multiple CDs, naming, numbering

General Discussion
1

As per usual, there doesn't seem to be a "standard" way to do this, but I've ended up using a way that seems to work with the players I use and leaves me files named the way I like. More specifically, tracks in a "box set" should all have the same album name, have rising track numbers, and the files are named in such a way that win explorer sorts them in order...

step 1: number tracks with the first track of each CD numbered cdnum*100 +1 (so track 1 of disk 2 is 201)
step 2: rename files based on tags using
%artist% - %album% - CD$left(%track%,1)-$right(%track%,2) - %title%
so that track above would be named some artist - some album - CD2-01 - some title

The only "gotcha" is for CD sets that have more than 9 CDs as you can't add leading zeros to the track number - and I want the file for CD2, track 1 to be named ...CD02-01... so it sorts properly in windows explorer. So I use the Tag->filename formula
%artist% - %album% - CD$left($num(%track%,4),2)-$right($num(%track%,4),2) - %title%
(works with sets less than 100, all CDs less than 100 tracks - easy to change to accommodate)

Of course, other folks like other filename formats - easy to change tag->filename formulas.

I hope this helps someone, and, of course, I'd be glad to hear from anyone who's come up with a better way to do this...

2

tracks in a "box set" should all have the same album name
have rising track numbers, and the files are named in such a way that win explorer sorts them in order...
fully agree!

number tracks with the first track of each CD numbered cdnum*100 +1
I prefer to put the disc nbr in the tag DISCNUMBER, displaying it in a separate column just left of the track column; added DISCNUMBER to the tag panel via "Options, Tag Panel" for easy editing.
for box sets with less than 10 disc I use single digit disc numbers, for bigger collections 2 digits with leading 0 below disc 10.

step 2: rename files based on tags using
%artist% - %album% - CD$left(%track%,1)-$right(%track%,2) - %title%
my string is
%artist%[%album%][%discnumber%][$if(%track%,$num(%track%,2),)]%title%
or
%album%[%discnumber%][$if(%track%,$num(%track%,2),)]%artist%%title%
for VA disc sets

anyone who's come up with a better way to do this...
slightly different, not better ... :wink:

cheers, andreas

3

I used to do it this way, too (well, used the field CDNUM - but same idea with renaming files from tags)
The problem is that you either:

  • end up with a number of tracks with number 1 (an number with 2, etc)
  • have to renumber all tracks at the end (after the rename)

Best,