MrC-temp
General
Media Center helps you manage, organize and view your files by maintaining a collection of properties on a per-file basis. Each file managed by Media Center belongs to a particular media type (eg. audio, video, image), and each media type has a predefined set of properties available and valid for use.
Examples of file properties are Artist, Album and Genre for audio files, Actor, Director, and Aspect Ratio for movies, and Width, Height and Focal Length for images.
Initially, a file's properties are imported when the file is imported, or created when the file is created by Media Center (eg. when ripping a CD or DVD). Typically, this data comes from a file's internal metadata (commonly referred to as tags), or is looked up from external databases. In addition, several library tools are available to assist in creating or modifying properties.
Media Center can also save a file's properties to the internal metadata within the physical file itself. These tags are then available for use by other programs that support the specific file types. The tags supported by a given file type are file type-specific, but there is often commonality or overlap in various media or file formats. Media Center helps manage this by automatically mapping essentially similar tags with different names into a standard set of properties.
In addition, Media Center allows creation of an almost limitless number of custom (or user) properties. This allows for managing information about files that is not predefined by Media Center or by a given format's standard tags. These custom properties may also be saved to a file's tags, should the format support user-defined or extensible tags.
Saving file properties to the physical file allows tags to be re-imported by Media Center, and used by other programs on a variety of systems. While typical metadata consumes a trivial amount of extra disk storage (relative to the file's size), larger metadata such as cover art, lyrics or extensive notes may be more noticeable, especially when files are exported to smaller devices such as handhelds. See Save File Properties in Disk Files for more information.
The table below shows the standard default properties available in Media Center. File properties are listed and managed under:
Tools > Options... > Library & Folders > Manage Library Fields...
Note here that properties are called fields. This is primarily a technical and pedantic distinction. The terms properties, fields, and tags become synonymous in common language, but do nonetheless maintain distinct meanings. It might help to think of a spreadsheet, where column headers are fields, rows are files, and a row of individual cell values are the file's properties. If each row were saved to an external file, the row's cells would be called tags.
As briefly mentioned above, properties help manage and organize related files. They can also be searched. In all of these, either directly or indirectly, one or more library fields is used in the construction.
Field Specifications
In the following table of standard default fields, rows list the available fields, and columns indicate how the field is particularly defined and give a brief explanation and/or additional links or information regarding the field.
Each field:
- Has a standard, unchangeable name
- Has a display name and its plural version (not currently shown in table)
- Is valid for the specified media/file types
- Audio, Image, Video, Data, TV
- Stores a particular type of data, or may be automatically calculated via expression
- String, Integer, Decimal, Percentage, List, Date, Unknown
- Has rules about its editability
- Standard, Clear-only, Large, Not editable, File, 5 Star, Calculated, Editable, Calculated, Not editable
- May have a list of acceptable values
- May be stored in file tags (when possible)
- May be searched when performing search queries, via the specified keyword(s) (not currently shown in table)
- May or may not be relational (no default fields are currently relational)
- May be hidden from normal view/usage (field names in italics)
(TBD: in the source code, fields are grouped by certain categories (eg. statistics). are these useful to show?)
