Rename a parent directory for multi-disc albums

#1

For example, I have a Beethoven disc that has 4 discs, so they are 4 CD folders under the parent directory.

I want to do a rename of the parent directory, NOT the current directory of each of the four sub-folders. I begin by right clicking on the parent directory and it loads all the sub folders.

I'd like to keep the sub directories below the main directory.

Beethoven - Piano Sonatas 4, 5, 6
CD1
CD2
CD3
CD4

My format for _Directory works great if I want to move all the files to a single directory (current dir), but I'd like to write two directories up. (in the case above, rename the "Beethoven - Piano Sonatas 4, 5, 6 to whatever I want.

I tried with format value with .._Directory, but that did not work.

Hopefully I'm missing something obvious!!

Thanks in advance!

#2

You missed the %.
..\%_directory%
should work

#3


Thanks ohrenkino, but that didn't work for me.

I was able to write a "new" folder at the parent dir level, but all I want to really do is "rename" the parent directory, so it carries all the art jpgs, playlists, etc.

I was hoping to have it work like my Format Value, Field: _Directory, Format String: %year% - %album%, but using _parent_directory for field.

Such as: (see screen shot)

that didn't work.

In the past my work flow was to:

  1. right click on parent folder which would bring up all files from all CD sub folders for that multi-CD album
  2. from tools menu, choose auto numbering and un-check "reset for all subdirs" (this would rename all files from all CDs 01-XX, where XX would be the total number of tracks from all CDs)
  3. then I would use my rename directory (_Directory) - like above and it would rename my parent directory, and put all the files in that single directory ( this was fine due to auto numbering step above)

I don't HAVE to get this working, as my process above works fine. It just seems that I should be able to rename the parent directory and keep the sub folders of the CD without having to write the absolute filename with _Filename, etc.

Thanks for your considerations


#4

Rename the filename instead. (_FILENAME)

Example Formatstring: %album%\%_directory%\%_filename%

#5

Poster

Thanks Bud, that works better than anything I've tried yet!! Not exactly what I wanted, as it creates that directory as a new sub directory under the original parent. BUT - it has the new dir name like I want and in that directory it has all the original sub dirs of the multiple CD albums, each containing the original files! So all I have to do now is grab that and move it to my music collection.

Excellent my friend!

Again, I wish I could just have it "rename" my original parent directory, with all the CD sub directories and the playlists, art files and any art sub directories. But all I have to do is just move them into it now and I'm okay.

Thanks again, I learned something new from you today. Much appreciated and I'll use that until I find a way to just rename the parent so it has all the CD sub directories and other supporting files - one day.

Cheers! Happy New Year.

#6

My example shopuld not do create a subdirectory but create a new parent-directory on the same level.
Anyway you can define an absolute path to the folder of your music collection, if you want to move it the files anyway:
Example Formatstring: E:<i>Path to my music collection\%album%\%_directory%\%_filename%

The disadvantage of renaming the files instead of the parent-dircetory is that only marked music-files will be moved to the new path and an empty directory is left behind.

Obviously it is not possible to rename the parent-directory with an action.
But I think it is possible to do this with external commands from a batch-file, which can be added to the tools menue.

#7
Rename the folder, which is one level above the folder, which contains the tracks. Action "Format value" ... oder ... Convert "Tag-Tag" Field: _DIRECTORY Formatstring: %_folderpath%'..\..\Folder New\'%_directory%

See also ...
/t/10728/1
/t/16957/1

DD.20160101.1754.CET

#8

Hello,

I'm really confused by this :

Field: _DIRECTORY
Formatstring: %_folderpath%'....\Folder New'%_directory%

I have for example this album structure :
bach_brandenburg_concertos
bach_brandenburg_concertos01
Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 in F major, BWV1046 I , Allegro.m4a
bach_brandenburg_concertos02
Brandenburg Concertos No. 5 in D major, BWV1050 Affettuoso.m4a

Whith these tags :
Artist : J.S Bach
Album : Bradenburg Concertos 1-6
Conductor : Benjamin Britten
Year : 2001

Hello,

I would like to rename the folders like this :
J.S. Bach - [Benjamin Britten] - Bradenburg Concertos 1-6 - 2001 - 2CD
CD1
01 - Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 in F major, BWV1046 I , Allegro.flac
...
CD2
01 - Brandenburg Concertos No. 5 in D major, BWV1050 Affettuoso.flac
...

I have tried this action :

Format value "_FILENAME":
$if2(%albumartist%,%artist%)[ - '[$if2(%conductor%,%conductor%)]'] - %album% - $if(%year%,[%year%],!!!)[CD$if(%discnumber%,%discnumber%,)]\%track% - %title%

And i have tried without success...
Formatstring: %_folderpath%'....\Folder New'%_directory%

I woiuld need something like
%foldername% (track parent)
%foldername2% (parent of track parent)
%foldername3% (...)

Thank you for you help,
Kindest regards

#9

Please take into account ...
1.
Your request is something different from the theme of this thread.
2.
You cannot change the encoding type of a music file from 'm4a' to 'flac' by simple renaming.
You have to recode the music file from type M4A to FLAC.
3.
You want to apply these values ...
%ALBUM%
%ARTIST%
%CONDUCTOR%
%YEAR%
%ALBUMARTIST%
%DISCNUMBER%
%TITLE%
%TRACK%
You have these values ...
%ALBUM%
%ARTIST%
%CONDUCTOR%
%YEAR%
... it lacks a few.
4.
You want to apply ...
Format value "_FILENAME":
$if2(%ALBUMARTIST%,%ARTIST%)[' - ['$if2(%CONDUCTOR%,%CONDUCTOR%)']']' - '%ALBUM%' - '$if(%YEAR%,'['%YEAR%']','!!!')'[CD'$if(%DISCNUMBER%,%DISCNUMBER%,)']'%TRACK%' - '%TITLE%
You can use the function $if2 ...
to prevent your formatstring from using non existing values ...
and return an alternative value:
$if2(%ALBUMARTIST%,%ARTIST%) ... returns %ALBUMARTIST% or %ARTIST%
$if2(%CONDUCTOR%,) ... returns %CONDUCTOR% or nothing
$if2(%DISCNUMBER%,) ... returns %DISCNUMBER% or nothing
You can write some parts within your formatstring in another way:
$if2(%CONDUCTOR%,%CONDUCTOR%) --> $if2(%CONDUCTOR%,)
$if(%YEAR%,'['%YEAR%']','!!!') --> $if2('['%YEAR%']','!!!')
$if(%DISCNUMBER%,%DISCNUMBER%,) --> $if2(%DISCNUMBER%,)

DD.20160228.0723.CET