Tech: Rip multiple CDs chronological in mp3 folder

Subject: Tech: Rip multiple CDs chronological in mp3 folder
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Jul 21 - 12:18 PM

A new question for an old problem.

My public library often has audiobooks available as mp3s and it is usually only one or two disks to copy and paste to a folder to load into my phone and listen to with bluetooth headphones. But the audiobooks on CDs (sometimes 20 or more for a long book) are a pain in the backside to load, especially in Windows Media Player. It puts the contents of each disk into it's own folder and if the publisher didn't label every disk with the same name (production folks can be sloppy with file names) then I have to tweak them to get them to play in order.

If every disk has no prefix code for the title and disk, just starts over with track 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, then if trying to load to one file the computer will put all of the track 1s together, then 2, etc. I've had it happen.

A while back I was using an app called Voice Audiobook player that usually recognizes all of the folders under one title and plays them seamlessly, but sometimes during playback it stops at the end of a folder and I have to manually start it playing on the next. If I'm driving it means the book stops there until I can pull over and fool with it.

When I download an audiobook from Overdrive (through the library) it is one large file with all of the chapters. The mp3 disks are pretty much the same way, load 1 or 2 into the phone through the computer. So I want to emulate that as I rip the multiple CD disks.

I understand that the Apple iTunes will do it, but I really don't want to load iTunes into my Windows computer - in the past with other Win computers I've found that Apple's software is bossy and keeps seeking reassurance that it is the most important piece of software in the device. The "Bonjour" piece of it keeps reporting back to the mothership.

Who here has worked out a way to load all of those disks without having to manually rename files before putting them into one large folder? Do you have a piece of software that will do that for you?

Subject: RE: Tech: Rip multiple CDs chronological in mp3 folder
From: GUEST,#
Date: 02 Jul 21 - 01:25 PM

SRS, I don't really understand any of this stuff, but see if the following link is any help to you.

https://www.tunefab.com/tutorials/download-audible-to-mp3-player.html

Subject: RE: Tech: Rip multiple CDs chronological in mp3 folder
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Jul 21 - 01:55 PM

Thanks. I download using Overdrive from the library, I don't use Audible (the fee-based audio book service from Amazon.) I'm trying to rip CDs into a folder of continuously numbered mp3 files that approximate what Audible or Overdrive does, so when I load the file into my phone to play it acts the same way.

Subject: RE: Tech: Rip multiple CDs chronological in mp3 folder
From: DaveRo
Date: 02 Jul 21 - 03:53 PM

So, as I understand it, your ripper produces a structure like this:
├── audiobook_title
│   ├─ First_disc
│   │   ├── Track_1
│   │   ├── Track_2
│   │   └── Track_3
│   ├─ Second_disc
│   │   ├── Track_1
│   │   ├── Track_2
│   │   ├── Track_3
│   │   └── Track_4
│   ├─ ...

But you want them something like this:
├── audiobook_title
│   ├─ 001 First_disc_Track_1
│   ├─ 002 First_disc_Track_2  
│   ├─ 003 First_disc_Track_3
│   ├─ 004 Second_disc_Track_1
│   ├─ 005 Second_disc_Track_2  
│   ├─ 006 Second_disc_Track_3
│   ├─ 007 Second_disc_Track_4
│   ├─ ...

And there's nothing in the folder names (First_disc, Second_disc, ...) which is in a fixed position that you can sort on - unless you add it yourself (eg. 01 First_disc, 02 Second_disc, ...)

Is that right?

If nobody comes up with an easy way of doing that, It should be possible using a script - though I'm not very familiar with Windows scripting. It could copy them based on the date on which each file is written. (Assuming the ripper writes them one at a time - mine does several in parallel, but can we told not to.)

Subject: RE: Tech: Rip multiple CDs chronological in mp3 folder
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Jul 21 - 04:20 PM

Dave, yes, you've illustrated the issue. I think iTunes already does that, I was hoping someone might have a Windows answer to iTunes.