Predefined Fields
| Field | Media Types |
S t o r e d |
S e a r c h |
Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Access Rating | A I V D T | ✓ | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
Specifies the access rating when access control is in effect. See also: Access Control | |
| Actors | V | Data Type: ListEdit Type: Standard
A semicolon-separated list of a movie's actors. | ||
| Album | A I V D T | ✓ | ✓ | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
The name of the album. |
| Album Artist | A | ✓ | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
Designates the artist to use for compilation albums. See also: Album Artist and Album Artist (Auto) | |
| Album Artist (auto) | A | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Calculated, Editable
Automatically calculated based on the contents of an album's Artist tracks. Expression: AlbumArtist() See also: Album Artist and Album Artist (Auto) | ||
| Album Gain | A | Data Type: DecimalEdit Type: Clear-only
Automatically calculated gain for an album, based on Replay Gain. See also: Album Gain | ||
| Album Type | A | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Calculated, Not editable
Automatically calculated value indicating if the album has a single artist or multiple artists, and if the album is complete. Expression: AlbumType() See also: Multiple Artist Albums#Complete Albums | ||
| Altitude | I | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
Camera's GPS altitude when photo was taken. See also: Photo Tagging | ||
| Aperture | I | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Not editable
Camera's aperture setting used to create the photo. See also: Photo Tagging | ||
| Artist | A I V D T | ✓ | ✓ | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
Track artist, or movie's director. See also: Album Artist and Album Artist (Auto), YADB |
| Artist - Album (Year) | A | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Calculated, Not editable
Automatically calculated field used for album grouping. Expression: Clean([Artist] - [Album] /([FormatDate([Date, 0), Year)/)) | ||
| Aspect Ratio | V | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
Video aspect ratio. | ||
| Audio Analysis Info | A | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Not editable
Automatically calculated data created and used by audio analysis engine. See also: Audio Settings and Analysis, Analyze Audio | ||
| Author | D | Data Type: ListEdit Type: Standard
A semicolon-separated list of a document's authors. | ||
| Band | A | ✓ | ✓ | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
Designates a track's band. |
| Bios | A | ✓ | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Large
Musician or group biography. (Musicmatch) | |
| Bit Depth | A V | Data Type: IntegerEdit Type: Not editable
Audio / video bit depth. | ||
| Bitrate | A V | ✓ | Data Type: IntegerEdit Type: Not editable
Audio / video bitrate, in bits per second (bps). | |
| Bookmark | A V | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Clear-only
Specifies the bookmark location for resumption of playback. | ||
| BPM | A | ✓ | Data Type: IntegerEdit Type: Standard
Beats-per-minute, calculated automaticaly during audio analysis. | |
| Budget | V | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
A movie's reported budget. | ||
| Camera | I | ✓ | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
Camera EXIF tag. See also: Photo Tagging | |
| Caption | I | ✓ | ✓ | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
An image's caption. |
| Catalog # | A I V D T | ✓ | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
| |
| Category Image Category | I | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Not editable
| ||
| Channels | A V | Data Type: IntegerEdit Type: Not editable
Number of playback channels | ||
| Cinematographer | V | Data Type: ListEdit Type: Standard
A movie's cinematographer. | ||
| Comment | A I V D T | ✓ | ✓ | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
A general use comment field. |
| Complete Album | A | Data Type: IntegerEdit Type: Not editable
Indicates if an album is a complete album. See also: Multiple Artist Albums#Complete Albums | ||
| Composer | A | ✓ | ✓ | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
The composer of a piece or work, typically used with classical music. |
| Compression | A V | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Not editable
The compression type and scheme used for compressed audio/video. | ||
| Conductor | A | ✓ | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
The conductor of a piece or work, typically used with classical music. | |
| Copyright | A I V D T | ✓ | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
Media copyright information. | |
| Country | A I V D T | Data Type: ListEdit Type: Standard
A semicolon-separated list of countries relevant to the media. | ||
| Credits | V | Data Type: ListEdit Type: Standard
A semicolon-separated list of movie credits. | ||
| Custom | A I V D T | ✓ | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
General use custom field. | |
| Custom 1 | A I V D T | ✓ | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
General use custom field (may not exist). | |
| Custom 2 | A I V D T | ✓ | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
General use custom field (may not exist). | |
| Custom 3 | A I V D T | ✓ | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
General use custom field (may not exist). | |
| Date | A I V D T | ✓ | Data Type: DateEdit Type: Standard
