hello Mads,

folder scans works as follows:
asume your collection is uploaded to your server. in many cases, you will have it classified in folders and subfodlers (for instance artist/album structure)
scan folder lets you "create a new album" using all files found inside one particular folder. its a mix between automatic and manual process: you need to tell the system what folder do you want to use to create the new album. then the system reads all this and creates the album, with all it's songs, for you, without you having to add every song manually to the album.

I'm not sure to understand what you need. do you need to constantly add/delete new songs from an existing album?

from our point of view, an album has its songs.. and usually that's it! so if you have them all on the CREATING album process, there's no much need to edit afterwards

how will you be using the library?

there's no re-scan function, which appearantly is what you need the most. am I right?
this is not a function in music collection, unfortunately...
we could write some kind of script as a custom development job for you, but in any case, it would be good if you can frist tell me exactly how do you intend to use Music Collection for, and therefore, what would be your desired behavior for the "scan a folder" function...!!

again: scan a folder needs that you "trigger" the album creation process. this part is not "automatic" for that matter!

Germi

Hi Germi,

Thanks for the reply and the explaning.

I'm trying to get it up and running.
But I have my Music folder in a folder outsite webroot.

I have Joomla! and MC running on a Nas server.
Therefore I need MC to look in my music folder outsite web root.

Moving or copying my music folder is not an option, because it is centered here for other option on the server, and is the place where the updates and addings are for my music.
How can I point MC to that folder?

Scan function:
The scan function do not read the cover image in the music folder. e.g folder.jpg (As in WMP)
The scan folder do not read the artist (I has to add that manually)
The scan folder do not read the music tag, and adds 01. Title if the songfile is 01. Title instead of the real Title (As it do in WMP)
And I have to add and change that manual.
And if I adds something in the WMP to the songs, it would not be updated because I do not have a re-scan.

I have not play so much around with the scan function yet because it is important to me that MC can look outsite web root.
Else I unfortunately can't use MC.


Best regards
Mads

How can I point to a folder under the webroot?

hello

you CAN'T point to a folder not in the webroot.
to allow this the files should be processed through a script, which is not the current case...

I mean, let me rephrase:

we could make some little custom work to allow scaning of a fodler not in the webroot... but the files found could NOT be player on the player in any way! unless we made the script I was telling you about...

Germi

Hi Germi,

I will like to suggest some new features to your component:

1. Search music in folders outsite webroot
2. A folder scan function that scans from all the subfolders in the "music" folder and add them automaticly in the database with ID3 tags.
Artist, album, song, duration etc.
3. An option where user can tell if the scan function should read for e.g folder.jpg or other cover name in the folders and add them if they are present.
4. A re-scan function that update the database if something is changed or added. (Especilly ID3 tags).

On this way, the user don't have to do other than a scan if his music collection already is sorted in e.g WMP, Squeezebox or others.

That is easy for the user and will minimize the work if you have a very hugh music collection that is sorted and are shown perfect in e.g WMP, Squeezebox or other.

I hope you will consider the above features, because I think there will be much more who can use your component

I really like your layout and the many functions, AND the thing that it is integration perfect to Joomla.
But as it is now it is to much work to add all my music in it.
So I will use ampjuke until there is a component to joomla that fits my needs.

PS: The above is not a negative critic to your component, but just a suggestion to aim for much more users than it is now.

Best regards
Mads

hello Mads,

your suggestions are most welcomed

a few things you may like to know:

1) we are already working in a "out of the root" option for scanning. it is still in a very "beta" status of development, but we are on it

2) ID3 tag reading is the next big thing we are working on. it will definitely be a huge improvement for the "auto adding" content, and many users asked for is, so this will DEFINITELY come in next version of MC

3) improving the scan function itself to add all folders and subfolder is an interesting idea. it is not easy to develop because there are a lot of parameters to consider, but we will certainly look into it (for instance, you propose to have the option to include jpg files if available on the folder... that's good, but there will be other users that will have the images stored diferently so would need a different script... what I mean is that we have to create something that can be "as useful possible for as many users as possible"!)

we'll work into all this!

thanks for your suggestions

Germi

Germi,

Lot of these features that are being recommended are the same ones I have grown accustomed to and miss in this great product. A good example of how this is done is in the opensource project ampache. See www.ampache.org I would highly recommend you download it and try it out to get an idea of how some of these features may be implemented. It is a really nice streaming program, also written in php and uses mysql, that will scan ones folders, create database entries that link to the actual files. Those files can be stored anywhere. Further more by the location of those files being stored in the database, the exact destination isn't exposed and they can use sessions to limit access to the files. Far more secure.

One of it's greatest features is the Auto scanning of any folder, even those outside of the webroot. This is done by storing the link locations within the database. Information is read from the id3 tags using the getid3 library. Images can be pulled from the id3 tags, folders, or external sources like amazon automatically. No manually adding of any album, song, or even artist info. One can even run an update that will update any songs that have been added or have had their tags modified. That way you can just point the program to add all songs in a particular location and it will grab all sub folders as well, thus eliminating the need for the end user to have to point specifically to individual folders that have new music. It also uses catalogs that allow users to point to different locations, ie entry points. This can then allow one to have music across multiple servers or locations on their network.

The other thing to look at is how it handles playlists and playing the music.

Ampache is a great program for streaming ones personal collection. That being said, it is NOT designed for the same purpose or market as MC. It is not designed for highlighting commercial music nor making musician websites, does not have the beautiful front end interface that MC has. It does not allow for selling of products, artist images, bios, album reviews, nor does it integrate into joomla. It is not easily modifiable for drastically different looking templates and layouts.

I would love to see MC would have a back end as powerful as ampache with easily being able to add music with little to no manual editing from the user. Yet retain all MC's great functionality, user friendly interface, customization and joomla integration. I have all my music very well organized and do not like the idea of having to move it to another directory. A good program should be able to read and grab all the info it needs from the music, without having to move or modify the files or folder structure in any way.

Please let me know your thoughts on this.

Very nice post greengeek

You are decribing it very nice, greengeek