Importing songs from my own numbered discs

[bryant]

What is the simplest and quickest way to import songs (while keeping a reasonably fast searching system) from my own discs that are already logged in my current songbook as disc numbers such as 854 , 855, etc., etc. Most discs contain about 18 songs each but only have the title and track in the file name ("title - track.bin"). I have renumbered all my brand-name discs as well with simple three digit numbers. Some discs are also filenamed as "artist - title", while some are filenamed as "title - artist". Will I have to rename all these files with a disc and track number in front of their filenames as I import them. Will I have to rename the "artist - track" ones to a "track - artist" sequence. That would take a year or two with 5,000 songs, wouldn't it? Help!

[Beavis]

re-do your books and use the book id !

i changed all mine from my personal format and im glad i did !

[bryant]

Originally Posted by Beavis

re-do your books and use the book id !

i changed all mine from my personal format and im glad i did !

Please explain exactly what you did and how you did it? How many songs? How long did it take? What prompts you to say "I'm glad I did"! Did you use the book ID and nothing else (just artist and track)? Please help again?

[mindonstrike]

Originally Posted by bryant

What is the simplest and quickest way to import songs (while keeping a reasonably fast searching system) from my own discs that are already logged in my current songbook as disc numbers such as 854 , 855, etc., etc. Most discs contain about 18 songs each but only have the title and track in the file name ("title - track.bin"). I have renumbered all my brand-name discs as well with simple three digit numbers. Some discs are also filenamed as "artist - title", while some are filenamed as "title - artist". Will I have to rename all these files with a disc and track number in front of their filenames as I import them. Will I have to rename the "artist - track" ones to a "track - artist" sequence. That would take a year or two with 5,000 songs, wouldn't it? Help!

It appears that the fastest/easiest way to keep your custom numbering is to reimport from original CDG. Then you are only looking at a couple of weeks

[bryant]

To Beavis: Yes, but by re-doing my books only solves part of the question. I would still (or would I not) have to enter the disc and track number of every song in the program. Also, and would I still have to convert the songs that are "artist - title" back to "title - artist". Please clarify how you determined that re-doing my books will eliminate the work I had previously posted. Perhaps I am missing something, I am a brand new user still with NO experience whatsoever.

Thanx

[bryant]

To MindonStrike: Yes, but the original discs are numbered in my songbook with my own simplified numbering system, e.g., a three digit disc ID and track number only. The numbers on the original are usually long and cumbersome i.e., CBEP-6-04-01. Mine would say 888-1. SO I would still have the problem of my books not conforming to a more cumbersome numbering system. Also, I have re-arranged some songs on original discs to my own discs with their own numbers as well; to save space and not have too many junk songs.

[mindonstrike]

Originally Posted by bryant

To MindonStrike: Yes, but the original discs are numbered in my songbook with my own simplified numbering system, e.g., a three digit disc ID and track number only. The numbers on the original are usually long and cumbersome i.e., CBEP-6-04-01. Mine would say 888-1. SO I would still have the problem of my books not conforming to a more cumbersome numbering system. Also, I have re-arranged some songs on original discs to my own discs with their own numbers as well; to save space and not have too many junk songs.

Based on your initial post it appears that your file system is extremely inconsistant which is what will make importing from the hard drive slow and cumbersome.Files that are numbered and corespond to a disk will be easy as you just tell Hoster the brand and diskid and the root id you wish to use for that disk, for example you select 888-1 and Hoster would place every file that starts with 888 into the import list, you then tell it that it is a Chartbuster brand with a disk id of CBEP456-4, you then tell it to assign the rootid of 888 to that disk, and in 2-3 minutes (about 10 seconds per track importing .bin's) that disk is done.
With files that do not have something like a number or diskid with a track # to tie them together, you will have to go through that whole process 1 song at a time

The numbers on the original are usually long and cumbersome i.e., CBEP-6-04-01

The disk id is only used by Hoster to look up artist/title info when it is absent from the file, otherwise it has little to do with how you number things.

There are no rules saying you can't mix import methods. You could do the easy ones from the hard drive and the harder from CDG's. You'll just have to study your situation and see what's going to work best for you.

Sam

[Beavis]

there is no easy way to correct the mis-match in the importing process you used.

i went back and corrected each song (spelling & first name first) it took a while, but my book is correct now and was well worth the time.

[bryant]

Originally Posted by mindonstrike

Based on your initial post it appears that your file system is extremely inconsistant which is what will make importing from the hard drive slow and cumbersome.Files that are numbered and corespond to a disk will be easy as you just tell Hoster the brand and diskid and the root id you wish to use for that disk, for example you select 888-1 and Hoster would place every file that starts with 888 into the import list, you then tell it that it is a Chartbuster brand with a disk id of CBEP456-4, you then tell it to assign the rootid of 888 to that disk, and in 2-3 minutes (about 10 seconds per track importing .bin's) that disk is done.
With files that do not have something like a number or diskid with a track # to tie them together, you will have to go through that whole process 1 song at a time
The disk id is only used by Hoster to look up artist/title info when it is absent from the file, otherwise it has little to do with how you number things.

There are no rules saying you can't mix import methods. You could do the easy ones from the hard drive and the harder from CDG's. You'll just have to study your situation and see what's going to work best for you.

Sam

MindOnStrike...my file system is actually quite efficient as it stands now. All my discs have no more than 5 numbers for the requester to fill in along with the artist and title on the slip.
Also, there are no duplicate songs(of approx. 5,000 now) as there is in almost all song books(many contain 5 - 10 listings of the same song with song numbers of 4-5 letters and 10-12 numbers apiece.
I understand about the program rarely using the song number, but the requester needs to fill it in with the tite; as often they make a mistake and you need the song number for searching to compare accuracies.
That is why I feel a need to keep the numbering system.
My books now are really easy to read(3 columns: title, artist, and simple number), with not one duplicated song.
However, how long do you think it will take me to log in 200 discs that have a brand name associated with them but need a new rootbookID; and another 100 custom discs with NO associated brand name( I assume I have to enter the song titles one - by- one at the rate of 15 songs per disc)?
Can you give me an estimate of how much time might be involved in this import process?
Thanx a bunch, you guys have been a BIG help!
Bryant