General date of media. | |
| Date (filename friendly) | A I V D T | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Calculated, Not editable
A version of Date that has been cleaned for use in filenames. Expression: FormateDate(Filename) | ||
| Date Created | A I V D T | Data Type: UnknownEdit Type: Not editable
A file's creation date/time as reported by the system. | ||
| Date Imported | A I V D T | Data Type: UnknownEdit Type: Not editable
The date the media was imported into the MC / MJ database. See also: [1] | ||
| Date Modified | A I V D T | Data Type: UnknownEdit Type: Not editable
A file's modification date/time, as reported by the system. | ||
| Date Recorded | V T | ✓ | Data Type: DateEdit Type: Standard
The date/time of a video recording. | |
| Day | A I V D T | Data Type: IntegerEdit Type: Calculated, Editable
Day segment of Date. Expression: FormatDate(Day)&DataType=[Number] | ||
| Description | A I V D T | ✓ | ✓ | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Large
A general description of the media. |
| Dimensions | I V | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Calculated, Not editable
Automatically calculated image/video dimensions. Expression: Clean([Width] x [Height]) | ||
| Direction | I | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
Camera's directional heading when photo was taken. See also: Photo Tagging | ||
| Director | V | Data Type: ListEdit Type: Standard
A semicolon-separated list of a movie's directors. | ||
| Disc # | A V | ✓ | ✓ | Data Type: IntegerEdit Type: Standard
The disc number, for multi-disc audio or video sets. See also: Multidisc Albums |
| Distributor | V | Data Type: ListEdit Type: Standard
A semicolon-separated list of a movie's distrubutors. | ||
| DLNA Server Info | A I V D T | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Not editable
Internal information for the MC DLNA server. | ||
| Duration | A V | Data Type: UnknownEdit Type: Not editable
The duration of an audio / video track. | ||
| DVD Video Info | V | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
Internal information used for a DVD. | ||
| Edit Info | I | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Not editable
Internal information used for image editting. | ||
| Editor | V | Data Type: ListEdit Type: Standard
The editor used to capture/create a video. | ||
| Encoding Settings | A I V D T | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
Description | ||
| Episode | V T | ✓ | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
Description | |
| Episode URL | A I V D T | ✓ | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Not editable
Description | |
| Events | A I V D T | ✓ | ✓ | Data Type: ListEdit Type: Standard
Description |
| Feed URL | A I V D T | ✓ | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Not editable
Description | |
| File Size | A I V D T | Data Type: UnknownEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| File Type | A I V D T | ✓ | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
Description | |
| Filename | A I V D T | ✓ | Data Type: UnknownEdit Type: File
Description | |
| Filename (name) | A I V D T | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Calculated, Editable
Description Expression: FileName() | ||
| Filename (path) | A I V D T | Data Type: UnknownEdit Type: Calculated, Editable
Description Expression: FilePath()&DataType[Path] | ||
| Flash | I | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Not editable
Description See also: Photo Tagging | ||
| Flickr Info | I V | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Focal Length | I | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Not editable
Description See also: Photo Tagging | ||
| FPS | V | Data Type: DecimalEdit Type: Standard
Description | ||
| Genre | A I V D T | ✓ | ✓ | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
Genre of media. See also: YADB |
| Get Cover Art Info | A V D | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Gross Revenue | V | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
Description | ||
| Grouping | A I V D T | ✓ | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
Description | |
| Height | I V | Data Type: IntegerEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Image File | A V | ✓ | Data Type: UnknownEdit Type: Not editable
Description | |
| Instrument | A | ✓ | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
Description | |
| Intensity | A | ✓ | Data Type: IntegerEdit Type: Standard
Description | |
| ISO | I | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Not editable
Description See also: Photo Tagging | ||
| Keywords | A I V D T | ✓ | ✓ | Data Type: ListEdit Type: Standard
Description |
| Language | A I V D T | Data Type: ListEdit Type: Standard
Description | ||
| Last Played | A I V D T | Data Type: UnknownEdit Type: Clear-only
Description | ||
| Last Skipped | A I V D T | Data Type: UnknownEdit Type: Clear-only
Description | ||
| Latitude | I | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
Description | ||
| Library Server Info | A I V D T | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Library Server Key | A I V D T | Data Type: IntegerEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Library Server URL | A I V D T | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Longitude | I | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
Description | ||
| Lyricist | A V | ✓ | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
Description | |
| Lyrics | A V | ✓ | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Large
