Hi Guys & Gals.
Given the earlier thread started by leftygt about Karaoke software and renaming files, this has been preying on my mind a bit, as it "should" be a realistic proposition.
Having cogitated a bit, I've come up with a system to do this BUT if you think it's going to be a matter of a couple of mouse clicks and off you go, then you might as well stop reading NOW!
Requirements;
1) a PC (obviously)
2) a file renaming utility (www.fauland.com/af5.htm) that will rename from a text file. *this software is free, BTW)
3) access to Song List Creator (no option here, I'm afraid. Either buy borrow or steal it [kidding on the last one mods])
4) Word
Desirable extras;
Excel
Method;
FIRST BACKUP YOUR KARAOKE FILES!!!!!
I CANNOT stress this enough! If you screw up, do NOT come crying to me as you will not like the two word answer you will get!
Assuming your problem is, like leftygt, that you have generated 1,000's of tracknn.mp3 and tracknn.cdg files then you need to rename two sets of files, separately.
For your backup, sepup a new folder on the drive of your choice called karaoketracks (you can call it anything you like, obviously)
Copy all your ripped folders to this "parent" folder.
This is your START point.
See next post to continue.
Sandy
Renaming Karaoke file from a list
Hi all,
the main issue with renaming files with ANY method like this is ensuring your text file ACTUALLY matches the files you're trying to rename.
As I said, you MUST get access to Song List Creator(SLT) or a similar program that will export a text file of some description, so you can process it in a text editor.
In SLT, tick off your disc collection and select "create list".
When your list is done, tick the "sort by MF code) option.
Select "Export" and when prompted save as a csv file. (make sure you know where you've saved it)
Go to your csv file and right click it. Select "open with Word" or follow instructions to do so.
When you open the file you will see many lines in this format;
SF001,01,STRAIGHT UP, PAULA ABDUL
The first comma is a pain as we want a hyphen in that place, as SF001-01, not SF001,01
In Word, select EDIT, REPLACE
In the dialogue box top window type ,0 and in the bottom window type -0 (make sure you press 0 [zero], not O [the letter oh])
Click REPLACE ALL.
Next, in both windows, change the 0 to a 1 and click REPLACE ALL again.
IMPORTANT NOTE;
IF YOU AREN'T SURE THAT NONE OF YOUR DISCS HAVE MORE THAN 19 TRACKS, THEN REPEAT THE ABOVE WITH ,2 AND -2.
This operation will replace all the first commas in each line with a hyphen.
Now we want correct extensions for the filenames.
Again, in the REPLACE dialogue box, type ^p and in the lower window type .CDG^p
Click REPLACE ALL
This will place the .CDG extension at the end of every line in the file.
Next, in the top window type the comma sign , and in the bottom window type - (spacehyphenspace)
Click the REPLACE ALL button.
Your list should now be in this format;
SF001-01 - STRAIGHT UP - PAULA ABDUL.CDG
Save the list, as usual.
See next post.
the main issue with renaming files with ANY method like this is ensuring your text file ACTUALLY matches the files you're trying to rename.
As I said, you MUST get access to Song List Creator(SLT) or a similar program that will export a text file of some description, so you can process it in a text editor.
In SLT, tick off your disc collection and select "create list".
When your list is done, tick the "sort by MF code) option.
Select "Export" and when prompted save as a csv file. (make sure you know where you've saved it)
Go to your csv file and right click it. Select "open with Word" or follow instructions to do so.
When you open the file you will see many lines in this format;
SF001,01,STRAIGHT UP, PAULA ABDUL
The first comma is a pain as we want a hyphen in that place, as SF001-01, not SF001,01
In Word, select EDIT, REPLACE
In the dialogue box top window type ,0 and in the bottom window type -0 (make sure you press 0 [zero], not O [the letter oh])
Click REPLACE ALL.
Next, in both windows, change the 0 to a 1 and click REPLACE ALL again.
IMPORTANT NOTE;
IF YOU AREN'T SURE THAT NONE OF YOUR DISCS HAVE MORE THAN 19 TRACKS, THEN REPEAT THE ABOVE WITH ,2 AND -2.
This operation will replace all the first commas in each line with a hyphen.
Now we want correct extensions for the filenames.
Again, in the REPLACE dialogue box, type ^p and in the lower window type .CDG^p
Click REPLACE ALL
This will place the .CDG extension at the end of every line in the file.
Next, in the top window type the comma sign , and in the bottom window type - (spacehyphenspace)
Click the REPLACE ALL button.
Your list should now be in this format;
SF001-01 - STRAIGHT UP - PAULA ABDUL.CDG
Save the list, as usual.
See next post.
Hi again,
Yoiu should now have the following;
A copy of the file renaming software from post #1
A .csv file with your disc list in the correct format (N.B. the artist and song are the wrong way round but this is easily corrected as I'll explain later).
Find your .CSV file and right click it.
Select the RENAME option and change the extension from .CSV to .TXT (if you get a warning message about this, select ignore)
Open up the AF% rename utility and drag the corners of the window so that the utility occupies half the screen width.
