return lot of +lines…
+While browsing the albums list, those which have been already displayed +are shown in red. Press the “red line button” to keep only these lines +and remove all other.
+When the right album was identified, follow the same method as the +“automatic search” to select and apply the album to yours files.

+

1.2.4. Correct tags fields with “Process + Fields” scanner:

+

Some conditions to use this mode:

+ +

This feature is interesting to normalize quickly yours filenames or +tags. For example to fix the case or convert some characters (filename +to lower case and words separated with spaces).
+On the top of the window, select the push-down buttons corresponding to +each field to process. And then, press again the “green” button to run +the scanner on the selected fields.

+

1.2.5. Automatic corrections:

+

Sometimes when loading files, you will note that some files are displayed to +red. This will be due to useless spaces which are automatically stripped in the +fields.
+So it displays the file in red to let you to save the file. Note that you can't +disable this feature).

+

1.3. Basics steps of renaming files and directories: +

+

1.3.1. Manually:

+

Some conditions to use this mode:

+ +

To rename the filenames one by one (as only the selected file can be +changed) enter the new file name, in the field of the ‘File’ frame in +the right top of the main window.
+The last name remains in the file list up to saving the file. But the +new name is displayed in the file field.
+The invalid characters typed (for windows partitions like: ‘/’, ’+’, +and so on) will be automatically replaced, except if you disable the +option “Replace illegal characters in filename (for Windows and +CD-Rom)” in the “Misc” tab of the preferences window.
+

+

To rename the directory directly in the browser, use the popup menu +to open the ‘Rename Directory’ window and to edit the new name for the +directory. The change takes effect immediately and you can’t undo it.
+The version 1.99.9 adds the ability to rename the directory from tag +with a pattern.
+

+

Note : Unlike the scanner, when renaming manually the directory, the +files aren’t moved. As the directory is renamed all files (even files +not supported in EasyTAG like jpeg) stay in the directory.

+

1.3.2. Automatically with scanner:

+

Some conditions to use this mode:

+ +

With the scanner mode “Rename File and Directory”, you can easily +fix names of lot of files and move them into new directories. As the +new file names will be based on the tag values, it is important to have +correct tags.
+Like in the “Fill Tag” scanner, it uses the same codes to build the +filename structure from the tag entries, following theses rules:

+

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
+
To use the field:
+ 		+
Use the code:
+
Artist +
%a
+
Album +
%b
+
Comment +
%c
+
Composer +
%p
+
Copyright +
%r
+
Encoded by +
%e
+
Genre +
%g
+
Number of tracks +
%l
+
Original artist +
%o
+
Track +
%n
+
Title +
%t
+
URL +
%u
+
Year +
%y
+
+

+

Note : a code can be used several times Of course, like when +renaming manually, only the selected files are processed by the +scanner. The new files name are only visible in the ‘File’ frame up to +saving the files.
+This scanner also offers the ability to move the files in new or +existing directories, using an absolute or relative path.

+

Relative path:

+

By using a relative path, the files will be moved into a +subdirectory of the current directory.
+For example,
+- the file “/mp3/evanescence/01. Going Under.mp3”
+- with the pattern “%a - %b/%n - %t”
+- will be moved to “/mp3/evanescence/EVANESCENCE – Fallen/01 - Going +Under.mp3”
+- if tag contains the values %a = EVANESCENCE, %b = Fallen, %n = 01 and +%t = Going Under

+

Absolute path:

+

By using an absolute path, the files can be moved in any directory. +The current path of the file can be added to the pattern by pressing +the icon on the left of the field (a directory with a green ‘+’). With +this feature, it is easier to change the current path of the file.
+For example:
+- the file “/mp3/evanescence/01. Going Under.mp3”
+- with the pattern “/mp3/%a - %b/%n - %t”
+- will be moved to “/mp3/EVANESCENCE – Fallen/01 - Going Under.mp3”
+- if tag contains the values %a = EVANESCENCE, %b = Fallen, %n = 01and +%t = Going Under

+

Note: Unlike when renaming manually the directory, the scanner +moves the files to the new destination. So it is important to know that +the files not recognized by EasyTAG will not be moved to the new +directory and will stay in the current location. The files are moved +when only when saving files, so you can use undo if needed.

+

1.3.3. Automatically with CDDB:

+

Like for the tag fields, you can use the CDDB results to apply the +new name to the file. But by this way you can rename only the file +name, and not the path. So you can use the second method. Activate the +‘Rename file’ scanner which will be ran after applying the results.

+

1.3.4. Automatically from a TXT file:

+

Some conditions to use this mode:

+ +

With this feature, you can rename files, but not the directories. A +simple text file containing the list of track names will be loaded to +associate each line with a file.

+

2. Tips:

+

How to see in one glance all tags of each file?

+

Open the search window and run it without typing any parameter +(field “Search :” empty). As result you will display content of all +files.

+

How to play files?

+

You can play directly the selected files or those placed in a +directory by using an external application like XMMS. Over the selected +files on the files list, or a directory in the tree, use the popup menu +an press “Run Audio Player”. But default, as set in the preference +window, the command ran is “xmms –p” to play only this files. But if +you want to enqueue files, type the command “xmms –e” when using the +popup menu entries “Open file(s) with …” or “Browse directory with…”

+

Files can be organized by artist and album?

+

The “Artist + Album” view is for you. To activate it press the +pushbutton in the toolbar with “a head + a disc”. This mode allows to +browser easier the albums of an artist. It is also a good way to +identify files with a wrong tag.

+

How to run the program directly from a +directory?

+

For example to run EasyTAG loading files from the current directory, +use the command “easytag . &”. In the same way, to load an other +directory, use the command line: “easytag /file-audio-dir”.

+

Tags and filenames changed, but how to save +only tags?

+

After renaming the files or correcting the tags you may want to save +only tag data. When saving a file it will ask you confirmation before +to save the tag and then to rename the file.
+To do the same with several files at one time, answer like this to the +confirmation dialog boxes:
+- Confirmation to tag write: Check “Do the same for all files” and +press “Yes”
+- Confirmation to rename file: Check “Do the same for all files” and +press “No”

+

How to see if a field haven’t been filled?

+

Two ways are available:
+- You can sort the list of files using the corresponding criteria. +Empty fields appear on the top of the list. (Example: “sort by +ascending artist name”).
+- Use the search window to display all files and identify the “empty” +cell.

+

 

+ + -- cgit v1.2.3