Album Publishing still frustrating

[DJS]

I just want to render 180 or so take files to FLAC to send to the artist. I have named the files sensibly so do not want to retype any new clip names or track title names. I am still fighting with Album Publishing to get this stuff done. I found the rename clips to filename option, hooray. But AP still seems incapable of naming the rendered files to the clip name. I set the option, Set Track Title from Track Name, but there doesn't seem to be the obvious time saving option of Set TrackName from ClipName.

1. Adding CD markers via CD Mark Groups is limited to 99 tracks. Clip names are CD track names, hooray.
2. But if extra markers are manually entered beyond that, the CD track name is "CD Track Start" instead of clipname, damn, but marker numbers beyond 99 is possible.

This is a real mess.

I must be missing something here. I do not want to use PMX as a word processor. Don't want to type anything, the filename is KING!

[DJS]

Ah! One has to select the tracks before using the Set Track Title from Track Name. Many thanks Larry!

Sigh. I wonder why the auto track naming from the clip name puts an asterisk at the end of the name?

[fl]

I wonder why the auto track naming from the clip name puts an asterisk at the end of the name?

This is because certain characters can be problematic when used as part of a CD Text Track name. All the cuts will be flagged with an asterisk until their names have been validated.

To remove the asterisks, select all your cuts, and then in the Tab's menu > Markers > Validate Name. Only after you've done this, "Set Track Title from Track Name".

Strictly speaking, if you've added more CD markers than 99, it's not really necessary to have changed what's in the "Name" field before copying it to the "CDText Title" field, but it can be useful to do the Validation on what you've typed, just to be on the safe side.

In the Album Publishing process you can use the Track Title for the full name, but you can also add other information with the file naming wild cards found in the "Generate CD image/SACD Edited Master" > "Album Publishing options Properties" window, including the track number, the artist name, the Disc Name, the sample rate, word length and file format - even the ISRC. This is how you can generate two versions of the same file format (say, a set of 96/24 and one of 44/16 FLACs).

Might I suggest three useful utilities to have around:

"Advanced Renamer" - http://www.advancedrenamer.com/
for touching up batches of file names. It's easy to set up and store frequently used batch renaming processes, such as removing the unique file identifier string that Pyramix attaches to file names, or changing certain strings ("FLAC" for instance, to "ALAC" - see below).

"MP3Tag" - http://www.mp3tag.de/en/
for making adjustments to meta-data entries for FLAC, AAC, MP3 and other metadata using file types. You may, for example, wish to include your own shameless self-promotion in the "Comment" field, but Pyramix will overwrite whatever you put there with its own shameless self-promotion. With this program, you can re-write that to suit your own needs. Also, this program allows you to include multiple cover images, so that you can have both front, back, label, and liner notes images encoded into a file, if you so wish.

"dBpoweramp" - http://dbpoweramp.com/dmc.htm
You may discover that supplying Apple Lossless files, rather than FLACs, is more convenient for some clients, who wish to use iTunes or Quicktime for take reviewing. At this point, Pyramix cannot output ALAC files directly (but I'm hopeful this will come someday), so it's useful to have a batch converter that can generate ALACs from FLACs and this is one of the better ones that doesn't introduce file length errors in the converted files, and doesn't come with a lot of extra crap (toolbar, adware, etc.) you don't want. While it is a commercial product for sale, you can continue to use the demo version as a file converter even after the trial period has expired.

With these three tools, batch Publishing can become a little more flexible, despite adding a few extra steps.

[Larry Elliott]

Thank you Frank.

[DJS]

Many thanks Frank, you are a fount of info as usual.

To remove the asterisks, select all your cuts, and then in the Tab's menu > Markers > Validate Name. Only after you've done this, "Set Track Title from Track Name".

But the tracks have been named by PMX, not typed by me. I used the Rename clips command to filename. I don't want to do any typing ever.

Strictly speaking, if you've added more CD markers than 99, it's not really necessary to have changed what's in the "Name" field before copying it to the "CDText Title" field, but it can be useful to do the Validation on what you've typed, just to be on the safe side.

