Library doesn't seem to update

[Ava]

I've a lot of loose tracks and albums in WMA format.

I added all these tracks and albums to WMP's library but after a long wait
it seems only tracks I didn't convert myself show up in WMP's albums and
artists lists. I can add those missing tracks file-by-file to the library
manually but that's going to take a month or so. I could delete the albums
and recode but they are in storage since I'm on the move.

I've tried renaming and deleting and re-adding and such things but all to no
avail.

I have WMP 9 and run XP.

Any thought on this?

 

[Mike Williams [MVP]]

I've a lot of loose tracks and albums in WMA format.

I added all these tracks and albums to WMP's library but after a long wait
it seems only tracks I didn't convert myself show up in WMP's albums and
artists lists. I can add those missing tracks file-by-file to the library
manually but that's going to take a month or so. I could delete the albums
and recode but they are in storage since I'm on the move.

I've tried renaming and deleting and re-adding and such things but all to no
avail.

I have WMP 9 and run XP.

Any thought on this?

Possibly an MDAC or library corruption issue. See:
nwlink.com/~zachd/pss/pss.html#medialibrary

 

[Ava]

Mike, before I start messing with this, a question. Can it be that the WMA
content I have is in some way 'wrong'? I mean, that it does not contain some
special info that WMP needs to find the track or album in the database on
the server? I've used Lance Perkins' Simple ripper for these albums.

WMP9 found about a few hundred tracks, so it isn't so that WMP or the local
database doesn't work. Do you still think the problem is ODBC/MDAC related?

Ava.

 

[Mike Williams [MVP]]

Mike, before I start messing with this, a question. Can it be that the WMA
content I have is in some way 'wrong'? I mean, that it does not contain some
special info that WMP needs to find the track or album in the database on
the server? I've used Lance Perkins' Simple ripper for these albums.

WMP9 found about a few hundred tracks, so it isn't so that WMP or the local
database doesn't work. Do you still think the problem is ODBC/MDAC related?

To diagnose that you'd need specialist help from Microsoft. However, WMP
does not need to locate information in the online database to add a file
to the local library.

 

[Ava]

To diagnose that you'd need specialist help from Microsoft. However, WMP

does not need to locate information in the online database to add a file
to the local library.

It's not that the files are not added to the WMP database, they all (wel,
most) wind up as Unkown album/artist in the local library. For some reason
they are either not found or not presented to the server at
Windowsmedia.com.

Ava.

 

[Mike Williams [MVP]]

It's not that the files are not added to the WMP database, they all (wel,
most) wind up as Unkown album/artist in the local library. For some reason
they are either not found or not presented to the server at
Windowsmedia.com.

Windowsmedia.com is far from complete or accurate. In that case simply
add the information manually.

 

[Ava]

Windowsmedia.com is far from complete or accurate. In that case simply

add the information manually.

I've experimented some more and normally any other WMA track is recognized
without any accessing of Windowsmedia.com. The 'good' tracks are immediately
placed in their album, the 'bad' ones go to the Unkown bin without an
Internet access.

I'm affraid that the Simple coder is a bit simple, or I switched off
something I didn't realize I'd needed some day when I ripped these CD's
years ago.

Is there any way to do manual stuff in badges? I mean, it's not too much
work creating an album with the correct name, but if I do, the files
although named correctly, are still not recognized. There must be a way to
add the missing info if only the album and tracknames are known.

Thanks anyway Mike,
Ava.

 

[Mike Williams [MVP]]

I've experimented some more and normally any other WMA track is recognized
without any accessing of Windowsmedia.com. The 'good' tracks are immediately
placed in their album, the 'bad' ones go to the Unkown bin without an
Internet access.

Yes I have that too, even with tracks ripped by WMP. It's been reported
here a number of times, but there is no way of knowing whether the
problem will be addressed in future by Microsoft. There are plenty of
library/tagging bugs from the v9 beta unaddressed. See for example:
http://msmvps.com/thinice/articles/16084.aspx

I'm affraid that the Simple coder is a bit simple, or I switched off
something I didn't realize I'd needed some day when I ripped these CD's
years ago.

Is there any way to do manual stuff in badges?

Badges? Batches? Depends on what "stuff" is.

I mean, it's not too much

work creating an album with the correct name, but if I do, the files
although named correctly, are still not recognized. There must be a way to
add the missing info if only the album and tracknames are known.

Yes, add it manually through the variety of methods offered in WMP (or
other software). With WMP you can singly or batch update tracks using
the Edit or Advanced Tag Editor functions, each of which is on the
right-click menu.