Problem comparing music folders

[wsprhino]

I have a copy of my Windows Media Player music on an external hard drive and I am trying to keep it in sync with what is on my laptop. Unfortunately WMP keeps updating the Album art, or at least I think it is what it is doing because the date on the art is different for almost every album whenever I do a compare.

Is there an easy way of keeping the folders in sync. I am using Folder Compare and don't want to copy all the music files over again because there are thousands and sync takes it upon itself to act on every folder which is even worse since it will then go through all my photo folders which is a waste of time.

What is more I would really like to know what it is going to update.

Thanks,

Steve

[Aaron]

Hello,

First, I would recommend using a Folder Sync session instead of the Folder Compare session. The Compare session has a couple of basic Sync tools, but the Sync session will allow for easy, quick setup of a sync.

Also, if the album art files (.jpg) are changing, this should not affect your mp3 comparison. Your folders will show as different colors, but if you navigate into the folders you should notice that the mp3 files are still the same. The files that detect as the same will not copy over with the sync.

The Folder Sync session offers a detailed preview of exactly which files will be copied over, etc.
http://www.scootersoftware.com/morei...hot=FolderSync

You can also use name filters to filter out the album artwork by Excluding all files of that file type (*.jpg), or by including only *.mp3 or *.wma or *.aac, etc.

Does this address all of your issues?

[RunnerBiker]

I think what Steve is saying is:

Windows Media Player (WMP) is replacing the JPG file embedded in the MP3 file with what WMP thinks is the correct album art. When WMP does that the MP3 file has actually changed, so the BC3 Sync is going to detect a date and content change.

The solution is to STOP WMP from updating your MP3 files. Start by getting them OUT of the WMP library, and turning OFF WMP's library functions.

If you use WMP's library catalog, you're stuck and WMP is going to update the album art pictures embedded in your MP3 files.

Good Luck.

[wsprhino]

Thanks. It works much better than waiting for it to recopy all the music files. Yes, there are a few which are somehow different but they are manageable. I will check out changing the library functions too.

Steve

[soundv]

wsprhino - please update about WMP

greetings to all!
I have the same problem.

The solution is to STOP WMP from updating your MP3 files. Start by getting them OUT of the WMP library, and turning OFF WMP's library functions.

so the solution is not using WMP? or just stop the automatic updates of the media player files from the internet (tools>options>libary>) ?

I have so more issues I'm trying to figure. I'll post it here for the meantime.

I'm also wandering what is the best way to compare beetwin 2 music folders (one that used daily and the other that used as for backup) without loosing any new information (tag) that has been added to one of the folders (sometimes I use the backup folder daily insted of the "daily used" folder....
what folder sync session setting should I use?
I am asking this becuase sometimes the 2 folders contain same files, same size of files in each folder, and only the modified date is differant. the two folders- one on the left side and the other on the right are marked as red. this is also confusing couse I don't know which one is newer and have to check each one separately by the modification date.

[Aaron]

Hello,

Perhaps post or email us a screenshot of your Folder Compare? If you have Timestamp, Size, and Rules-based content compare scans enabled (In the Session Settings, Comparison tab, of the Folder Compare), it should only mark both sides as Red if the timestamp is equal. Otherwise, only the newer file will be Red.

If you email us, please include a link back to this forum post.
[email protected]re.com

[chrisjj]

> I am using Folder Compare and don't want to copy all the music files over again
> because there are thousands and sync

I have a similar problem - after I change a few bytes of audio attributes, BC sync copies a few megabyes of the files containing them.

I would like BC to have an optimised copy that did not copy the 99.9% of each file that is unchanged.

[Aaron]

BC3 currently copies the entire file if you perform a sync. Partial transfers are on our Customer Wishlist.

[chrisjj]

Partial transfers are on our Customer Wishlist.

Thanks.