albumattr

version 2.0.0 (3.12.2004)

introduction.

Sets a new set of attributes for music albums. It will set the MIME type of a directory containing an album to "application/x-vnd.Be-directory-album". It will also set the new attributes Album:Artist, Album:Title, Album:Length, and Album:Year according to the contents of the Audio:* attributes of the songs in that album. Furthermore, it can also find the cover image in the album directory and copy a thumbnail of it into the album directory's icon. It only works on albums - if it finds different artists/album titles, it will skip the directory - but you can force it to work in this case (useful for samplers). It can be used as a Tracker add-on and as a command line utility.

requirements.

Haiku or BeOS R5 is required for this application. If you want to use it on a PowerPC you need the Metrowerks C++ Compiler to create the executable (you may have to change the makefile to use this compiler, sorry).

installation.

You can copy the application "albumattr" wherever you want to. If you want to use it frequently, you should place it within your path, e.g. /boot/home/config/bin. The Tracker add-on "Album Folder Attributes" should be in /boot/home/config/add-ons/Tracker/. Since there is only one file, you can either copy it to both locations, or create a symlink from one to the other. The "Install" script part of this archive will it install it in the former way, so that you can safely rename the Tracker add-on to suit your needs.

usage.

If you run "albumattr" without any arguments, a short help message is printed.

albumattr [-vrmfictds] <list of directories>
	-v	verbose mode
	-r	enter directories recursively
	-m	don't use the media kit: retrieve song length from attributes only
	-f	forces updates even if the directories already have attributes
	-i	installs the extra application/x-vnd.Be-directory-album MIME type
	-c	finds a cover image and set their thumbnail as directory icon
	-t	don't use the thumbnail from the image, always create a new one
	-d	allows different artists in one album (i.e. for samplers, soundtracks, ...)
	-s	read options from standard settings file

If you use it as a Tracker add-on, it will check if the Album Folder MIME type is installed, and will install it first, it not. Unlike the command line version, the Tracker add-on has the -c option turned on by default. You can now also get to a settings window when you press the Control key while selecting the add-on in Tracker. All changes you made there are permanent, and they can also be used by the command line tool when the -s option is used. When you press the Shift key when you select the add-on in Tracker, it will turn on the -f flag, that is, it will update the attributes/icon even if they already exist.

history.

version 1.0.0 (15.6.2003)

initial release.

version 1.1.0 (25.6.2003)

capability to be used as Tracker add-on added.

version 1.2.0 (23.10.2003)

it no longer creates an application when used as Tracker add-on.

version 1.3.0 (12.12.2003)

now also sets the Album:Genre attribute.
if used as a Tracker add-on, it will now ask if it should proceed if there are different artists or albums set.

version 2.0.0 (3.12.2004)

now has a settings window.
the Tracker add-on can now also use the "force" option by pressing shift
can copy cover image thumbnails into the album icons.

author.

"albumattr" is written by Axel Dörfler axeld@pinc-software.de. visit: www.pinc-software.de

Have fun.