CD Labeler that can read Tags and use them

[Ray]

I'm new at this but here is what I want to do: I have many existing MP3
that were recorded from LP records. These have tags added to them. What I
want to do is record these files as CD audio and make slim CD jewel case
cards to identify the contents. Converting the files is no problem but
making the case cards is.

I've searched the internet, freeware sites (including PW) and this ng
archive but I have been unsuccessful in finding a CD labeler that can read
existing tags and automatically add them to the card for printing. I've
found many CD labelers and many tag editors but never a labeler that can
read the tags. Some labelers can go to a CDDB on the internet but this is
not what I am after. Some will read the file name from CDs but names like
"track01" does me no good. Since the tags already exist, I do not want to
re-type all that information.

Does anyone know of such freeware? Or, does anyone have a better
suggestion as to how to get the tag information to a case card?

Thanks for any help.

Ray

 

[Terry]

I'm new at this but here is what I want to do: I have many existing MP3
that were recorded from LP records. These have tags added to them. What I
want to do is record these files as CD audio and make slim CD jewel case
cards to identify the contents. Converting the files is no problem but
making the case cards is.

I've searched the internet, freeware sites (including PW) and this ng
archive but I have been unsuccessful in finding a CD labeler that can read
existing tags and automatically add them to the card for printing. I've
found many CD labelers and many tag editors but never a labeler that can
read the tags. Some labelers can go to a CDDB on the internet but this is
not what I am after. Some will read the file name from CDs but names like
"track01" does me no good. Since the tags already exist, I do not want to
re-type all that information.

Some possible approaches:

1) MP3Tag (http://www.mp3tag.de/en) can export to an html, rtf, or
other kind of file, based on templates you define. You use
placeholders to show where you want various items (such as %t for
title of the track). There are separate sections for header, footer,
and the lines that correspond to each track. So, you could define an
html file that was the card. Then just print the html file. Or use
rtf, etc.

This is what I recommend if you are comfortable editing the template
files (which probably requires some basic html knowledge). It will
take a little time to create the template, but it's easy once you have
it set up, and you have lots of control over the layout. And you don't
need yet-another-program to do the labelling.

2) MP3Tag can also export to a csv (comma-separated-variable) files.
Then you could use "mail merge" or whatever it is called in your
favorite word processor to generate a label or card from the csv file.

You can do the same thing with XML files if you have tools that handle
XML.

3) Another possible solution might be to run a local copy of freedb.
Set your tagging program and your labeller up to use that, rather than
an internet database. Export all your tage from the tagger to the
freedb database, then have the labeller use the local freedb database
to create the label. I haven't tried this, but it seems like it
"should" work (famous last words). On the other hand, it seems harder,
at least to me, than (1) or (2) above.

Good luck,

Terry

 

[Ray]

-- snip --
Some possible approaches:

1) MP3Tag (http://www.mp3tag.de/en) can export to an html, rtf, or
other kind of file, based on templates you define. You use
placeholders to show where you want various items (such as %t for
title of the track). There are separate sections for header, footer,
and the lines that correspond to each track. So, you could define an
html file that was the card. Then just print the html file. Or use
rtf, etc.

This is what I recommend if you are comfortable editing the template
files (which probably requires some basic html knowledge). It will
take a little time to create the template, but it's easy once you
have
it set up, and you have lots of control over the layout. And you
don't
need yet-another-program to do the labelling.

2) MP3Tag can also export to a csv (comma-separated-variable) files.
Then you could use "mail merge" or whatever it is called in your
favorite word processor to generate a label or card from the csv
file.

You can do the same thing with XML files if you have tools that
handle
XML.

3) Another possible solution might be to run a local copy of freedb.
Set your tagging program and your labeller up to use that, rather
than
an internet database. Export all your tage from the tagger to the
freedb database, then have the labeller use the local freedb
database
to create the label. I haven't tried this, but it seems like it
"should" work (famous last words). On the other hand, it seems
harder,
at least to me, than (1) or (2) above.

