2019-03-30, 12:19
Scott I don't see all the changes that you describe. You say what we have after PR seems most logical so I'm not taking it as a problem, but I am confused and I like to be clear on what changes I have made! It is also possible that others may be confused, so worth seeking clarity and this reply is not just aimed at Scott. But sorry to all it is a long post, make a coffee and grab a sandwich 
So the PR change here is visual not functional - the user can not see where the AIF is or if it is blank from the export dialog (whereas previously they could in grey). Instead they are reminded that this kind of export will put artists in AIF and albums in music, I think that is more useful information.
Both before and after the PR when kind of export is "Separate files for each item" then the user can enter the destination and it is remembered next time. Perhaps this is what you are remembering as 2)?
However if the <artistname> of the folder is different (unicode issues are most likely here, or using artist sortname) then you will get an extra folder for that artist instead, and with "Separate files for each item" the album data will be under that not in the one with the music files. If you export more than just album artists, then you will gain a lot of folders with just art and NFO and no music files which some will consider clutter. So using the folders in that way can be tricky, but I fear users will be attracted to it initially because it seems exactly like before when in fact it is different.
Previous versions of Kodi didn't use <artistname> for the artist folder, it could be called anything, but analysed the location of music files to try to deduce what it thought could be the artist folder (for album artists only) somewhere up the "source tree" [interesting term by the way but useful]. It sometimes got that wrong with confusing effects, and limited what artists could have art etc. In v18 we have sacrificed that dynamic (but flawed and restrictive) approach for something that can cover all artists accurately. I hope we can encourage users to transfer to using the AIF approach, especially those whose source folder structure is not exactly music/<artistname>/album
And to repeat it is only export that does not use artist folders determined by location of music files, scraping is backward compatible. There is no need for existing users to panic.
But if you for some reason do want these folders located somewhere else then that can be achieved by exporting "Separate files for each item" to that destination with only artists picked as "Items to export" (not albums), and both "Output information to NFO files" and "Include art work such as thumbnails and fanart" disabled (possible when items not include albums).
Is the probelm how kinds of export are named?
@Karellen has reminded me that having "To library folders" and "Separate files for each item" as kinds of export may be causing confusion, but I am at a loss how else to name thes things. To reiterate:
"To library folders": Export nfo files and/or art. Artist NFO Files to the Artist Information Folder, album NFO files to the album folders (along with music) - the primary locations scraped by Kodi.
"Separate files for each item": Exports nfo and/or art under an <artistname>/album structure in a chosen destination. This is a diagnostic utility more than anything (see what export will do without impacting your library), but could be used to mimic older export behaviour if the music files are arranged in suitably named folders.
In previous versions, and still in export of video library, there is no choice of destination with "seperate files per entry", the NFO are put along with the media files which many would think of as the library folders. So "Separate files for each item" probably gets the user thinking what will happen is exactly the same as before as long as they pick their music source as the destination. As I have explained above it isn't, and neither is "To library folders".
Trying to export artist data somewhere deduced from the location of all the related music files is flawed, so v18 does not do it. This is the biggest change to export, and means in v18 it will not always reproduce the same results as previous versions.
If someone has suggestions for better names (that will fit in a selection list) then I am happy to hear, otherwise all I can do is rely on some good wiki and repeat myself many times on the forum.
(2019-03-29, 22:03)scott967 Wrote: Prior to the PR, there was always a 2-step process in setting up a Kodi clientBoth before and after this PR the location of the Artist Information Folder only needs setting once, and that happens on the Settings>Media>Music screen. When kind of export output is "To library folders" the user does not enter a destination on the export dialog. Before this PR it was a disabled control labelled "Destination Folder", after this PR the control is used to describe what this kind of export does. Both before and after the PR if the user clicks export and the AIF has not been set then they are taked to the setting to enter it.
1. Add the location of the artist info folder (read) in the music settings
2. Add the location of the destination folder (write) in the export settings
So the PR change here is visual not functional - the user can not see where the AIF is or if it is blank from the export dialog (whereas previously they could in grey). Instead they are reminded that this kind of export will put artists in AIF and albums in music, I think that is more useful information.
Both before and after the PR when kind of export is "Separate files for each item" then the user can enter the destination and it is remembered next time. Perhaps this is what you are remembering as 2)?
