When editing files all in the same directory, once a tag change on any file in any field is saved, all of the files in the directory disappear from mp3Tag except for the file changed.
I've been using mp3 tag for a long time and I've never seen this behavior.
Could you elaborate a little more on how to reproduce the behaviour along the guiide lines of this post:
MP3Tag Versions: 3.23 and 3.23c
Condition: multiple songs in any single directory (also happens when songs are in adjacent sub directories)
Action: Update and save any single tag for any single song.
Expected Behavior: Tag is saved, no other song is affected.
Actual behavior: All other songs disappear except for the song being updated.
Corrective action: All songs must be re-imported from directory.
Repeatable: Happens every time under the above conditions regardless of directory.
You are right - this is what I would have expected.
And this is exactly what I get.
I tried updates of files while a filter is set - but that leaves the file list as it was prior to editing, i.e. all the files stay there and do not need to be reloaded.
Does this happen on 2 different PCs?
Where are the files located? Locally or on a NAS?
And this is exactly what I get.
It's what I usually get. This is the first time I've ever experienced this.
Does this happen on 2 different PCs?
Don't have another to test on hand
All files are local.
I see.
But I don't know why it happens.
So: could you save the current configuration and save it in a safe location,
de-install MP3tag completely with all the settings and configurations,
install MP3tag in a fresh, untouched state
and try the same manipulation with that version.
And if that installation works as expected, restore the saved previous configuration and see what that does?
I tried that, actually. No joy. I didn't restart in between though, so there may have been some ghosts in the machine. I'll do it fully clean to see what it does.
Can you, by chance, indicate what might have changed on your system between Mp3tag working correctly and the described behavior?
Is the Filter field visible and if so, does it also happen if you hide the Filter field via F3?
I just remember this thread:
and this one:
Bumping this thread rather than starting a new one since this was unresolved.
I'm on version 3.28, although I've experienced this issue before on other versions. Its been across Windows 10 and 11, but I'm currently on 11.
When I try to edit multiple songs across multiple subdirectories (ie album/disc1, album/disc2, album/disc3) at the same time, sometimes I'll get an error that says it can't write to the files. This primarily happens when trying to apply the Album Artist tag across multiple albums simultaneously.
When I check why, there's no longer any files in the subfolders and the entire album has been moved to the Recycle Bin.
When I edit the same files one subfolder at a time, I don't have the problem.
Manly, it did not get any more attention as there was no feedback of the OP to a number of suggestions.
So it would be nice if you could pick up those and test if you find a reproduceable behaviour.
And, to be honest, I have edited a lot of files across many subfolders without any problems.
Could it be that you have other programs accessing these files and prevent them to be re-written if the padding was not big enough?
Thanks for the quick reply.
I've had years of success editing across multiple subfolders. And it seems (at least now) that its not limited to editing across subfolders. I am actively working on 30 albums and have deliberately gone disc by disc rather than album by album.
The only program that has access to the files I'm currently editing is Windows Explorer or my anti-virus. I recently ran a full chkdsk and virus scans, with unremarkable results.
Here's screen shots of when I was actively working on this album. I know the files existed because I dragged them from windows explorer into Mp3Tag. But when I went to edit, I got the error. Restoring from the Recycle Bin returns them to their original location and they are editable with no problem.
Which function do you use to rename the files?
Currently using: %discnumber%$num(%track%,2) - $validate(%title%,-) - %artist%
I have the same issue with %discnumber%$num(%track%,2) - (%title%) - %artist%, but also just as sporadically.
Is this a folder which get synchronized with a cloud folder?
My suspicion is still that another program blocks access, esp. as it apparently happens when the contents of the file gets modified and/or when the file simply gets renamed.
The process explorer from sysinternals could help to identify such conflicts.
No, its not synced with anything. In fact, I do all my tagging on a separate SSD from the OS specifically so nothing touches it.
I agree with your suspicion and hate that I even posted here, but Mp3Tag is the only program I use where I can see this behavior in real time. I'd imagine that whatever is causing the issue is also happening in the background of plenty of other activity. But I just don't see it.
That is why I recommend "Process Explorer"
Its over my head to be meaningful. I recognize most of what's running. What I don't, Google says is regular service.
This may be a reason for the impossibility to access a file for MP3Tag. But as far as I understand it, the problem is that in this case the files have been deleted and can no longer be found by MP3Tag. (recycle bin)
I can't imagine anything in Mp3Tag that deletes files unnoticed during work. The only way I can see to delete files in Mp3Tag is by manual interaction (CTRL-DEL). I therefore suspect that between loading the files in Mp3Tag and the error message, a deletion action must have taken place outside Mp3Tag, however that may be.
Could you check whether you have any anti-malware software installed or if Controlled Folder Access is enabled?
I ask because it's possible that one of these tools or settings might misinterpret Mp3tag's file changes—which occur in bursts—as a false-positive ransomware attack, potentially moving the files to the recycle bin.
Typically, such actions are accompanied by a notification from the AV software or the Windows notification center. While I couldn’t find any specific documentation on this issue, it’s worth investigating. If Controlled Folder Access is enabled, you can also review its detection log in Windows Settings.
