Album art - 'Front' or ''Folder' album's photo name?

[nik.d]

Hi Peter,

Recently noticed that XXHE (2.06a on W10586) prefer showing files named "Front.jpg" even if that file is in sub-folder while
standard (at least for me) file "Folder.jpg" exists in directory with music tracks. Is this change in SW code, to firstly look for
files named 'Front' then 'Folder' or 'Cover' etc. ?

Thanks &

Brgds,
George

[PeterSt]

Hi George,

Yes, a couple of things have changed in there - mostly related to speed.

Previously the best picture for the main (front) cover was selected by means of aspect ratio (say close to square was accepted). But this implies quite some processing, which otherwise very often failed as well (a scan of the CD itself was also accepted because sufficiently square, as could inlet pages be).

If you say/see that now Front.jpg prevails over Folder.jpg then this can easily be because the selection process is complex and it looks like logic to me. However, notice that such things have changed dozens of times, always looking for logic and with that, improvement. The "logic" would be mine though, so this could be dangerous.
I can add that most of the changes I apply, I apply because I see something wrong in my own coverart and when I change something, I always see other things wrong suddenly. Still, net it should be better (less being wrong). What's not nice of course is that you're used to certain covers and if they suddenly change, it always looks "wrong" anyway.

Continuing ...
About the Folder.jpg, well, I just looked in the (right) Coverart Pane and see the Rename to Folder.jpg in there. Not good.
... I mean, my change where now apparently Front.jpg prevails, is now not consistent with that Rename function. And no, I don't mean that the Rename function must be changed (into renaming to Front.jpg) but that my change is not much backward compatible.
I will change things once again, this time with Folder.jpg having priority over anything else.

Thanks !
Peter

[PeterSt]

George,

I looked now, and I don't see happening what you describe.
I'm sure your observation is right, but it must be more complex or something.
Folder is always first, and after that comes Front.

Maybe you can look whether you're situation is about a mix of jpg and png (or jpeg) ? (png is new for recognition).

Peter

[PeterSt]

Also, it is not a bad idea to switch on logging and when the wrong coverart has shown on screen, look for "error" (no quotes) in the XX log file.

Btw, where actually do you see the wrong coverart (left pane, Library Area, Wallpaper) ?

[nik.d]

Hi Piter,

The 'wrong' photo shows up in the left pane and is standard .jpg file. For me it's quite easy to repeat the error, which I just did. Actually it is the album where I noticed this happening for the first time:
I have an album of Keb' Mo' - 'Suitcase' with photo 'Folder.jpg' of 600x600px I created from larger photo named 'Front.jpg' that sits in sub-directory called "scans". This I practice for all CD's.

Using embedded explorer I brows for the music, open the one I want and voila, with this (rather large 'Front.jpg', sitting in sub-directory) I've got a small preview of it and XXHE took several seconds,
mouse pointer changed to hourglass and even the message (in window header) 'XXHE stopped working' like any app that stops responding. After a few seconds XXHE finishes import, everything is back
to normal except I get this 'wrong' photo shown in the left pane.

How I know it is the 'wrong' one? Because 'Front.jpg' (large one, from sub-directory) shows front + back side of CD's booklet and this is what I get, both front & back side of CD.
Of course now the photo is not square but some 'cinemascope' style, rather small in height. Have made logging active but no 'fresh' logs exist at all, at least not in 'TemporaryData' folder.

Renaming this photo from sub-directory to anything else, like 'Frontt.jpg' brings correct photo in the left pane and XXHE finishes album import much, much faster, no hourglass etc.

George

[PeterSt]

George, thank you for that extensive elaboration;
I will try to copy that behavior.

Peter

[PeterSt]

Maybe it is best if you send me that folder (+ subfolder(s)); one music track in it is fine, but give be *all* the other files in there please.

Thanks.
Peter

[nik.d]

OK, have sent copy of directory/folder with all files, no tracks except #1.
Checked before sending, same behaviour of XXHE with this copy of directory/folder.

PS
I never use XXHE's right pane, it's always 'shrinked' to some minimum.

George

[PeterSt]

Hi again George,

Well, it took me over 4 hours to solve this.

Several issues were in order, and it was a tad more complicated than "the one in the left pane is the wrong one". Only the second one (instance) showing is wrong.