As it is, I've ripped a 19-disc novel with several problems. All except disc 9 and 18 have more or less the same name and numbering system, with the information showing up on the Explorer window as the novel name, disc number, track 1, author name, etc. Disc 9 has nothing but 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d, 9e . . . and disk 18 is some other file type. Windows Media Player refused to rip it, so I opened my oddball paid software JRiver Media (from when I had a digital television tuner in my old computer) and ripped the FLAC files into a folder and stashed that into the directory with the other 18 folders. WMC will play FLAC files, it just won't rip them, apparently. In WMP the disc shows empty Microsoft .cda markers indicating there is something there.

When I can I get library audiobooks on the mp3 discs, that's easiest, but with one book recently one of the two had a huge crack because the disc was really lightweight and some ham-fisted borrower wasn't careful enough with the CD.

As it is, with this particular book I'll listen to it with the Voice Audiobook app and hope it sorts out the chapters and that unusual file type.

Subject: RE: Tech: Rip multiple CDs chronological in mp3 folder
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 02 Jul 21 - 10:42 PM

It would need more work and testing on Windows and things would depend on creation order but I'd probably be looking at a Python3 script along these lines.

  import os
  import sys
  from pathlib import Path
  
  i = 1
  
  def dopaths(currpath):
      
      global i
      global outpath
      
      try:
          paths = sorted(Path(currpath).iterdir(), key=os.path.getctime)
      except:
          print("path not found: " + currpath)
          return
      
      dirname = os.path.basename(currpath)
      
      for afile in paths:
          if (os.path.isdir(afile)):
                  dopaths(str(afile))
          elif (".mp3" == os.path.splitext(afile)[1]):
              newname = str(i).zfill(2) + "-" + dirname + "-" + os.path.basename(afile)
              os.rename(afile, os.path.join(outpath, newname))
              i = i + 1
      try:
          os.rmdir(currpath)
      except:
          pass
  
  try:
      dirpath = sys.argv[1]
      outpath = sys.argv[2]
  except:
      print("Usage: test2.py sourcepath destpath")
      sys.exit()
      
  try:
      os.mkdir(outpath)
  except FileExistsError:
      pass
  except:
      print("can not create destpath")
      sys.exit()
      
  dopaths(dirpath)
  
  --
  jon@worthy:~/test> dir testfiles -R
  testfiles:
  drwxr-xr-x 4 jon users 32 Jul  3 03:09 incds
  
  testfiles/incds:
  drwxr-xr-x 2 jon users 53 Jul  3 03:08 disk1
  drwxr-xr-x 2 jon users 53 Jul  3 03:10 disk2
  
  testfiles/incds/disk1:
  -rw-r--r-- 1 jon users 2 Jul  3 03:07 one.mp3
  -rw-r--r-- 1 jon users 2 Jul  3 03:08 three.mp3
  -rw-r--r-- 1 jon users 2 Jul  3 03:08 two.mp3
  
  testfiles/incds/disk2:
  -rw-r--r-- 1 jon users 2 Jul  3 03:10 five.mp3
  -rw-r--r-- 1 jon users 2 Jul  3 03:09 four.mp3
  -rw-r--r-- 1 jon users 2 Jul  3 03:10 six.mp3
  
  jon@worthy:~/test> python3 test2.py /home/jon/test/testfiles/incds /home/jon/test/testfiles/outcd
  
  jon@worthy:~/test> dir testfiles -R
  testfiles:
  drwxr-xr-x 2 jon users 154 Jul  3 03:13 outcd
  
  testfiles/outcd:
  -rw-r--r-- 1 jon users 2 Jul  3 03:07 01-disk1-one.mp3
  -rw-r--r-- 1 jon users 2 Jul  3 03:08 02-disk1-two.mp3
  -rw-r--r-- 1 jon users 2 Jul  3 03:08 03-disk1-three.mp3
  -rw-r--r-- 1 jon users 2 Jul  3 03:09 04-disk2-four.mp3
  -rw-r--r-- 1 jon users 2 Jul  3 03:10 05-disk2-five.mp3
  -rw-r--r-- 1 jon users 2 Jul  3 03:10 06-disk2-six.mp3

But I don't think most Windows users have Python installed.