Good luck,

Terry

Thanks for the reply. I had thought about doing your 1) and 2) suggestions.
I have MP3 Tag Generator (the same program you suggest?) but the copy I have
only has html output. I can write html and/or edit that but it is still a
lot of work. I was hoping for a labeler that would do the job without need
of a lot of editing. Your 3) might work if I can find how to export the
existing tags to a local database - haven't found that yet - didn't see any
of the programs I have used that will export MP3 tags to a database. Might
have missed something and I'll have to take another look. That would still
be quite a bit of work but better than editing html or re-typing the data.

Thanks again,
Ray

 

[Terry]

I have MP3 Tag Generator (the same program you suggest?) but the copy I have
only has html output.

No, not the same program. Go to the link I posted and you will see.
http://www.mp3tag.de/en

I can write html and/or edit that but it is still a
lot of work.

It's hard to tell from the website, but the program you refer to (MP3
Tag Generator) appears to have a simple export to html facility, so
you presumably need to edit it each time you do an export. Painful.

MP3Tag generates the output file according to a template file, so you
only need to edit once, then you can run it many times and get output
in the format you want, without any additional editing.

Terry

 

[dadiOH]

I'm new at this but here is what I want to do: I have many
existing MP3 that were recorded from LP records. These have tags
added to them. What I want to do is record these files as CD audio
and make slim CD jewel case cards to identify the contents.
Converting the files is no problem but making the case cards is.

I've searched the internet, freeware sites (including PW) and this
ng archive but I have been unsuccessful in finding a CD labeler
that can read existing tags and automatically add them to the card
for printing. I've found many CD labelers and many tag editors but
never a labeler that can read the tags. Some labelers can go to a
CDDB on the internet but this is not what I am after. Some will
read the file name from CDs but names like "track01" does me no
good. Since the tags already exist, I do not want to re-type all
that information.

Does anyone know of such freeware? Or, does anyone have a better
suggestion as to how to get the tag information to a case card?

Kind of depends on your label program. If it reads the file names to get
info the simplest thing would be to use your tag program to rename the files
using whatever tag fields you want. Quick and easy.

Whoops...you said CD *audio*. OK, change the filenames as the MP3s as per
above, stick them in folders (one CD's worth of MP3s per folder) then read
that MP3 folder with the labeling program

If you just want to generate a list in text, CSV or HTML then MP3Lister is a
very versatile program...lets you choose from among many, many things to
include in the list.
http://www.codevisions.de/

--
dadiOH
_____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.0...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico
____________________________

 

[Ray]

I have MP3 Tag Generator (the same program you suggest?) but the

No, not the same program. Go to the link I posted and you will see.
http://www.mp3tag.de/en

After I looked closer, I discovered this. I now have mp3tag and it claims
to output in csv format which is fine. For some reason, yet undetermined,
it won't read the existing mp3 tags I have (?). I will have to investigate
this further.

It's hard to tell from the website, but the program you refer to
(MP3
Tag Generator) appears to have a simple export to html facility, so
you presumably need to edit it each time you do an export. Painful.

MP3Tag generates the output file according to a template file, so
you
only need to edit once, then you can run it many times and get
output
in the format you want, without any additional editing.

Yes, mp3tag generator is not the program for this task. When I figure out
why mp3tag doesn't read the existing tags, I should be able to use this
program to do what I want. Too bad there isn't a labeler that would do it
all.

Thanks again,
Ray

 

[Ray]

- snip -

Whoops...you said CD *audio*. OK, change the filenames as the MP3s
as per above, stick them in folders (one CD's worth of MP3s per
folder) then read that MP3 folder with the labeling program

As I mentioned, I do not have a problem getting the tag information to the
CD audio file but to a CD case card for a case cover. I am using Nero as
the burner (sorry, it's not freeware).

MP3Lister is a very versatile program...lets you choose from among
many, many things to include in the list.
http://www.codevisions.de/

I will look at this program with some other choices. Thanks for the
information.

