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The Foxpop Masstagging Guide
How-to with screenshots for automated id3 masstagging with foobar2000.
Nov 2006
2.1. Import the collection into the Media Library database
I think it's better to work on groups not larger than 100 albums or 4-5 GB. This can be scanned relatively fast and the track list is still manageably long only.
Adding folders to the Media Library
Access the Media Library from the Library menu.
Alternatively, you can also drag & drop folders or a group of files onto the foobar2000 window from Windows Explorer. But then, you cannot use the Media Library features.
If you have changed file names outside foobar2000, you have to go back to Preferences\Media Library and re-scan.
The database file and playlists are stored in the C:\Documents and Settings\[login]\Application Data\foobar2000\ folder.
Quickly check for typos, extras spaces in artist names, variations like '&' - 'and' - 'featuring', etc. Like change all QUEEN, queen, "Queen ", into simply Queen. Also to remove that extra l from Billie Holliday (correct is Holiday).
Quick check for typos - check for case, extra spaces between and at the end of words, spelling.
With right click, you get into properties. The change goes through the entire sub-tree!
Quickly find missing Artist, Album, Genre, etc. fields.
In the Album List, if you browse to the top, you see '?' (question mark). It lists all the albums without an Artist field.
Select it and click Add to playlist. Now you have all the albums without an artist field in the Playlist window and can start working on these directly.
Look inside the '?', and feed to the playlist at once all the tracks with missing fields.
It's important to keep track files in the right order for further handling. Therefore I sort all the playlist window by the path_sort field., to have a quick view.
Best is to use start every track name with a two digit number. Usually there are two extreme options:
a) track filenames have no numbers (just titles) and the tracknumber field is also empty;
b)
track filenames are numbered with a one digit number.
a) Auto number files.
If the tracknumber fields are empty and files are without numbers, you have to look up the album with Google, then you can arrange the tracks in the correct order, and run Auto Track Number.
In this example I had Joe Dassin - Integrale (9CD) collection. Unfortunately, track numbers are missing both in the filename and in the TRACKNUMBER field. So I looked up "joe dassin integrale" with Google, then I dragged the tracks into the right order.
To arrange the two windows on top of each other:
1.
Win+D (minimize all).
2.
Pop-up IE and Foobar2000.
3.
then right click on the taskbar and choose Tile Windows Horizontally.
Tile Horizontally foobar2000 and Internet Explorer to organize tracks into the commercial order. Then run AutoNumbering.
b) Change existing 1 digit track numbers into 2 or 3 digit numbers.
So there is no problem during sorting for 1, 10, 11, 12, 2, 3, 4,... but 01, 02, 03, 04, ..., 10, 11, 12. To convert to two digits, the quickest is to arrange the files in correct order and run auto track number. But here's how to do it anyway.
To convert track numbers from 1 digit into 2 digits use Format value from other fields...
Last edited on 14-Jan-2007.
(c) Imre Oliver Kozak and @Foxpop.
