From time to time I come across a situation working with a folder of files; I use Musicbrainz to update the files and it asks if I want to replace or add the cover image. Generally there is already an existing cover image I must say.
I usually say 'add' and the program popup says "do you want to replace or rename the current file" or something like that. However in the folder there is no image file! However I have to choose one of the options; I say rename, then the newly named image file shows up.
Why does it think there is already an image file? Is it somehow a hidden file?
This might be associated with a similar issue where I try to delete empty folders - I have moved the apparently single file into another folder - but the utility I am using does not remove the apparently empty folder. The folder apparently thinks it is empty despite nothing showing up.
Unfortunately I cannot check this for sure because I have deleted manually the offending folders. However I am not sure that this is the problem for this particular issue: for example, when I say "yes, rename" to the prompt the new image file (folder2.jpg) does show up. So the original 'offending' image file should have done so too.... [I mean to have no hidden files but I'm not sure what my settings were...]
It is a little pointless to discuss this without a real check.
MP3tag gets the message from the OS which obviously does not make up such a filename and then a new file is created without the "hidden" attribute.
So please check the Microsoft page to adapt the WIndows Explorer to display also hidden files.
You don't necessarily have to "use" WMP. It is the native media player for the OS under Windows. Unless you remove it from the list of Windows optional features, it is on by default.
Well..... I have to say that this remains truly weird.
I'm still experiencing the same issue. And I want to emphasize that I'm not a neophyte: I bought my first computer in 1985 - not so old that I've lost my bearings!
The program - MP3tag - says it cannot download the new folder image because it already exists and it doesn't have permission to rewrite (there is not jpg file in the offending folder) - I click a few random things and it seems to proceed - and it eventually does proceed and a folder.jpg file is written. It does show up as a file at that point so clearly files are not "hidden". But there is nothing there that shows up.
These are basically virginal folders. I've downloaded or written music files (generally in mp3 format) into the folder and done no other manipulation with them (ie. palyed in players etc) until now when I'm trying to tidy up the folders, give files sensible names, and the like.
Something weird - I'm inclined to blame Windows - or perhaps BidDefender - but it could be an incompatibility with MP3 - but it doesn't seem to be something that others have run across judging from the silence. So it's not important but.
That was a new thought. Perhaps I'll try temporarily defeating all anti-virus programs and try again. If that's possible in the Windows environment that runs rampant all the time.
So permissions could be a factor. Please check the folder security settings and tell us what you see.
To do this, right-click one of these folders in Windows Explorer, choose Properties, and then choose the Security tab. In that tab verify that "users" have "full control" over the folder contents. If not, give users full control.
The screen shot below may differ from what you see because I use an older version of Windows.
SS10 shows the folder with no file called 'folder.jpg'...
SS11 shows the error message.
If I press cancel the program continues but does not write an image file.
SS12: However if I press 'rename' and put in a new name (folder2.jpg) the program writes that file (SS13)
SS14 shows that everyone has permissions. This is common on my system and I do not have issues writing files.
I can't recall what my random clicking is but likely I just "cancel" the 'denied' file overwrite.... And in the end it is not really a problem as it all works out - the files end up with an image attached - but it does seem a curiosity. I'm pretty sure it is not a permissions problem or a hidden files problem because I would see this in other programs too but MP#tag seems to be the only program with issues insofar as I can tell at this time.
Which other programs would access a file called folder.jpg?
Can you rename folder(2).jpg to folder.jpg in the windows explorer? Or do you get the message again, that folder.jpg already exists?
This the reaction on my system, when I try to rename a file to an existing, hidden folder.jpg file
Yes, in file explorer, I get the same error message: There is already a file with that name in the folder. However it doesn't show one and 'show hidden files' is definitely checked. So it isn't MP3 but something odd with my system. Perhaps there is a more obscure Win10 setting or property that is at work here...
Ok: I've disabled the 'hide system files' option. Now I see all the files... And indeed the files AlbumArtSmall.jpg and Folder.jpg with the attributes -HSA- are now shown.
Any idea why these files would have 'hidden' and 'system' attributes? Is this because Win10 is treating MP3 files in a fashion different than, say, text files?
And I now say that this solves the practical problem of why there is "issues" with the management of these files.
Unfortunately I guess it's an unsatisfactory solution in a way, as having these hidden files showing is not something that "they" recommend (not that I should care what "they" recommend perhaps).
This is 100% how Windows Media Player (WMP) creates the album art in question. These are used for display in the media player as well as in the folders. The only way to ensure this does not continue is to disable WMP in the Windows options. Otherwise, even if you delete all of the hidden folder.jpg, albumart.jpg, and albumartsmall.jpg, WMP will recreate them during a future library scan.