(2019-03-29, 22:03)scott967 Wrote: I should note that my personal use is to leave all the album data in the traditional (source folder aka library) location as all files associated with a single album are located in a single folder (and no other data in that folder). But I don't think that changes the principles of how the settings are used.Yes album NFO and art in the album folder with the music files is the best place, in fact it is the only place that Kodi will look when scraping. Exporting them anywhere else is a test feature (see what it makes) or allows the user to do whatever else they want without impacting their library.
(2019-03-29, 22:03)scott967 Wrote: I _thought_ it was still possible to export artist data back to the source/library folders (album parent folder) with default settings. I admit haven't tried this in at least a year.Yes but it depends on what your source folder structure is. Again a v18 change but not this PR which I think has just made it more obvious what it has been doing since I implemented the improved export facility. If your structure is MyMusic/<artistname>/Album, and <artistname> matches what Kodi thinks that name should be then setting AIF to "MyMusic" then doing a "To Library Folders" export will put artist data into those folders. Similarly so will setting "MyMusic as the destination folder and doing a "Separate files for each item" export.
However if the <artistname> of the folder is different (unicode issues are most likely here, or using artist sortname) then you will get an extra folder for that artist instead, and with "Separate files for each item" the album data will be under that not in the one with the music files. If you export more than just album artists, then you will gain a lot of folders with just art and NFO and no music files which some will consider clutter. So using the folders in that way can be tricky, but I fear users will be attracted to it initially because it seems exactly like before when in fact it is different.
Previous versions of Kodi didn't use <artistname> for the artist folder, it could be called anything, but analysed the location of music files to try to deduce what it thought could be the artist folder (for album artists only) somewhere up the "source tree" [interesting term by the way but useful]. It sometimes got that wrong with confusing effects, and limited what artists could have art etc. In v18 we have sacrificed that dynamic (but flawed and restrictive) approach for something that can cover all artists accurately. I hope we can encourage users to transfer to using the AIF approach, especially those whose source folder structure is not exactly music/<artistname>/album
And to repeat it is only export that does not use artist folders determined by location of music files, scraping is backward compatible. There is no need for existing users to panic.
(2019-03-29, 22:03)scott967 Wrote: Now the change with this PR: with the new option to create empty artist folders this option changes the previous 2-step process, as step 1 now controls the location of both read AND write (but only for this option; not the existing option). I don't have any problem with this; actually it seems the most logical method. But it is a change.No, step 1) always controlled the (write) destination of "To library folders" and so now controls both that and "Artist folders only" output.
(2019-03-29, 22:03)scott967 Wrote: My general feeling, and I think the most typical use case, would be default to using the artist info folder for all separate file exports, and allow use of a different export destination as an option for both the separate file export and the folder-create only "export".Where the need for empty artist folders came up in the workflow was when users wanted to add local art and nfo for artists the scrapers didn't find anything for. They wanted to get the artist folder names right, and wanted to put data where the NFO scraper would find it (hence library folders). However exporting nfo for unscraped artists also meant having blank artist.nfo in many folders which would then prevent remote data being scraped. Hence the PR provides a simple way to create the empty but cotrrectly names folders in the AIF.
But if you for some reason do want these folders located somewhere else then that can be achieved by exporting "Separate files for each item" to that destination with only artists picked as "Items to export" (not albums), and both "Output information to NFO files" and "Include art work such as thumbnails and fanart" disabled (possible when items not include albums).
Is the probelm how kinds of export are named?
@Karellen has reminded me that having "To library folders" and "Separate files for each item" as kinds of export may be causing confusion, but I am at a loss how else to name thes things. To reiterate:
"To library folders": Export nfo files and/or art. Artist NFO Files to the Artist Information Folder, album NFO files to the album folders (along with music) - the primary locations scraped by Kodi.
"Separate files for each item": Exports nfo and/or art under an <artistname>/album structure in a chosen destination. This is a diagnostic utility more than anything (see what export will do without impacting your library), but could be used to mimic older export behaviour if the music files are arranged in suitably named folders.
In previous versions, and still in export of video library, there is no choice of destination with "seperate files per entry", the NFO are put along with the media files which many would think of as the library folders. So "Separate files for each item" probably gets the user thinking what will happen is exactly the same as before as long as they pick their music source as the destination. As I have explained above it isn't, and neither is "To library folders".
Trying to export artist data somewhere deduced from the location of all the related music files is flawed, so v18 does not do it. This is the biggest change to export, and means in v18 it will not always reproduce the same results as previous versions.
If someone has suggestions for better names (that will fit in a selection list) then I am happy to hear, otherwise all I can do is rely on some good wiki and repeat myself many times on the forum.