Description | |
| Media Sub Type | A I V D T | ✓ | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
Description | |
| Media Type | A I V D T | ✓ | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
Description | |
| Mix Album | A | ✓ | Data Type: IntegerEdit Type: Not editable
Description | |
| Month | A I V D T | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Calculated, Editable
Month segment of Date. Expression: FormatDate(Month)&DataType=[Month] | ||
| Mood | A | ✓ | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
Description (Musicmatch) | |
| MPAA Rating | V | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
Description | ||
| MPAA Rating Description | V | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
Description | ||
| Music By | V | Data Type: ListEdit Type: Standard
Description | ||
| Name | A I V D T | ✓ | ✓ | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
Description |
| Notes | A I V D T | ✓ | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Large
Description | |
| Number Plays | A I V D T | Data Type: IntegerEdit Type: Clear-only
Description See also: Changing the number of plays | ||
| Orchestra | A | ✓ | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
Description | |
| Original Title | A I V D T | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
Description | ||
| Peak Level | A | ✓ | Data Type: PercentageEdit Type: Clear-only
Description | |
| People | A I V D T | ✓ | ✓ | Data Type: ListEdit Type: Standard
Description |
| Period | A | ✓ | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
Description | |
| Places | A I V D T | ✓ | ✓ | Data Type: ListEdit Type: Standard
Description |
| Playback Channel Key | T | Data Type: IntegerEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Playback Device | T | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Playback Info | A V | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
Description | ||
| Playback Range | A V | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
Defines the playback range for A-B repeat. See also: [2] | ||
| Preference | A | ✓ | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
Description (Musicmatch) | |
| Prequel | V | Data Type: ListEdit Type: Standard
Description | ||
| Producer | A I V D T | Data Type: ListEdit Type: Standard
Description | ||
| Protection Type | A V | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Publisher | A I V D T | ✓ | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
Description | |
| Rating | A I V D T | ✓ | ✓ | Data Type: IntegerEdit Type: 5 Star
Description |
| Read Only | A I V D T | Data Type: IntegerEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Recording Rule ID | T | Data Type: IntegerEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Removable | A I V D T | Data Type: IntegerEdit Type: Calculated, Not editable
Description Expression: IsRemovable() | ||
| Replay Gain | A | ✓ | Data Type: DecimalEdit Type: Clear-only
Description See also: Replay Gain, Album Gain | |
| Rotation | I | Data Type: IntegerEdit Type: Standard
Description | ||
| Sample Rate | A V | Data Type: IntegerEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Screenwriter | V | Data Type: ListEdit Type: Standard
Description | ||
| Season | V T | ✓ | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
Description | |
| Sequel | V | Data Type: ListEdit Type: Standard
Description | ||
| Series | V T | ✓ | ✓ | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
Description |
| Series Description | V T | ✓ | ✓ | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
Description |
| Shutter Speed | I | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Not editable
Description See also: Photo Tagging | ||
| Situation | A | ✓ | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
Description (Musicmatch) | |
| Skip Count | A I V D T | Data Type: IntegerEdit Type: Clear-only
Description | ||
| Soloists | A | ✓ | Data Type: ListEdit Type: Standard
Description | |
| Stack Conversion Type | A I V D T | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Stack Files | A I V D T | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Stack Tag | A I V D T | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Stack Top | A I V D T | Data Type: IntegerEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Stack View | A I V D T | Data Type: IntegerEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Store Field: Album ID | A I V D T | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Store Field: Album Popularity | A I V D T | Data Type: IntegerEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Store Field: Amg Album Review | A I V D T | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Store Field: Amg Artist Bio | A I V D T | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Store Field: Artist ID | A I V D T | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Store Field: Artist Popularity | A I V D T | Data Type: IntegerEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Store Field: Asset Code | A I V D T | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Store Field: Assosciated Video ID | A I V D T | Data Type: ListEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Store Field: Available Asset | A I V D T | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Store Field: Download Date | A I V D T | Data Type: DateEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Store Field: Genre ID | A I V D T | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Store Field: License Count | A I V D T | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Store Field: License Reissue Count | A I V D T | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Store Field: MP3 Available | A I V D T | ✓ | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Not editable