Subject: RE: Tech: Rip multiple CDs chronological in mp3 folder
From: Joe Offer
Date: 02 Jul 21 - 11:08 PM

Dang, Jon, that's impressive! This is a problem I've encountered a lot. I like to take long, long drives - and take recorded books along with me. But it takes a lot of work to make up a flash drive of books that doesn't get everything hopelessly confused.

Subject: RE: Tech: Rip multiple CDs chronological in mp3 folder
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Jul 21 - 11:57 PM

Jon, I agree with Joe - that's impressive, and no way I'm going to manage all of that to rip audiobooks! But thank you!

I haven't paid enough attention to the program I used to rescue disc 18 from the book I ripped this morning. It's called JRiver Media Center and it really does a lot of things very well. I used to use it to record with the TV receiver in my old computer after Windows Media Center went away. I have to buy new versions and get a discount, it isn't free upgrades, but it is an interesting site and set of features. Maybe I should rip an entire audiobook with that and see what happens.

Joe, the best app to avoid the entanglement you mention is the phone app Voice (I have it for Android via the Google Play Store). I tried a number of them before deciding that its ability to recognize grouped and numbered folders as all from the same book and to play them in order makes it a keeper.

Subject: RE: Tech: Rip multiple CDs chronological in mp3 folder
From: GUEST,Phil d'Conch
Date: 03 Jul 21 - 02:05 AM

CDex

If you have Handbrake (aka Pineapple) you might try that. It's written for DVD but I seem to recall using it on the occasional CD.

Subject: RE: Tech: Rip multiple CDs chronological in mp3 folder
From: DaveRo
Date: 03 Jul 21 - 03:08 AM

Jon Freeman wrote: But I don't think most Windows users have Python installed.

Yeah - there's the rub. I wrote a Python prog for my wife to make video clips but I knew she couldn't manage the command line so I had to add a GUI (tkinter) - which turned an hour's job into a day's work. I don't know a simple cross-platform GUI for Python so you can develop on Linux, as we both do, and deploy on Windows. I'd probably use Kivy (I've used it on Android) but I've not tried it on Windows.

Subject: RE: Tech: Rip multiple CDs chronological in mp3 folder
From: Joe Offer
Date: 03 Jul 21 - 04:21 AM

My worst nightmare, is when I rip multiple CDs and they all end up in the same folder. I used to use Media Monkey, but I've gone back to Microsoft Media Player for a variety of reasons. I set Media Player to rip new CDs to a very distinctive folder, and then I go to the results, correct what needs correcting, and move them to a final destination folder. It takes a little longer, but it saves a lot of duplicated effort. It's a real drag to end up with five tracks in one folder, all named "Track 7."

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Tech: Rip multiple CDs chronological in mp3 folder
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 03 Jul 21 - 05:05 AM

Maybe a long winded way of doing it but could you just too them as is, use one of the many MP3 meta data editors and then manually put them in the right folders?

Subject: RE: Tech: Rip multiple CDs chronological in mp3 folder
From: Nick
Date: 03 Jul 21 - 05:22 AM

I think I would use Everything from voidtools. You'll know what folder structure your tracks are in so you can find them. Then sort them by Date Modified (ie the order you downloaded them) and drag them into WMP. Once in there save it and it remembers the order - after that who cares? So here are a load of tracks all called the same but all different. Just reordered them three times. I just selected a load of tracks with the same name but the principle applies I think.

In your case it would be easier as you'll know exactly which folder/folders they are in. I just an extreme example from all over the place

Quick video example

Subject: RE: Tech: Rip multiple CDs chronological in mp3 folder
From: GUEST,jag
Date: 03 Jul 21 - 09:02 AM

Another way, geeky but an alternative to python. Cumbersome but probably not needing any new knowledge.

If you rip the CDs in order the windows timestamp for the files will be in the right order.