Ray

 

[dadiOH]

- snip -


As I mentioned, I do not have a problem getting the tag information
to the CD audio file but to a CD case card for a case cover.

What I suggested would solve your problem.

Once the MP3s are made into CD audio the tags no longer exist (on the
CD)...there is nothing to read. Your labeler program has to have data to
read in order to make the jewel case insert; consequently, you have to read
the files when they have readable data, either tags or filenames depending
on what program you use to read. All clear?

--
dadiOH
_____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.0...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico
____________________________

 

[Onno]

I'm new at this but here is what I want to do: I have many existing
MP3 that were recorded from LP records. These have tags added to
them. What I want to do is record these files as CD audio and make
slim CD jewel case cards to identify the contents

Can your jewel case maker recognize file names?

With Renamer you can set filenames from ID3 tags.

http://www.albert.nu/default.asp?sub=programs/default.asp?
sub=renamer/main.htm

Could be a workaround.

 

[Ray]

Whoops...you said CD *audio*. OK, change the filenames as the

What I suggested would solve your problem.

Once the MP3s are made into CD audio the tags no longer exist (on
the CD)...there is nothing to read. Your labeler program has to
have data to read in order to make the jewel case insert;
consequently, you have to read the files when they have readable
data, either tags or filenames depending on what program you use to
read. All clear?

Yes, I understand what you are saying. What I had hoped to find was a
labeler that could read the tags from the mp3 files directly - not from the
cda files. I was using Sure Thing labeler and it does read from csv text
files (more or less) but not from the mp3s. I could change the names of the
files and do as you suggest (assuming a lableler would read them) but this
too requires each track file be modified and would take a long time since
they all exist now and are only named with track number.

Thanks for your response,
Ray

 

[Ray]

Can your jewel case maker recognize file names?

Not the one I have been using which is Sure Thing CD Labeler. It does read
from csv text or dbf files but it doen't appear easy to restrict the data or
its order.

With Renamer you can set filenames from ID3 tags.

http://www.albert.nu/default.asp?sub=programs/default.asp?
sub=renamer/main.htm

Could be a workaround.

I tried the MP3Tag program and it appears to read ID3v1 tags well but not
ID3v2 tags (even though the help file says it should). Unfortunately, my
mp3 files are tagged with ID3v2s. The above Renamer appears to solve the
problem of getting mp3 files renamed in batch (which is a must for me). Now
if I can find a labeler that would print text from the file names I would be
there (I think). I might also be able to use this to convert the ID3v2 tags
to ID3v1s. Then perhaps my labeler could use exported csv text files to add
the information on the cards. Sounds like the long way around but might
work - I'll have a try at it. Thanks for the help.

Ray

 

[Onno]

Not the one I have been using which is Sure Thing CD Labeler. It does
read from csv text or dbf files but it doen't appear easy to restrict
the data or its order.

All right then. Let's have another go:

Visual CD is an excellent CD and HD cataloger which can read ID3 tags. It
can also export to csv, including the info in the ID3 tags. You can then
import the csv with your jewel case maker. I think this will work better
than the previous option I mentioned.

http://boozet.xepher.net/

 

[Brian Pipa]

I'm new at this but here is what I want to do: I have many existing MP3
that were recorded from LP records. These have tags added to them. What I
want to do is record these files as CD audio and make slim CD jewel case
cards to identify the contents. Converting the files is no problem but
making the case cards is.

You can use my program (MACCC - see link below to do this). Here's how:
Copy the MP3s you are going to burn to Audio-CD into a new directory.
Burn your CD with your burning program. Run MACCC and point it to the
directory you created wit hthe MP3s. Use MACCC to format the output the
way you want (it wil lread the tags). Output the label in a number of
different formats. Print the case with either CDInsert or CDRLabel.

MACCC was written for MP3 CDs (data CDs with MP3s on it), but it will
work for Audio CDs if done the way I explained above.

Brian