The reason for this apparently strange condition is that the AF5 software has a silly bug that make it not accept more than 400 files, using the ADD button. However, drag and drop works without limitations.
Open MY COMPUTER or WINDOWS EXPLORER and migrate to your karaoketracks (or whatever you called it) parent folder.
Right click the folder and select SEARCH
In the search box, type *.CDG (ensure you have the advanced option to search subfolders ticked)
Click search and Hey Presto, up will pop a list of all the .CDG files in the folders.
This is the reason for splitting the windows on screen.
In the search window, click EDIT and select SELECT ALL.
All the files in the search pane will highlight.
Click and drag the highlighted files to the rename utility window.
The files "should" be in correct alphabetical order but if not, you can click EDIT and select SORT OPTIONS.
You want the pane to show a list in STRICT alphanumeric order.
Now, select RENAME from the top of the window. NOT THE RENAME BUTTON!!!!
Select IMPORT
Click the browse button next to the name window and find your text file from post 2 above.
You should now have a list of new names in the rename software.
VITALLY IMPORTANT NOTE!!!
Check carefully that you have the same number of matching files in the new filename name list as you have in the file path list.
If not, check for discrepancies.
If all is O.K., click RENAME and you will have your .CDG files sorted.
See next post
Sandy
Yoiu should now have the following;
A copy of the file renaming software from post #1
A .csv file with your disc list in the correct format (N.B. the artist and song are the wrong way round but this is easily corrected as I'll explain later).
Find your .CSV file and right click it.
Select the RENAME option and change the extension from .CSV to .TXT (if you get a warning message about this, select ignore)
Open up the AF% rename utility and drag the corners of the window so that the utility occupies half the screen width.
The reason for this apparently strange condition is that the AF5 software has a silly bug that make it not accept more than 400 files, using the ADD button. However, drag and drop works without limitations.
Open MY COMPUTER or WINDOWS EXPLORER and migrate to your karaoketracks (or whatever you called it) parent folder.
Right click the folder and select SEARCH
In the search box, type *.CDG (ensure you have the advanced option to search subfolders ticked)
Click search and Hey Presto, up will pop a list of all the .CDG files in the folders.
This is the reason for splitting the windows on screen.
In the search window, click EDIT and select SELECT ALL.
All the files in the search pane will highlight.
Click and drag the highlighted files to the rename utility window.
The files "should" be in correct alphabetical order but if not, you can click EDIT and select SORT OPTIONS.
You want the pane to show a list in STRICT alphanumeric order.
Now, select RENAME from the top of the window. NOT THE RENAME BUTTON!!!!
Select IMPORT
Click the browse button next to the name window and find your text file from post 2 above.
You should now have a list of new names in the rename software.
VITALLY IMPORTANT NOTE!!!
Check carefully that you have the same number of matching files in the new filename name list as you have in the file path list.
If not, check for discrepancies.
If all is O.K., click RENAME and you will have your .CDG files sorted.
See next post
Sandy
Hi again,
Almost there peeps.
FInd your text file, right click and open with Word
Click EDIT and REPLACE
In the top box, type .CDG anjd in the bottom box, type .MP3
Click REPLACE ALL and save the file.
If you get an error message about formatting in Word, ignore it and save anyway.
In exactly the same way as post #3, open up the rename utiltiy and perform the same actions BUT IN THIS CASE, search for .MP3 files NOT .CDG
Import your text file and after checking that the filenames match, hit the RENAME button.
Job done!!!
As you don't need satarate folders for a Karaoke PC, simply search for, cut and paste both sets of files into another folder that you will use as your karaoke files location.
Hope this helps.
I know it looks complicated but it really isn't and if you take your time, you will get the job done.
The preparation takes time but you can rename 10,000 files in under a minute, if your PC is up to it.
However, my Caveat is that you MUST take care that your rename file is correct. THAT ONUS IS ON YOU.
I WILL ACCEPT NO LIABILITY IF YOU SCREW IT UP!
Sandy
Almost there peeps.
FInd your text file, right click and open with Word
Click EDIT and REPLACE
In the top box, type .CDG anjd in the bottom box, type .MP3
Click REPLACE ALL and save the file.
If you get an error message about formatting in Word, ignore it and save anyway.
In exactly the same way as post #3, open up the rename utiltiy and perform the same actions BUT IN THIS CASE, search for .MP3 files NOT .CDG
Import your text file and after checking that the filenames match, hit the RENAME button.
Job done!!!
As you don't need satarate folders for a Karaoke PC, simply search for, cut and paste both sets of files into another folder that you will use as your karaoke files location.
Hope this helps.
I know it looks complicated but it really isn't and if you take your time, you will get the job done.
The preparation takes time but you can rename 10,000 files in under a minute, if your PC is up to it.
However, my Caveat is that you MUST take care that your rename file is correct. THAT ONUS IS ON YOU.
I WILL ACCEPT NO LIABILITY IF YOU SCREW IT UP!
Sandy
Hi again.
One last thing that I mentioned in post #3, the artist and song name are transposed.
Although this produces no problems in a PC search for files, if you are determined to get it absolutely correct, then you need Excel.