Copy them into one folder then on the command line in that folder write the directory listing into a file   (dir > files.txt)

Open that text file in excel as fixed column width so that you can get the filenames on one column width and the timestamp in another.

Delete the rows that you don't need and sort the rest in timestamp order.

Now use Excel autofill to generate a column wih incremental filename (track01, track02 etc or whatever) alongside the sorted filename.

In another column use Excel text function to make up a rename command using the names from the two columns.

Copy the context of that column to the clipboard and paste it into notepad

Save that as something like renames.bat in the folder with the tracks (or a copy of it to be on the safe side)

run the batch file by double clicking it.

Subject: RE: Tech: Rip multiple CDs chronological in mp3 folder
From: Nick
Date: 03 Jul 21 - 09:18 AM

Excel was my first thought but I use Everything routinely and it was easy to do it without. You could run the thing with a macro too if you chose to only have to do it once

Subject: RE: Tech: Rip multiple CDs chronological in mp3 folder
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Jul 21 - 11:35 AM

Phil suggested CDex and Handbrake. I've used Handbrake for working with video files but hadn't thought about audio files. Sort of like JRiver, they have more abilities than I tend to remember most of the time.

Following the link to the Wikipedia CDex page, this jumps out at me:

CDex is a free software package for Digital Audio Extraction from Audio CD (a so-called CD ripper) and audio format conversion for Microsoft Windows. It converts CDDA tracks from a CD to standard computer sound files, such as WAV, MP3, or Ogg Vorbis. CDex was previously released as free software under the terms of the GNU General Public License (GPL); however, although the website claims that this is still the case, no source code has been released since 2005. It was originally written by Albert L. Faber, and is developed and maintained by Georgy Berdyshev. Recent versions of the software may be compromised and a security threat.

This is a problem with older reliable software, crafty people start adding their malware to newer versions. That also happened to DVDShrink (I have an old copy and keep it backed up elsewhere) because the new versions were corrupted.

The video (nice!) of sorting the files is helpful - opening the folder in a way to see all of the metadata and being able to sort would, at the most basic, allow you to order files in a way to not lump together all of the track 1s, track 2s, etc. if you did something to give them each a new name. In a completely different set of software, Adobe, Bridge lets me run renaming of images with Photoshop tools, and my very elderly version of Adobe has device and media tools tucked into the package. Adobe Premiere is for video, but probably also does audio. Not wanting to change the files, just reorder them it would be an exercise in using complicated software (and you wouldn't buy or rent this just to put your audiobook files in the correct order). This has been an interesting exercise in at least looking at the side features of a lot of the software on my computer.

The two mp3 disks in one book I ripped to the computer (to later load on the phone) has the numbering format (randomly selecting examples): BBC1-D01-019.mp3 and BBC1-D02-039.mp3. So you can clearly see a number of things working in the favor of correctly ordering the files: the disk number in the name, and the chapter numbers are continuous through the book and all have 3 digits so you don't have a player ordering them incorrectly.

A tip of my hat to Bill_D if he looks in on this thread - years ago I bookmarked a site of his that has the last old (good) version of a lot of old software. It's free, so of course buyer beware, but you might want to look at OldVersion.com for some of your favorite old programs.

Subject: RE: Tech: Rip multiple CDs chronological in mp3 folder
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 04 Jul 21 - 07:53 AM

I wonder if ffmpeg can handle your problem?

Subject: RE: Tech: Rip multiple CDs chronological in mp3 folder
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Jul 21 - 09:18 AM

"ffmpeg is a command-line tool that converts audio or video formats. It can also capture and encode in real-time from various hardware and software sources such as a TV capture card. ffplay is a simple media player utilizing SDL and the FFmpeg libraries."

Wikipedia entry

Subject: RE: Tech: Rip multiple CDs chronological in mp3 folder
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 04 Jul 21 - 10:14 AM

You might have even used ffmpeg yourself, SRS, without knowing. Other programs, I think including VLC and Audacity, can make use of it behind the scenes and (while I've not used it directly in years and find its command line complicated), I believe it is a kind of "go to" for converting media formats.

Subject: RE: Tech: Rip multiple CDs chronological in mp3 folder
From: Bill D
Date: 04 Jul 21 - 10:30 AM

SRS.,,,I am looking in.... and I see the ultimate goal(s) of integrating smart phones into the process. Since I don't use one, and have no USB connection in my 2002 vehicle, my only concerns are putting sound files onto my Win7 desktop in an order and in folders that I control.
   I am not quite sure that I understand the problem of getting files (or tracks) into the order desired. If I rip a CD..which is very seldom these days.. I simply designate it's destination. I do have 2 machines that will turn any sound source (including tapes and LPs) into MP3s. One of them will, using Audacity, break files at quiet points of about 3 seconds. (I also have Wavosaur, but have just begun to mess with it. It looks like it would help ME a lot, but it says it's good thru Win 7 and I have no idea if it will works on WIN 10)

   Since they seem to expect audio books to just be played in the order they give you, perhaps it's their numbering system? 1,2,3,4... instead of 01, 02, 03..." In this case a renaming program 'might' help. (There are several other free ones)

Because I am ONLY on a Win7 desktop, I constantly depend on a file manager to move (and rename) files and folders around.My favorite is https://freecommander.com/en/summary/ (both older & new versions..portable and install) on download page).... and if I lose something, but know the name, I constantly depend on a program called http://www.indexyourfiles.com/ to find anything almost instantly.

So... I have no idea if these ideas will help those of you who keep up with the latest gadgets. I'd almost have to see the processes live to have any insights. I have maybe 10,000-12,000 sound and video files on my PCs, portable drives..etc.. but for playing in the car, I would have to burn them onto a CD...and I already have hundreds of music CDs ready. I no longer take very long drives, so... *shrug*

I'll re-read this later and see if I have any insights...

Good luck!

Subject: RE: Tech: Rip multiple CDs chronological in mp3 folder
From: Nick
Date: 04 Jul 21 - 10:31 AM

Ok - a bit easier and quicker way to do it. Again using Everything. This is in real time including launching etc. Without the demo bits I can do any number of files into WMP in the correct order in about 20 seconds :)

45 sec video from ripped files to WMP playlist

1 Save all your rips to a folder called (say) Ripped_Books and create as many subfolders as you want or the thing chooses to create.
2 Launch Everything and change the filter from Everything to Audio (will pick up any audio format)
3 I search for H:\ripped to find all the files in the root and subfolders
4 A quick demonstration of the problem stated earlier ie if they are all named 1 or 2 or...
5 Sort by Date Modified first to last
6 Highlight the files and (I had already created a) right click Send to WindowsMediaPlayer as the right click menu works curiously with multiple files and it was a practical solution
7 Done!

Subject: RE: Tech: Rip multiple CDs chronological in mp3 folder
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Jul 21 - 10:50 AM

Jon, I think you're correct. When I looked at that Wikipedia entry I realized it was probably in several of the open source programs I use.

Meanwhile, Bill and Nick and Bonzo, there are several things to look into now. I think your "rename" program may be the cognate to the Photoshop/Adobe renaming program I mentioned above.

Subject: RE: Tech: Rip multiple CDs chronological in mp3 folder
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Jul 21 - 10:56 AM

Just remembered "mp3tag" which has a good renaming function.

Subject: RE: Tech: Rip multiple CDs chronological in mp3 folder
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 04 Jul 21 - 11:12 AM

Somehow became logged out, I remembered mp3tag!

Subject: RE: Tech: Rip multiple CDs chronological in mp3 folder
From: DaveRo
Date: 04 Jul 21 - 03:07 PM

Tag editors - mp3tag and easytag (which I use) - will rename files based on each file's metadata (Album, Artist, Track...). Some rippers add tags - the CD may include some fields, or they get it from an online lookup - but do these audiobooks have it?

Setting up a playlist - which is a separate index used by a media player - is a good solution for playing non-alphabetically-ordered files on WMP, say. That way you don't have to rename the files. Transferring the playlist to a mobile, Android say, is tricky.

Subject: RE: Tech: Rip multiple CDs chronological in mp3 folder
From: DaveRo
Date: 05 Jul 21 - 04:42 AM

I muddled up an audiobook - creating subfolders and changing names so nothing was in alphabetic order. I then created an m3u playlist containing this:
disc_2/Athene Visits Ithaca 01.mp3
disc_one/Saying this Telemachus 02.mp3
disc_2/In her upper room 03.mp3

I put the playlist in the audio book folder and copied that folder and its subfolders onto my Android tablet. It plays in VLC - which is the only media player I have on Android - with the chapters in the right order.

So, if you can export the playlist created using Nick's method from WMA as an m3u (and possibly other types) it'll work in Android (in VLC anyway) provided:
- the m3u playlist is included in the audiobook folder
- it uses relative paths
- folders are delimited by "/" not "\" as in Windows.

That'll probably require a one-line 'androidify playlist' script.

Subject: RE: Tech: Rip multiple CDs chronological in mp3 folder
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Jul 21 - 03:01 PM

I do have VLC in my player, but any audio file will play in Overdrive or Voice. Getting the whole "playlist" part is probably extra work if I can simply name the files in order in one big folder. The process of working in a separate folder is one I've used as I work on files to add to books. One mp3 book had everything but chapter 18, the disk had a spot that wouldn't play; I was able to find that part of the book in two tracks on an audio CD, transfer them over to the working folder, crop and then merge the appropriate parts using Wave Editor so I could rename them chapter 18 and put with the rest of the book.

For undamaged audio files, that renaming program looks promising, to start with.

Subject: RE: Tech: Rip multiple CDs chronological in mp3 folder
From: DaveRo
Date: 05 Jul 21 - 03:58 PM

Renaming the files and putting them in a single folder is certainly the best outcome. Any player will work with that. I sometimes put audiobooks on SD cards to play in the car and I doubt if playlists will work in the car's 'infotainment' system. (But you never know...)

Subject: RE: Tech: Rip multiple CDs chronological in mp3 folder
From: Bill D
Date: 05 Jul 21 - 07:52 PM

Yes...MP3tag is great. My problem is having 4-5 programs that will do renaming..including several file managers.
"He who has a good watch always knows the time. He who has two watches is never sure."

Subject: RE: Tech: Rip multiple CDs chronological in mp3 folder
From: Nick
Date: 08 Jul 21 - 08:22 AM

I ditched playlists when I discovered that apps on android machines complete ignore playlist order and impose mostly track name. And don't have Date modified as an option. Winamp, VLC etc all the same. One lives and learns!

So 100% agree that file renaming utilities is the simple way to go. I don't have a need to bulk rename but had a look at this one... Bulk Rename Utility

Little real time video...

Same plan.
1 Rip to a named folder
2 Open Bulk Rename and go to that folder and open a preset file I made
3 Click on Date Modified and then highlight all files
4 It doesn't care about subfolders or file extensions as you can decide what you want to include. It excludes the rest. And then copies them to your folder of choice named suitably across a range of extensions

If I ever need to copy stuff in order to a Kindle or Android thing I know how to do it now :) Thank you

Subject: RE: Tech: Rip multiple CDs chronological in mp3 folder
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Jul 21 - 11:33 AM

So do we! Thanks! There are many ways to do these tasks, but finding the easiest can take some work. :)

Subject: RE: Tech: Rip multiple CDs chronological in mp3 folder
From: GUEST,lou
Date: 08 Jul 21 - 09:29 PM

Sorry if thi is not helpful, but on a Mac you can rename the CD before ripping it Can't you do that in windows? Can you see the CD contents before ripping?

I agree though that the irregular naming of tracks is a pain.

Subject: RE: Tech: Rip multiple CDs chronological in mp3 folder
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Jul 21 - 10:03 PM

It isn't just renaming it, in the instance I'm working on, it is naming the files from several audiobook CDs so that they can all go into one large folder and the player see and play them in the correct order. Any CD can be renamed in Windows (I use Nero and name things with it) but this in a more granular process we're talking about.