Just try this :
Have the tracks of this album loaded in the Playlist Area, and cause it NOT to appear in the Library Area (select a completely different folder structure in there). Now the left pane is fine ...
Now clear the Playlist Area, stop and restart XXHighEnd and cause the Album to show in the Library Area; click the album and, now load the tracks of it, and see it now being wrong in the left pane.
The other way around : have the album loaded in the Playlist Area (it shows fine) in the left pane and now ask for it (find it) in the Library Area. Now it is wrong in the Library Area.

Nice puzzle.

I almost spent more time on what happened in the Right Pane, because that too was wrong; all shows (showed) a kind of double in there. Probably this has been so forever. But now this :

I've got a small preview of it and XXHE took several seconds, mouse pointer changed to hourglass and even the message (in window header) 'XXHE stopped working' like any app that stops responding. After a few seconds XXHE finishes import, everything is back

and

I never use XXHE's right pane, it's always 'shrinked' to some minimum.

Two main issues here :
1. I'd like to assume that ShowDate at the bottom (with the black characters and which is more to the right (drag the right side of the XXHighEnd screen rightwards to see it) is Active (red).

2. In itself that causes all the Coverart and further files to show in the Right Pane, which ... happened twice abusively (see text above). This takes 6-7 seconds or so because also :

3. Your coverart files are way too large, actually. Say that half of them is more than 10MB while the same with the same quality and size can show in under 1MB (this can be done by XXHighEnd itself and is a main reason for the Right Pane to exist (the functions for it are in there)). Important for you ? no. But now cause that ShowData button to be Inactive please ...

4. If #1 is not in order it can be so that your folder structure is not correct. For that, look at the level where you hold the
Keb' Mo' [2006] - Suitcase
folder and examine whether there's music files or coverart at that level. To be sure it is clear what I mean, look at the below two little screenshots; the first one shows the beginning of the foler where your Keb' Mo' sits and the last one shows the end of it. No single file is in there and no single file is allowed to be in there. If after all, then it is seen as music and the whole structure is scanned; it may end up fine, but the scanning is done anyway (and takes the time you implied).

Please notice that it already can be my mentioned 6-7 seconds because of the amount of files (comes down to 23 in the "wrong-double" situation, which possibly on your system takes longer. So the large files all are rendered (twice by accident) and with a bit of a slower system, the 6-7 second may and up as 30 seconds easily. Regarding that, the machine I'm looking at runs at a normal 3.2GHz, while "we" on the Audio machines easily make that 500MHz, right ?
But again, that ShowData button must be active to point at at as the culprit.

Solved for 2.07.

Regards,
Peter

[PeterSt]

Trust me that I have the same album from the exact same source (not that I recall the source, but I just can see it). But look below to see the file sizes; that has been done by XXHighEnd. I also changed the names.
The quality and size (for zooming the small print) really can not be distinguished from yours.

Peter

[nik.d]

Huh, 

For me is confusing why XXHE 'digs' further than basic directory/folder with music tracks, looking for album's photo.
This is something like Carp fishing: very smart fish, not easy to understand behavior and get on hook!    Little joke of course.

I'm not activating field "ShowData" and as you commented - black letters, I even cannot see the text. Only when mouse hovers
above, I see the help for it (my XXHE visual setting enclosed). 'ShowData' has not much function for me since I listen music in
Unattended mode and photo's / PDF's are always available - they are physically situated on other PC and I use RDC.

Above album I received only recently and for the moment it sits in own (sub)directory of directory called something like "NEW STUFF
FOR AUDITION". It is temporary place for arranging naming structure, album's photo and for first listening. If album is OK, it is moved
to final destination (music collection), otherwise it finishes in trash bin.

Tried again: by using button "Explore' and selecting the track #1 (from directory I sent to you) I again see back+front photo from sub-dir.
Quit & restart XXHE and now I see chosen song and correct photo.

As for the Library, mu music root is directory with meta-data made through XXHE since physically files reside on several HDD's.

Thank you Peter, waiting for 2.07 version.

 George

[PeterSt]

For me is confusing why XXHE 'digs' further than basic directory/folder with music tracks, looking for album's photo.

Grab a multi volume album and see how it is organized. Or how it could be organized. Or how it's done and how you would do it rather. Or ...
Don't forget to combine with a "\Scans\" sub folder. Or just not of course.

[AlainGr]

Wow, where did you get it (apart from answering "In the water") ?

Alain

[PeterSt]

In the left edge of the photo you see something which looks like a roof. That roof as attached to our house. And the water is right against the house.
With some imagination you see a stair-cased wall in the middle-left. The water is against that (too).

[AlainGr]

Cool ! Did you put it back in the water or was it for dinner ? With such a size, I hope it's not a flying fish, otherwise you better have an helmet