If I were asked what my absolute favourite piece of software is, it would be Microsoft Excel. It can do damn near anything.
In our case, when you have exported your filelist from SLT and BEFORE you do any manipulations of text files, Excel will swap round the two fields easily.
Find your .CSV file and double click it.
Assumimg you have Excel, it will open automatically and present separate columns defined by the comma's in the .CSV file.
Simply click the letter at the top of the song column and it will highlight.
Take the cursor down to either edge of that column and when the cursor solid cross changes to a white arrow, click and drag the column to the right, to an empty column and release. This will move the song column out of the way.
Now click the letter at the top of the singer column and dclick and drag it to where the song column was previously.
Now, move the song column to where the singer column was.
Then FILE, SAVE
However, this can be achieved much more easily with Latshaw Systems KJ File Manager, that has a built in function to do exactly this.
job done.
Now you can do the other text manipulations as explained above.
Have fun
Sandy
One last thing that I mentioned in post #3, the artist and song name are transposed.
Although this produces no problems in a PC search for files, if you are determined to get it absolutely correct, then you need Excel.
If I were asked what my absolute favourite piece of software is, it would be Microsoft Excel. It can do damn near anything.
In our case, when you have exported your filelist from SLT and BEFORE you do any manipulations of text files, Excel will swap round the two fields easily.
Find your .CSV file and double click it.
Assumimg you have Excel, it will open automatically and present separate columns defined by the comma's in the .CSV file.
Simply click the letter at the top of the song column and it will highlight.
Take the cursor down to either edge of that column and when the cursor solid cross changes to a white arrow, click and drag the column to the right, to an empty column and release. This will move the song column out of the way.
Now click the letter at the top of the singer column and dclick and drag it to where the song column was previously.
Now, move the song column to where the singer column was.
Then FILE, SAVE
However, this can be achieved much more easily with Latshaw Systems KJ File Manager, that has a built in function to do exactly this.
job done.
Now you can do the other text manipulations as explained above.
Have fun
Sandy
REMEMBER, REMEMBERleftygt wrote:Sandy, thans for this - when I get a couple of days off work I'm going to give it a go!!
Cheers
Backup your files first.
Second, be VERY careful with your text file. It MUST correspond accurately to the number of files you are trying to rename.
Spending some time (and I'm talking a couple of hours at least) making sure your file is accurate will pay dividends for the end result.
When you import the text file, apply the rule of "halfs".
Go half way down your list and see if the text file data matches with your "files to rename" list, i.e. if halfway down your list is SF260 track06.cdg then the corresponding track number in your list should be SF260-06.
If it isn't, then go halfway back to the start, check again and so on.
Also remember that it's easy to split up text files, so you can try the renaming in stages, rather than in one impatient chunck.
Sandy
Hi Sandy. I had a go at it last night, unfortunatley its not working out for me. As naive as I was when ripping the discs at first - I did'nt realise that naming some files differently would make a difference i.e. some discs I would have for example "SF001 - 01.CDG" and on other discs I would have "01.CDG" .This is going to cause conflicts further down the road. Really what I need is a program that I can select a disc from a database (as in SF001), choose a location where I actually have that disc ripped but not named - and have the program rename it. I appreciate the effort Sandy, it was worth a go.mnementh wrote:REMEMBER, REMEMBERleftygt wrote:Sandy, thans for this - when I get a couple of days off work I'm going to give it a go!!
Cheers
Backup your files first.
Second, be VERY careful with your text file. It MUST correspond accurately to the number of files you are trying to rename.
Spending some time (and I'm talking a couple of hours at least) making sure your file is accurate will pay dividends for the end result.
When you import the text file, apply the rule of "halfs".
Go half way down your list and see if the text file data matches with your "files to rename" list, i.e. if halfway down your list is SF260 track06.cdg then the corresponding track number in your list should be SF260-06.
If it isn't, then go halfway back to the start, check again and so on.
Also remember that it's easy to split up text files, so you can try the renaming in stages, rather than in one impatient chunck.
Sandy
That shouldn't matter, in the great scheme of things.leftygt wrote:Hi Sandy. I had a go at it last night, unfortunatley its not working out for me. As naive as I was when ripping the discs at first - I did'nt realise that naming some files differently would make a difference i.e. some discs I would have for example "SF001 - 01.CDG" and on other discs I would have "01.CDG" .This is going to cause conflicts further down the road. Really what I need is a program that I can select a disc from a database (as in SF001), choose a location where I actually have that disc ripped but not named - and have the program rename it. I appreciate the effort Sandy, it was worth a go.
The important factor is that the files are in clearly identified folders and numerically identified.
When you drag the files across to the rename utility, they should arrange themselves according to the full path to your files.
For example, you might have;
c:\karaokefiles\SF001\SF001 - 01.cdg
or
c:\karaokefiles\SF260\01.cdg
As long as your text rename file corresponds to the folder name and is in the correct order, it shouldn't actually matter what the original name is.
You COULD always separate out the folders into those with one format and those with the other.
It's then a matter of cutting and pasting your text file accordingly.
There's always SOME means of getting the job done.
Sandy