My main issue is with the imposed 99 limit when not burning a CD. The album publishing for digital release needs to be updated to remove the limitations of CD generation. I don't think it (the programming) is complete yet.

With these three tools, batch Publishing can become a little more flexible, despite adding a few extra steps.

I use MP3Tag and dBPoweramp for various operations on my media library. Not sure I can see how they will be useful for rendering clips from the PMX timeline, which is all I am trying to do.

[fl]

But the tracks have been named by PMX, not typed by me. I used the Rename clips command to filename. I don't want to do any typing ever.

As I understand it, the CD Text Track Title (several columns over) is what's used in the file name when Publishing (via the wildcard/macro thingey), not the Name (first column) of the track. If the files have the desired name, then the names will automatically appear in the first column with an asterisk (when you use "CD Mark Groups") until you Validate the name. The CD Text Track Title remains blank until you fill it in, either by typing or by using the Name to Track Title command, in which case you'll want to Validate before proceeding.

Briefly: Select all files in the Media Manager and Place them sequentially in the time line on the same tracks. Select them all and "CD Mark Groups". In the SACD/CD Tab select them all and "Validate Name". While they're still selected "Use Name for Track Title" (or however it's worded). So far no typing, just a lot of selecting. To output, use the Publishing file naming feature, with its wildcards, to include other information in the output file names, as desired. Pick your output format(s) and go.

My main issue is with the imposed 99 limit when not burning a CD. The album publishing for digital release needs to be updated to remove the limitations of CD generation. I don't think it (the programming) is complete yet.

Agreed. With each update, we get a little closer. Being able to generate a PMI as one of the Publishing operations, and being able to re-use the MTFF file for more, um, Publishings - both were big improvements that came with 9.1.5.

I use MP3Tag and dBPoweramp for various operations on my media library. Not sure I can see how they will be useful for rendering clips from the PMX timeline, which is all I am trying to do.

Oh, not during, but after.

1. MP3Tag: check metadata, overwrite the Comment, insert artwork (single or multiple).
2. dbPoweramp: generate ALACs from FLACs
3. Advanced Renamer: changing "FLAC" to "ALAC" in the file names output from step 2. Also, if you are indeed Rendering files from the Timeline, and like me forget to turn off the Unique File Identifier feature, you can use this to quickly nuke that string from your output files' names. Another use might be to limit the amount of typing you need to do for projects with more than 99 files - just set up more "CDs" with 99 or fewer tracks, output 'em, and then re-name them so that they have the appropriate numbering.

[DJS]

This is so utterly frustrating. AP is a joke. I have 206 clips to publish for the artist that line up with my session notes.

1. I have renamed all clips to their filenames.
2. Tried adding CD Markers to all of them, only does 99.
3. Tried adding second CD, but the clipnames do not copy across to second CD track titles.
3. Clipnames can be set to 99 on the first CD but no more, just get CD Start Marker as the name of all clips beyond 99 and on second or third CD.
4. Manual editing of these names is a complete pain because the up and down arrows do not enter the text. Hello!! Ludicrously the up and down arrows move side to side in the text box. So do the side arrows. Unbelievable. Enter or TAB do not move to the next cell.
5. I cannot render these clips to single files from the Render function or the MixDown function.

So I am snookered. I GIVE UP. Getting audio files out of PMX is impossible.

What gives?

[DJS]

How wonderful a good night's sleep is.

1. Separate 206 multitrack files into three separate timelines/projects, 99 clips on the first two, the remainder on the third.
2. Rename all clips to filenames
3. Add CD Markers
4. Validate names.
5. Set all CD Text names from track names.
6. Album publish the three timelines.

Sigh.

[Graemme]

David,

Two things:

The Redbook CD-spec limits the number of tracks to 99.

The "Render, Split by Groups" setting in the Render window may be helpful, since you've renamed clips in the timeline.

and...

Album publishing wasn't originally intended for projects like yours. Agreed that it needs to become 'extensible.' Right off the bat, I'd like to see a 'Mix, Split by Groups' aspect to the mixdown window, similar to the 'Render' version and it would include automation.

It would be useful to hear from you (and anyone else) about how you'd like to see it work.

Graemme

[DJS]

Thanks Graemme,

I think the most important thing is to divorce the file publishing from anything to do with CD. If one is making a CD, then just print an error when burning image that the TOC is invalid if more than 99 tracks. Generalise the clip rendering from a single timeline. By default do the following:

1. Automatically name the clips to the filenames.
2. Automatically place markers at clip boundaries.
3. Optionally skip the generation of the MTFF image and go straight to clip file export and publishing.
4. Bring the Album publishing functions into the foreground, instead of an add-on function to the MTFF release writing.
5. Default to project folder for image and file writing. I am always searching for where the files got written to due to that additional folder setting in Album Publishing.
6. Generally treat the operation as a data export, no limits on clip numbers, intelligent bulk naming and renaming of files, etc
7. Merge Render, MixDown and Publishing into one function.

Just off the top of my head.

Many thanks
David.

[aomahana]

David,


It would be useful to hear from you (and anyone else) about how you'd like to see it work.

Graemme

Hi Graemme.
Below is a link to an earlier post I have made which has received no response as yet.
I have bounced it with reference to how I would like to see Album Publishing able to function.

viewtopic.php?f=14&t=10506

I have just completed an album of birdsong specific to the little island where I live. It has taken 30 years to finish. I am publishing it as a gapless 41 track CD. The tracks are used as index points to locate to different bird calls if required. Using Pyramix, and CD markers, and creating a .pmi this works well.

I also want to release a higher resolution 24 bit 96 kHz DVD-A version. I have used Minnetonka bronzeWelder 1000m for this. This software creates a DVD-A hybrid disc which can play on an ordinary DVD player. Unfortunately there does not seem to be provision for embedding ISRC code or text titles. And although gapless recording is allowed, these tracks must be split. This can cause glitches because of the way some DVD players read track start points. So, as it stands, this DVD-A version does not have track locate points, but is one continuous album. Locating to a specific time code would have to be done with a manual search.

I was wondering if one of you has found a solution to creating an indexed, texted, and ISRC'd DVD-A hybrid disc?

aomahana
audioarts

[Paulo M]

Album publishing wasn't originally intended for projects like yours. Agreed that it needs to become 'extensible.' Right off the bat, I'd like to see a 'Mix, Split by Groups' aspect to the mixdown window, similar to the 'Render' version and it would include automation.

It would be useful to hear from you (and anyone else) about how you'd like to see it work.

Graemme

I would like it to work as this:

http://www.reaper.fm/videos.php#E_g8eP_Ftc8

Worth watching the other videos on the link bellow as well, under the category "Everything Renders":

http://www.reaper.fm/videos.php

Not being sarcastic here when recommending watching another DAW examples, but as far as I know, there´s nothing stopping Merging to update the Album Publishing features, which are dated now, considering digital distribution for various file formats and media targets. I´ve been saying this for years now, so I rest my case

[DJS]

Yes, at the risk of mentioning another DAW that had it right from way back, Wavelab. The concept of placing named markers in the timeline and then rendering those to files is far superior to the CD dialog in PMX. Most importantly, being able to auto generate both the position and name of those markers based on filenames or other pattern naming.

[draudio2u]

If I may add my issue "similar" to yours (which I fully agree that Merging needs to emulate WAvelab's publishing).
I too am trying to render each take file from recording sessions - 352 takes to simple 4416 or MP3 files for reference to send to the client. I go through the process, even naming each track its take number in CD Text column, but I cannot get the individual files to print. I always get the mtff file, but never the individual files. I have selected the "One file per track", ticked the "Album publishing" and select an "Output format", still nothing.

ANY help would be very much appreciated.

PS - I miss "Pin3Hot".

[fl]

I agree that the limitation to 100 published files is an unfortunate legacy of this function's development from the CD writing routines, and should have been fixed long ago.

However, since you do manage to get an MTFF file produced, have you tried loading it in DiskWrite and continuing the Publishing from there?