Description | |
| Store Field: MusicNet File GUID | A I V D T | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Store Field: New Release | A I V D T | Data Type: IntegerEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Store Field: Number of Tracks | A I V D T | Data Type: IntegerEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Store Field: Playlist Description | A I V D T | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Store Field: Playlist Guid | A I V D T | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Store Field: Playlist Image | A I V D T | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Store Field: Playlist Name | A I V D T | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Store Field: Playlist Type | A I V D T | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Store Field: Purchase Date | A I V D T | Data Type: DateEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Store Field: Purchase Description | A I V D T | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Store Field: Ranking | A I V D T | Data Type: IntegerEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Store Field: Similar Artists | A I V D T | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Store Field: Store Name | A I V D T | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Store Field: Track ID | A I V D T | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Studios | V | Data Type: ListEdit Type: Standard
Description | ||
| Style | A | ✓ | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
Description | |
| Tag Line | V | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
Description | ||
| Tempo | A | ✓ | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
Description (Musicmatch) | |
| Text | D | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Thumbnail Info | A I V D T | Data Type: IntegerEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Thumbnail Info (Local) | A I V D T | Data Type: IntegerEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Thumbnail Offset Large | A I V D T | Data Type: IntegerEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Thumbnail Offset Medium | A I V D T | Data Type: IntegerEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Thumbnail Offset Small | A I V D T | Data Type: IntegerEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Track # | A | ✓ | ✓ | Data Type: IntegerEdit Type: Standard
Description |
| TV Channel | T | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| TV Channel Number | T | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
Description | ||
| TV Tuner Input Type | T | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| TV XMLTV ID | T | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
Description | ||
| UPC | A I V D T | ✓ | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
Description | |
| Usage Reporting Info | A I V D T | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Use Bookmarking | A V | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
Description | ||
| Video Standard | V | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
Description | ||
| Volume Name | A I V D T | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
Description Expression: FileVolume() | ||
| Web Media Info | A I V D T | ✓ | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
Description | |
| Web Media Search | A I V D T | ✓ | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
Description | |
| Web Media URL | A I V D T | ✓ | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Standard
Description | |
| Width | I V | Data Type: IntegerEdit Type: Not editable
Description | ||
| Year | A I V D T | Data Type: IntegerEdit Type: Calculated, Editable
Year segment of Date. Expression: FormatDate(Year)&DataType=[Number] See also: YADB | ||
| Year - Album | A | Data Type: StringEdit Type: Calculated, Not editable
Description Expression: Clean(FormatDate([Date, ], Year) - [Album]) |
Custom Fields
Custom fields may be added with the Add New Field button in the Tools > Options > Libraries & Folders > Manage Library Fields... dialog.
Tag Import Options
Media Center provides a few options for the importation of tags for some file types. These options are available via Plug-in Manager > Input for the given file type. Select the Configure button for a given type, if available.
For images and video, Media Center will fill in the Album field with the year of the image or video (if the album field is otherwise empty). This puts a reasonable value there when importing directly from a digital camera. (TBD - should this be moved? Is it comprehensive wrt other types/fields?)
Classical Music
The tagging of classical music is unfortunately more complex and standards are lax. See Tagging Classical Music.
Photos
For more comprehensive information on tagging photos, see Photo Tagging.
More
- Check if a file contains tag information
- Edit File Properties (tags)
- Save File Properties in Disk Files
- Remove Tags
- Sync the database and tags
- Licensed Files (Windows Media Manager)
- Multiple Artist Albums
- Re-rip existing music and keep tags and statistics
- Tree & View Settings
- Library Tools
- Cover Art
For more information on tag/metadata specifications for file formats, refer to the following external websites: