ProppFrexx Tagger: Incorrect MetaData read order

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Maartenvn
Posts: 101
Joined: 21 Aug 2022 19:47
ProppFrexx Tagger: Incorrect MetaData read order

Post by Maartenvn »

The problem

The ProppFrexx tagger has a "Force Metadata" option, which changes the order of metadata reading.

According to the documentation the orders should be:

Unchecked should be:
* Playlist
* MetaData file (*.pfmd)
* MetaData TAG

Checked should be:
* MetaData TAG
* MetaData File (*.pfmd)
* Playlist

This isn't the case when using the tagger. When opening a track with the option unchecked the TAG always has precedence over the metadata file (*.pfmd). When checking the option the PFMD value is read and has precedence. This is unintended behaviour.

Reproduction

1. Create an MP3 file and alter the TAG with artist and title.
2. Enable the "Use Metadata Files" in the tagger settings
3. Save the current tags to the MetaData File (*.PFMD)
4. Open the *.pfmd file in NotePad and change the title property to something else
5. Open the linked audio file in the trackboard: it displays the TAG value of the track (which should actually be the changed PFMD value)

You can repeat these steps with "Force MetaData Reading" enabled, this will show the PFMD title, rather than the TAG value, which should have been shown.


Thank you in advance for looking into this.
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radio42
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Location: Hamburg, Germany
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Re: ProppFrexx Tagger: Incorrect MetaData read order

Post by radio42 »

This is actually not a bug, all is working as designed - maybe the documentation/ToolTip is not really clear/perfect here - I will optimize that!

ProppFrexx differentiates between TAG data and MetaData.
TAG data are the standard info, like Artist, Title, Album, Genre, Year, ReplayGain, BPM etc. (mostly all info displayed on the first page of the TAG editor).
MetaData is the additional/extended info, like cue-points, volume-points, hooks, special elements, like track inserts, the media entry type etc.

When a track is added to a playlist the standard TAGs, are always read in initially from the file. This to ensure, that the standard TAG info is always accurate and most recent. However, if a file's TAG attribute is empty, e.g. no Artist is set within the file, but only in a playlist file, then the playlist file is maintained. Meaning the file's TAG data is used only if present.
Except when the 'MetaData has Priority' option is set. In this case also the standard TAG data is used fom the meta data file (.pfmd).

As such, the 'MetaData has Priority' is (only) relevant for the additional meta data attributes, like cue-points, volume-points, hooks, special elements, like track inserts, the media entry type etc.

Here is a (maybe a more clear) table for you:

Code: Select all

Unchecked (MetaData has no Priority)
TAG Data:	MetaData:
1. TAG (File)	1. Playlist
2. Playlist	2. TAG (File)

Checked (MetaData has Priority)
TAG Data:	MetaData:
1. PFMD		1. PFMD
2. Playlist	2. Playlist
Many users use external taggers to edit their standard TAGs, if ProppFrexx wouldn't read in those data most recent, they would basically never get updated and any external TAG change might never become visible within ProppFrexx.
That's the reason behind this logic.

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